work experience ~ s.w

ten

"Then why don't you do something about it?" I say leaning even closer o him. Our noses brush together as I smirk at him. He thinks about it for a few seconds before stepping back. "What's wrong?"

"I can't"

"You can't or you won't?" I sigh.

"I can't. I have a girlfriend."

"Oh wow!" I exclaim. "Good one asshole." I shove him away from me and head inside.

"Viola? What's up? I thought you went with Sam." Johnson asks as I slam the door behind me.

"Oh I went for Sam. He has a girlfriend." I shrug.

"What? Since when?" He exclaims. He turns to the group. "Do you know that Sam has a girlfriend?"

"I thought he was tryna get with Viola" Skate replies. "He definitely does not have a girlfriend."

"Then why would he say that?" I growl. If there's one thing I can't deal with it's liars. Lie to me and you lose me completely.

"I don't know" Gilinsky replies.

"I can't deal with this. I'm here for work experience so someone give me some work to do."

***

Nash drops me off at the school just in time for Zach to be picked up. I haven't spoken to Sam since the whole 'I have a girlfriend' 'No he doesn't' situation. I wave goodbye to my new friend as I walk through the gates looking for Zach. Soon enough he enters the playground looking at the ground again.

"Not again Zach." I whine.

"Nope" He looks up at me. "Mr Luckley wants to see you." He tells me. I look at my battered old watch before nodding and heading in the direction of the principle's office. I knock on the door and entering after hearing a 'come in' from the middle aged man.

"Hello Miss Harper" Mr Luckley says standing and holding his hand out. I shake it firmly before sitting across the desk from him. "I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"What is it?" I sigh. I can't get any more bad news right now. My heart might just explode.

"As you know, we here at St Hearts do not condone violence in the slightest." He starts. "And today I've received several reports that Zach has been bullying another child using physical violence."

"Was it bullying or was it retaliation?"

"Well the parents of the other boy involved do not see it that way."

"Maybe they should ask their little rat of a son what he's been doing to my brother." I say gripping the chair arms.

"Viola" Zach calms me down placing his tiny hand on top of mine.

"Sorry. I just don't see how this is all coming to Zach. This kid has been after him for months. He had a black eye just last Friday."

"We're just lucky that the child's parents aren't pressing charges."

"For what?" I exclaim. Zach wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Zach punched a class member's front tooth out today."

"It was wobbly anyway!" Zach exclaims. Mr Luckley shoots him a glare making Zach shrink back in his seat.

"So what are you trying to tell me here?" I say changing the subject.

"The parents of the other boy have said that due to your financial predicament-"

"You mean, flat out broke" I correct him.

"They have not decided to press charges or sue for bodily harm."

"Bodily harm my ass" I say beneath my breath.

"Zach has been suspended for the rest of the week. I trust you'll arrange some form of childcare."

"How am I supposed to do that? The only reason he's suspended is because I'm broke." I exclaim. "He gets his meals here."

"You're a bright girl, you'll figure it out." He says standing. I take that as our cue to leave and stand up dramatically, scrapping the wooden chair along the floor in the process. I wait until the door slams shut and I'm out of the parking lot before I turn to Zach.

"Please don't be mad" Zach says shrinking slightly. I bend down to his level, zipping up his coat tightly.

"I'm not mad Zach, I'm only angry at the school. That little shi- silly child is only being favoured because his mommy and daddy donate to the school." I say stopping myself from cussing in front of my young sibling. "I'm not angry at you at all. You did the right thing. He won't be messing with you anymore." I smile before standing and taking his hand, heading to the diner.

***

"So what about school?" Zach says as he sips on his third strawberry milkshake of the day. The diner isn't too busy so I'm currently sat with him doing his homework. "If I'm not going do I even need to do this?"

"Yes you do. Your education is the most important thing. You'll be back in no time." I tell him. I hear the bell tinkle behind me. I turn around to see Sam stood awkwardly in the doorway. "I'll be with you in a second" I call as if I haven't seen who's here. I step behind the counter and start to make one of my famous Zach milkshakes for him. I look to Zach. "Stay here okay. Don't talk to anyone weird."

"I talk to you don't I?" He says with a cheeky grin. I can't help but laugh as I carry the drink over to the table. I sit down opposite Sam, sliding the beverage towards him.

"My favourite" He mutters.

"Whatever you've come to say, can you just say it? I'm having the worst day ever. A cute boy refused to kiss me, I inhaled so much smoke I think I'm going to pass out, my little brother's been kicked out of school for fighting." I blurt out quickly.

"Zach's been kicked out of school?"

"Yeah" I sigh looking over at my brother who is happily sipping at his drink, doing a colouring page I found for him in a magazine in the hotel. "I don't know what to do." I sigh. Sam stands up, looking as if he's about to leave but then slides into the booth next to me. He wraps an arm around my shoulders as I rest my head on his shoulder. "Everything's going to shit."

"You have a tough life."

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed." I say sarcastically, mocking him.

"And about the cute boy refusing to kiss you- it wasn't that I didn't want to."

"You have a girlfriend. I know." I say trying to call his bluff.

"Except I don't. I've never had one before and I don't want this to just be some fling."

"It's fine. I told myself not to fall for you."

"And how's that working out for you?" He asks.

"Not well at all"