Reign - Disney's Zombies #DZFFA || COMPLETE

Chapter 22: Normalcy

Addison and I were side by side, backpacks on our backs as we walked hand in hand towards Seabrook High.

There was a lot of people staring, more than when I first started going to Seabrooks.

"You would think they already had our faces memorized from all the staring they've been doing since the beginning of the year, but I guess not, " Eliza says flatly from my left side, giving some of the students an annoyed glare.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Eliza asks one of the students, who stopped right in front of them. The frightened girl shook her head at Eliza even though her eyes never strayed from looking just behind her.

"Gorziga zigar gonell, Elizaga."

"I'm not being rude, Bonzo. She was staring and I was just asking if she needed anything? That's not being rude, it's being considerate."

"You know as well as I do that it's not you they are staring at, it's me," Bucky says as he pushed to stand in front of them.
All around them students stopped in their tracks, everyone trying to get a glance at Bucky.

"Don't worry about it, Bucky," Addison tells her cousin.

Bucky shrugs, smoothing his jacket, a cool smile on his face, "I'm not, cuz. Look at me- I look incredible. Sure, the green hair might clash with some of my clothes but I think I can make it work. In fact, I never thought I'd say this but I do make it work." He says, winking at his reflection in a small puddle on the ground.

"Wow, the ego is still there. "

"I just turned into a Zombie, Eliza, there's little difference between human me and Zombie me. "

"Oh my god! I heard rumors but I never thought they were really true. " Stacey interrupted, standing in front of them, her bag clutched tightly in her hand.

I heard another sharp intake of breath that came from Lacey, who appeared beside her, "Yeah, we heard you were dead. I mean... It's sort of true? I think?"

Bucky shrugged at them, "I'm as alive as ever, just paler than usual. "

"Woah. Zombie Bucky. That's weird." Tracey says, catching up to the other two. "I mean, it's weird not because Zombies are weird, but because it's you... Bucky...as a Zombie... " Tracey turned his head sideways as if that would make him see Bucky clearer somehow.

"Yeah, it's very weird. " Lacey agrees and the other two nod theirs head fiercely, "... it's not a bad look at least? "

"It isn't. " Tracey agrees, nodding his head.

"You are definitely going to be repping our school colors better. " Stacey says with a smile.

"You might start a trend, people will want that Zombie green hair! Ooh, that's a good idea we should market it. "

"Humans are weird," Eliza says, tugging on the back of Bonzo's backpack strap to walk away without another look back. Bucky glances at her momentarily before he goes back to animatedly talking to his friends. I poke Addison on the side and her automatic reaction is to swing back her arm, digging her elbow into my ribs.

I grunt, holding my side.

"Zed, I'm so sorry!" she apologizes immediately.

"You have some really dangerous reflexes..." I tell her, slightly cowering over, out of breath.

She looks back sheepishly, "I can't help it."

I wave it off, "It's okay, I should be used to it by now. "

"I'm sorry. " She tells me again.

I shake my head and smile at her. "I was just wondering since we have a few minutes before the bell rings if you wanted to meet at the place where you first punched me? "

"Okay, but do you think Bucky is going to be fine by himself? "

I looked over at Bucky, smiling and chatting with his cheer buddies. I smile down at Addison.

"Yeah, I think he'll be fine. Come on. " I hold out my hand and she takes it and we run off into the school.

"It's so empty in here. " Addison's comment echoes off the walls as she runs into the former Zombie safe room." I like it. "

"I like it too. " I tell her, following behind her. Addison runs down the empty room, her hand brushing along the empty shelves that once held rows of emergency food and health kits.

"What do you think they'll do to this place now?" She asks, twirling around the room as if it were a dance floor.

I shrug, paying more attention to her smile as she spins around the room, "I don't know, maybe they'll turn it into a storage room? "

She stops to look at me, "I wouldn't mind if they kept it empty."

I chuckle, "You just don't want to lose our meeting place."

She nods once, "I don't, it's where we first met, and where my entire life changed."

"I know. I change lives every time I meet someone new." I tell her with a grin. Addison gives me a look and giggles, shaking her head at me.

"The world is changing, Zed. Look around-This is progress."

"Progress with a lot of bumps in the road." I acknowledge, with a slight smile. I always knew equal rights for Zombies were never going to be easy to get, but I can't help but be proud of how far we've come, even when a few like Nathan, decide they want to try to ruin it for everyone.

"Bumps that we can easily overcome," Addison says confidently.

"Easily?" I laugh at that, "There is nothing easy about being punched in the face and getting my Z-band ripped off without my permission? "

She comes to me and takes my hands in hers, "But we're here now."

I take a deep breath, "Yeah, we are."

"And everyone who tried to hurt you--to hurt all of us, they're not out there anymore."

"I think everyone who tried to create problems now are gone, that doesn't mean everyone who doesn't like us are gone."

"Well, we can't change everyone, but we can try. And we'll keep trying, together."

I smile widely at her, "Together," I agree.

The warning bell rang just then and Addison squeezed my hand.

"Let's go, Zed. We don't want to be late."

I pull her hand up to kiss her knuckles, "No, we don't want to be late."

She smiles at me and I smile right back as we head to class together.

THE END.

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A.N: ....AND THAT'S IT! Thank you all for keeping up and reading the entire thing. Thank you for commenting throughout the story!

Thanks for being alive and here and being awesome overall! You're appreciated!

- IndysBoomerang :)