Chapter 8 - Who Did That

Zelena.

“Zelena, who did that to you?” Gunner growled at me.

I stepped back from him, scared of the growl in his tone and the idea of having to answer his question. I couldn’t tell him about my dad. If I did Hank would kill me, and he’d kill Gunner. I felt my face pale, I wouldn’t let that happen. Gunner stepped forward with a snarl on his beautiful face,

“Whoa, easy mate”.

Cole was suddenly there with his arm around Gunner's chest. Where he came from, I have no idea. I looked around and Smith was behind him too. He held up his arm and wiggled his fingers at me. I smiled awkwardly back at him. Gunner threw Cole’s arm off him and stepped towards me grabbing my hands in his, he leaned down and looked into my eyes. There it was again, that warm and soothing feeling. How does he do that to me?

“Zee. I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry” he said softly. He smiled at me with a half-smile, but he didn’t mean it, his eyes were full of worry and hurt. I smiled at him and nodded. He stood up straight and went to let go of my hands, but I held on to one of them. Gripping his huge hand with mine, I admired our interlocking fingers. Small pins and needles slithered their way through my fingers and up my arm. I looked up at him and smiled. His eyes sparkled and his whole face smiled back at me.

“Wow” he breathed,

“You are beautiful”. My cheeks burned as I blushed under his adoring gaze.

“Okay you two” coughed Smith,

“Let's go or we’ll be late for school”.

Smith and Cole walked off ahead of us. Gunner entwined his fingers with mine, making sure that I didn’t let go. He nodded with his head gesturing down the path and raised his eyebrows. Still blushing, I smiled and nodded. We began walking together with my hand still in his. A small and simple gesture, and yet it meant everything to me.

When we reached the school, the lot was empty, meaning everyone was already inside. We followed Cole and Smith through the doors of the school, still hand in hand. As we entered the hallway an eerie silence befell the halls, they all turned and stared at Gunner and me. My eyes darted around the hallway, seeing everyone whispering to each other and looking at me with disgust. It’s the most visible that I have ever felt, and I hated it. I dropped my head and pulled my hoodie back up. Letting go of Gunner's hand, I made a beeline for my classroom, leaving the three boys behind me.

“Zee wait!” he called after me, but I didn’t stop.

I passed whispering faces and dirty looks as I made my way down the hall.

“There’s no way”

“She’s dreaming”

“Is this a prank?”

I kept my head down and avoided eye contact. The looks and the snide comments were nothing new, I got them every day. But I was so stupid to think that Gunner and I could actually be together. He was high class royalty, I was dumpster smut, and everyone knew it. I reached my class and hurried to my usual seat, in the back corner of the room. I sat down and leaned over to put my bag on the floor, when I sat up again, Smith was sitting next to me. He smiled and pulled his calculus book out.

“I hope you’re good at this crap, because I suck” he said with a crooked smile. I half smiled back at him with a shrug of my shoulders.

The tiresome Mr Phillips was our math teacher. He is a middle-aged balding man who always dressed in beige khaki shorts with colourful tartan socks pulled up to his knees. He was boring at most, but with the wit and sarcasm that could floor most of his students. In the middle of class Smith plopped a folded-up piece of paper on my desk, he looked at me with anticipation. His cheeks were red and bursting with his barely held in giggles. I unfolded the note and studied it. A smile crept across my face as I started to understand what I was seeing. It was a terribly drawn picture of who I assume to be Mr Phillips, wearing a bikini, with pigtails in his hair, and riding on, what I think is a dolphin. I glanced at Smith, and he was nearly crying from his silent laughter. He had his hand over his mouth to muffle the sounds. He then pretends to push up his boobs, flick his hair over his shoulder, and gallop away on his dolphin. It was funny, and I couldn’t help but giggle with him. I gave him back the drawing and looked back down at my book, still smiling to myself. Is this what having a friend feels like? Joking and giggling, having a reason to smile. I like this feeling, this blissful comfort. I like having a friend.

The lunch bell rang, and the students all got up and left, except for Smith, he waited for me to put my books in my bag. He stood by the door with a smile.

“Ready for some grub?” he asked with his hand rubbing his stomach. I smiled and nodded,

“Just got to drop my bag off” I squeaked.

“Want me to come, or shall I meet you there?” he asked with his thumb pointing down the hallway towards the cafeteria.

“I’ll be okay” I said pulling my bag onto my shoulder and sliding through the door around him. He smiled and wiggled his fingers at me and took off down the hall.

I walked to my locker with a smile on my face. This is turning out to be a good day, for a change. I got to my locker and started to put in my combination when I was violently yanked around by my shoulder. I put my hands up to cover my face, ready for whoever it was that was about to hit me.

“You don’t actually think that he likes you, do you?” Demi’s high-pitched voice snickered at me. I dropped my hands to my side, bowed my head, and said nothing. It’s always best to just let her get it out, when I speak or try to fight back, it’s worse.

She slammed her palm into the door beside my head, which made me flinch and turn away.

“Oh my god” she huffed,

“You’re seriously so pathetic, why do you think everyone is out to fight you?” she snarled at me leaning closer to my face. My face was turned away from her and my eyes closed tight, just waiting for her to hit me, kick me, pull my hair, do something. I could smell her perfume, the overbearing floral scent burned my nose. But I could smell something else as well, it was a cold bland smell. Something I would relate to fear or anger. That couldn’t be right, how could I smell fear, emotions don’t have a scent. She grabbed my shoulders and shoved me hard against the locker, my tender back burned from the sudden burst of pain.

“Gunner doesn’t want you, why would he want a pig like you?” she spat at me, only inches from my face. I whimpered at the feel of her hot breath on my cheek.

“Stay away from Gunner, okay bitch, he’s mine now”.