It's a glorious Monday morning, and with the cursed paper complete, I am free to avoid the clutches of my psycho-bitch mother. The thought makes me smile as I push open the door to my high school's main entrance, Zack is leaning on the wall, eating a Kit-Kat and playing Pokemon on his DS.
Halfway through the third Kit-Kat brick he looked up at me. His DS was closed and sheathed in his pocket as he walked towards me.
"Darcy, where have you been? You didn't answer your phone or anything."
"I got grounded to work on my paper. I'm fine."
"Yeah, and you're in a hoodie the size of Texas."
"It's comfy."
"It's 70 degrees outside."
"I was still cold."
"Take it off. You're being weird."
"No."
"Do it." I already feel defeated. He tells me everything. But if she knows I told anyone, she'd go ape shit. "Darcy, come one. You're being all suspicious and stuff."
There are a lot of people heading into into the school behind us. I look helplessly at Zack and then drag him away to a rather unused hallway. Our friend, Elliot, cheered as I escaped.
"Why did we need to hide? Are you okay?" I didn't answer. I just took off that fucking hoodie and waited for Zack to say something. He didn't. He just stood there and stared at me. "Who did this to you?"
"My mom." He can only see the neck marks, I'm not about to turn around just to make things worse.
"Turn around." He ordered. Fucking mind reader. There's no point in protesting anymore. I feel his hand on the still-purple skin.
"Ow! Don't touch it you fucktard!"
"Sorry, sorry. Could you just... Turn back around?" I face him. He glances at the marks around my neck, then looks me in the eyes.
"Come live with me."
"No!"
"Why the hell not?"
"What would that do? I'd hide out in your room eating mini-muffins and my parents are just supposed to let me?
"Okay, then you can live with Carl."
"I want to finish school."
"Why?"
"Because my dad wants me to..." Zack looks at me with reluctant understanding, and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
"I can't stop you from going home, but I can't have you getting hurt." I looked at him quizzically.
"Why?"
"Because it would be my fault."
"No it wouldn't."
"Yes, it would, Darcy. The moment I let you go home it is my fault."
"I'll be careful." Zack shook his head at me.
"Being careful is never good enough." He said. I look at him sadly. I want to leave with him. I should go. He's right about all of it. No matter how hard it would be, no matter how many reasons I can think of to stay, I should go.
But I won't
~
Wait Until Tomorrow-Jimi Hendrix
