Cough Syrup (Zach Dempsey)

Chapter 7

Today was the beginning of my week of detention, I handed my phone in, and went to find a seat

"Well, well, well the new queen of detention Perri Down." I heard I turned to see Montgomery sitting in the back of the room, I smiled walked to the back and took the desk next to his

"Looks who's talking don't you live here?" I said and he laughed

"Only three days a week."

"What did you do this time?" I asked him

"I may have cheated on my calculus midterm." He said and I rolled my eyes

"You may have?"

"There's no proof."

"But you're in detention."

"But I'm not suspended."

"You are a mess Monty."

"Whatever Tyson." He said

"Shut up."

"You got Zachy boy pretty good." He said and I smiled

"So, what happened with you two?" He asked and my smile faded

"What are you talking about?"

"I've seen you and Zach argue all the time, but this time you went crazy."

"He cheated on me." I said and he looked shocked

"Seriously?" He asked and I nodded

"What a fucking idiot."

"If I recall correctly you had a bit of a wondering eye too."

"Not while we were together."

"Liar, remember Lisa Cox?"

"Oh yeah." He said with a smirk and I hit his arm lightly.

"I'm joking nothing happened with her until after we broke up."

"Gee thanks."

"You're welcome." He said making me chuckle

"I missed that smile." He said and I blushed

"Alright Montgomery I have homework to do."

"I thought we were having fun."

"You're trouble De La Cruz." I said pulling out my books he stared at me for a couple of seconds and started playing with his phone.

After detention Monty walked me to my car

"So, you, me, and detention tomorrow?" He said

"Count on it I'm here till next week."

"It's a date." He said opening my door for me, I got into my car and went home. When I got there Tyler was in the living room

"Zach called."

"So?" I said walking past him and straight to my room. I threw my stuff down and laid back on the bed with a sigh.

"Are you ok?" I looked up to see my mom, I just shrugged

"Well, what does that mean?"

"I don't know. We're only a month and a half into the school year and it already sucks."

"I know baby, I just want us to keep talking."

"I'm fine mom."

"Are you really? I don't want you to ever feel like what Hannah did is an option."

"Jesus mom my mind is nowhere near that. Hannah had a lot of secrets, a lot of things that led to that point that she didn't tell anyone about."

"Then how do you know?" She said and I froze I couldn't tell her about the tapes

"Just at school a few people have been saying things.......Feeling guilty I guess." I said

"Does that have anything with what happened at school yesterday?"

"A little."

"Like Zach?"

"We broke up, and I was hurt. That's it." I said and she sighed

" I have to check on dinner. Perri please just talk to me if you need to."

"I will mom." I said and she kissed my head, and I laid back on the bed as my phone began buzzing, I looked to see Zach was calling and I hit ignore.

The next few days I fell into the grounding routine school, detention, and home in that order. The crazy thing was that the longer I was in detention the easier it got to be around Monty, and I guess you could say we're 'friends'. Or maybe I'm losing it maybe I've been in detention so long I'm suffering from Stockholm syndrome because I don't see anyone beside Monty outside of school these days. After detention Monty made it a habit to walk me to my car

"Hey Perri, would you maybe want to do something this weekend?" He asked and I looked at him shocked.

"Um wow Monty I don't-"

"What's going on here?" We turned to see Justin and Zach, I mentally groaned Zach has been trying to get me to talk for the past week, but I wasn't giving in

"What's up Monty?" Justin asked and he shook his head

"Nothing man we're just getting out of detention."

"I'll see you tomorrow Monty." I said and walked away from the group

"Perri wait." Zach called and I started walking faster

"Perri!" I opened my car door but he shut it and stepped in front of it.

"Can you move?"

"Will you talk to me?"

"I told you I'm not ready."

"But you'll talk to Monty?"

"Monty and I are-" I started but stopped myself

"This is ridiculous you are not my boyfriend anymore I don't have to explain myself to you. So if I want to talk to Monty, Scott, Alex, or whoever it's none of your business! Now move!" I said pushing him but he didn't budge

"Perri what do I have to do to fix us?"

"I don't know if we can."

"I miss you." He said and I felt like crying, I still loved Zach with everything I have but I just can't trust him now.

"I can't do this Zach." I said pushing him out of my way and I got in the car and took off