Lifelong Friends

Jason and Kenzie met by chance when they were young.

Kenzie's hardworking, single mom decided one day that it would be nice to take her daughter to the playground in the really nice neighborhood.  The neighborhood that has all the fancy houses that make her daughters eyes grow wide with awe as they drive through on their way to school.  This small playground had a few benches, picnic tables, a grill, and what Leanne, Kenzie's mom, knew her little one would love, a fancy pirate ship jungle gym.

Kenzie loves her mom, but her mom is everything Kenzie didn't want to become; cluttered, scattered, messy, overworked, a single mother with no time for herself.  This aversion to her mother's lifestyle pushed Kenzie to become an A student and a bit of an overachiever. She took this so seriously, that she became a bit of perfectionist and a little withdrawn.

Jason happened to live in this nice neighborhood and next door to the small park, so it wasn't odd that he was there that day.  In fact, he was there most days.

Jason lived a privileged life, and even though he had a family around him, he was a lonely little boy; constantly trying to be the life of the party, the class clown, one of the cool kids... just trying to get some of the attention he felt starved for at home.

Jason was already playing on the pirate ship when he saw a pretty little blonde girl walk up to it.  She looked confused and he instantly felt the desire to impress her, as he usually did with most new people he met.

Jason and Kenzie became fast friends that day. Jason would often get off the school bus with Kenzie and play at her house until Kenzie's mom, who worked as an assistant nurse, would come home.  Kenzie didn't really go to Jason's house too often, because his family didn't really approve of their friendship.  They often told Jason that he should befriend someone more akin to his station in life.  Jason didn't really understand what this meant as a young boy, but he came to realize, once he got older, that they didn't like that Kenzie and her mom didn't have money.

Jason's sister, Julie, was the one who gave him the hardest time about his choices in life and friends.  She had always been mean to him though, even before Kenzie came along. His parents definitely felt that she followed their ideals and lifestyle more, she was the 'golden child', and never really did much to stop her bullying of their young son.

Jason and Kenzie ran in the same general group as they approached young adulthood, but they definitely went in different directions.  Jason was a party boy in high school and Kenzie focused on her studies and clubs. They may have had different goals, but they never lost that bond.

Kenzie was a very closed off and a reserved young lady, so she never really opened up to any of her high school friends. Jason helped her out of her shell and she became so much more social.  She became more interested in clubs and made some really great friends. Jason spent most of high school in a juiced fog surrounded by one girlfriend or another. Kenzie could always help him get some perspective though; she would call him out if he was being a jerk to some girl and tutor him if he fell behind in his studies. If either one of them ever felt the need to "get away from it all", they knew they could count on the other to meet out by the mysterious big tree near Kenzie's house, no matter the time of night.

When young adulthood hit, Jason just wanted to get away from his family so bad and Kenzie wanted to spread her wings and really try to make it in a new town. So, they decided in their senior year of high school that once they graduated, they would move to Windenburg together.  Jason could get away from the expectations that his family had of him, and Kenzie could find a high powered career and get the success she has always worked for.

The eve of Jason's sister Julie's engagement party to her snob of a boyfriend, Sullivan Hamrick, he informed his family that he would be moving to Windenburg with his friend Kenzie.  They were furious.  Jason was expected to start work at his father's investment firm and this went against all his parent's wishes.  They told him that if he was going to do this, he would be cut off. And with a smile, Jason left the party with Kenzie, and he hasn't spoken with his family since.

Kenzie's announcement of her move with Jason went over very differently with her mother.  Leanne was so proud of her little one spreading her wings and learning to fly all on her own.  She hugged her daughter, gave her the little bit of savings she had in her sock drawer and told her she was welcome home anytime.

 Jason and Kenzie are learning what it really means to be adults, while trying to balance work, parties, friends and new loves in their lives.