Days had passed and Kenzie and Katie were both done with their exams and were now on vacation as they wait for the results and responses from the colleges they applied to. One evening Kenzie was bored at home so she decided to move out a little bit and went to the park. At the park, she sat on a bench and was scrolling through her phone then some girl came from nowhere and sat next to her.
" Hey, you lo--" the girl was still saying but Kenzie stopped her saying, "Sorry I'm straight." without looking up.
" O-kay, spaghetti is straight too before it gets wet." the girl replied and that forced Kenzie to look up. " What is that even supposed to mean?" she asked.
"I don't know I just said something random and hey, look, I got your attention. I'm Valerie by the way." the girl said. "And I'm Riya."
"Really? You look more like a Kenzie." the girl said. "Then I guess that's what you call me." Kenzie said like it wasn't her name. "Great! I'll call you Kenzie and you can call me Val." "Cool." Kenzie said and continued scrolling through her phone.
" Hey, you don't exactly look like the quiet type." Val said
"Whoah,look at you talking like you know me. What if I don't feel like talking especially when it comes to strangers." Kenzie said.
" O-kay sorry for disturbing you." Val said as she was standing up.
" Wait, I didn't mean to talk to you like that. It's just that I'm going through some s*** and I'm such a mess that it should worry me but it doesn't. I just don't give a damn about anything anymore and I don't even know why I'm telling you this, it's not like you'd understand." Kenzie said after feeling guilty for talking to her like that. "Actually I would." Val said as she sat back down. "I also had that one time where I was going through some s*** but I was able to pull through now here I am happy as I could be." Val said .
"That's great for you but mine is deep deep shit no one would understand." Kenzie said. "Well, have you ever tried to make someone understand?" " Yeah, yeah I have and guess what-" Kenzie was saying when. "She didn't understand?!" Val completed. "Exactly."
" Or you can make me try to understand." Val said. "No, it's best if I don't. Trust me you wouldn't want to know my stuff it's too depressing but I'm doing a really great job playing everything is great and it's not but at least I was able to get some people off my neck. My friends are great and I love them but-" Kenzie was still saying when Val completed, " but they just worry too much more than you do." " Yeah exactly that. How did you know." Kenzie said now looking at her with some interest.
" I told you, been through stuff so if there's anyone that can understand what you're going through, it's me." Val said. "Good to know. Just maybe someday I'll make you understand." Kenzie said patting her shoulder. " Yeah I'd love that. So what's poopin' in?" Val asked. "Mmm- nothing much, just waiting for results for the college entrance exams." Kenzie replied. "Wow, you're done with high school?!" "Yep."
" So what college are you aiming for?" Val said. "Actually, I don't even have hopes for passing and getting into college. I haven't exactly been true to my studies." "How so?" "I don't remember the last time I actually opened a book to read." "Whoah, now that's messed up. So you sat your college entrance exam without reading like, anything anything at all?!" "Yep I just somehow always get to the next class by pure luck or it's just that my Big guy up there loves me and yet-" she was still saying then Val finished,"- and yet you do not deserve it!"
"Lemme guess. Been there?!" Kenzie said. "Yap" " I'm starting to like you even more now." "What can I say, I'm quite lovable." Val said sortta bragging. "Don't get to full of yourself. I don't like people for long." They continued talking and exchanged numbers and left after a while.
A few more weeks down the vacation the results were out and both passed. So Kenzie was now waiting for an admission letter from any college but what she didn't know was that Katie applied for both of them at Stanford and she had already received her acceptance letter and it was Kenzie left.
"Hey, Riya, you got a parcel." Brody, her brother shouted from downstairs. "Could you be such a sweetheart and get it for me!?" Kenzie shouted back. "And could you stop being such a lazy butt and come get it yourself!?" Brody shouted.
"Riya, dear, what he means to say is it needs your signature." their mom shouted. "Ughhhh, you guys are so not helpful." Kenzie groaned as she moved downstairs and went to the door, signed, picked it and closed the door.
" Seriously, just a freakin' letter and it needs a signature! I thought it would be something like a box or something." Kenzie runted. "Now stop lamenting and open it already." her mom said. She opened it and the mom saw the badge of Stanford. "Oh my gosh! Is that what I think it is?! It's a letter from Stanford. Kenzie, you didn't tell me you applied to Stanford." her mom said. "That's because I didn't ."
"It's our pleasure to inform you Miss Riya Mackenzie that you have gracefully qualified to join Stanford for your higher education. We've heard of your exceptional skills and it would be a great honor to have you join our mighty institution-" Kenzie was still reading aloud when she stopped. " Okay this is getting boring."she said referring to all the words.
" Give me that." her mom grabbed it from her and completed reading it. When she was done, she screamed like one of those typical excited teenage girls. " Jeez mom, you're an adult in case you had forgotten." Kenzie said. "My gosh,Riya, you have no idea how much I wanted to get into Stanford but I didn't and now seeing this acceptance letter, I'm overjoyed but wait if you didn't apply then just how did you get in?" her mom asked." I think I know who did this." Kenzie said moving to the stairs.
"Is it Katie?" her mom asked. " Who else!" "Then you have to thank her infact, invite her over for lunch." her mom said. " I don't think that's a great idea remember that Brody here has a little crush on her." Kenzie said.
" No I do not." Brody denied. " Yes you do. You literally almost kissed her when she was asleep if I didn't catch you in the act." Kenzie said. " Mom, she's making things up. How could I possibly do that to someone four years older than me." Brody said. "I don't care whether it's made up or fake but Katie is coming over for lunch and if you don't call her I'll call her mom." their mom said. " Fine, I'll call her." Kenzie said going upstairs.
"Good now Brody what's this I'm hearing about you wanting to kiss a girl when she's asleep?" she turned to him but he kept his head down. "Son, if you want to do it--do it right. Be like hey, Katie I'd love to kiss you and she won't refuse, trust me." she said surprising him. "Mom, you're just as crazy as your daughter." he said heading upstairs but in his mind was actually considering it. " No I can't be as crazy as them." he said to himself. " Son,think about it." "I won't."
In her room, Kenzie got her phone and called Katie." Hey, to what do I owe this pleasant surprise Riya Mackenzie is actually calling me on phone when she said she never will." Katie on the other side said. " You know what you did." " I do a lot of stuff so which one do you mean exactly?" " Katie!" Kenzie called her name. Katie gasped after giving it some thought. "Wait, is it about the college application?" she asked already excited and Kenzie's silence was a clear yes. "Oh my gosh, Kenzie you got into Stanford, you actually got into Stanford." she screamed, no more like screeched.
" I actually didn't think you would get in as I applied for you but you actually did. I'm so happy I could scream." Katie said screaming again."Katie do you want me to go deaf or something, stop that." Kenzie said. "I'm sorry, I'm just so excited. Guess who's getting into Stanford?! We are." "Of course you applied there too.
" Kenzie said. "Of course I did. I mean how could I apply for you then forget myself, that would be stupid of me." Katie said.
"Okay my mom wants you to come over for lunch if you're free." " Are you sure you're not the one who wants me to come over?" Katie said. " Of course I'm sure I'm not the one. You know how much I don't want you around my house." Kenzie said."Ouch! What did I ever do to you?" Katie feigned pain. " Let's see--, you existed and not just that but became beautiful too and attracted my little brother." Kenzie said. "What's that even supposed to mean?"
" Just forget it. I'll tell my mom you're busy." Kenzie said. "No, don't I'm free. I'm more than free, in fact I'm on my way there."" Katie wait, if I asked you not to come would you listen to me?!" Kenzie asked. " Of course not. See you in a few byeeee." Katie said and hang up. " Did she just hang up on my call?!" "Of course she did."she talked to no one in particular.
After a while, the doorbell rang and Brody checked in the mirror for the eighth time as he had been at it since he went to his room earlier.
" Hey, Mrs. Mackens." Katie greeted. " Hi Katie, I'm glad you could make it. And thanks for what you did for my girl."she replied hugging her. "Oh it's nothing and I wouldn't trade your lunch for anything in the world." Katie said. "Oh that's sweet. If only Kenzie could learn a thing or two from you."
"Riya. Brody. Katie's here so get down now." she shouted out. "Geez Mom, we're not deaf." Kenzie said coming out. "Of course I know that but I just love doing it it makes me feel great." " Isn't your mom just thee best!" Katie said.
" Well you can have her if you want." Riya said. " Riya!?" "Mom!?" "Do I smell something burning?" Brody came out and said. "Shoot! My tacos." their mom said and rushed into the kitchen.
"Hi, Brody." Katie said. "Sup." he replied in a cool voice. " Oh please, don't start now." Kenzie said pulling Katie to the living room. "So Katie when do we leave?" she asked. "Next week Sunday. Wanna go together and be roommies again?!" Katie asked. "Even if I said no, you will be here first thing Sunday morning." Kenzie said. " Glad we understand each other."
The table was set and lunch was served and they ate to their liking and when they were done, Kenzie's mom went on with her business and the kids too.
Kenzie had forgotten her phone in her room so she wanted to go get it. " Katie I'm going to go grab my phone from upstairs real quick. Do me a favor and stay away from my brother."she said standing up. " What do you mean by that." Katie was confused. "You too, Brody. Infact don't even look at her." she ignored Katie and said to Brody and went upstairs leaving just the two of them alone. Brody couldn't help but glance at Katie a few times and his mom's words resounded in his ears. He gathered up the courage and said, "Katie,I'd love to kiss you." Katie was more than shocked cuz that literally came out of nowhere. She looked at him blinking many times to see a smile on his face saying he was kidding but it never came. " I mean if it's okay with you." he added. "Ahh, sure. Why not?" she actually agreed. Brody did not waste any time cuz he knew Kenzie would be back in a sec and Katie just might change her mind. He moved close to her and smashed his lips on hers and got bold enough to use some tongue. Katie was more than impressed cause damn, this kid's a great kisser. He pulled away from her when they heard Kenzie's door slamming shut.
"That was great Katie but Kenzie can absolutely not know about what just happened." Brody said. "Yeah totally." Katie said in a shaky voice cuz she can't believe she just kissed her friend's younger brother and it felt great. With Katie's assurance, Brody left to avoid any suspicion.
" Hey, where's Brody?" Kenzie asked on seeing Katie alone. "Oh, ah-he left after you went up." Katie said. " Why do I feel something is kinda different with you?" Kenzie said slowly approaching her. "What-what makes you say that, this is how you left me."Katie said nervous."No, something's definitely different." Kenzie said really close to her face and she lifted her chin to get a closer look. " Oh now I see it." Kenzie said and Katie thought she was busted. " Your lipstick is smudged. Gosh,do you eat badly." Kenzie said and let go of her. Katie breathed out a sigh of relief as she thought she was caught but it turned out to be a false alarm.