You Don't Have To Smile Perfectly (Discontinued)

Chapter 9

Warning: High concentration of trigger-producing material. This chapter and most likely the next. You have been warned. Sorry about that.
~*~*~*~*
"Bitch."
"Emo slut."
"Stupid whore."
"Here comes the fucking pig."
Pretty much the same insults that greeted you in class, on the bus, in between classes, and so on. People constantly pushing you to see who could knock you over, and laughing and cheering when they did. Thought it would be different here? Nope.. You were wrong. So very wrong.
~*~*~*~*
Zack was there for all of them, but could do little more than tell you they weren't true, and send glares at the people who insulted you.

However this time, they not only insulted you, but Zack too. It was in between classes and you were talking to Zack by your locker when a girl walked past you and said, "The slut with her dumbass loser she calls a 'boyfriend'. Hah! Just the thought of them makes me sick."

Someone walked by and slapped your books into the ground. "Oops! Sorry, bitch!"
You slammed your locker, infuriated, and looked for the girl. She had already made her way down the hall, and turned to sneer at you before walking into class.

"You've got to be kidding me... Not only going after me, but you too? Damn."

Zack frowned a bit. "Ehh, it doesn't really bother me, I know they're just being like this for the hell of it."

"What they say about me is true though."

You reopened your locker and finished getting everything out when Zack slammed it shut.

"No."

"What?"

"No. It's not true."

You leaned against your locker. "Yeah. It is."

Zack moved closer, meeting your sad gaze with his serious one.

"(Y/N), no it's not. Stop it. You're beautiful, not a slut, whore, emo, or a pig. You are you and nobody else. Nobody can change that, okay? I love you the way you are."

You smiled, but it was quickly replaced by a frown as well.

"Zack, when you're on my level of self-hate, you learn to stop believing those things. I'm sorry."

"What, so you're just gonna let these guys get to you, is that it? Really?"

"Zack, stop it."

He stood up straighter than before, and had a determined look.

"No, (Y/N), you stop. Stop being like this. Stop thinking like this. Stop letting it all get to you."

You took his words to heart. You would stop. Stop breathing, that is. (A/N: fuck)

"Zack. Come on. It's been like this for a while."

"Don't tell me to 'come on', if I'm not the one putting themselves down all the time."

"Don't say it like that."

"Well it's what you're doing! How else do I word it?"

"Ugh, whatever. Just.."

Don't expect me to tell you you're right.

"Just what? Just remind you that, as self-centered and awful as this sounds, I'm right? Just leave you alone? Just stop talking to you? Hmm?"

"Zack, stop it! Shut up already!" You gasped when the words left your mouth. "O-Oh, no Zack. No, I didn't mean that, I-"

He stepped back. "No, no, it's fine. Maybe trying to tell my girlfriend that she's beautiful and expressing my opinions to her is wrong. It's okay."