Zombies

Chapter 6

I find an empty hall and slide down to the floor. Drawing always helps me think and so I take out my sketchbook and draw. "Ah, the perfect picnic spot" I hear someone say as they slide down next to me, they hand me the apple flower and I smile knowing exactly who it was. "Sorry I couldn't sit with you at lunch, I really wanted to but everyone-" "I get it. Someday. Hey those are really good!" he says pointing to my sketchbook "Thanks! Um, my sister is kinda all I have so thanks for saving her at the pep rally" I say as I stand up grabbing Zed's hand and pulling him up, "you're welcome, I mean it worked out for everyone, I'm gonna be on the football team" "oh my god that's amazing" I smile at him "if things go well, zombies will be more accepted and we could hang out in public" he says "wouldn't that be something. This town, this school, it's hard fitting in" "what would you know, your perfect" I look up at him for a second before replying, "it's a wig" I say gesturing to my brunette hair, "my real hair is a bit freakish and I can't change it.." "Can I see it?" he asks and I step back "no, not yet? And definitely not here" and he nodded understandingly. "I'm sorry, my parents have always made me cover it, no one has seen it except my family".

We hear people coming towards where we were standing and so Zed grabs my hand and we run somewhere else the zombie safe room. "This is where we first met" I state "this, is where we had our first punch" he replies and I laugh, "I'm sorry about that by the way, you know, your the first zombie I noticed on the first day", "that's funny I was about to say the same thing." I raise my eyebrows at him and he quickly continues "right from the start you caught my eye and something inside me came to life" I look away blushing, "someday, this could be ordinary, you know, a girl and a zombie".

"Girl you look delicious, I mean gorgeous" he jokes and I nudge him "oh now you're getting fearless" I laugh "Nah, I'm just rooting for us. Two lonely hearts meet in the dark, imagine it now they start a spark", "now you've got my attention, what happens next then?" I say crossing my arms "I'm thinking movies, and long walks in the park, just hanging out where we want", "I like the way you think" I smile at him and for a while, we just sit in the room talking.

As we leave the safe room I say "you know what, who cares if they see us together" and he smiles back at me. The bell rings and I wish him good luck at the football game as we walk in different directions.

Seabrook was losing, badly. To be completely honest I'm not exactly sure what the rules of football are, I was just there for my sisters cheering... And Zed. With 14 minutes left on the clock, Seabrook actually started scoring some points and they won! For like the first time in forever. I stood up from my seat in the audience and made my way down to the field to congratulate Zed. We smiled at each other as we made eye contact and I ran over to him. "Wow, you were amazing!", "Thanks" I quickly give him a hug and we just stand there holding each other for a while before I get embarrassed and leave.

Lunch rolls around the next day but as I move to go sit with Zed I get stopped by my cousin. "Where do you think you're going cuz?" he says "Uh to sit with my friend" I state, "I hate to break it to you Harper but that's not happening, you have to choose, it's either family or zombies." "what? Bucky that's not fair you can't control me" "actually I can, you're the youngest and your parents specifically told me to make sure you don't do anything stupid, like befriending a gross zombie". "He's not gross.. Also, Addison and I are literally the same age!", "you're the one that chose to go off and be an 'artist', our family is all about cheer and you know that. So what is it, you wanna chase after a stupid zombie, or are you gonna choose your family." I don't really have a choice on this, if I don't choose family they'll never let me do the summer art course, "family," I tell him "good," he says and walks away. I look over at Zed and he calls my name waving. Why do I have such a difficult family...