The War Against The World

Chapter eleven

The school day was just about over and Otis was more than ready to go home, it had been a long day and he was exhausted.

He shut his locker and grabbed his bag to walk home, but before he could even take a step towards the door he heard a loud booming voice call out to him.

"Otis!" The voice calling out to him was all to familiar, it caused a chill to run down Otis's spine.

"Shit." he quietly whispered to himself. When he turned around he was face to face with someone he didn't think he would be seeing again.

"Hi Zack." Otis almost whispered out, not a single drop of confidence in his voice. "Hay, buddy! where you been? Long time no see." Zack said, way too cheerfully for Otis's liking.

Zack was one of Otis's old friends, he was a year older than him. Zack was the one who first introduced him into parting, he basically took Otis under his wing and taught him all he knew.

He was a terrible influence but that never stopped Otis from hanging out with him, well until he was sent away but we're not going to talk about that.

It's been months since Otis seen him last, and to be honest he didn't expect those months to end today.

"Oh, I just went and visited my family for a while, but I'm back now." Otis responded, trying not to sound like he was lying.

Zack didn't pay much mind to it and instead just smiled at him. "Well I'm glad you're back, maybe to celebrate your arrival, you should come to my party this weekend." He said throwing an arm around Otis's shoulder as they walked down the hall.

"I probably shouldn't." Otis admitted. Zack just looked at him confused, he'd never heard Otis turn him down. "We all probably shouldn't, but it doesn't mean we can't." Zack joked back.

"I guess that's true, but I'm really trying to stay away from that stuff now." Otis admitted, he should probably just tell Zack now, instead of prolonging it.

Otis was trying to be a better person now, maybe he still smoked and on the rare occasion drank, but at least he wasn't partying.

Zack looked at him like he killed his mother when he said that. Otis couldn't even blame him, he listened to everything Zack told him to do, so he obviously wasn't expecting a no.
"What do you mean?" Zack asked quietly.

That scared Otis a little.

"Well it's just that, i'm not so sure that's who I want to be anymore." Otis confessed, trying not to let his voice waiver.

Zack froze, he looked at Otis with a confused look, he almost looked as if he was waiting for Otis to say he was just messing around.

"You don't want to hang out with us anymore?"  Zack asked in an accusatory tone, he looked offended.

"Thats not what i mea-"  he was cut off before he could finish. "then what did you mean? Are you too good for us now?" 

"No, not at all!" Otis rushed out.

"Well that's what it sounds like." Zack accused "What would Tyler and Luke think about this? They would be hurt, is that what you want?" He said, his voice sounding angry.

Otis just signed, he knew what Zack was trying to do. He was just trying to manipulate Otis into going with him to the party, he knew that, but he still felt bad.

"That's not what I want." Otis mumbled.

"Then why won't you come with us?" He questioned, he's face looking more sad now.

'How dumb does he think I am?' Otis found himself asking. He knew there was no way out of this other than agreeing.

"I'll go, I'm sorry." Otis sighed out in defeat.