Zailey (Sequel) ✔️

Part Forty Eight

Thank you so much to @MHW1998 and @cherryshop for your comments on Chapter Forty Seven! 😍🤗 it's truly appreciated 💚💙

Bailey

I blinked at Zander.
"Say what?"
A smile ghosted across his handsome face.
He reached forward, gently tucking a few flyaway strands of my fringe behind my ear.
"Remember the sponsors that were aiming to recruit Me on the day the Shark had a taste of Me?"
Just the mention of that dreaded day had a chilling shiver coursing down my spine.
But yes, I remembered the men in suits who'd given Zander a card.
"Umm... yeah..."
I cautiously agreed.
Where was he even going with this?
"They want Me in the comp at Bells Beach this weekend."
They-?
Him-?
This-?
I felt my eyeballs just about try and jump out of my head.
"B-Bells Beach Vic-Victoria?"
I stammered.
A grin lighting up his face, Zander nodded vigorously.
I frowned.
"Have you ever surfed there before?"
Bells Beach was famous.
But it was in a whole other State than us!
His grin wide, Zander shook his head.
"Course not! But they want Me to compete. They're paying my airfare and my accomodation."
They...
It took Me a few moments to comprehend that Zander did not say these sponsors had asked.
From what he was saying, it all sounded like a done deal.
But that would mean he'd agreed to it without talking to Me!
"Umm..."
I really wasn't sure what to say.
I was shocked for one thing.
He hasn't been back in the water all that long.
A slight grimace like expression crossed Zander s face.
"The only real issue I have... is that they'll fly Me out Thursday and won't fly Me back until Monday..."
It was like somebody went and dumped a bucket of cold water over my head.
Three whole days I wouldn't see him?
Four nights?
My heart clenched.
I wanted to protest.
I wanted to put my foot down and say 'no fucking way are you leaving!' but he looked just about as pumped as any of my siblings on Christmas Eve.
I tried my best to slip a smile into place.
"Wow..."
Zander pulled Me into a tight hug.
Wrapped up in his arms, my throat grew rapidly thick.
I didn't think of myself as a clingy Girlfriend, but the idea of him flying off to another State had my heart sinking.
What if he was partying?
What if girls thought he was single and hit on him?
What if he got hurt again?

I, along with just about the majority of the rest of my class, was fighting sleep during double Science to end the day.
The extremely boring documentary on Cells was mundane enough that it had managed to mostly take my mind off the news Zander had dropped on Me at lunch.
Why did I even give him the advice to answer the phone the next time the number called?
He'd walked out of Woodwork when his phone rang, the same number calling and he'd answered.
Or at least that's what he'd told Me.
A buzz in my pocket had me shooting up straighter in my desk chair.
Glancing around the room, I noticed that most of my peers were slumped in their chairs, nearly asleep.
The Teacher, Mr. O'Connell was fixated on the documentary.
Bindi and Ashley were sitting to my right, Bindi legitimately sleeping, slumped on her desk.
Ashley's eyes were drooping.
Slowly, I eased my right hand down to my pocket and wriggled my phone out.
I eased the phone under my desk and checked the screen.
I'd received a text.
CASEY: 2:16PM: Hi Bailey, I don't need Jolan to go with you tomorrow afternoon. We have plans.
I had to read the message three times before the words sunk in.
Was that Casey trying to blow Me off nicely or did she legitimately have something to do with Jolan?
But she knows Wednesday afternoons are my afternoon with my Brother...
Well wasn't my damn day just getting better and better!

The usual buzz of the Teenagers excited to be on their way out of school thrummed around Me as I made my way along with everybody else towards the student car park.
Chatter about the waves set to be hitting our coast this afternoon and this weekend's upcoming party ricocheted around Me.
My mind was filled with questions.
Why was the universe condoning Zander bailing on Me?
Why was Casey suddenly going to stop Jolan hanging out with Me?
Life bloody-?
Somebody slammed into my back and I lost my footing, the bitumen car park floor coming at Me in a rush.
I was wearing jeans, because it was technically winter time, although nowhere near as cold as temperatures I'd known in Port Jackson.
But my hands were naked and my palms scraped the rough surface at the same time as my knees collided with the hard ground.
My teeth clacked together, causing an immediate jolting pain in my head.
"Bailey!"
"Are you okay?!"
A fire hot blush raged on my face.
I dropped my head, staring at the grey and black tones of the bitumen, one hundred percent embarrassed.
"Did somebody tough my Sister?!"
Shit.
Keegan's going into protective mode.
He's been through enough today and definitely gotten into enough trouble.
"I'm fine Ke-"
My words froze on my tongue when a pair of arms wound around my waist.
"I got ya."
Zander's familiar voice whispered into my ear.
I nodded and suddenly I was off the floor, being tipped the right way up so I could set my feet on the ground.
The Students around us were abuzz with chatter.
Mortified, I just wanted to get the hell out of here.
Now I was the girl who fell over.
But I wouldn't tell Zander and Keegan that somebody had actually bumped into Me, sending Me crashing.
They'd go on a man hunt until hey found out who it was.
What if it had just been an accident?
Though I didn't hear anybody apologise...
Zander turned Me around by my hips and I couldn't be more thankful for being able to turn my back on the ogling eyes of the chattering Teenagers.
Zander let go of my hips and carefully took a hold of my wrists, turning my palms to face the sky and examining them.
"That looks sore."
He murmured, flicking his gaze up to meet mine.
Another blush burning my cheeks, I averted my gaze.
"I'm fine."
Mild lie.
My palms were stinging like a bitch.
"I just wanna get out of here."
I whispered, making myself meet Zander's imploring gaze.
He'd get Me if he looked into my eyes.
"Let's go."
He agreed, slinging his arm around my shoulders.
"And when we get home we'll fix those palms of yours."
I winced as we walked towards his car.
"They sting like a bitch!"
He squeezed Me into his side and dropped a kiss on top of my head.
My heart squeezed almost painfully.
How can be act so sweet to Me, but want to leave?