Zailey (Sequel) ✔️

Part Thirty Six

Thankfully Keegan found my bosses' numbers in my phone and called them to say I wouldn't be coming into work on the Tuesday.
I spent the rest of the
Monday holed up inside my bedroom with my curtains drawn so that the room was in darkness.
However, at some stage Keegan barged into my bedroom and pulled my covers off me.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
I yelled, my voice coming out scratchy from a lack of use as I shot into a sitting position.
"Get your arse outta bed!"
My brother ordered.
"No!"
I retorted.
"Give me my blankets back!"
"Get your arse out of bed!"
He shot back.
"Why the hell should I?!"
I yelled, tears pricking at my eyes.
"Because you can't give up!"
Keegan insisted.
I can't give up?
Why can't I?
Yesterday Zander told me we're over.
Why the hell should I get out of bed?
"Now move it!"
I yelped in surprise when Keegan grabbed my wrist and pulled me off the side of my bed.
"Wh-why a-are y-you d-doing th-this t-to m-me?"
The tears clouded my vision and my jaw wobbled as I attempted to speak.
"Get dressed for school!"
Keegan ordered, releasing my arm.
School?
Hell no!
"No way!"
I denied, stepping back quickly.
"Deal with it Bailey! I'm not takin' no for an answer!"
Keegan yelled.
"You don't get to tell me what to do!"
I yelled back at him, clenching my hands into fists at my sides.
"What the hell is going on down here?!"
Both Keegan and I looked to the doorway to see that Kylie had arrived.
"Keegan's trying to tell me what to do!"
I wailed, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"She reckons she's not goin' to school again!"
Keegan added.
"Okay."
Kylie spread her hands in a smoothing motion.
"Both of you just calm down."
"Tell him to get out of my room!"
I insisted, pointing at my next older Brother.
"Tell her to get ready to go to school!"
Keegan shot back.
"She can't tell me what to do ether!"
I yelled.
I might be living under the Woman's roof, but she's not my Mum.
Not even my guardian.
"What the hell is going on with you two?!"
Kylie looked bewildered as she looked between us.
"It's him!"
"It's her!"
We all but yelled in unison.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Kylie yelled, bracing her hands against my bedroom's doorway.
"He won't leave me alone!"
I cried, my voice wobbling and my throat uncomfortably thick.
"She needs to go to school!"
Keegan insisted.
School?
Why the hell would I want to go to school?
All I felt like doing was staying in my bed, with the curtains drawn and possibly eating a tub of ice cream.
"Keegan, get out your Sister's bedroom and get ready for school yourself."
Kylie ordered.
Oh thank god!
I sat on the edge of my bed, bouncing slightly against the mattress.
Kylie's Motherly eyes however, zoned in on me.
Uh oh...
"Get ready for school Bailey."
She told me.
"I can't go to school!"
I denied.
"Yes you can!"
Keegan fumed.
"You're not sick!"
"Broken hearted is a kind of sick!"
I retorted.
"No it's not!"
Keegan yelled.
"ENOUGH!"
Kylie yelled louder than even Keegan.
"Both of you do what I just asked you to!"
Great.
The literal adult of the house was throwing down an order.
I could stomp my feet and defy her, but where would that lead me?
I'd be fighting with Kylie, the woman who owns the house that I'm granted permission to live in basically for free.
It's only because my asshole Father has frozen all bank accounts, that we've all realised Kylie needs some help with money.
Before this, none of us would've ever noticed.
"Hop to it!"
Kylie ordered and turned on her heel to leave.
"Be ready to leave here by twenty past!"
Keegan warned me.
Instead of replying verbally, I saluted him.
All of this was his damn fault.
Hell, he probably even knew Zander was going to break up with me yesterday.
That was probably why he wanted me to stay at school and not confront him.
Well, that backfired.
With my heart somewhere down in my stomach (or at least it felt that way), once Keegan was out of my room I forced myself to my feet.
Close the door and get dressed Bailey.
I coached myself.
Just take it one step at a time.

School was... school.
Study was my first lesson of the mundane Tuesday, but I couldn't force myself to concentrate.
I had a 1,500 word English essay due next Monday and I'd only come up with the opening sentence.
Cafeteria's in High School's should be banned.
It was a 'to the point' opening statement, which I knew was something Mrs. Coleman was looking for, but I wasn't at all convinced it was a sufficient starting point.
Yet it was the most that I'd so far achieved.
I had a Science Report based on last Thursday's practical to write up, yet I hadn't even started it.
It was due next Tuesday as well.
Then of course Mr. Holland had given us Math's homework on Friday and it was due tomorrow.
I hadn't yet started that either.
Guess you get behind on your schoolwork when you're suffering from a broken heart.
I'd thought I'd be able to get some of my English essay done regardless of my mood, yet I only found myself staring at the computer screen in front of me, the pixels in it or my eyes flickering as I stared at the one spot for too long.
Zander was all that would occupy my mind and I hated myself for it.
There was no use in hating myself though, because I knew without a doubt that I still loved him.
Some small part of me was trying to insist that I shouldn't.
He'd ignored my texts and calls Sunday, not shown up to school when he knew he was supposed to yesterday, then he'd kicked me in the guts, telling me we're over without even a single explanation or compassionate thought for my feelings.
I should hate him.
Yet his face flashed in my mind and I found myself brewing with a new onslaught of overwhelming tears.
"You've been staring at that screen for fifteen minutes and not typed a thing."
My heart lurching into my throat, I snapped my head around to find that Mrs. Richardson had snuck up on me.
She was the Teacher supervising our Study class for the lesson.
"I..."
I had no clue what to say, but I knew I had to come up with some kind of an excuse.
Mrs. Richardson was a no nonsense hardass.
If you were on her watch, even if it was just a study lesson, you were expected to work your butt off.
I didn't have her for a Teacher and I was thankful for it.
But she's Keegan and Zander's English Teacher.
How the hell are those two even passing?
Think Bailey!
Think!
Mrs. Richardson narrowed her hazel eyes at me through her black framed, rectangle rimmed glasses.
"You look familiar."
She mused.
Under her microscopic gaze, I felt my cheeks flame.
"I-I'm not in a-any of your c-classes!"
I squeaked, feeling like the child who'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"I know that."
Mrs. Richardson stated, folding her arms under her suit covered, barely there chest.
"I know my Student's."
I gulped.
How the heck am I going to make her go away?
She's so intimidating!
The classroom door opened and I, including nearly every other person in the room, turned to look at who'd disturbed the quiet.
My heart just about exploded in my chest.
I'd recognise him and his tall build, dark hair and broad shoulder's anywhere.
But what the heck is he doing in my Study class on this dreary Tuesday morning?
Whisper's arose around the room as Zander crossed the dark blue carpet covered floor.
My heart was well in overdrive as he covered the space between us with every single long, confident, 'I didn't just yesterday break up with the girl I'd claimed to love' step that he took.
He was coming to talk to me?
Did he regret yesterday?
Or did he just want to tell me why he did it?
It doesn't take a genius to work out that I deserve an explanation!
But why did he have white paper in his hand and his dark blue eyes focused on the floor?
"Zander! How good of you to turn up!"
I yanked my gaze off Zander, to look up at Mrs. Richardson who now stood with her hands on her suit clad hips.
Zander finally peeled his gaze off the floor, but instead of looking at me, he inhaled a deep breath and put his focus on the super intimidating Mrs. Richardson.
Was it ironic that even while breaking my heart he was effectively saving me?
Mrs. Richardson had been ready to eat me alive.
Now her unrelenting focus was on Zander.
And although he didn't seem like he wanted to be standing with her, he didn't seem hardly as intimidated as I felt.
I really should turn back to my computer and at least attempt to write a few words, while I had the chance to escape the Dragon Lady.
But I couldn't.
I couldn't take my eyes off Zander.
Most of the people in this room probably knew us to be in a relationship.
The rumours of us 'fighting' would probably start flying around the school considering Zander was yet to even look at me.
"The essay."
Zander stated, his voice basically emotionless and held the crisp white paper out to Mrs. Richardson.
Mrs. Richardson narrowed her hazel eyes at him skeptically.
"It was due by yesterday afternoon."
Even if he's acted like a complete and utter jerk to me in the last thirty six or so hours, I still felt sorry for him.
Even Zander would probably be chewed up and spat out by Mrs. Richardson for this one, given what I've heard of her on the rumour mil.
"Well I wasn't here."
Zander gritted through his clenched teeth.
"And its only first lesson next day."
Mrs. Richardson pursed her lips as she watched him, probably making him squirm although it wasn't entirely obvious that he was.
Even to my eyes, which I'd seem to be knowledgable on the Zander Hunter front.
Mrs. Richardson tsk'd her tongue and practically snatched the paper out of Zander's fingers.
Suddenly her eyes widened and she snapped her head around to look at me before turning back to Zander, seeming to have already forgotten the paper.
"She's related to Keegan right?"
She questioned.
My blush returned full force.
I squirmed in my chair, waiting for Zander to answer.
For him to look my way.
Instead, he remained impassively staring at Mrs. Richardson's face.
She looked almost scary when she was sort of attempting a smile!
The air was palpable with awkward tension sizzling between the three of us.
Suddenly the bell blared through the speakers in the corridor and I cringed at the sudden, loud noise.
All around the classroom my peer's began to scramble to collect their belongings.
Shit!
I have to turn this damn computer off!
Zander turned on his heel and headed for the door.
Without a word to me or even a glance in my direction.
Maybe I do hate him!
Throwing the stupid computer at his retreating back sounded like a damn good idea that was for sure!
"Class dismissed!"
Mrs. Richardson commanded the room at large and stomped her way back across to the Teacher desk she'd been using.
I turned to the computer and hurried to turn it off.
There was no use saving my pathetic excuse at an attempt of the start of an English essay!
I gathered my books and pencil case as the stupid machine slowly went about shutting down.
Maybe I should let Keegan kick Zander's arse, I thought as I headed for the classroom door.
He's certainly proving to be a right bloody jerk in the last twenty four hours!
Next stop, Art.
"Howdy."
I glanced to my right as I stepped out into the busy corridor, realising Bindi and Cassidy had exited the classroom just after me.
Why would they even be talking to me considering their brother's are friend's with Zander?
"Hi."
I muttered and put my focus back on where I was walking.
I guess I was going to have to prepare myself for another period of certain people ignoring me or throwing insults at me once word of Zander and I breaking up got around.
Zander's the 'cool guy', so I was almost certain I'd be the one to cop the backlash.
Plus, he was the one to stand up for me when people tried to sling shit at me usually.
It was surprising Bindi and Cassidy hadn't done anything to let me know what they knew.
Could they seriously not yet know?
I'd assumed all of Zander's friends would know by now that he'd ditched the 'ball and chain'.
"Thank god we get Art, then recess!"
Cassidy remarked as the girls fell into step either side of me.
"I could so go for a coffee!"
"Yeah."
I muttered dejectedly.
To be honest, I just wanted the entire damn day to be over and done with.
Then I could go home and hide.
Or go visit Phoenix.
He'd listen and let me cry into his mane, I was sure.
"You okay?"
Bindi asked, frowning.
Excellent.
Peachy.
Perfect.
I couldn't force anything like that out.
"I'm fine."
I muttered, exiting the crowded corridor and aiming for the steps that would lead us up to the level that along the path would eventually lead to the Arts and Woodwork Building.
Art's and Woodwork.
Keegan and Zander would be there.
Mentally I groaned.
Up until this very moment, I'd loved knowing I stood a good chance at crossing their path at most parts of the day.
It seemed that now though, Zander's existence was bound to torment me.