Chapter 4 – Jordan
CHAPTER
FOUR
JORDAN
I’ve been looking forward to Friday night all week because she’ll be at my house for the weekend. No matter what I do, I can’t stop thinking about Mackenzie. It’s uncharted territory for me—ball is my whole life. But maybe—just maybe—there’s room for something… no, scratch that, someone else.
Things started off great. The game was the perfect excuse to feel things out and talk to her by “explaining” football.
I took every opportunity to brush my arm against hers or let my hand rest on her leg for a second.
Electricity ran between us, and by the way her breathing hitched and her cheeks blushed, I know she felt it too.
I’d hoped to go straight home, get my sister to watch a movie, and inevitably fall asleep.
Then I would get to talk—really talk—to Mack.
We spent all summer talking, and since school started, I’ve missed it.
Between classes, workouts, and extra basketball prep, we haven’t seen each other much and barely text.
The gossip mill runs rampant between our two rival schools, and I’ve heard plenty about Trey pursuing Mack.
The thought makes my blood boil, and I talked myself into believing it wasn’t true.
Trey’s never been the boyfriend type. Now I’m proven wrong, and it’s killing me to watch freaking Trey Spencer flirt with her right in front of me.
Obliging my twin sister, I came to Trudy’s for ice cream and to congratulate Liam on his game.
I’m overprotective of my sister, but these football guys are basically her brothers at this point.
We grew up together, and even if they liked her, they’d never make a move.
I’m not so sure about my teammate Drew, though.
I saw the way he was looking at my sister, even Mack noticed.
All my plans for a quick ice-cream have gone out the window.
My need to get Mack alone morphs into getting her away from Trey as soon as possible.
Just as I think that my sister sits down at his booth.
Great. Guess we’re sitting here. Before I can stop it, Trey pulls Mack to his side.
My Mack. I burn with jealousy, but I take a seat next to my sister, directly across from Trey.
He wears a smug smile I hate. I used to think we were boys, but that ends tonight if he doesn’t back off my girl.
No. She’s not my girl. My fists clench under the table as I count to ten, slowly trying to calm down. I’ve never reacted this way to a girl, and I hate who I’m becoming. I don’t get jealous, especially not of a hockey bro.
Reagan can’t help herself and jumps right in. “So, Trey, you must really like my bestie if you came all the way here when you could see her at school every day.” As much as I hate the visual of them together at school, I would love to know just how much Trey sees her.
He gives that cocky laugh that makes my teeth grind, he looks over at Mack and I tense. She’s blushing. For him. That’s supposed to be for me.
“I don’t think I could ever get enough of Kenzie. Lunch and walks to class don’t give much time for us to be alone and really get to know each other, you know?” He says this and then winks at Mack before grinning at my sister.
“Aw, you’re sweet! J, isn’t it nice that he’s taking care of my best friend?” My sister, ever the wordsmith. I see Trey’s shoulders shake with laughter and my blood is boiling.
“Yeah. It’s super sweet.” The words come out harsher than I intend as my eyes glance at Mackenzie, then narrow on Trey. He looks back at me without a care in the world. He’s obviously into her.
“I think I need to go to the bathroom.” Mack randomly blurts out and runs from the table. Someone from the football squad calls Reagan’s name and she goes over to them, leaving me with my newest enemy. I mean, my old friend. Frenemy? Is that still a thing?
“So, Mills, how’s ball treating you so far this year? Y’all going to win state?”
“Spencer, cut the crap. You don’t care about my basketball team, just like I couldn’t care less about hockey.”
His answering cruel laugh grates on my last nerve. “You’re right. Let’s just cut to the chase here. Do you have a thing for Kenz? I know she’s your sister’s best friend, so I wasn’t sure if you were just friends or if it was more?”
Something inside me shatters. I was ready to stake a claim on Mack, but he had to throw my sister’s name in there. Can I really date the one girl that hasn’t tried to use my sister for her own gain? I need more time. Time to feel it out and time to slowly get my sister used to the idea.
My need to protect Reagan’s friendship with Mackenzie overrides my selfish desire to make any kind of public claim on her.
I would never want Rea to think Mack is her friend just to get closer to me—because that’s happened more times than I can count.
I’m not being conceited—it’s the face I wear and the reputation that follows it.
The seconds are ticking by, loud in my head, and I scan the room, half-hoping Mack will come back from the bathroom so I don’t have to finish this conversation. No such luck. The window closes, and it’s time to face this—even though every instinct in me wants to dodge it.
Trey’s looking at me now, jaw tight, patience thinning by the second.
He’s waiting for an answer, so I put on a nonchalant face and play it off.
“Nah, man. It’s not like that with Mack.
She’s just my sister’s best friend. That’s all.
” I want to throw up as I say it. Truly, I feel sick inside denying the feelings I have for her.
Trey blows out a breath, like I just took the weight of the world off his shoulders.
“Oh good. Cause I really like her, dude. I’m going to make my move and get the girl, soon.
” I physically have to dig my fingernails into the palm of my hands to keep them fisted at my side so I stay in my seat and remain calm even though I’m screaming inside.
You did this to yourself, idiot.
Reagan comes over to the table and I realize I don’t see Mack anywhere.
Before I can ask, Rea answers my thought.
“Mack got our order to go. We want to get started on the movie before it gets too late.” Then she looks over at Spencer for a minute, smiling.
“Be good to my best friend, okay? I’m giving you my approval. ”
Crossing his heart, Trey locks eyes with my sister. “I promise, Rea Rea.” He just got the green light from Reagan.
I hate myself right now.
MACKENZIE
I bolt to the bathroom as fast as humanly possible. I couldn’t sit there with Trey and Jordan. It was too much, and my mind is a mess. Maybe Liv is right—Trey likes me. Do I like him? Yes. But Jordan looked angry. Was he jealous? No. That's crazy. We’re just friends.
I take a few deep breaths and wash my hands, noticing that they’re still trembling from anxiety. I step out, bracing for whatever awaits me, but I hear Trey say something that makes me pause out of sight.
“I want to ask you, though, if you have a thing for Kenz? I know she’s your sister’s best friend, so I wasn’t sure if you were just friends or if something was going on?”
It takes a few seconds, and I hold my breath waiting to hear what Jordan says. His response confirms what I feared—only it’s worse. I thought we were friends, but it turns out he sees me as nothing more than Reagan’s friend.
“Nah, man. It’s not like that with Mack. She’s just my sister’s best friend. That’s all.”
I was wrong about him. Like I told Liv, just a convenient person he could waste the summer with.
I don’t understand why tears well in my eyes as I turn and walk to the counter.
I place an order for mine and Reagan’s favorite ice cream—extra-large cookie dough shakes with extra cookie dough pieces.
I send my best friend a text that I will be waiting outside for her.
It only takes a minute for Rea to walk out with her twin brother, whom I refuse to make eye contact with. The tears dry, replaced mostly by anger.
“My mom and dad are on the way to pick us up. They’re just a couple of minutes away.” Reagan tells me.
“Sounds perfect.” My voice is so quiet, I’m not sure if she hears me, but at that moment the Mills show up and we all climb in the back of their Range Rover. I make sure Reagan sits in the middle and I turn to face the window as Everett and Paige pepper us with questions about the game.
The car ride goes by quickly, and when we reach the Mills’ house, Rea and I head upstairs to change. I can’t deal with Jordan tonight, so I do the only thing I know how to do—I hide.
“Hey Rea, can we watch the movie here tonight? I’m so tired and don’t want to go downstairs.” My sweet, pleading tone must do the trick, because she agrees quickly.
“Yeah, me too, actually. I also want to talk to you about something that happened tonight.”
I tense, not sure what she’s going to say. “Yeah, what happened?”
Please don’t be what I think it is.
Her cheeks turn pink, and I see her eyes start to mist. “It’s about Drew. I saw him tonight with a bunch of girls and it just sucked, you know?” I release a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding.
I never want to see my best friend upset, but I am relieved in this moment because I’m more than happy to focus on her and Drew. “Aw, Rea, but you didn’t see what I saw.” Her eyes jump back to me, full of curiosity, and a few lingering tears.
“W-What did you see?” Her voice is shaky, almost like she is afraid of what I am about to tell her.
“He completely ignored them once you walked in. He tracked your every move. I think he really does like you.”
She shakes her head, “If he did, why wouldn’t he talk to me? You know that whole idea of if he wanted to, he would.”
“I’m not sure. Maybe he’s nervous. Honestly, I bet your brother warned him away from you.” She nods her head, a scowl on her face that morphs into a menacing grin.
“I don’t know anything about Drew. But I do know that Trey definitely likes you! He’s so dreamy…”
The mention brings a small smile to my face and a stab to the heart because I momentarily think about Jordan and how easily he dismissed our friendship or whatever it could’ve grown into.
“Yeah. He’s pretty great, huh?”
“Mack, I think you should go for it!” Reagan’s encouragement is exactly what I need to hear right now.
“Maybe I will.”
We spend the rest of the weekend in her room watching movies, giving each other makeovers, and doing some shopping at the mall.
By the time I get home, there’s no longer anger or hurt left.
Just resolution to not dwell on something that was never there.
I decide it’s time to give Trey the chance he’s asking for and hold on to the guy who tells and shows me he wants me.