She Restrained A Renegade

Two

2-Zoe

"Did you hear? Ace, from The Renegades is in town."

"What in the world would he be doing in Seneca, Kansas?"

"You didn't know? He grew up here. Graduated about ten or eleven years ago."

"Eleven years ago." I spoke without thinking. I hadn't meant to eavesdrop on the conversation, but damn, they were talking about Justin.

The two teenage girl's eyes widened, "Did you know him, Miss Andrews?"

I glanced around the hall and realized that I'd suddenly gained an audience. I sighed. I didn't need this shit. I'd been a math teacher at Seneca High for three years now and I usually kept to myself between classes. I'd been on edge, however, ever since hearing that Justin Wallace was in town. The last time I'd seen him, we'd spent hours making out. That hadn't been like me at all. I'd been a scared little virgin back then, who didn't approach boys in the dark, and yet that's exactly what I'd done. I'd been shocked beyond belief when he'd suddenly kissed me, but the zinging of electricity his lips on mine had sent coursing through my body had been enough to convince me it was a good idea. He'd even walked me home afterward and kissed me on my doorstep, then I hadn't heard a word from him. It was a whole week later when I'd learned that he'd left town the morning after that night. So apparently it had meant more to me than it had to him. You'd have to live under a rock to not know how big he and his band had become. I didn't really care, however, so I shouldn't be talking about him now.

Not wanting to be rude to my students, however, I said, "Yes, I knew him. We graduated from high school the same year."

"Have you stayed in touch?" The question came from a wide-eyed teen and I was mentally kicking myself for opening my mouth to begin with.

"No, we haven't talked since the night of graduation. He left town the next morning."

When it became clear that they couldn't use me to get some inside scoop on the super star, the crowd finally disbursed and I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't want to talk about Justin. I'd been dumb to think that what we'd experienced had meant anything to him. His type of girl was the Christy Johnson's of the world. I'd tried to convince him that night that he was better than that, but it was clear I'd failed. He'd been caught in the tabloids many times and always with the same type of girl. If that's what he wanted out of life, the meaningless hookups, then he wasn't somebody I cared to know anyway.

I was now a twenty nine year old, school teacher, who was no longer a naïve little virgin. I wouldn't be fooled by good looks and fame. I had more class than that. Besides, if Justin Wallace was really back in town then he was here to cause trouble. I knew for a fact that he hadn't stayed in contact with his family. Everybody he was related to made it a bad habit of bitching about that fact wherever they went. So what reason could he possibly have to come back here?

At the end of the day, I stayed at school an extra couple of hours to grade papers. I didn't like to take my work home with me. Begrudgingly, I was currently living with my older sister. Zelda was married to a guy in the military, who was currently deployed. In a weak moment, I'd allowed Zelda into talking me into moving in with her and the kids. Zelda and Rick had four kids. They were hellions and more than handful. Zelda had pretty much raised me after our mom died when I was ten and Zelda was fifteen. So I felt like I owed her. After living with them for just a couple months, however, I was regretting my decision. I could never get any peace at home and didn't dare take my work home or the kids might get ahold of it. I'd learned that lesson the hard way when my bratty nieces and nephews got ahold of my student's assignments and turned them into art projects. Paint, glitter, and scissors later, the assignments were no longer recognizable. I'd been forced to explain everything to my students, who thought it was great because I'd had no choice but to give everyone perfect scores. I couldn't very well ask them to do it over again, as it hadn't been their fault.

So I finished up my grading at school and then, hesitantly headed home. My head was beginning to pound and I knew a full-on migraine would soon assault me. When I stepped into the kitchen, I didn't gain any relief. Zelda's two oldest children, twins, Randy and Roxy, where bickering about God only knew what, screaming at each other, at the top of their lungs. Their younger brother, Russ had somehow gotten ahold of the flour and had it all over the kitchen, while their youngest sibling, Remi was rolling around in it. Her hair was matted and I knew it would take a small miracle to get her clean. I shook my head and exited the kitchen without a word, finding Zelda sitting on the couch staring at the television, which wasn't even on.

I frowned, "What are you doing?"

Zelda startled and then forced a smile, "How was your day?"

I shook my head, ignoring her attempt to deflect, "What's wrong?"

Zelda, who rarely cried, burst into tears. "I'm a horrible mother. I know the kids are in there making a disaster of the kitchen, but I just don't care at the moment. Most importantly though, I'm a horrible wife."

"You're not a horrible wife." I tell her, as I sit beside her and pat her shoulder.

Zelda shook her head, "No really, I am. Earlier today I was thinking that I couldn't do it anymore. I thought I could handle being a military wife, but I'm over it. I hate that Rick is never here and I hate that I don't have help with the kids. Don't get me wrong, you've been great, but I know this isn't ideal for you. I just want my husband home every night. Then, about an hour ago, I got a phone call. Rick was hurt."

"Oh my God, Zelda."

"He's going to be ok, but...I guess he's pretty banged up and they say he will have to be discharged. So I feel like it's my fault. I was wishing Rick were home more often and then..."

"Zelda no! You didn't hurt Rick. You didn't wish him any harm. You're just missing your husband, which is normal. Hell, if you weren't missing him, then that would be a real problem. Rick is coming home and you'll help him recover. Things will be fine. Everything happens for a reason. It will all work out, you'll see." I tell her, praying I knew what I was talking about.

"So if everything happens for a reason, then why do you think Justin is back?" Zelda asked, switching gears before I could blink. Zelda is the only person alive who knows about what happened the night of graduation. She'd been coming home herself that night, when she spotted Justin kissing me on our front porch, so I'd had no choice but to fill her in on the events of the evening.

I sighed, "I don't have the foggiest idea."

She smiled, "The rumor at the salon is that he was asking about you around town."

"Bullshit." I tell her, but I'm suddenly holding my breath.

"No bullshit. Betsy Conner works at the grocery store and she claims to have heard him ask about you, with her own two ears." Zelda said, nodding.

"That doesn't make any sense. I haven't seen him in eleven years! He's rich and famous now. Why would he be asking about me, of all people? It's not like we dated. We made out, that one time, and then I never heard from him again. I think the rumor mill is broken."

"Honey, we live in small town Seneca, the rumor mill is never broken. It may get twisted sometimes, but it's actually a pretty reliable system." Zelda said giggling and it was damned annoying.

I huffed, "Well, I'm going to believe that it's broken this time. Now, I have a migraine setting in and if I don't go lay down, I'll pay for it." I tell her.

Zelda nodded, but said, "Listen, Zoe, I know I was kind of teasing you just now, but if Justin did come back here for you, keep an open mind. I know you haven't been interested in men since—"

"Don't say his name!"

"I'm just saying. Don't turn Justin down because you think all men are dogs. Some aren't."

"I guess we'll see what happens." It was all I was willing to promise.