Claimed by My One Time Crush

Chapter Two

Mackenzie’s POV

Ten Years Ago

Walking through to the front of the shop, my grandmother looks up at the sound of my footsteps, her face breaking into a smile as she approaches me, pulling me in for a hug.

‘Kenzie, you look so beautiful’ she tells me sincerely, ‘you go and have fun OK? I want to know all about it when you get home.’

I nod, smiling up at her, ‘I will Mimi, don’t worry about dinner for me, I’ll get a hotdog or something’ I add.

My grandmother holds up a finger, hurrying back to the counter and opening the till, pulling out some bills that she holds out to me as she walks back to me.

‘No!’ Mimi, I don’t need money, I have my pocket money’ I tell the old woman, trying to push her hand back toward her.

My grandmother shakes her head, grabbing my hand and placing the bills onto my palm, forcing my fingers shut over them. ‘You go and you have a good time’ she tells me firmly, ‘and don’t you come back until all that is spent, understand? Buy candy floss and soda and whatever else it is that you kids eat that you shouldn’t.’

I blink back tears that prickle against my eyelids, throwing my arms around the woman who has been both mother and grandmother to me for fifteen years.

‘I love you Mimi’ I mutter into her chest as she pats my back.

‘I love you too my little Kenzie’ she replies, ‘now go.’ She pulls back, turning me around and giving me a small push toward the door, making me laugh as I walk toward it, turning back only long enough to wave before I disappear out of the door, the bell above jangling loudly.

Walking through the streets of Maine, I head to the flower shop at the end of the street, walking inside just as the owner is starting to move his buckets back into the shop.

‘I’m about to close young lady’ the tells me, straightening up as I walk over to one of the buckets that contains single red roses. Picking on up I turn back to him, ‘I just need this’ I tell him, holding it up, ‘please?’ I add, a hint of desperation in my voice.

The older man sighs, nodding as he heads to the register and inputs the cost, taking my money and giving me my change.

‘Thank you!’ I shout gratefully over my shoulder, rushing for the door, checking my watch again which is telling me it’s nearly five.

I hurry my steps, trying not to break into a run, not wanting to be standing there with sweaty armpits. Damn, did I put on deodorant? I can’t remember!

Panic washes over me as I try to remember grabbing the can of spray that sits on my dresser.

I surreptitiously lift my arm, taking a sniff, I don’t smell, OK, that’s good. Trotting down the track that leads to the field where the carnival is set up, I’m now surrounded by other kids of all ages, most in groups, laughing and talking as they head toward the entrance.

I peel off to the side, stopping next to the candy floss cart that is making a killing from all the kids walking past. Standing out of the way of the line as I grip my rose tightly, eyes scanning for the familiar face of my crush.

I hear the giggles of a group of girls as they approach, all of them glancing over their shoulders at something.

‘Oh my God, they are so hot’ one girls whispers loudly.

‘I know’ her friend replies excitedly, ‘I’d take a twin’ she adds.

‘Which one?’ the first girl asks looking peeking backward again.

He friend shrugs, ‘who cares, they both look the same, either would do.’

The group laughs, heading through the archway into the carnival, my head turning back to the crowd just as the brown haired boy of my dreams strolls closer, his two best friends flanking him on either side.

I don’t know the twins names, they are a year above me and everyone just calls them the Cadell brothers. I do know the sexy quarterback between them though, star of our football team and the crush of most girls in the school, Callan Hownell.

Tonight though? He’s coming on a date with me, I’m going to be the centre of his attention and all the Megan’s of the world can watch us fall madly in love.

I straighten up slightly, trying to force a smile to my lips as I wait for him to spot me.

‘Big Mac?’ a voice drawls from my right and I freeze, my head turning to my left to find Bradley, my biggest bully standing feet away from me, surrounded by his posse who are all staring at me, grinning widely. Big Mac, one of the many nicknames that they’ve christened me with using my real name Mackenzie Harper.

‘What are you doing here?’ he asks loudly, ‘you hoping that people might throw out some candy floss so you can fish it out the trash?’

My cheeks burn as I hunch in on myself, don’t let him make you cry, don’t do it!

‘I’m surprised her grandparents could afford to give her money to come here’ one of the girls in the group sneers, slipping her arm through Bradley’s as she looks down at me disdainfully.

‘Uhh, Hi?’ The smooth voice of the sixteen year old on my other side makes me jump and I spin around to face him, Callan looking down at me with a frown.

‘Um, Hi’ I manage to squeak, my death grip on the rose threatening to snap the stem in two.

The good looking teen runs his gaze over me, confusion building in his eyes as he spots the flower in my hands. ‘You are the girl I’m meeting?’ he asks finally. ‘You put the notes in my locker?’

I nod dumbly, not sure what to do, as I note what looks like disappointment in his gaze, and suddenly my plan feels ridiculous, what was I thinking? I’m a nerd who gets picked on, this is Callan freaking Howdell, son of one of the richest men in our state.

A harsh laugh echoes from my right and I glance over before I can stop myself to see Bradley and his friends all laughing.

‘You . . asked out Callan Hownell?’ Bradley chortles, pointing at me.

The snotty girl beside him, pulls a face, ‘oh my God, how embarrassing.'

Tears fill my eyes, as humiliation washes over me. I look back at Callan hopelessly, begging him with my eyes to say something, somehow prove me right, that he is this amazing guy who will try to help out anyone who needs him. That's who he is right? A saviour? My hero, the boy who will look past my puppy fat because it's what is inside that counts.

The jock’s lips part slightly as he looks at me, something like pity in his eyes, that single look enough to destroy me as I realise, he's not going to save me, he's going to let me suffer this humiliation.

Shaking his head, he slowly takes a step back, a move that might as well have been him running away screaming for how much it hurts. ‘I’m sorry, I thought it was . . . ‘ he shakes his head again, ‘it doesn’t matter’ he amends, sucking in a breath. He reaches out a hand before stopping, the limb dropping limply to his side. ‘Look, I’m sure you are a great girl . . . but you are just not my type’ he tells me before glancing at his friends and the three of them walk away, leaving me alone with a group of kids that are sniggering loudly.

‘I can’t believe half tonne Harper asked out Callan Hownell’ Bradley crows, ‘wait until I tell everyone at school tomorrow, this is epic!’

A sob rips from my lips and I turn around, running as fast as I can away from the lights and music of the carnival, dropping the rose as I flee, the echoes of laughter following behind me.

Ten minutes later I slam into my grand parents shop, tears staining my face as my grandmother looks up, her lips parting in horror.

‘Kenzie? What’s wrong?’ she calls after me as I push through the back door and thunder up the stairs to our apartment.

Mimi’s footsteps follow me and she hurries into my room as I throw myself on my bed, crying.

‘Kenzie, sweetie, tell me what happened?’ my grandmother begs, crouching on the floor beside me and stroking my hair.

‘I want to go live with mum’ I wail, my voice muffled by my blankets.

‘W . . what?’ Mimi’s voice breaks as she tries to comprehend what I’m saying.

I turn my head, holding her worried gaze with my tear filled one, ‘please Mimi’ I beg, ‘please ring her and ask. I want to live with her, ask her if I can.’

My grandmother’s shoulders fall as she looks at me, ‘we can ask’ she replies slowly, ‘get you moved down there in the holidays after the semester is over . . ‘

I shake my head, pushing myself up, ‘no’ I argue desperately, ‘tonight! I want to go tonight, I can take the bus, I have money, please.’

There must be something in my face because my grandmother stares at me, her face falling.

‘I don’t know sweetie’ she whispers, ‘it’s a long way.’

I shake my head, ‘I can do it Mimi, I’m sensible, I can ring you at every bus station when I change buses.’

‘No’ a gruff voice growls from the doorway and I look up to Pop’s leaning against my door frame, arms crossed, eyes tired from being woken up.

‘Pop’s’ I beg, ‘please, I can do it, I promise.’

My grandfather shakes his head firmly, ‘I’ll drive you’ he replies, my mouth falling open at his words. ‘My grand daughter is not taking a bus across the country, If you want to go and live with your mum, I’ll take you’ he repeats.

Standing up I throw myself into my grand father’s arms, hugging him tightly as I sob.

The old man pats my back as he holds me to him, ‘it’s OK Kenzie’ he tells me softly, ‘it’s all going to be OK, Mimi and I will make sure of it.’