|| DISCONTINUED || Hidden Hearts: Eighth Grade //Zanemau FF//

Chapter 2

Garroth's Pov

I came to Zane's School to pick him up. Normally, he would be sitting alone in the parking lot, but today, I could've sworn I saw him hanging around a girl, and for the first time in the past 3 months, I think he was smiling. I walk towards him. "Hey, Zane," I say. Apparently, the girl, if it wasn't just in my imagination, was shy, and pretty fast, because she was gone when I reached Zane. 

Aphmau's Pov

"Hi, Garroth," I heard Zane say.

"Who was that?" Garroth asked. I assumed it was Zane's brother. Zane told me he probably wouldn't tell his brother about me, as he liked keeping to himself a lot.

"Who?" Zane asked.

"Th-the girl, I could've sworn I saw you hanging out with a girl?"

"G-girl?" I heard him say half-panicked. "W-what are you talking about?" He started to sound nervous.

Just then I heard voice say my name, "Jessica! Jess? Aphmau?!" She sounded panicked, I gave up hiding from Zane's brother, and ran.

"Coming, Rebecca!" I shouted, running out of my hiding spot.

"That girl," Garroth said seeing me once again, pointing at me.

"Umm, I've never seen her before, maybe she's new..?" Zane stated cautiously, obviously nervous. I didn't hear it.

I told my sister I had to say goodbye to my friend, and ran over to him after handing Rebecca my backpack. Garroth had given up questioning Zane, as the two brothers were headed to Garroth's car.

Zane's Pov

"Bye, Zane!" Aphmau said.

I turn around, "Bye, Aphma-" I paused as she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me. I was surprised for a moment, then I returned her hug.

"Zane?" Garroth questioned.

"Aaaand, he's right behind me, isn't he?" I ask.

Aphmau looks up, and says, "Yeah."

We stop hugging. I look down at my feet and Aphmau ran over to her sister. Why do I feel so... weird when she's around me? I questioned myself silently. Maybe Garroth will know, but I'm too nervous to ask him. It'll probably be gone in  a day or two.

However, as the days dragged on, it didn't leave, it stayed with me, yet I only feel it when I'm near Aph. Do I... do I like her? More than a friend?

(Skip to next day)Aphmau's Pov

I've had school-girl crushes before, but I've never gotten to be this close to any of them... Zane is happy to be my friend, and I'm glad we're friends as well, but I wish it was something more... I think... I think I have a crush on Zane. Today, during lunch break, I saw Zane being picked on, I went to defend him. When I got there, he was backed up against his locker, tears streaming down his face. "HEY, LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I remember saying, as I stepped in front of him, to protect him, Gene , who was leading the group at the time, just pushed me backward, I remember nearly falling on top of Zane, but luckily, I didn't, that would've been disastrous, as I could've hurt him. I fell back, my head landed on a locker, which knocked me out, I remember hearing Zane call my name... About half an hour after school hours, I woke up in my bedroom.

Zane's Pov (Skip back)

"Aphmau? Aph!? No. NO, NO, NO! Aph, don't leave me, please?! Aphmau please wake up," I wouldn't stop talking to her unconscious body. Her eyes were open one moment, then the next thing I knew, she was out like a light bulb. "That's it, I'm taking you to the see the school nurse." What I did next must have surprised Gene, 'cause he looked shocked when I picked Aph up off the ground, and carried her to the nurses office. Luckily, she didn't weigh much, so it was fairly easy. We arrived and I explained what had gone down earlier, the nurse was in shock.

The nurse called my teachers and told them where I was so I wouldn't be marked absent, as I refused to leave Aphmau's side until she woke up. When Garroth arrived and didn't see me in the parking lot he came into the school with Aph's sister, Rebecca. Garroth saw me sitting on a chair outside the nurse's office, I looked panicked, and he became worried. He and Rebecca came over to me.

"Zane, why do you look so frantic?" Questioned my brother.

"Nope, Garroth, I have a better question," Rebecca stated plainly. "Hey, Zane, do you know where Aph is at?" I nod reluctantly. "Where is she?"

I explain to them what had gone down that day. "Aphmau's in the nurse's office." I say pointing.

"Thank you, Zane," Rebecca said, then walked into the nurse's office. I followed, close behind her, which surprised my brother. Normally, I don't follow right behind anyone other than Garroth. But it was under different circumstances, this time, it was for someone who stood up for me, not to mention, it was a girl who stood up to a large group, she risked ruining her reputation. I had left that part out of the story.

"G-Garroth," I say. He gives me a questioning glance. "She still isn't awake..."

There was a long moment of silence before I spoke again. "Would it be okay if-if I stayed at Aph's place tonight, Rebecca says I can, but it's up to Father..."

1 minute, 30 seconds later

"Father say it's okay." Garroth says, getting off his cell phone.

That actually made me smile. "Thanks, Garroth," I say.

(TIME SKIP) Aphmau's Pov

I woke up in my own bed. The last thing I remembered was blacking out in Zane's arms, he was getting picked on by a group led be Gene.

I sat up, and could've sworn I saw Zane walk by my room.

Zane's Pov

I think I just saw Aph sitting up in bed, was I imagining things? I turn around to head back to her room, when she glanced out. All of a sudden a bright, cheery smile appears on my face. "She woke up Rebecca!" I said. Then turned to face her as she stared at me, not knowing what to do.

Aphmau's Pov

It really was Zane! Many questions, none of which I have answers to, pop into my head.
How'd he get in? How'd he find my house? He's never been here before. What is he doing here? What does he want? (There are more questions, but those are the ones the popped into my head immediately)

I walked into the hall in front of him, he looked down at his feet, I was too oblivious to notice how nervous he has acted around me until now, when it was even more obvious he was. I decided not to mention it, but I did ask him some questions. "Zane? What are you doing here? No, better yet, how'd you get here? How did I get here? Last thing I remember is blacking out at school!"

"Um..." He sounds different. Is he... nervous? It seemed he was too nervous to talk, when my sister came upstairs.

"Aph! You are awake!" She said, happily. "I was beginning to worry, I just got off the phone with Gene's parents, surprisingly, he admitted it to them," that made Zane light up. "They said his punishment will be rough for him."

"Good," Zane said it out of the blue.

"Z-Zane? What do you mean?" I say.

"What I mean is, he should think before he messes with us. Neither of showed up in the parking lot, so Garroth and Rebecca came into the school, and, well, I explained what happened at school earlier, which got Gene and his group in trouble, with both of our older siblings."

"Serve's them right!" I shout. This surprised my sister, she had never seen me this upset. "They should know better than to mess with students who have siblings in High School to stand up for them!" At this time, I had my arms and was leaning against the door to my room.

"You know what?" Asks my sister. "I'm going to go write a grocery list." And with that, my sister went back down the stairs and we were alone again, I think the reason I was against my door was more out of nervousness than anger. Zane obviously realized it, as he became nervous too.