Midnight (editing)

10

I run as fast as I possibly can, my boots slapping the ground loudly. How can they say that? After all we had been through, they should know not to say that. It hurt. As much as I wish it didn't affect me, it did. Why couldn't they understand that I was just not like any normal teenage girl? Why couldn't they accept me for who I am? 

I don't even notice the cement was at an angle, and stumbled over my own feet. I glare at my boots, and grumpily whisper. "Stupid shoes. Stupid stupid Zoe. Trying to be somebody you're not. Why am I so stupid-?" I was cut off by a callused hand on my shoulder. I look up to see a grinning Julian. "Ugh! it's not freaking funny Ian! I-" I frown. "Come on. Lets get you back home, okay?" He says softly. 

I nod, and he helps me up, only for me to whimper and wince as pain shoots up my ankle. I fall back to the ground and huff, knowing he's only going to laugh at me. Instead, he puts his arms under my knees and picks me up bridal style. I gasp in relief, smiling at him widely. He just sighs, "Again?" 

When I nod meekly, he says, "What am I going to do with you Ry? You gotta stand up for yourself, right? What are you even doing, in.. are those heels?" I just blush and avert my gaze from his face. "You-you're actually blushing right now?! What happened to the girl who didn't give a fuck about other's judgements. What happened to the girl who came to junior prom in a freaking Nemo costume  just because she 'didn't want to be a part of the dried, washed groups of horny teenagers going to prom' ?"

"She-I.. I don't know. Right now, all I can think about is my looks and boys. Like- I don't know what's happening to me. It's scary, seriously, it's just completely freaking me out. And the fact that you're like this, really doesn't help me. You know, I almost believed that I got over you. Until, you kissed me yesterday. That's all I think about, and I just- I feel so guilty every time I look at Caleb, because, deep down I know I don't return his feelings completely."

I just look at him - (he's) staring at my lips - and then lean in, capturing his lips softly. I felt him breathe in sharply, his eyes flutter, his eyelashes ticking my cheekbones as his cherry like lips kiss mine, his tongue roaming my mouth. Just as I move my fingers to the nape of his neck, he pushed me away and sped walked to his car, dumped me in the passengers' seat, and getting in the drivers' seat. Silently, he leaned over and buckled my seat belt. While his hand was around my waist to clip the seat belt, I touched his hand, which went completely stiff and tense. I looked to him as he drove, noticing how his jaw ticked and his fingers gripped the steering wheel so tight, they were white. 

Once we were parked in his driveway, he got out, picked me up, and stormed up to his room, and put me on his bed. He then proceeded to stomp his way down the stairs and shuffle around the kitchen. I huff and frown before looking around his room, one so familiar to me. His walls were a dark grey color, with white and glow-in-the-dark paint splotches on the wall. His curtains were black, as was his bed and doors/cupboards. I looked over to his nightstand, full of frames, my eye catching 2 particular ones. 

One was of 2 men, one was Ian, trying to hold a large DSLR camera in his hands, a toothy grin on his face. The other man, smiling at Ian, had his chest to Ian's back, and was helping him adjust the camera. It was his father. My eyes moved inadvertently to the other frame.The other was of 5 teenagers, fully covered in random bouts of colors. They were all grinning. I recognized Ian, me, Caleb and Andrea. The last boy had his arm wrapped around my waist, and I had my head on his shoulder as I was laughing at Ian. I clutched the frame to my chest, lying down facing the ceiling, letting my tears slip out of my eyes, the walls slowly becoming blurry as tears clouded my vision.