Safe // (Zach LaFrenière Fan Fic)

TWO: DeVere High - Room 106

The next morning was certainly interesting as the battle for the bathroom now included another female.

"Jason you take 5 minutes, I take 20," Emma whined as she tried to fend off her slightly older cousin who towered over at her. Being 5'4 really didn't have many advantages, when trying to gain access to a bathroom before a 6'0 swimmer. "Please Jason, I'll be quick!"

"Alright, alright," Jason chuckled as shook his head at his pleasing cousin. "Just hurry up,"

Emma whooped as she slammed the bathroom door shut and climbed into the shower. Once she was out and had towelled dried her hair, she got dressed in a pair of black denim, cutoff shorts and a purple tie dye crop top that reads 'Happy Thoughts'. Turning off her music, sliding her phone in her pocket and shoving her towel in the laundry hamper; she made her way downstairs.

"JASON! BATHROOM'S FREE," As Emma skipped through the living room door, she looked up to see Adam and Sienna staring at her. "Oh...Hi guys,"

"Hey, Jason's out by the pool with his dad," Sienna smiled. Thanking her, Emma wandered out to tell Jason he could have the bathroom, then ambled back in and sat back at the dining table as Adam slid the Coco Pops over so that Emma could pour some cereal whilst slipping on her pair of Galaxy vans.

"So you ready for your first day?" Adam asked as he drank the milk from his now empty cereal bowl.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Emma smiled, as she started spooning coco pops into her mouth as Jason ran passed to go and get ready for school.

After Emma, Jason, Sienna and Dani arrived at school as Adam tailed behind on his Vespa. Jason took Emma to the administration office, gave her the tour of the school and finally showed her to her first class; English which she had with Sienna and him. The class were currently studying Shakespeare which was simple because the syllabus in Michigan was slightly ahead; meaning that Emma had already studied it.

Her second period was Science with Van Dyke and Erin in which they were covering Physics, third was European History with Adam and Jason in which they were discussing the French Revolution and fourth period was Math with Brad and Van Dyke; after class the two of them lead Emma to the cafeteria.

Once they'd grabbed their food, the three of them joined Jason, Sienna, Adam, Belle, Maggie and Erin. "How were your first couple of classes?"

"Good, I knew someone in all of them so far and luckily the syllabus' are practically the same as the ones back in Michigan" Emma sat down in between Brad and Erin. "I've got French and Art after lunch,"

"That's good, it means you'll have less to catch up on,"Jason glanced up from his sandwich,"oh by the way I've got swim practice after school, are you okay getting home or do you want to wait?"

"Nah, I remember the way from this morning." Emma shrugged whilst picking at her curly fries, "I'll just skate back,"

"Alright, if you get lost just ring and I'll come pick you up," Jason smiled as he took a sip of his Mountain Dew.

After a somewhat chaotic lunch, during which Van Dyke and Brad decided to see who could score as many hoops in a row in 5 minutes, before it ended with Brad and Van Dyke in some sort of wrestling match. By the time that was all over, it was time for fifth period or in Emma's case; time for Art.

Making her way to room 106, Emma wandered over to Mr. Anders' desk and waited as he decided whereabouts she would be sitting for the rest of the semester. "Miss Freeman, could you please take the spare seat next to Zach Lafrenière,"

"Er, yea sure." Emma's blue eyes frantically scanned the class as everyone started to throw glances at her whilst whispering and murmuring to their friends. After a couple seconds she locked eyes with Zach who was sat on a double table on the second to last row of the class. Weaving through the curious teenagers who seems to be deciding whether Emma was worthy enough to sit next to Zach, she finally reached the empty seat on the left of Zach and sat down with a silent sigh of relief.

"How were your Art grades in your last school?" Mr. Anders asked as he came over and handed her a brand new sketchbook.

"Um, I was pretty much a B average with an occasional A here and there," Emma answered sheepishly, feeling as if she was being slightly judged. Mr. Anders nodded with a small smile,

"That's absolutely fine," He walked back to the front of the class. "As long as you keep up those grades you'll be fine. Right, today we're going to be working on still life,"

Once Mr. Anders had explained the task to the whole class, everyone took turns to go to supply closet and choose some props to then take them back to their tables in order to draw them.

Positioning a tall ceramic blue vase which had a small green stem that was blossoming small baby pink flowers out of it, in the middle of smaller empty, black and white ones, Emma began to sketch out a horizon line. Glancing over to Zach, she saw that he was staring at the empty bottles that he had positioned in height order; almost as if he was wishing for them to draw themselves.

"You alright there?" Emma piped up, which seemed to snap Zach out of his daze, although he didn't really give the impression that he zoned out or slacked off when it came to work.

"Yea, I'm fine." Zach shot her a quick smile as he picked up a pencil, though he seemed hesitant. Emma looked back over as he began to draw the horizon line and softly marked where the bottles would be. "Honestly I'm okay,"

Emma turned back to her own work and continued to sketch the flowers that were leaning out of the vase. Swapping her grey pencil for a light blue one, she began to shade the still life drawing. As Emma continued, she felt preying eyes as if someone was observing her work; looking up she saw Zach side-glancing at her whilst she worked.

"That's pretty good," he shot her a small smile and then turned back to his work which was also halfway finished. Emma glanced over to his sketch of the old, glass milk bottles again and then started to study the side of Zach's well defined and chiseled face,

"Yours is pretty good as well," Emma returned the small smile, she watched as Zach continued to focus on his work. Then, slowly the corner of his very attractive but slightly too serious lips, started to turn upwards into another one of his lopsided smiles. The pair now with subtle smiles slowly lighting up their faces, went back to their own pieces and continued working to the end of the lesson; both with small smiles that were simply appreciative of each other's company.