When We Met // Zach Dempsey

Now You Know

...2 weeks later...

School has been pretty dramatic lately, the tapes are of course out and people are really getting onto Bryce about the rape which is affecting the whole baseball team, court days are coming up for the people on the tapes and me. Clay is just straight out crazy but the guy loved Hannah, what can he do?

...

"Are you coming with me today?" I asked Zach as we walked into the school. "What's today?" He asked confused. "Our first appointment." I said. "Our?" He looked at me confused. "Me and the baby." I laughed. He smiled and nodded his head. "Of course, how far are you?" He asked. "About 4 months I think." I smiled.

I walked down the hall where Clay, Jessica, Alex, Bryce, and Scott were. Zach started spending most of his time helping Alex which was cute.

"Awe look Alex, your hero Zachary is here." Bryce said as him and Scott laughed. "You gonna jerk him off too Zach?" Scott said continuing. "That's enough." Zach said as he took Alex's book bag.

"Isn't it your birthdayyyy." Jessica said as she pointed up at the banner. I smiled it was cute. "I made the banner, Clay printed it out, and Zach put it up." She continued. Alex seemed really happy about it till Bryce had to ruin it.

"Awee sweet banner." Bryce said as he put his arm around Alex's shoulders. "Is your mom bringing in cupcakes again?" Scott laughed. "Maybe you'll get a new cane this year." Scott continued. "And some new friends." Bryce said as him and Scott walked away. "Fuck you! You fucking rapist!" Alex screamed. Scott turned around and looked at us and Bryce just kept walking.

"Dude, shit like that doesn't do us any good." Zach was upset. "Well it felt good." Alex said. "Maybe if you'd stop defending him all the time." Alex got mad. "When have I ever defended him?" Zach acted innocent. "Everyday, everyday that you play baseball with him, you choose his side." Alex said until he saw Jessica, shestarted crying and walked away. I didn't know what to do

...

I sat with Clay in the library for lunch trying to figure out what he's up to.

"What happened to your face?" I asked. "Ran into some branches while riding my bike." Clay explained. "Ouch." I said as I started looking at the online newspaper. "Why aren't you on the testifying list?" I asked. "My mom." Was all he said. "Your mom won't let you testify? That's some bullshit." I said. "Bryce is going to and he's going to lie through his fucking teeth." Clay started getting irritated. "Justin's been working with me and helping me out but he won't tell me where this picture was taken." Clay grabbed a polaroid picture out of his book bag.

He handed me it to me. It was a picture of a girl and a jock drinking. I flipped it over and read it. "Hannah wasn't the only one... oh my god Clay." I stood up knowing what to do. "What? And that's not the only piece of evidence I found two more in my locker and everyone is being threatened that's testifying." He said confused. "The clubhouse, of course." I remembered. "What's that? Is this where it was taking?" He asked. I nodded my head. Clay threw his books in his bag and followed me.

...

We ran out of the school and saw that the boys were busy playing baseball.

"Ok make sure they don't see us." I said as I ran until we got to the gate. I slowly opened it then we went and I found the clubhouse.

"This is the clubhouse." Clay said in shock. "Yeah but it's locked." I rolled my eyes. "Who do you know that has the code?" Clay asked. "Any jock basically." I said looking it into the baseball field. "You're close to Scott right?" Clay asked.

I got quiet for a minute actually realizing he was a jock. "I forgot he was a jock." I was bummed. "You're dating Zach though." Clay said. I sat down on the ground and smiled. "Yeah and I love him for not doing that rapist shit, what if I'm falling for Scott Clay." I looked over at him not knowing what to do. "You have a baby that's Zach's, don't mess it up. He's helping Alex and he's just doing his best." Clay half smiled. "You're right, I don't even know Scott. And he's always up Bryce's ass." I laughed.

I stood up and looked at the lock. "The lock looks pretty dusty, maybe we can find a log or a rock to break it." Clay smiled. "Good idea."

Clay grabbed a lock and began slamming it on it, surprisingly it popped open. I gave Clay a high five and we went in.

We looked around and it wasn't even on the shelf they left it in. "It's not where they left it." I said bummed out. "How do you know where they keep it?" Clay asked. "Bryce took me here when I first started, my picture is in there." I began crying just thinking about what happened.

  "What are you doing in here with my girlfriend Jensen? You're not suppose to be in here." Zach came out of no where. We both turned around and just looked at him. Suddenly Justin ran in.

  "Back off Dempsey." He said as he walked into the clubhouse. "Or what justin, you gonna come at me? I wasn't scared of you even before you fell apart." Zach turned to him. "Do what you want Zach, I've had the shit beat out of me one this week already, it's not gonna stop us." Clay said sticking up. "Really?" Zach asked. "Yes." He responded quickly. "Cuz it's going to keep happening, Clay. To you too justin." He said as he looked over in Justin's direction. "It doesn't stop. You can't take shots and stop expecting to not get hit back." Zach continued.

I just looked at Zach and have never seen him so serious before. I looked over at clay and he was just the same way Zach was.

"I'm not afraid." He said looking Zach dead in the eye. Zach just looked at him. "Good." He finally said back.

Zach went over and started moving boxes around shelves until he pulled out the box pull of Polaroid pictures. He sat it on the table. "You already have three of these, here's the rest." As soon as Zach said that we all just looked at each other.

"Wait, wait." Clay said calling for Zach before he left. Zach turned around and looked at him. "It was you?" Clay questioned. "W-why the big mystery? Why didn't you just tell me? Tell me what was going on." Clay was lost. "Because I'm a fucking coward." Zach said. I just looked at him being drowned by Bryce's shit. "And you're not." Zach said before walking out of the clubhouse.

I smiled at clay and Justin then ran out the clubhouse.