Excerpt:

She knocked on the door to Laura’s classroom after the school day had ended. The door was already open, but she knocked lightly as she pushed it wider and stepped in side.
Laura was packing up her things for the night, and she looked up when the door creaked open. When she saw who it was, however, she narrowed her pale blue eyes.
“What, you didn’t just barge in? What’s the knock for, dramatic effect?”
“Yeah, I always waste energy on unnecessary gestures. It’s because I’m a hopeless romantic at heart, really,” Mackenzie quipped.
Laura sighed, “What do you want?”
“Your new boyfriend has some issues you should know about.”
“He can’t have more issues than you,” she retorted. “And I live with you. If I can handle you, I’m pretty sure I can handle him.”
She finished packing up her bag and went over to her laptop to turn it off.
“Yeah, but I don’t have other, secret roommates that you don’t know about.”
Laura shut her laptop with a snap, “That’s really mature, Mackenzie. Insinuating that he’s cheating on me when we’ve only been on one date.”
“Technically, I think it’s more like he’s cheating with you than on you. But who knows? If he’s already been ‘on’ you, maybe that phrase works for you, too.”
Laura put her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed and sharp. Mackenzie maintained her cool, dark stare.
“I don’t understand you,” Laura finally said, exhaling heavily. “Why do you have to do this to me? Why can’t you just let me be happy? Not everyone has to be as miserable as you. Being depressed doesn’t make you better than the rest of us, Mackie. It just makes you depressed. You push people away by -”
“I’m trying to help you,” Mackenzie cut her off. “I’m trying to help you get rid of those annoying rose-colored glasses so you can see what a sleaze this guy is before he really hurts you.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure your intentions were all noble,” Laura said. “Do you even have any proof?”
“I read an email between him and his wife. And another from his other girlfriend. And he keeps his wedding ring in his desk.”
Laura was silent for a minute. She crossed her arms.
“I don’t believe you,” she said quietly. “All the time, you try to pull me down to your level. I will not be as pathetic as you are,” her voice began to rise, “I actually trust people, and guess what, Mackenzie? It’s not that bad. People are actually nice if you give them a chance. Not everyone is like you. In fact, no one is quite as miserable and small as you are, Mackie.”
She grabbed her bag, stuffed her laptop in it, and swung it over her shoulder. She picked up her keys from the desk with a rattle.
“I’m going home,” she said. “And don’t you dare follow right behind me, cause we’re not talking about this again.”
She marched over to the door and held it open, gesturing out to the hall. Mackenzie walked out and stood in the hallway as Laura closed and locked the door. Without looking at Mackenzie, Laura walked away, her keys jangling quietly in her hands. Mackenzie watched out a window as Laura got in her sedan and drove away.
*****
Brent was watching out his window too, and he saw Laura walk to her car. Her body was tense, and the way she flung her bag into the passenger seat wasn’t like her. He sighed as she got in the driver’s seat and started the car. She pulled out of her parking spot and drove away.
He sat back down at his desk for a minute. A number of thoughts played through his head, all as muddled and complicated as this situation. He shook his head, trying to brush the thoughts away, and started to pack up for the day.
Mackenzie came into the office as he was pulling his jacket on. She tossed a folder onto his desk.
“Here are your damn grades,” she said, turning to walk away.
“Hey, hey, wait,” Brent protested, “don’t take this out on me. You knew she wouldn’t take this well.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Mackenzie shouted. “She’s your friend, too! If you really were the person you like to say you are, you would have done something. Compassion isn’t just words - you can’t just act like a good person if you’re not willing to stick up for the people around you when things get complicated. Fuck you.”
She started to walk away again, and Brent grabbed her arm.
“Stop acting like a teenager,” he said. “You asked for this. You’re the one who complicated this situation. If you’d at least given the guy a chance the first time you met him, Laura would be more willing to listen to you.”
Mackenzie glared at him with all the full force of her body behind those angry, dark eyes.
“I was right,” she insisted. “And I knew it the moment I saw him. He was a creep from that first instant, not just when I found his stupid ring. It’s not my fault Laura’s too dense to see things like that.”
She broke free from his grip and left. Brent didn’t follow her. It wasn’t worth it. He had learned by now that when Mackenzie Hahn had made up her mind about something, no one could change it.