Just By Chance

Chapter 5: Race

✨Hailey✨

Friend. What do friends do? From what I know, they're mostly about girls having sleepovers and going shopping as many times as possibly possible.

But Zach is a guy. And mainly the ones who do sleepovers and all that crap are girls. Wait, I said that already. I've never thought about having a guy friend because they're all disgusting, rude, obnoxious, and a million other words I'd prefer not to list.

But Zach isn't like them. He's quiet, nice, and had the nerve to stand up for me. Me. I still can't believe he did that. And I can't imagine why.

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🔥Zach🔥

I was still shaking after I left second period. How the hell did I have the guts to even do anything?!

Three years of trying to keep a low profile have gone to waste because of her. Three years of hiding in Brandon's shadow, rejecting any chance of attention, and isolating myself from anyone who could mess everything up.

All of which, when I think about it, have kept me from loads of experiences I will never be able to take with me into adulthood.

The damage's already been done.
Maybe it's time for change.
And Hailey might just be that.

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✨Hailey✨

"Get up everyone! Seat changes for the new semester!"

Oh no not again!!

I look around and no one seems to be anyone I've personally talked to—*ahem*—Zach—*ahem*—other than the occasional bully.

Phew! Good, he can't talk to me in this class—NOT that I want to talk to him because come on he's on the football team and probably has a girlfriend even thought I haven't seen him with anyone and—

Oh. My. God.

I'm desperate for attention.

No-no-no-no-no, I know what you're thinking: "But literally the whole school pays attention to you and yada, yada, yada!"

I'm talking about friendly, genuine attention. Someone to talk to, someone I can count on, someone who can count on me, someone—someone I can actually be happy with, like...well, like a friend.

For as long as I can remember, high school has been a hellhole for me, with the highlight of each day being the chance to get out of it. No one was ever nice to me and everyone always stayed away from me, hearing and spreading rumors about my life.

Zach asked me if we could be friends and I hesitantly accepted it. I forgot what I said when I shook his hand, but I remember the faint feeling of warmth and happiness creeping its way into my heart for the first time in what's felt like eternity.

Okay. I'll give him a go. But only because he's the first decently nice person I've met in a really long time.

The worst that could happen is going back to the isolated state I'm already in, so fingers-crossed and eyes wide open, it's time to take a step on the social scale.

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🔥Zach🔥

OH MY FUCKING GOD. Wow, I need to stop swearing. Forgive me but the reason I said that was because I kissed her.

On the cheek. Without a thought. Blank brain. All I could think and feel was her. My closed eyes didn't allow me to see her reaction so I just hoped she felt the same way I did.