same. Without seeing him, I knew. I could tell by the song he was playing. I listened to that song a million times after that night. Kyle bought me one of his CD’s and Todd McCoy became my best friend, even over Gia.
His expression was just like it was when I’d sat, listening to his beautiful sad, sad music. We were in Fiji for an incentive trip Melanie had won. After the company banquet, Gia and I were excused. There was a cheer competition going on down at the beach and Gia wanted out of there.
“Dad, please. Let us go. I can’t take this music for one more second,” Gia whined. I ignored her. I ignored everything but Todd McCoy. He was amazing. I was mesmerized, feeling emotions wake inside me. I could have cried. I felt the aching in my heart when someone you love hurts you.
“Fine, go tell your mom,” Kyle agreed.
“Yes!” Gia exclaimed. “Come on, McKenzie.”
“I’ll be right there,” I said in a trance. Gia darted off to let her mother know we were flying the coop.
“He’s good isn’t he?”
“He’s amazing,” I replied in a melodramatic tone.
“Kenzie?”
“Hu h?” I questioned in my dazed state.
“Did you take your medication today?”
I snapped my head and stared toward Kyle. What did he know? “Medication?”
“Stop. We’ve been pretending for three months now. It happened, and you told me you were sick. I can tell when you’re not taking it. Who do you think made sure you took it that night before you went to bed? Your eyes are glassed over like that night. Like shiny glass.”
“They are not.”
“They are , Kenzie. Go take your medication.”
“ I want to drink tonight,” I countered. Shit. This was Kyle. This was Gia’s dad. I just blew it. He wasn’t going to let us out of his sight now.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea for you.”
“You’re not my dad,” I reminded him.
“No, there’s your dad. The drunk one downing another shot of whisk ey. He doesn’t give a shit about you right now. And there’s your mom. She’s the drunk one dancing all over my w—Melanie,” Kyle explained. The quick reverting from wife to Melanie didn’t go unnoticed. “She doesn’t give a shit right now either. I give a shit. Go take your meds.”
“I don’t want to. I’m in Fiji. I want to be like Gia and have fun tonight.”
“Do you come off your meds often?”
“No this is only the second time, but I’m prepared this time.”
“Prepared?”
“ Yeah, I read about it. See this? I’m going to squeeze it every time I feel like this isn’t real life. It will help keep me grounded.”
Kyle took the rubber ball from my hand and read my scribbling. McKenzie Perry. Senior at Monte Academy. Best friend Gia. Go Tigers. Friends forever. Little phrases I thought might help keep me sane, filled the purple ball. Someone suggested it on a forum I had read. Kyle handed it back and I squeezed it. The piano wanted me to dance.
“I’ll see you around,” I said, needing to get away from Kyle and away from the dramatic music.
“McKenzie. Please go take your medicine,” Kyle begged, stopping me with the tips of his fingers. Shit. He touched me.
My eyes met his and I wanted what we did the last time. I wanted Kyle to envelope me with his body. I looked down at the velvet touch of his hand and tilted my head. I admired the silver watch, sparkling with vibrant diamond colors. The diamonds swirled with the tunes coming from the piano.
“Kenzie?”
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
I ran out into the dark night and lifted my arms in liberation. I had to. The urge was too strong not to. Kicking off my heels, I danced in the damp grass. The gardens at the hotel were magnificent. I was dancing in an enchanted forest. It was breathtaking, beautiful.
“What the fuck? You could have waited on me,” Gia complaine d. That snapped me out of my frolicking haze.
“Gia, I love you. You know that, right?” I asked, dropping my arm over her shoulder.
“Oh my
His expression was just like it was when I’d sat, listening to his beautiful sad, sad music. We were in Fiji for an incentive trip Melanie had won. After the company banquet, Gia and I were excused. There was a cheer competition going on down at the beach and Gia wanted out of there.
“Dad, please. Let us go. I can’t take this music for one more second,” Gia whined. I ignored her. I ignored everything but Todd McCoy. He was amazing. I was mesmerized, feeling emotions wake inside me. I could have cried. I felt the aching in my heart when someone you love hurts you.
“Fine, go tell your mom,” Kyle agreed.
“Yes!” Gia exclaimed. “Come on, McKenzie.”
“I’ll be right there,” I said in a trance. Gia darted off to let her mother know we were flying the coop.
“He’s good isn’t he?”
“He’s amazing,” I replied in a melodramatic tone.
“Kenzie?”
“Hu h?” I questioned in my dazed state.
“Did you take your medication today?”
I snapped my head and stared toward Kyle. What did he know? “Medication?”
“Stop. We’ve been pretending for three months now. It happened, and you told me you were sick. I can tell when you’re not taking it. Who do you think made sure you took it that night before you went to bed? Your eyes are glassed over like that night. Like shiny glass.”
“They are not.”
“They are , Kenzie. Go take your medication.”
“ I want to drink tonight,” I countered. Shit. This was Kyle. This was Gia’s dad. I just blew it. He wasn’t going to let us out of his sight now.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea for you.”
“You’re not my dad,” I reminded him.
“No, there’s your dad. The drunk one downing another shot of whisk ey. He doesn’t give a shit about you right now. And there’s your mom. She’s the drunk one dancing all over my w—Melanie,” Kyle explained. The quick reverting from wife to Melanie didn’t go unnoticed. “She doesn’t give a shit right now either. I give a shit. Go take your meds.”
“I don’t want to. I’m in Fiji. I want to be like Gia and have fun tonight.”
“Do you come off your meds often?”
“No this is only the second time, but I’m prepared this time.”
“Prepared?”
“ Yeah, I read about it. See this? I’m going to squeeze it every time I feel like this isn’t real life. It will help keep me grounded.”
Kyle took the rubber ball from my hand and read my scribbling. McKenzie Perry. Senior at Monte Academy. Best friend Gia. Go Tigers. Friends forever. Little phrases I thought might help keep me sane, filled the purple ball. Someone suggested it on a forum I had read. Kyle handed it back and I squeezed it. The piano wanted me to dance.
“I’ll see you around,” I said, needing to get away from Kyle and away from the dramatic music.
“McKenzie. Please go take your medicine,” Kyle begged, stopping me with the tips of his fingers. Shit. He touched me.
My eyes met his and I wanted what we did the last time. I wanted Kyle to envelope me with his body. I looked down at the velvet touch of his hand and tilted my head. I admired the silver watch, sparkling with vibrant diamond colors. The diamonds swirled with the tunes coming from the piano.
“Kenzie?”
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
I ran out into the dark night and lifted my arms in liberation. I had to. The urge was too strong not to. Kicking off my heels, I danced in the damp grass. The gardens at the hotel were magnificent. I was dancing in an enchanted forest. It was breathtaking, beautiful.
“What the fuck? You could have waited on me,” Gia complaine d. That snapped me out of my frolicking haze.
“Gia, I love you. You know that, right?” I asked, dropping my arm over her shoulder.
“Oh my
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