AFTER, TOWEL-DRYING HER HAIR, Kenna decided she was basically beyond being saved and so they decided to take the monorail to the Gyrospheres. Basically, a Gyrosphere is ride that's shaped like a sphere, and it takes tourists around an area where dinosaurs roam free. Obviously these dinosaurs are herbivores. Normally, they only seat two people at once, but Kenna had a plan.
On the monorail, Gray and Zach sat together with Kenna behind the two of them. Kenna had been aimlessly looking at the view outside, not paying any attention to Zach basically staring at her from the seat diagonally in front of her. "If Mom and Dad get divorced, will one of us be with Mom and the other with dad?" Gray asked abruptly, making Zach turn around in surprise.
"What?" he questioned rhetorically, looking at his younger brother as he still looked outside. "Why would you say that?" Truthfully, Zach was only hoping his brother wasn't right. Although he too had picked up on the signs, including the hostility between his parents.
"Because they are," Gray replied simply. Kenna looked up and made eye contact with Zach. She nudged her head towards Gray, telling Zach to comfort him or maybe explain something.
"No, they're not getting- they're not getting divorced." Zach stammered. "Look, you haven't been around long enough. They've always been that way." Although he meant well, the words only made Gray felt lied to. By Zach or his parents, he wasn't quite sure.
"They get mail from two different lawyers." Gray pointed out immediately like he had already thought all of this out.
"That doesn't mean anything." Zach snapped, glancing back to look at Kenna. Her green eyes were focused outside again, but her mind was paying close attention to the conversation happening in front of them. Sure, it was eavesdropping, but Kenna was worried.
Zach tilted his head to the side, admiring the girl that used to be his best friend. He was 'tempted by the dark side' as he liked to put it, and it drew him away from the things he took for granted in his life. Like, Kenna Jameson.
Who would have helped him with his studies so he wasn't failing as many classes as he now was. So that he wasn't constantly swapping between girlfriends that meant nothing to him. Kenna would probably have saved Zach. Maybe even his parents' divorce. Zach was sure him acting up wasn't doing anything to help the relationship his parents had.
"I googled," Gray said solemnly. "They've divorce lawyers." Zach swapped glances from Kenna and Gray repeatedly, before deciding he should probably tackle the situation with Gray and the idea of his parents getting a divorce head-on.
"All right, whatever." Zach spoke up, turning around and settling that way in his seat. But Gray was beginning to cry, and Zach knew he had to act fast. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Okay? I'm gonna be gone in two years anyway." Zach rambled, only thinking about how this would affect him. "All my friends' parents are divorced." Kenna frowned, even more when she heard Gray crying. "Hey, knock it off." Gray shook his head at his brother. Zach was embarrassed that people might see him with somebody who was crying. "You're gonna cry?"
Zach shifted his position again. "Look, you're gonna get two of everything. Right?" he pointed out. "Two birthdays, two Thanksgivings, Two-"
"I don't want two of everything," Gray whispered.
Zach's expression changed to something even he couldn't pinpoint. "Yeah, well, it's not up to you." he pointed out. "There's a point you have to grow up." No matter how cruel his words seemed, there was truth behind them.
Kenna sighed, stood up and moved forwards. "Get up." She told Zach quietly. He complied and she moved into his seat, wrapping her arms around Gray. "Hey, don't be upset." Kenna told him. "Look, I know it's going to be hard. I know better than anyone." Silently, Gray and Zach agreed.
"Some things just aren't easy. But you're still going to be a family." Kenna emphasised her words. Gray looked up into her comforting, familiar, green eyes as he listened. "Your parents will still love you. Because, let's be real, it's not about you." She sighed, pushing curly hair behind Gray's ear.
"When you're young, everything feels like it's going to be the end of the world." Kenna continued and Zack, who had taken a seat behind Kenna and Gray, listened. Somehow, he understood exactly what she was saying. "But it's not. For you, Gray, it is just the beginning. And you're going a great, intelligent boy. You're going to be okay. Even if your parents decide to separate."
Silently, Gray nodded and pulled away from the hug. His lashes were glinting with silvery tears still stuck to them and carefully, Kenna wiped them away. "I guess I am smart." Gray said weakly. "But I hate people who use big words just to make themselves look perspicacious."
Kenna laughed. "You say that like it's a bad thing." She teased before looking back and seeing Zach sulking by himself. "Hey, are you going to be okay?" Gray nodded meekly and Kenna sat down next to Zach. "If I knew I was going to do this much walking, I wouldn't have gotten on the monorail." She joked as she slipped into the seat next to Zach. But she saw the irritated and worried expression on his face and recognised it all too well. "Don't do this." Kenna told him, frowning as she looked down at her lap.
Zach looked towards her, surprised. "Don't do what?"
"That thing where you tell yourself that you hate everything and everyone before beating yourself up about whatever is happening and blaming yourself," Kenna replied; like it was so obvious. "I've known you since before my parents got divorced, Zach. That's an entire decade." She reminded him.
"I miss you." Zach blurted out before he could stop himself. After he did, he basically held his breath, waiting for Kenna to say something.
"I miss you too." Kenna admitted, still looking at her lap. Zach felt relief wash over him at her words, until she continued. "I miss you who used to be, Zach. You were never apathetic, or cruel towards your own brother." Kenna pointed out. "You loved Gray probably more than you loved me and the rest of your family put together. He meant the world and more to you."
"He's still important to me." Zach defended himself. "I came all the way here for him and-"
"No," Kenna denied, shaking her head. She was getting annoyed that Zach was trying to contradict her words. They weren't opinions. They were facts. "I don't want to hear excuses. I just want to tell you that you say I changed, but I didn't." Kenna informed her old best friend. When she looked at him, she saw the same Zach as always. But his posture and aloof expressions were foreign to her. "You're the one that changed, Zach."
