Page 27 of Rumor Has It

Chapter 5

Mackenzie

My ears ring as the room begins to spin out of control. I shake my head, praying I can dispel the nightmare unfolding in front of me. “I can’t believe this is happening. Why would Boone allow anyone to say those things?” Tears stream down my face as I bound from the building.

I clutch at my chest with every step, hoping to catch my breath. The scene I escaped from plays over and over in my head as I gasp for air. My fist beats over my heart as I beg it to start again, but it’s too broken. I struggle to breathe and gasp hoping to force air into my lungs.

I feel as though I’m dying. Everything I’ve ever known to be true is crumbling before me and yet, I can only conjure visions of Boone. Disbelief takes me under as image after the other flashes in front of me, reminding me of my loss. All these years and everything I’ve ever heard is true. Boone, and all of the rest, have laughed at me for so long, I’ve been such a fool.

“Just a cruel hoax,” I mumble, hating myself for not seeing it so much sooner. I’ve heard rumors forever that he was one of them, I should’ve known it was true, but I’ve always given him the benefit of the doubt. I guess I shouldn’t have.

“Mackenzie?” I turn, watching as Reed comes into view as he runs toward me.

I shake my head before he even gets to me. I’m not in the mood for more lies and hearsay; the writing’s on the wall. I wipe away all traces of tears before I turn to face him. “Haven’t you done enough? Leave me alone!”

“No, Mackenzie. I’m not Hatcher. I’m not walking away.” Reed steps closer, his face twisted. “I’m so sorry you had to find out this way.”

“Oh, are you really? You and I both know this is what everyone wanted, for Boone and I to never be together. I’m not an idiot! Not one of you wanted us together.” I lash out, my heart breaking into a million pieces as the words fall from my mouth.

“No, I never wanted you to get hurt. I didn’t want this. You were never the one I wanted in pain and regretful.”

Bile rises in my throat with his every word. The truth lying somewhere in them makes this even harder on me. But as much as I’d like to blame him, I can’t. Boone knew what his friends were capable of, but he just forgot to tell me.

“Well, it’s what happens when the hero dies. When love is unrequited. You know, when you find out you’re nothing more than a joke.” I sob, wrapping my arms around myself as I tell the one person how I feel about Boone, the one person who doesn’t deserve to know.

“Mackenzie, you are loved,” he murmurs. “Just not by the person you thought it should be.”

“Don’t, Reed. The joke’s over, and I’m done with all of this.” I glare at him.

He hesitates, and I watch as he works through his next step. “Okay, fine.”

“Wow. That was fast.” I blink, shocked by his honesty. “I didn’t suspect you were the quitting type, but in all fairness, I didn’t expect a lot of what’s been going on, now did I?”

He shoves his hands into his pockets. “You can be done, Mackenzie, that’s fine. If you want to run away and hide, I can’t stop you. But how about instead of giving up, you try something different. Someone different.”

“What you and everyone else seems to have missed here is that I want Boone! He means everything to me. This wasn’t a joke or a vendetta; this was my life!” I yell.

“I’m only wanting you to see, if you’re meant to be, it’ll work out. But while you’re waiting, what’s wrong with finding out if it’s love? If you’re supposed to be with Hatcher or if it’s nothing more than an infatuation and never love at all?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “What are you trying to say, Thorton? That suddenly, I’m not good enough for Boone, but you’ll be happy to take sloppy seconds?”

“Date me.” A small smile plays on his lips, making me queasy. “For the summer, or a month, even a week. Go out with me, commit to me, and find out for yourself if you’re in love with him or if it’s only a high school flame.”

My chest concaves with thoughts of never seeing Boone again, never touching him or talking to him. My heart fills with grief as I realize that after all this time we still haven’t found the words to say what we mean to each other. Maybe we weren’t meant to be.

An echo of my once beating heart rings in my ears as I come to terms with what he’s said and that maybe Reed Thorton is right. I’ll never be the person Boone needs, or the world he’s in will ever accept.

I’ve never wanted anyone but Boone. I’ve only dreamed of loving him and having him feel the same way about me. Yet, here we are, years later, and we’re both still waiting to say all the words we’ve never said.

“Give me two months, that’s it.” He stares into my eyes, offering me a boyish grin that doesn’t reflect what’s behind it. I swallow hard and try to force the knot forming in the back of my throat, warning me of what’s coming, and still I stay here with him as I watch everything I’ve ever wanted, slip away.

“What’s that old saying? If you can’t beat’em, join’em.” My stomach knots, revolting against my next words. “Two months.” My voice is no more than a whisper as my body trembles, confirming to me what I already know. It’s affirmation of everything it’s told me for so long. This isn’t right.

He smirks. “That’s all I need to make you forget Boone Hatcher.”

“Let’s get this clear—this isn’t to make me forget him because that’ll never happen. I’m here to see if I’m fooling myself, or if what I feel is even close to being the real thing.” I grind my teeth, wanting to take back every word and run full tilt to Boone.

It’s what I should be doing, instead of making a deal with the devil himself. Reed hates Boone; it was in his words and the look in his eyes. I can’t fathom why he could, let alone should, dislike him.