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A slight squeak escaped Zoe's lips as the locker in front of her was slammed shut, a prick of pain shooting up her arm as it clipped her finger. She looked over at the one responsible for the sudden closing to see Jack, the boy in her grade that had been tormenting her all year.
She wasn't really sure what it was about her that made her such a target to Jack and his awful friends. Maybe it was her small stature that made her look like she had skipped a couple grades. Maybe it was her distaste for anything considered 'cool' by the kids in her school. Maybe it was that she was actually at school to learn and not mess around. Whatever it was, Jack seemed to enjoy messing with her.
Little to say, Zoe was both not excited and not surprised to see him. She despised him. She hated even looking at him. His ugly gray-blue eyes and his blonde hair that had been spiked with too much hair gel made Zoe feel sick.
"What's up, sweetheart?" he taunted like he always did. How a 12-year-old boy managed to be so tormenting was beyond Zoe. She didn't really understand what made people so things like this to other people, and she didn't think she ever would.
"Leave me alone," Zoe mumbled. It was the only thing she ever really said to Jack. She had given up on trying to fight him. Nothing she could do or say could stop him, and she had accepted it. It made her feel awful, but what could she do about it. Absolutely nothing, she had decided.
Zoe simply pretended to ignore his comments as she walked out of the school. She hadn't had time to grab everything that she needed, but it didn't matter anymore. She'd deal with it later.
Jack followed her outside, which was a bit out of the ordinary. Usually, he got his fun in, and then let her walk home. Today, however, he seemed set on following her, at least for a little while. It terrified her. If he did this on campus, what would he do off campus? She didn't even want to know.
She had gotten a block or two down the road, trying to ignore Jack as much as possible, before a loud voice startled her.
"What are you doing?"
Zoe looked up to see a tall man walking towards her. He was immediately intimidating and Zoe just wanted to shrivel up and die.
"Oh my god," Jack murmured, and Zoe gave him an odd look. "You're Freddie Andersen!"
Freddie Andersen? Who was this guy and why did Jack recognize him.
"Yes, I am," the man, Freddie, replied. "What are you doing to the poor girl?"
Jack looked up at Freddie with wide eyes. Whoever this guy was, Jack looked terrified to be caught bullying someone by him. Zoe prayed that Freddie would be able to scare Jack off.
"I was, uh." For the first time, Zoe saw that Jack was speechless. Freddie didn't say another word as he grabbed Zoe arm, tugging her away from Jack.
"I'm sure this girl did nothing to you. Leave her alone," he snapped. Jack stared at him for a couple moments before running off like a scared child. Zoe couldn't hold in her laugh.
"What's so funny?" Freddie questioned, looking down at her.
"It's funny, watching him run off like that," she said through laughter. "Thank you for helping me. Jack's been bothering me all year."
"Of course," Freddie replied. "Hopefully he won't bother you anymore. I think I scared him pretty bad."
Zoe smiled. "Yeah, you did."
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