Part 9- I love you too.

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Zero's POV

As soon as the bell ring indicating that the school day was over I got up as swiftly as I could grabbing my books and heading straight to my locker. I put the books I needed in my bag, which was pretty much all of them since I have a lot of work. Then I went to the student parking lot to get in my car. I drove back home with random music playing on the radio.

As I pulled into my driveway I noticed that my stepdad's car was here, meaning that he's home. Oh gosh, I hope he's not drunk. I started to feel my hands shake involuntarily. My breathing picked up and I realized that it was happening again. Recently every time I think about my stepdad or have to be in the same room as him, I get filled with so much anxiety, but if I notice that he's sober then I get more relaxed. He doesn't do any bad things to me when he's sober. I close my eyes and tried breathing in and out. It helps get my breathing and shaking hands under control. Once my shaking hands and unstable breathing got good enough for me to grab my bag without dropping it I force myself out of the car fearing every step that I took towards the house. I breathed in once more as I unlocked the front door and turn the nob open.

"Oh good your home. I need your help with dinner. I'm making your favorite." My stepdad said with a smile on his face and even wearing a cooking robe, just like old times. The fear I once had coming in seemed to instantly dissolve and I felt a bit at ease. I know this is weird but his behavior has been really unpredictable lately. When he drinks alcohol then he becomes a nightmare but when he's sober he's my old stepdad. The loving kind. I knew Benji was wrong. My stepdad is fine, he's just coping with the death of his wife and daughter a bit uniquely.

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Benji's POV

It's the next day and I hope Zero is here. I haven't seen him all day and he still didn't come to lunch today either. He's been on my mind always and I can't stop thinking about him. Wondering if he's ignoring me, wondering if that kiss meant anything to him, wondering about his stepdad, just constantly wondering. I need to talk to him, but things have changed so much between us. As I walked toward my last period, I talk to one of my friends so that I don't seem off, silently hoping that Zero's sitting in the class. I walked in, and there he is sitting in the back of the class with a navy blue hood over his head. I feel both relieved and nervous.

As I walked to the back of the class I noticed that Zero was really trying not to make eye contact with me. This made me ten times more nervous. Once I sat down by him I managed to utter a single word, "Hi." I said looking at him. He turned to me and gave a tiny smile. I waited for a bit trying to talk myself out of asking him a question I've been dying to ask. I accepted that if I don't ask him now, it's going to be an ongoing battle with me and my brain beating myself up for not knowing the answer.       

"A-are you avoiding me." I emitted not really being able to look at him. He didn't say anything for a bit and then uttered, "No...I've just been busy that's all." he said still looking towards the front of the class avoiding looking at me. "You don't tell me anything anymore...I haven't told anybody anything if that's what you're worried about." I said kind of whispering cause the teacher started his teaching even though other students are also still talking. " I know I'm just not in the mood to socialize okay." He said a bit more irritated and angry. I didn't say anything else cause I don't want to push him to anger knowing he has some issues with that.

"Okay class, we kind of talked about this yesterday but as you know, you have a big final coming up. I will be putting you guys in groups of two and you will be getting a grade for the research portion of the project, the creative part, which should display your topic clearly and creatively, and also the presentation." He went on to further explain what the project is based on, some instructions, and even some rules. Then he grabbed his notebook and started naming the partners he assigned for everyone.

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