Breathe

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

*~*~*~*

"I'm sick of it, you know?" We all sat around Peer Communications as a girl stood at the front of the class with Ms. Bradley, in tears. "Just because I don't have her skinny-ass body doesn't mean I'm fat!"

"Maybe she should try a diet." Pratters spoke up from his seat while Sheri got up, hugging the upset girl.

"Seriously, Pratters?" Hannah looked over at the boy is disbelief. "Jesus!"

"I'm just saying, all right, if you're getting fat-shamed, then... you know, don't be fat." Pratters shrugged, seeming to find nothing wrong with what he was saying, it was ridiculous.

"Mr. Pratters!" Ms. Bradley sent him a look of warning.

"Pratter's, that's like someone saying to you, 'Don't be an idiot and a dickwad.'" Zach shook his head. "Can't help it."

"Exactly. Thank you." Pratters nodded, missing the insult entirely.

"Totally not on your side, dude." Zach told him, causing Hannah and I to both laugh.

"All right, people, so remember the compliment bags." Ms. Bradley told everyone as the bell rang. "Um, it's always best to give a compliment face to face, but sometimes it's easier to be anonymous. All right. See you tomorrow."

"Oh, the joy." I rolled my eyes as Hannah and I both went over to check our own bags.

"I always feel stupid." Zach walked over to us after checking his own bag.

"Looking?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah." He nodded, seeming embarrassed.

"Yeah." I nodded in understanding as I pulled a couple pieces of folded up paper out of my bag, Hannah doing the same.

"These are the stupidest, most embarrassing things that I check every day, no matter what." Hannah chuckled as she unfolded one of the pieces of paper from her bag. I glanced over her shoulder, seeing a small drawing of a bunny.

"Get a good one?" Zach asked as she folded the paper back up.

"Nothing earthshaking." She shrugged before opening the second one. She scanned over it before looking at me with a raised brow. "Really?"

"You love me." I grinned at her before I looked at Zach. "You?"

"Nada." He shook his head. "It's kind of soul-crushing, you know?"

"Seriously? He's Zach Dempsey." Hannah commented as he headed out of the class, leaving us with Sheri. "Does he really need compliments?"

*~*~*~*

The day after everything happened at Rosie's, Hannah and I sat alone together in the cafeteria. Both of our lunch trays were pushed aside as we read our own books, sitting in a comfortable silence together.

"Hey." We both looked up to find Zach standing over us.

"Hey." Hannah said, seeming confused as to why Zach was even here, I couldn't blame her. Even after our 'date' last night, I hadn't expected him to come over here. After all, he had all his basketball friends to hang out with.

"Uh. What you reading?" He nodded at our books. "Wintergirls?"

"Finished it, remember?" I chuckled, remembering our conversation from last night, before everything had gone to shit.