Growing Pains

Chapter 16 - She was going to regret this

T R I S T A N

i opened the door and held back a curse.

"Look who's back. Zz..." I started. I obviously didn't know her name. I had no idea why I had even tried to say it.

"Zoey," she finished. "We've been through this already, and honestly, what else could it be if it starts with a Z?"

"I don't know, Zara?"

"That's a store."

"Pretty sure it can also be a girl's name," I said. It was raining outside, but I was yet to let her in. She was wearing an ugly knit sweater, so she would probably be fine. "Also, there's Zelda, Zuri, Zora, Z –"

"Sure," she stopped me, looking inside where it was warm enough that I could just wear a t-shirt. "Can I come in now? Please?"

I smiled and stepped aside. She walked in. Her sweater was too big for her. Her jeans looked fine. I followed her into the living room, where Sam's stupid cartoons were too loud for me to be able to even think. Most days I would prefer not to, but I had a headache today, so Sam would have to turn the sound down as soon as possible.

Zoey stopped so suddenly, I almost walked into her.

"Do you mind?" I asked. I could walk around her, but I just didn't want to. I thought that had to be a good enough reason. She turned around.

"Can I ask you something?"

"No."

"It's important," she said.

"To you."

"To everyone actually."

"Not to me."

"How do you know? I haven't even told you yet."

I grabbed her by the shoulders and moved her out of my way before suggesting we kept it that way. I really did have a headache and I just couldn't deal with her right now. It had started behind my eyes, but it seemed to have spread everywhere.

"Zoey?" Sam called from the living room. In a second, he was running towards her, jumping into her arms when she opened them for him. I thought she would fall on her ass and almost wished she did, but she kept her footing.

"It's good to see you too, Sammy," she said when she put him down, running her fingers through his blonde hair.

I rolled my eyes and watched them disappear upstairs. Guessed whatever Zoey wanted to ask me would have to wait and wished it waited forever and ever. Sam talked all the way up the stairs, through the hallway, and into his bedroom. Apparently, Zoey had kept her word and told Richard about the whole gym class fiasco and Richard had taken it up to the school board. Apparently, they had apologized.

Sam had told me this as soon as he got home today and was probably repeating it all to Zoey right this moment. At the time I hadn't managed to pay attention to the whole thing because Sam had been speaking too fast, and, at that point, my headache had just blown up in my temples, but I gathered there was a happy ending somewhere in there.

I walked over to the couch and collapsed down on the pillows. Sam had left his cartoons on. I turned the tv off and closed my eyes. I thought I had closed them for only a minute but when I opened them again it was dark outside, and Zoey was walking my way.

I reached in the pocket of my jeans for a cigarette.

"Are you allowed to smoke in here?" she asked, looking at me with her surprised, big brown boring eyes.

"Where's Sam?"

"He's in his room doing his homework. I just came down to –"

I cut her off. "I don't remember asking about what you came down for."