Huntington Avenue | ✓ [PV REWRITE]

Part I: Chapter 17

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Chapter 17 | ❝ You're a jerk sometimes; you know that? ❞

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018 - 11:55 a.m.

THE HYPOTHESIS OF no one in particular looking forward to their fifth block Literature class with Mr. Richardson was an educated one. It did not take long at all for the singular fact to prove itself to be true due to the groans and sighs of students entering the classroom.

Every student, including Kelsey and Zach, was in their own headspace of what would happen if they all simply skipped class. It was a temptation which weighed on the shoulders of each seventeen or eighteen year old peer in the room. Unfortunately, going through with that particular temptation would have resulted in a punishment.

Luckily for the two friends who were not exactly walking side by side at that point, they were early, which meant Kelsey and Zach would have had a bit of time to converse before their monotone teacher entered the classroom and would begin their lecture on something no one desired to learn in particular.

The bustling halls were as crowded as ever as the group of students herded themselves into the stuffy classroom. So many sounds quickly became the slightest bit overwhelming to Zach's sensitive ears. He patiently waited at his desk for class to start. The sooner the teacher arrived, the sooner it would have been over and he would begin on his way.

Before long, a female he knew quite well sat by him at the front of the classroom. There was no need for Zach to second guess whoever's presence was beside his own before her familiar, kind voice rang out quietly next to him.

"Hi, Zach," Kelsey acknowledged him with a smile which faltered when she noticed his injury once again. "How's your eye?"

Zach turned to face her even if it would have done nothing for his sight. "Hey, Kelsey. My eye's doing better than it was, thank you. I'm guessing it looks bad, though," he joked a bit on himself in order to lighten the mood.

"It just looks like it hurts, that's all," she countered with a calm expression before it became completely serious. "Jaylen told me about what happened and you deserve an apology—if not from him, then from me. I'm really sorry he did that to you"

"It isn't your fault," replied Zach in an understanding tone. The last thing he wanted to do was for Kelsey to let her blame herself.

Kelsey sighed in a miniscule manner. "I know, but you're my friend, and I want to stand up for you and make you feel safe."

"You don't have to do that," he protested with surprise.

"I'm aware, but it's something I want to do," Kelsey assured him. "I've had a talk with Jaylen and honestly, he was not being nice about it."