chapter 8

Elizabeth's POV:

When science finally ended, the feeling of relief washed over me. It wasn’t that the class was particularly hard, but my mind had drifted off a few times, making it seem longer than it was. The bell rang, and Anna and I exchanged smiles as we packed up our books.

“So, can I have your number?” I asked her, casually slipping my phone out of my pocket.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she nodded, a shy smile tugging at her lips. We exchanged numbers, and I felt a little lighter knowing that I had officially made a friend today. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. It felt good to have someone I could talk to outside of Zack and his friends. I made a mental note to text her later, just to see if she made it home okay.

The hallways were crowded as usual, a rush of students pushing their way out of the school. I didn’t mind, though. It was the same every day—people eager to get home, escape the day, or meet up with friends for whatever plans they had. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and pulled it out as Anna waved goodbye and headed in the opposite direction.

It was a text from Levi, asking about my day at school. I couldn’t help but chuckle. I knew he’d ask me in person the minute I got home, so the text felt a little redundant, but that was just Levi being Levi. He liked to check in on me, no matter how small the details were.

**Levi:** “How’s school going? Meet anyone interesting?”

**Me:** “Yeah, I made a friend. We’ll talk when I get home :)”

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and continued walking, my pace slowing as I spotted Zack’s car parked up ahead. He was with his usual crew—Teo, Mikey, Austin, and James. They were talking and laughing, completely oblivious to the fact that I was approaching.

I hesitated, not wanting to interrupt them. It was always a little awkward for me when Zack was with his friends.

They weren’t unfriendly, but I always felt like the odd one out in their group. So, instead of heading straight for the car, I slowed my steps, hoping that maybe Zack would notice me on his own. He didn’t, of course.

Rolling my eyes at their obliviousness, I finally cleared my throat. “Can you please unlock the door for me, Zack?” I mumbled, my voice quiet. For some reason, I felt sleepy—probably from the long day and the emotional exhaustion of navigating a new school and new faces.

The group stopped talking, their attention turning toward me in unison. Teo’s eyes lit up first, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"How was your day, princess?" Teo asked, his playful tone making me smile despite the tiredness weighing on me. Teo had a way of making people feel at ease, even with just a few words.

“Went well. I made a friend,” I said, my voice a little more animated this time. I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud of myself, even if it was just one person. A real friend was a big deal, especially when everything else at school felt so foreign and distant.

Teo grinned at me and raised his hand for a high-five. “That’s awesome!” he said, his enthusiasm infectious. I slapped his hand with a bit more force than necessary, earning a chuckle from the group.

“Well, see you tomorrow, princess,” Teo said, giving me a wink before heading off toward his car. Zack’s eyes followed him as he walked away, a little too intently, and I couldn’t help but smirk to myself. I had a good idea of what was going on.

The rest of Zack’s friends were staring at him too, waiting expectantly, like they were daring him to do something. It was almost comical, watching them exchange knowing looks and silent nudges.

"Go to him, you puck," Mikey muttered, glaring at Zack with exaggerated exasperation. His ginger hair practically glowed in the afternoon sun, making him look like a bright, impatient beacon.

Zack shot him a look that could’ve burned through steel, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes. He glanced at me, then back at his friends, clearly torn between his own thoughts and whatever pressure they were putting on him.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. “Just go already. I don’t mind waiting for you, big bro,” I said, giving him a gentle push.

Zack stared at me, his eyes wide with surprise. He looked like he was trying to figure out how I knew what they were talking about. He opened his mouth, probably to deny it, but I beat him to it.

“What? We both know you like him,” I said, cocking my head to the side, a teasing grin playing on my lips.

He blushed furiously, stammering something under his breath, but before he could argue, Austin kicked him square in the butt, causing him to yelp in surprise. All of us burst into laughter as Zack turned to glare at his so-called friends.

“Come on, man. Don’t be a coward,” Austin said with a grin, not bothering to hide his amusement.

Zack muttered something that sounded a lot like a string of insults, but eventually, he gave in. With a final glance at me and another glare at his friends, he stalked off in Teo’s direction, mumbling the whole way.

“Well, let’s hope they work out together,” Mikey said, a sly smile spreading across his face. He gave a small, approving nod, as if everything was going according to some secret plan. The others nodded in agreement, and I couldn’t help but chuckle along with them.

“Also, sorry we haven’t properly introduced ourselves yet, Eli,” Mikey said, his tone shifting to something more genuine. He smiled at me, and for the first time, I felt like I wasn’t just Zack’s little sister tagging along.

I waved my hands in front of me, shaking my head. “It’s no big deal,” I said, smiling back at him.

“Well, I’m Mikey, and that’s Austin,” he pointed to the guy who had kicked Zack, “and James,” he said, motioning toward the quieter boy standing beside him. James gave me a small nod, not much for words, it seemed.

“Nice to officially meet you all,” I said, giving a slight nod in return.

For a moment, we stood there in comfortable silence, watching Zack and Teo from afar. They were standing a little ways off, talking quietly, but there was something in the way they smiled at each other that made me smile too.

“They’re so gonna mess with each other tomorrow,” James said, breaking the silence with a laugh. His comment set off a chain reaction, and soon all of us were laughing, imagining the teasing that was sure to follow. Zack and Teo had been dancing around each other for a while now, and it was only a matter of time before something happened.

As the laughter died down, I realized just how tired I was. The day had been long, but not in a bad way. I had made a friend, spent time with Zack’s friends, and somehow, it felt like things were starting to fall into place. Maybe this school wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

Zack and Teo started walking back toward us, their conversation over but their smiles lingering. Teo gave me a quick wave before heading to his own car, and Zack climbed into the driver’s seat beside me, his expression soft and content.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual.

“Yeah,” I said, buckling my seatbelt.

Today will be a good day, I thought to myself. Maybe tomorrow will be even better.