Mackenzie Paul

Chapter 40

Logan

"Mr. Paul? Mr. Paul." I slowly open my eyes forgetting where I was. I see a nurse and my eyes were wide open.  I jump to my feet and quickly rub my eyes.

"Yes? Can I see her?"

"Yes you may. And I see yo have other visitors. Only two at a time. We don't want her to be overwhelmed if she wakes up." I nod and wake up Jake.

"Huh? Wha- Is uh- Is Mackenzie awake? Can we see her?"

"No, but you two may see her. Right this way." The nurse takes us to a room and leaves us outside the door. I look at Jake and we both take a deep breath before opening the door. We enter and my eyes land on Mackenzie. She was lying lifeless in her bed. One her arms was hooked up to a machine and the other was wrapped in a cast. There were stitches on Mackenzie's forehead and bruises down her body. On one part of her gown there was a blood stain, but it was small and wasn't getting any bigger. You could still see the tear stains down her cheeks from crying. Jake leans on the wall beside Mackenzie's bed and stares at her. I could see the hurt in his eyes and I could tell her was trying his hardest not to cry.

I walk over to Mackenzie and lightly hold her hand. The outside of her gand was cold, but the palm of her hand was warm and soft. I smile and stare at her. She seemed so calm, but knowing my sister she was going crazy inside her own mind.

"How can you be smiling?" Jake asks "Makenzie is literally in a coma."

"Look at it this way, she's not dead. She could have been killed in that crash, but she has a fractured forearm and a few stitches."

"What about the brain damage? What is she doesn't remember us?"

"Then all we can do is try to be the best brothers we can be. Even if she doesn't know."

"I hate your optimism."

"I hate your negativity." Jake and I look at each other then laugh. There was a bit of  happiness in that laugh, but not much. Jake walks up and places his have lightly on Mackenzie's upper arm.

"Come on sis...I know you can hear me. I know it, come on." He says with a small bit if hope in his voice.

Daniel

"Yes! Why Do You Care That She's My Girlfriend?!"

"Because...Because I'm in love with you Daniel! I Fucking Love You! And I really wish I didn't because you're not the guy I thought you were." She loved me?

"Kenzi..."

"It doesn't matter anyways, just leave me alone." She ran off and I couldn't catch her.

"Mackenzie! Please just listen! Mackenzie!" I keep running, but she was too fast. I wanted to tell her I love her, I really did, but I couldn't. Seeing her like that just broke me. 

I wake up and sit up quickly forgetting that Stephanie was beside me. She shifted in her sleep, but didn't wake up. I breath out heavily and slowly get out of bed. I put on a tank top and head downstairs. It was only four in the morning so it was still dark. No one else was awake so it was quiet. It felt to quiet to me though. I was just paranoid...

I pour myself a glass of water and sit on the counter staring into space. After about ten minutes I heard the sound of footsteps down the stairs. I turn around to see Stephanie coming down the stairs. She smiles once she sees me and I give a weak smile.

"Hey baby, are you okay?" She asks in that sweet voice. I loved it, but only because she was like Mackenzie. Every girl that I've been interested in has had something in common with Mackenzie. Whether it be the way she laughed or how she would say my name.

"Yea, I'm just thinking." I say with a sigh lingering in my voice.

"Dani, what's wrong?"

"I just...I went to go talk to Mackenzie because I wanted to know why she doesn't like you. She told me everything you did in Ohio and here..." Stephanie was silent "Is it all true?"

"What did she tell you I did exactly?" Stephanie asks with a shaky voice.

"She told me that you had sex with Lance and you were the girl Ivan was cheating on her with and that you had sex with Grayson. Then she told me you were after me. Am I just some prize to you? Do you only like me because Mackenzie does?"

"No! I really do like you Daniel."

"Then what about everything else?"

"That stuff is true, but I didn't know Ivan and Grayson were with her at the time."

"Come on Steph, you used to be a YouTuber you should know about them. And they were literally on every gossip page in existence. Even Keem made two videos about her and Grayson and her and Ivan."

"Well, then I guess I never saw them. But those two times I never knew they were in a relationship with Mackenzie."

"What about Lance?" Stephanie looks away from my eyes "What about Lance?" I ask in a stern voice. Stephanie bites her lip nervously before speaking.

"I was jealous." She says quietly, but loud enough for me to understand. 

"Why?" I ask just as quietly as she did.

"Because Mackenzie always got everything she wanted. She got friends, she got to be popular, she was liked- loved by every guy and everyone in school. And I was just her friend that didn't talk much, that wasn't as pretty as her, that never played sports... Then when Lance came along, I fell in love with him. I had told Mackenzie and she told me she'd back off. Then three months later they're dating and I'm just a forgotten memory. Whatever she told you about she and I drifting away in high school, she lied. She stopped talking to me all at once. She never let me go to parties with her and she always seemed embarrassed around me. I really wanted to hang out with her, but it was always cheer practice, soccer practice, lacrosse, track, sorry I have a party to go to and I don't want you there, Lance ad I are hanging out, Lance this Lance that... I just wanted something for my own."

"So you took someone that didn't belong to you in the first place?"

"No- Yes, but I...agh, I know it was stupid, but that was years ago.  I would never take someone that I knew belonged to someone else. You didn't belong to Mackenzie...did you?"

"No, I guess not..."

"Good. Now, how about we have a little fun?" Stephanie says in a flirtatious manner. She trailes her hands from my shoulders to my hands. She leans up and connects her lips with mine. I kiss back until she moves her hands to my legs. I pull back and push Stepahnie's hands away.

"Stop Steph..."

"But why?"

"I'm not in the mood right now babe."

"Come on Dani...It'll be fun."

"No, I don't want to Steph." I say again.

"Is it Mackenzie?" I was silent "It is isn't it? What did she tell you?"

"Nothing." I say not meeting her gaze.

"Tell me Daniel. What did she say?!"

"Nothing!"

"What. Did. She say?" Stephanie asks in a stern tone.

"She loves me!" I shout back.

"And?" 

"And maybe...maybe I love her too." Stephanie looked at me with hurt eyes. I could see the disappointment in her eyes and it tore me up.

"Steph..."

"No, if you love Mackenzie so bad, just go be with her. I'll be a forgotten memory by tomorrow."

"Steph."

"And yet again, I'm being left for Mackenzie." Stephanie says to herself as she heads upstairs still with tears falling from her face. 

"I'm sorry..." I say quietly. I never thought in one day I could break the hearts of two girls.