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A week after Peter's encounter with Zoey, he passed by the drama/dance room everyday like usual. He saw Zoey in the daily group and admired her from the door. Ever since he saw Zoey for the first time, he wanted to talk to her and get to know her. But ever since the situation at the bus, he didn't dare to do anything again, until today.
When he passed by the drama/dance room, he didn't see Zoey in there—he didn't see anyone in there. Day after day, Peter checked inside and still no one was in there for their group. Today, confused, he went outside for lunch since he had nothing else to do. He was kind of acting like stalker and hopefully Zoey doesn't notice and get weirded out. Zoey just means something to Peter and Peter doesn't know why. He just can't get Zoey out of his mind. And she is on his mind right now as he walks outside to take more pictures of anything worth photographing.
Peter walks outside, not bothering to get any lunch since he wants to take pictures. He arrives to students eating, talking among one another, or working on schoolwork. His eyes scan the crowd of students sitting down until his eyes land on someone. That someone is looking down scribbling into a notebook. For some reason that person who apparently is working on schoolwork, interests Peter. He lifts his camera and looks through the viewfinder as the person, who is a girl because of the long brown hair, looks up and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. Peter freezes and stares at the girl in awe as he recognizes who she is.
Zoey.
Peter's breath hitches as he quickly turns around, scratching the back of his neck nervously. After days of not seeing Zoey, he finally founds her. After their encounter at the bus, Peter promised himself that he was going to find a way to get Zoey's attention properly and he is going to do that by introducing himself to her. He wasn't going to, since he didn't want to get ignored again, but he decided to man up.
Peter turns back around to look at Zoey again. he let his eyes wander her body, taking in how she looks. Zoey is wearing a grey, long-sleeved shirt with some blue jeans and black vans. Her hair is flowing over her shoulders, stopping at the top of her breasts instead of at her stomach. Peter notices and his eyes widen at the change. It was a big change for him because he always remembered her with long hair. Peter thinks she still looks beautiful though.
As Peter stares at her, her runs through some ideas on what he is going to say to her to start a conversation. After a few moments, he finally settles on what he's going to say, takes a deep breath, and starts heading towards Zoey. Step by step he walks to her until he is finally standing in front of her. Peter lets out a shaky breath.
"Um," Peter says, digging his hands into his front pockets. "Hi."
Zoey snaps her head up, looking up at him. She raises her eyebrows at him as if to say, 'You're talking to me?' She stares at him for a moment before looking down at her side and digging into her messenger bag. She takes out something that looks like a little flipbook. She takes out a beige index card and lifts it up, showing it to Peter.
Peter draws his eyebrows together in confusion as the index card read, Hello, in a somewhat cursive writing. Peter purses his lips before saying, "I'm Peter. Peter Parker."
Zoey takes out another index card. This one reads, I'm Zoee Atkins.
Peter scratches the back of his head, raising his eyebrows in surprise. The way she spells her name is not the way Peter thought it was spelled. Peter's face then scrunches up in confusion. He wonders why Zoee is using index cards to communicate instead of speaking.
Zoee notices the look on his face and slips out another index card from her card holder. I'm mute, she shows Peter. Peter's mouth curls into an 'o' shape as he nods in understanding.
"Well, it's really nice to meet you." Peter smiles slightly. "I've seen you around before and I wanted to say hi so...here I am." Peter mentally slaps himself so awkward but mentally sighs in relief as she doesn't run off. Instead, Zoee opens her notebook, picks up her pencil, and quickly scribbles something down. She slides her notebook towards him before Peter picks it up and reads what she wrote.
You're the guy from the bus stop, right? The notebook paper reads.
Peter's smile widens as his eyes light up. He is so happy that she actually noticed him and still remembers him. "Yeah! I'm that guy. This might sound creepy but I know where you live and I live a couple of houses away from you. And I guess that means we're kind of neighbors?"
Zoee uses her hand to motion to Peter that she needs her notebook back. Peter hands her the book and she accepts it before writing something down again.
Yeah, neighbors.
Zoee nods, showing him what she wrote down. Peter nods back, his smile fading as she doesn't smile back. Her face remains expressionless, like how she was back at the drama/dance room the first time Peter saw Zoee. Thoughts started swarming Peter's head as he notices her face. Did she not want to be talking to him? Was he boring her? He wants to ask her these questions but he can't as the school bell interrupts him.
"Well, that's the bell." Peter breaths out, awkwardly rubbing his neck. Zoee nods, packing her notebook and pencil into her old, brown, messenger bag. She left out her card holder to take out another card.
Bye. The card reads.
Peter smiles at her once again, waving goodbye before turning around and walking towards the doors that leads him into the school. He glances quickly back at Zoee, watching as she finishes tucking her things in her bag. Peter walks into the school, the smile still on his face as he finally did what he wanted; he got Zoee's attention properly.
