Lunch was hard; the canteen was busy so you had to fight for a seat. Zara ended up sitting with Max on one side of her and Natalie on the other, just what she needed! Whilst they were eating there was an incredibly tense atmosphere. Natalie wasn’t speaking to Max, which was incredibly unusual and he didn’t have his arms wrapped round her like normal. Zara tried bringing up the subject of what happened to Jen with the sander in DT but no one was interested she then tried talking about how she preferred the new menu; still no one would talk to her. Had she done something to upset both of them? She got up to move tables when Natalie said “Please stay!”
Zara sat back down again still unsure of what to say and who to talk to. After they’d finished eating Zara took Natalie to the form room and sat her down; she explained everything: why her and Max weren’t speaking, why no one would talk over lunch and why there was a general awkward atmosphere. Natalie and Max had broken up! After going out for 3 months they finally broke up, partly to Zara’s joy and partly to her misery. This would just make life incredibly awkward as they were both her friends and she would have to choose which one to speak to, and which one to hang out with; as she guessed they weren’t the best of friends right now.
Zara walked to the station that evening with Zac. She couldn’t choose between walking with Natalie or Max and if she walked with Jade and the gang, Natalie would be annoyed. Zac was the safest option. They talked about him and his GCSE’s most of the way to the station although at one point they did talk about their Mum. Zac’s Mum and Dad split up when he was a baby and Elliot was 4. She then remarried to Zara’s Dad and had Zara. Zac’s Dad got custody over Zac and Elliot which meant she didn’t see them that often, although in a way it was a good thing as Zara’s Mum spent hardly any time with Zara at the moment and never bothers to visit Elliot or Zac, as they always have to make the effort to come over.
Zara took the train all the way to Fulbrook where Zac got off. She didn’t bother telling her parents where she was, as they wouldn’t care and would be annoyed at her for disturbing them during work. All her parents cared about was work and Zara would probably get back before them as they’d treat themselves to a Friday meal.
When they got to Zac’s house they ordered pizza. Elliot said he’d go and pick it up a bit later. For Zara, this was her family – Zac and Elliot, not her parents, they didn’t care about her or at least it seemed that way. Zac put Iron Man on the TV and the three of them sat down. Zara hardly ever got to talk to Elliot as he was so tied up in his AS Levels. So this was nice, she was close to him but in a different way.
“So how’s school?” Elliot asked.
“Awful and so boring! How do you describe somewhere where you are too smart to be yourself?” Zara said.
“Oh don’t worry babe! It will all get better by the time you get to GCSE’s!”
“Really? I don’t see how it will and Mum and Dad really don’t care what I get in my GCSE’s all they care about is work and themselves!” Zara said this stifling back the tears.
“Come here!” Elliot said this with his arms open ready to give Zara a hug.
Zara liked Elliot’s hugs they always made her feel better! Then Zac came and joined in and it was like a rugby scrum.
“Ah! Can’t breathe!” Zara wheezed.
“Okay family hug over!” Zac announced.
By the look on his face, Elliot was in just as much pain as Zara. This made Zara and Zac fall about laughing, they knew how much of a baby Elliot could be sometimes and even though he’s the oldest. Elliot then left to pick up the pizza. Whilst he was out Zara and Zac had a pillow fight and made a huge mess in the lounge. They decided not to pick anything up as they wanted to see Elliot’s face when he came back. As soon as he walked through the door he went off his head and Zara and Zac hid behind the sofa and both accused the other one!
