Perfect Chemistry

[zara grace]

Story Title: Perfect Chemistry
Type of story: Medium Fic
Main Characters: Mackenzie Booth, Levi Fowler, Tane Parata,  Dean Thompson, Xander Delaney, Jasmine Delaney, Rose Delaney, Mali Hudson, Felicity Newman, Eden Fowler, Ziggy Astoni, Colby Thorne, Cash Newman, Bree Cameron, Kirby Aramoana
BTTB rating: T
Genre: Romance, Drama
Does story include spoilers: No as its An AU
Any warnings: Sexual content
Summary: The lives of Summer Bay High Students, based on this current era in High School.

 

"Dean," the principal called out. Dean, who had been holding his girlfriend's hand, turned around to find himself face to face with his principal and a guy he didn't recognize.

"I was hoping you would be willing to show Levi around; he's new to Summer Bay High." Despite not liking being told what to do by the principal, Dean figured that helping out could earn him some brownie points.

"Of course, sir." After confirming with Dean, the principal walked away, and Dean turned his attention to Levi. "I'm Dean, and this is my girlfriend Ziggy." Levi smiled as he shook both of their hands. "It's nice to meet you both. Thank you for showing me around." Levi was nervous about his first day, so he appreciated the time they were taking to make him feel welcome.

"We're happy to," Ziggy chimed in, offering a warm smile. "Shall we start with lockers?" Dean nodded, leading the way, with Ziggy and Levi following closely behind.

 

Upon reaching the lockers, the trio spotted Bree and Xander leaning against them, engrossed in flirting and having a discussion. Dean couldn't help but comment, "Just hook up already." His statement prompted the duo to turn around.

"We're just friends," Bree clarified.

"Keep telling yourself that," Ziggy added with a playful smirk.

Ziggy whispered to Levi, "They're in denial." Just as she said that, Xander and Bree noticed Levi. "Who's this?" Levi glanced at the pair, introducing himself, "I'm Levi." Before he could say more, Dean interjected, "He's new here, so make him feel welcome." Bree and Xander spoke in unison, "Nice to meet you." Levi smiled in response to the warm welcome.

 

Meanwhile, Dean's younger sister, Mackenzie, walked quietly to her locker, keeping to herself. Suddenly, she came face to face with Rose Delaney, the girl who had bullied her relentlessly since they started high school a year ago.

"You shouldn't be here," Rose sneered at Mackenzie.

"This is my school too, Rose." Mackenzie couldn't stand the way Rose made her feel. A loner by choice, Mackenzie barely trusted anyone besides her brother Dean and his girlfriend Ziggy, whom she had come to know through her relationship with Dean.

"You're just a loser. You shouldn't be here," Rose continued her hurtful comments. Mackenzie had had enough. Rose's words were dragging her down and making her feel worthless, so she decided it was best to walk away.

 

Mackenzie started running, desperate to put as much distance between herself and Rose as possible. In her haste, she bumped into someone and came to a sudden halt when she realized it was Jasmine, Rose's older sister. Despite the sisters being so different in nature, Jasmine exuded kindness. Without hesitation, Jasmine pulled Mackenzie into a comforting hug.

"It's alright, you'll be alright," Jasmine reassured her, offering solace. Jasmine's boyfriend, Cash, chimed in, "You can walk with us until we get to the hall, and we'll find Dean when we get there, okay?" Mackenzie nodded gratefully. Jasmine and Cash were not only close friends of Dean but also familiar faces she could trust in a moment of distress.

 

Mackenzie linked arms with Jasmine as they entered the hall, spotting Dean with Ziggy, Bree, Xander, and an unfamiliar face. However, Dean was facing the opposite way.

"Mac," Ziggy called out, immediately walking towards them. She noticed Mackenzie's shaky demeanor and pulled her into a comforting hug. Meanwhile, Dean and the others approached, concern etched across Dean's face.

"What happened?" Dean asked, his worry evident. Mackenzie's response was straightforward, "I'll give you one guess." Dean instantly knew who was responsible, and his expression hardened. "Alright, I'll sort her out later." Ziggy released Mackenzie, and Dean enveloped his sister in a protective hug.

Levi observed the dynamic, realizing that whoever had upset Mackenzie had earned Dean's fierce protection. After the embrace, Dean introduced Levi, "Jasmine, Cash, Mac, this is Levi. He's new here." While Jasmine and Cash greeted Levi warmly, Mackenzie remained silent, sticking close to her brother.

The group found seats, and Levi couldn't help but notice how Dean and Ziggy purposefully sat on either side of Mackenzie, a clear indication of their protective stance.

 

After the mundane school introduction concluded, Bree, who was the same age as Mackenzie, approached her. "Do you have math?" Mackenzie nodded, and Bree offered, "Me too. I'll walk with you." Dean agreed, trusting Bree to look out for his sister.

Levi glanced at Dean, "I'm in the math block. Want me to walk with them?" Dean, feeling a sense of trust in Levi despite their brief acquaintance, nodded. "That would be great." He shot a reassuring look to Mackenzie, signaling his confidence in Levi.

Bree and Levi flanked Mackenzie as they made their way to the math class. When they reached the room, Bree entered confidently, but Mackenzie hesitated. She knew Rose was in that class, and the thought made her anxious.

Sensing Mackenzie's apprehension, Levi gently asked, "Are you okay?" Mackenzie shook her head. "I wish I didn't have to do this. I wish I didn't have to go in." Levi empathetically looked at her and offered support, "If it gets too much, I'm right next door. Come and get me." Mackenzie managed a small smile. "Thanks, but I won't be getting you in trouble on your first day." Levi insisted, "Okay, but still, if you change your mind." Mackenzie nodded, mustering a bit of courage as she took a deep breath and walked into the classroom.

 

As Mackenzie entered the classroom, her eyes fell on Rose, who was seated alongside Felicity, Cash's younger sister, and an unfamiliar face. Determined to avoid any confrontation, Mackenzie ignored the trio and opted for a seat at the back next to Bree, and as far away from them as possible.

The trio stared at her, and Mackenzie could sense they were talking about her. Choosing to prioritize her education, she decided to simply ignore them and concentrate on her school work. After all, she needed to maintain good grades to secure a spot in her desired business course five years down the line.

 

After an incredibly long hour, the class finally ended, and Mackenzie and Bree began gathering their things. As they did, Rose approached. "You know what I said, I meant it, right?" Before Mackenzie could respond, Bree stepped in, her patience clearly worn thin.

"Why don't you leave her the hell alone, Rose? And why can't you be a nice person like your brother?" Without waiting for Rose to say anything else, Bree grabbed Mackenzie's hand and practically dragged her away from the situation, leaving Rose behind.

 

Once they reached the hallway, Mackenzie spotted Tane, a friend from Primacy school—one of the few people she trusted since childhood. "Mac, are you okay?" Tane's expression showed genuine concern.

"No," Mackenzie replied tersely, and Tane immediately sensed that Rose had caused trouble for her again. Walking closer, Tane pulled Mackenzie into his arms, offering comfort. "It will be alright, Mac." He held her tight as Mackenzie clung to him. "I wish she would leave me alone, Tane," Mackenzie confessed. Tane nodded in understanding, "I know, I wish she would leave you alone too."

Mackenzie held onto Tane tightly, finding solace in his presence, while Bree stood nearby, smiling at the sight. She was glad to see that Tane had Mackenzie's back. Despite the changes in others from their Primacy school days, Tane remained a steadfast friend, and Bree appreciated that.

 

Meanwhile, Levi had exited his own class, determined to check on Mackenzie. Though he barely knew her, she seemed like a great person, and he felt obligated to do so after her brother had helped him out that morning.

As Levi approached, he spotted Bree. However, before he could get any closer, he saw Mackenzie in the arms of an unfamiliar guy, looking relaxed and comfortable. Seeing that, Levi felt an unexpected pang and decided to walk away. He couldn't quite explain why, but he couldn't bear to watch Mackenzie with someone else, feeling a sense of guilt for not being there to support her himself, especially after everything Dean had done for him.

[j.laur5]

Great chapter I always enjoyed characters from different eras interacting. 

[zara grace]

6 hours ago, j.laur5 said:

Great chapter I always enjoyed characters from different eras interacting. 

I'm the same which is why i'm so excited to write this. Thanks for taking the time to read

[beachside]

Can't wait to see where this goes

[zara grace]

On 03/12/2023 at 21:41, beachside said:

Can't wait to see where this goes

So glad you enjoyed the first chapter, there's so much more to come

[zara grace]

Chapter 2

Levi couldn't help but notice Mackenzie with that guy, sparking curiosity about his identity. Given Mackenzie's usual guarded nature, it was surprising to see her seemingly at ease with him. When Levi arrived at the lockers, he found Dean and approached him, saying, "I went to see how Mackenzie was doing after math class, but she was with Bree and some other guy." Dean grinned, "Probably Tane; they've been close friends since primary school." After that Dean changed the subject asking Levi about himself as they grabbed their books for the next period.

 

Across the hall, Rose organized her books, handing them to Felicity for safekeeping, all the while eyeing Eden. "You know, Eden, it would be cool for you to join our small girl squad. We're looking for a new member." Eden smiled, replying, "Yes, I would love that. Thank you." The prospect of being included with the popular crowd appealed to Eden, offering the chance to attract any guy she desired with just a snap of her fingers—or so she hoped. She turned to Rose, inquiring, "Any single guys around?" Rose nodded, saying, "My brother is." Eden's eyebrows shot up, "If your brother is anything like mine, he annoys the hell out of you." Rose agreed with a nod, "Yep, I like you so much already." They linked arms as they began walking to their next class, and Rose filled Eden in on the squad's rules, including the directive to give Mackenzie a hard time, to which Eden readily agreed.

 

As Rose and her friends entered their class, Rose was taken aback to find her older sister, Jasmine, and her partner, Cash, standing at the door. She unlinked her arms from her friends and approached Jasmine, a defensive tone in her voice, "What do you want?" Jasmine locked eyes with her sister and replied, "To make you think about how your actions affect others, like Mackenzie. You make her life hell, and she's done nothing to you, Rose." Rose crossed her arms, firm in her stance, "She did. She took my best friend away from me when she joined Summer Bay Primary." Her voice was stern as she made that statement. 

Jasmine's voice matched the seriousness of the conversation, "That doesn't give you the right to give her a hard time, Rose."

Retorting sharply, Rose said, "You know you're not my sister, right? You're Xander's. You can't tell me what to do." Before Jasmine could respond, Cash interjected, "You should consider yourself lucky to have such a wonderful and amazing person as my girlfriend in your life." He grabbed Jasmine's hand, and the two walked away.

Eden, intrigued, turned to Rose and asked, "That's the guy I want. What's his name?" Felicity spoke up, "That's my brother Cash. I love him and Jas together, unlike Rose, so don't try to tear them apart." Rose retorted, "I would love for you to tear them apart." Eden, caught between conflicting advice, looked from Rose to Felicity, confused. She decided she needed more time to think, so she simply walked into class, with Felicity and Rose following suit.

 

Meanwhile, outside Summer Bay High, Xander and Bree had a free period and decided to spend some quiet time alone near the Don Fisher library. As they settled on the grass, Bree gazed at Xander, saying, "You know, I missed you over the break." Xander smiled, laying down, and Bree followed suit, mirroring his posture. "I know, I missed you too. It sucked that Jasmine and I had to go back and see our dad," Xander admitted. Bree nodded, inquiring, "How did that go?"

Xander remained silent for a moment before responding, "Not good. He's still the annoying guy he was when Mum got us out of there. I'm still grateful that Mum took Jasmine with us and didn't leave her with him." Bree smiled, acknowledging, "From what you told me, it's a good thing you guys are far away from him."

"Yeah, the only good thing was having time with Jasmine without Rose around," Xander added. Bree chuckled, remarking, "Sometimes I wonder how you're even related." Xander smiled, agreeing, "So do I."

Turning serious, Bree faced him and revealed, "You should know Rose and I had a run-in earlier about Mackenzie." She fiddled with her hands as she looked at Xander, concern evident in her eyes. "Did she hurt you? Are you okay?"

Xander, feeling the stress of never wanting to lose Bree because of his sister's actions, reassured her, "I'm fine. I can't believe we used to be friends. How stupid was I?" He laughed, adding, "Neither can I. You two are very different people." Bree nodded, and the two engaged in small talk, filling each other in on their holiday experiences.

 

In another part of the school, Mackenzie and Tane sat in their business studies class, engaged in conversation. Tane broke the silence, "You know, I finally decided on what I want to do over the break." Mackenzie turned to him, genuinely surprised, as she remembered Tane struggling through the previous year with no clear direction. "So, what did you decide?" she asked. Tane grinned, "I want to run my own gym." Mackenzie smiled, understanding, "No wonder you've been so into business class lately. I can totally see you doing that; you're an exercise junkie, after all." Tane laughed, "I am, but you're a surf one." Mackenzie smiled, "Can you blame me? Surfing is my stress release from Rose." Tane pulled Mackenzie into a side hug, expressing, "You know, this year, it's my goal to make sure you feel safe here. After all, you're one of my best friends." Mackenzie returned the smile, saying sincerely, "And you're one of mine." She meant it. Besides knowing that Dean was there for her, she often felt scared, and the only times she didn't were with Tane or Bree. They made her feel just as safe and protected as Dean did.

[j.laur5]

Thanks for chapter and enjoyed Dean and Levi interaction. 

[zara grace]

On 13/01/2024 at 20:33, j.laur5 said:

Thanks for chapter and enjoyed Dean and Levi interaction. 

So glad you enjoyed that interact, plenty more to come