(The girl in the picture is Evelyn; face claim - Taissa Farmiga)

Chapter 2: Ghost

Mackenzie's POV. -

After slamming the car door shut when they got home, Mackenzie noticed her dad's car wasn't in the driveway—he was probably still at work. As soon as she reached her room in their spacious two-story house, she dropped her bag by the desk and collapsed onto her bed, shutting her eyes for what felt like hours. Her relaxation was interrupted by the familiar ding of her phone. Groaning a little, she grabbed it to see a message from Emmy.

Emmy: Hey.

Mackenzie: Hey girlie, what's up?

A few seconds later, Emmy responded.

Emmy: Not much, just chilling. Is it cool if I call you Mack instead of your full name?

Mackenzie: Sure, that's what my parents call me anyway, either that or Kenzie.

Emmy: Sweet.

She smiled at the easy conversation, plugging her phone into the charger before deciding to write in her diary. Journaling always helped her clear her mind and process her emotions—it was her go-to way of decompressing.

Dear Diary,

Today was okay. I walked in with my head held high and did my best to smile and say all the right things. I made two new friends, Emmy and Aisha, and they seem pretty cool. But I'm still not sure if going back to public school was the right choice. Not just because of my past, but because of how overwhelming it all feels. It's like stepping into a trap and I'm just waiting for something bad to happen, even if I can't quite put my finger on it.

Here's hoping things get better tomorrow.

After finishing her entry, she hid her journal in the secret bookcase hidden inside her walk-in closet. Feeling the weight of the day start to settle on her, she grabbed her laptop and decided to unwind by watching Game of Thrones.

Dinner was mostly quiet, except for her dog, Elayna—a lovable mix of Labrador and terrier—who whined at Mackenzie with her head resting on her feet. Mackenzie pretended to resist. "Don't give me that look," she scolded, but Elayna whimpered again, pleading with her eyes.

Kenzie sighed. "No, Elayna." But the dog pulled out her secret weapon—the irresistible puppy-dog look.

"Okay, you win," she muttered, slipping her a piece of grilled chicken, which Elayna eagerly devoured.

Her mom gave her a knowing look. "Don't be surprised if one day you leave the table and come back to find your plate empty."

The girl shrugged. "It was just one piece. One piece of chicken isn't going to hurt her."

After dinner, Kenzie headed back upstairs, hearing the sound of her dad coming through the front door as she went. Figuring she'd catch up with him in the morning since they both usually left the house around the same time, she focused on winding down. A long, warm shower was followed by slipping into her cozy Harry Potter pajamas. She completed her usual nighttime routine, laid out her outfit for the next day, and finally crawled into bed.

As she settled in, she couldn't help but replay the day in her mind. Despite the nerves, the stares, and the uncertainty, she felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe tomorrow would be better—or at least, a step closer to normal. With that thought, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

●●●●

The next morning, she woke up fifteen minutes before her alarm. She dressed in a pair of dark jeans, an orangish-coral spaghetti strap top, and black ankle-length boots. After sliding on some stylish bracelets and doing her long, curly red hair into a high ponytail with loose strands framing her face, she brushed her teeth, grabbed her phone, and slung her backpack over her shoulder before leaving her room.

"Morning, sweetie," her mom greeted as she cooked breakfast.

"Morning, Mom!" Kenzie set her bag by the table. "Morning, Dad!" Her dad, sipping his morning coffee, smiled back at her.

"Morning, squirt. Ready for your second day?" he asked.

She managed a small smile. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"Is everything okay?" her dad asked, noticing the hesitation in her voice.

"Oh yeah, everything's fine," she lied, not wanting to worry them.

Her mom set a plate of omelet in front of her, along with a steaming mug of coffee. Kenzie immediately dug in, savoring the cheesy goodness. Mmm... cheesy.

"Do you need anything else? A number two pencil?" her mom asked.

"Nope, I'm good," Kemzie said, shaking her head as she finished her breakfast.

After placing her dishes in the dishwasher, her dad offered to take her to school. She hadn't spent much time with him since he became a police officer, and it was definitely better than taking the smelly yellow bus.

As they pulled up to the school, her dad whistled in surprise. "Wow, this place has changed a lot since I was here."

Kenzie giggled. "It's not the eighties anymore, Dad."

"I know, I know. I feel old," he admitted.

She teased him with a grin. "Well, you are getting some gray hair." Her dad quickly checked his reflection in the mirror. "Kidding!" she laughed.

"Very funny, Kenzie."

"Love you, Dad!"

"Love you too, squirt!"

They did their special handshake, ending with a fist bump, and Mackenzie waved as she headed into the building.

●●●●

At lunch, she entered the cafeteria and felt a bit awkward, standing like a statue with her tray in hand. Thankfully, the day wasn't as strange as the first one had been, and she had managed to find most of her classes. Music and science were her favorites so far. Spotting Emmy sitting with a few other girls at a round table, she hesitated for a moment. She preferred to stick with the people she knew, but she decided to roll with it, blaming her nerves.

"Guys, this is Mackenzie," Emmy introduced her as she joined them.

"Hi," she greeted shyly.

A girl with long, curly chocolate-brown hair and dark brown eyes smiled warmly. "Hi, Mackenzie! I'm Samantha LaRusso, but everyone calls me Sam."

"Nice to meet you, Sam."

"I'm Moon," another girl with caramel-colored hair and a carefree vibe said. The last girl, blonde with striking blue eyes, was busy on her phone. When she noticed everyone looking at her, she flashed a quick, obviously fake grin. "Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Yasmine," she said before returning to her phone.

The conversation quickly turned to typical teenage topics—boys, gossip, and even Kyler, who, from what Mackenzie could gather, was Sam's boyfriend. Yasmine dominated most of the gossip, but Kenzie wasn't really interested. She wasn't the type to talk behind people's backs, especially when she wasn't even sure the rumors were true.

"So, Mack, Emmy told us you're from Florida," Sam began. "What's it like there?"

"Well, there are beaches, lots of condos, and shops, and of course Disney World. I've been a few times—it's fun, but I'm not a fan of hurricane season."

"That's cool," Sam complimented.

"Any cute boys there?" Moon asked dreamily. Kenzie giggled. "Some look like they came straight out of a sports magazine."

"I need to pack my bags and move there!" Moon exclaimed, and the girls burst into laughter—except Yasmine, who rolled her eyes.

Ain't she sweet.

After lunch, Emmy asked, "So what did you think about the girls?"

"They're cool," Kenzie replied before pausing. "And Yasmine is..."

"Something else?" Emmy finished with a knowing look. "I know. Try being related to her."

She gawked. "You're cousins?"

"Yep."

"Wow," was all she could muster.

●●●●

The bell rang for fourth period, signaling the start of music class. Kenzie took a seat near the back and noticed Aisha sitting a few rows away. Aisha smiled and waved, and she waved back.

"Good afternoon, class," Mr. Williams, the music teacher, said. "I see we have a new student. Ms. Reyberry, could you stand up for a moment?"

Oh boy, Kenzie thought, but she stood up anyway.

"Hi," she said awkwardly, hearing whispers among her classmates.

Please let this end quickly.

"Welcome to West Valley, Ms. Reyberry," Mr. Williams said. "Since you're new, I usually ask students to share their musical talents. Would you mind playing an instrument or singing a song for us?"

"A full song?" she asked, hoping for an easy way out.

"No, just a part of it is fine," Mr. Williams reassured her.

She nodded and walked to the front of the room. Taking a deep breath, she began to sing:

"Underneath the echoes

Buried in the shadows

There you were

Drawn into your mystery

I was just beginning

To see your ghost

But you must know

I'll be here waiting

Hoping, praying that

This light will guide you home

When you're feeling lost, I'll leave my love

Hidden in the sun

For when the darkness comes."

The class applauded, and Kenzie felt her face flush. Aisha gave her a thumbs-up as she returned to her seat, relieved that the attention was off her. The rest of the period was spent taking notes, but she noticed a few boys eyeing her. Why do boys have to be such dogs? she thought. Take a picture, it'll last longer.

●●●●

After school, Kenzie's mom picked her up, and they went to visit her grandmother at the Reseda retirement home. Her grandma was the sweetest person, always making people laugh with her jokes and never one to sit still for long.

When they entered, Kenzie saw her grandma watching Outlander on TV. She turned and smiled at them as they walked in.

"Hey, Grams!" Kenzie greeted, hugging her tightly.

"Hi, sweetheart. How are you?" her grandma asked.

"I'm good. Still watching men in kilts, I see?" she attempted a Scottish accent.

"Yes, but your accent needs work. You sound more Australian than Scottish," her grandma teased with a twinkle in her eye. "So, tell me about your day."

They spent the rest of the afternoon catching up and laughing over dinner. When Kenzie's dad joined them after work, he became the target of her grandma's playful interrogation about when he and her mom were planning on having more kids.

Ah, grandmothers. Kenzie thought with a smirk, feeling a bit sorry for her dad as he tried to dodge the questions.

Poor Dad.