What Did You Expect From Me?

Mackenzie Jace Geller wasn't your average high school senior. She was the most popular girl in school. But Mackenzie herself couldn't understand why. She saw herself as average. Mackenzie stood at five foot two, with piercing blue eyes, and brown and purple hair that fell just passed her shoulders. Mackenzie often wore skinny jeans, band merch, ratty converse, and occasionally her boyfriend's Baltimore Ravens hoodie. Mackenzie often hated the attention she received in school, but she only had her boyfriend, Alex, to thank for that.

Alex was two years older than Mackenzie. They started dating when he was a senior and she was a sophomore. Nobody thought the couple would last past a few months due to their age difference, but two years later, they proved everyone wrong. Some people thought Mackenzie and Alex were complete opposites, but the only real difference between the pair was that Alex didn't care too much for school, while Mackenzie got straight A's in every class. Alex hated school and had no intentions of going to college. He knew he and his best friends were going to hit it big because of the band they formed during their freshman year of high school, and Alex was right. By the time Mackenzie was a senior, they were signed to a record label and getting ready to head out on their first tour overseas. Mackenzie on the other hand had aspirations to go to college. She wanted to become a journalist. Alex knew this, but what he didn't know was that Mackenzie would be attending school across the country. Mackenzie had gotten accepted into UCLA and she had every intention to go there.

So on Mackenzie's graduation night, she found herself sitting on a cold, hard, plastic chair in the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. That night she was invited to every party in town, but she didn't care much for her graduating class, so she graciously declined their invitations. But Alex and his band also had a show that night in town, and that's where she was currently supposed to be. But Mackenzie's plans changed last minute and only her mother knew about her true whereabouts. Mackenzie knew that if she told anybody else she was leaving, they would try to stop her. And that was something Mackenzie didn't want.

As she boarded her plane, Mackenzie felt regret. She regretted not saying goodbye to Alex, but she did what she saw best. Mackenzie saw him after her graduation ceremony and he held such pride in his eyes when he engulfed her after congratulating her. Mackenzie could feel the pride emanating from him, but as she felt the plane take off, she knew that pride would fade. By now, Alex was finished with his set. She knew he was probably running around the venue looking for her. But obviously, he'd fall short. Then, Mackenzie knew Alex would eventually drive to her house and run straight up to her bedroom like he would most nights. But instead of being met with his girlfriend fast asleep on her bed, he would be met with an empty bedroom with a brown, cardboard box in the middle of it. The box contained all of his clothing Mackenzie had stolen over the past two years. It would also contain pictures and keepsakes of their memories from the past two years. And by the time Alex realizes Mackenzie is truly gone, and his anger sets in, Mackenzie is stepping off of the plane and entering her new life in California. This was officially the end of Alex and Mackenzie.

Six years down the line, Mackenzie once again finds herself getting off of a plane. But this time, she is back in Baltimore. But of course, she wouldn't return home without a reason. Mackenzie was in California, editing her latest article for Rolling Stone magazine, when her older sister, Brooke, calls her. Mackenzie is informed that her mother has fallen ill, and Brooke doesn't believe she could pull through. So Mackenzie packed a bag, booked a red eye flight, and was back in Baltimore within hours.

Standing in the Baltimore/Washington International Airport made Mackenzie feel nostalgic, and she didn't like it one bit. So to fix the issue, she immediately called Brooke to see how she was getting to the hospital. Brooke answered on the second ring and told Mackenzie that her boyfriend was coming to get her and he should be there any second. Mackenzie only hummed before hanging up the phone. That's when she realized, she hadn't a clue as to who Brooke's boyfriend was. As she prepared to call her sister back, Mackenzie spotted a shaggy head of hair she knew anywhere. It was Alex, and he had spotted her. Before Mackenzie could duck and weave through the thick crowd, he quickened his stride and was in front of Mackenzie in milliseconds.

Mackenzie tried to take in the appearance of her first love, but stopped the minute she reached his eyes. The once caramel color had darkened to black and were full of rage and hatred. Mackenzie knew though that they were only like this because of her presence. Mackenzie pulled her eyes away from his and went to speak, but Alex beat her to the punch.

"Well well well. If it isn't Mackenzie Geller back in Baltimore. Man, I never thought I'd see the day. But I am proven wrong. Although six years is quite a long time," Alex spat, venom lacing his faux happiness.

"Hello, Alexander," Mackenzie whispered, immediately looking down at her black suede Mary Jane wedges, feeling ashamed.

"As much as I would love to catch up," Alex started, sarcasm evident in his voice, "we need to get you to the hospital."

Alex began walking away from his petite ex, but Mackenzie stayed frozen in her spot.

"Your Brooke's boyfriend?" She called out after him, with shock evident in her voice.

Alex groaned and turned to Mackenzie and answered, "No, Mackenzie, I am not Brooke's boyfriend."

"So then why are you here? Brooke told me her boyfriend was coming to get me. If your not her boyfriend, I have no business leaving with you," Mackenzie stated, pressing the issue.

"Well if you don't leave with me, Brooke will end up being pissed at both of us. I'm not her boyfriend, I'm her fiancé."

Mackenzie felt herself pale at Alex's response. Fiancé. She didn't know what to make of this newfound information, but she knew she didn't like it. She would expect something like this from Alex. He is a very vengeful person when he feels as if he has been crossed by someone. But then there was Brooke. Mackenzie couldn't even get mad at her sister, because Brooke had no idea that the Alex she was engaged to was the Alex Mackenzie had fallen for many years prior. Brooke had graduated high school with Alex, but she was too caught up in her own world to pay attention to his. To her, Alex was a wannabe rockstar who would eventually burn out. Brooke had goals. NYU was hers. So while Alex was in Baltimore dating Mackenzie and playing shows, Brooke was living it up in New York making a future for herself.

By the time the pair reached Alex's Range Rover, Mackenzie was ready to head back into the airport. She was ready to catch the next plane going to California and call it a day. But she remembered the reason why she was back in Baltimore in the first place. Her mother's deteriorating health. Mackenzie reminded herself she wasn't home for Brooke. She wasn't home for Alex. She was home for her mother. And as horrible as Mackenzie felt, she couldn't help but hope that this would be a short trip. Mackenzie wanted to return back to California and go on with her life like this trip had never even happened.

Notes