Reflections

Part I-Chapter III

~Victor Neal~

As most days, there was rarely any room for us to sit, but today I hit a lucky strike. Zia quickly looked for a place to sit, but the kids on this bus are honestly selfish when it comes to seats. After fifteen or so seconds of Zia observing her surroundings for a place to lie, I grabbed her arm and pulled her next to me. She turned crimson instantly and yelled,

"Victor! What the hell?!"

I snickered a bit, and that made her more offended. I can't bring myself to accept that I'm actually speaking to her, let alone making physical contact! Before Draca, I didn't have any willpower to even come near Zia. Now, I feel more than confident. Perhaps, it wasn't such a bad deal after all. Finally, I answered cunningly,

"Well, do you want to look like a babbling bumbling buffoon or have a place to sit?"

Her anger-filled expression quickly vanished and the fueling embers left her face. She calmed down and fixed her position.

A few minutes later, she seemed to be suffused with dread about something because her right leg was shaking violently and clasped both of her hands almost as though she were making a prayer.

"Zia, are you okay?" I asked while staring at her.

She was still shaking and my words missed her ears. Her eyes widened and she began breathing in an unusual pattern. The shaking only worsened. This sight looked so familiar.

"ZIA!"

Still, no response. What is going through her head right now? What's causing her panic-frenzy?

Diana...she will turn everyone against me. She will try to hurt me. Diana...why did it have to be like this? Why did you have to treat me this way? Diana...

Finally, I put my hands on her shoulders to stop her body from her panic-attack to snap her out of it. She froze, and thankfully too. Tears rolled down her cheeks and the edges of her bark brown eyes were red. I've never seen Zia like this, she always looked happy and energetic. What's happened that has broken her down so much?

"Zia, snap out of it! Okay? You're concerning me!"

She wiped the waterfalls and began speaking,

"Look, I've just been going through a lot, okay? I just feel... terrified to go to school today knowing what's ready to pounce on me." She spit out. "These last few weeks have been torture for me."

It was like looking at a reflection from before last night's events. Broken. Confused. Afraid.

Suddenly, I heard Draca's voice say,

"So this is the "brilliant, sweet" girl that you like so much? Please, she's pathetic!"

No she isn't! She's just going through something rough! She's not pathetic! I heard myself argue with him.

"Fine, believe what you want, but you will agree with me, in the end." He hissed and his voice died down.

What did he mean by "in the end?"

Finally, I replied to Zia's confession,

"Hey, you're alright. Don't worry about anything, if anyone decides to hurt you... they'll have to get through me first. I'll also kick him or her in the you-know-where if necessary!"

She laughed and laid her head on my shoulder.

"That's sweet of you, but I wouldn't ask you twice." She shot back.

"Well, you don't have to ask me, I'd do it without a question!" I declared to her.

She weakly smiled and took her head off my shoulder, then looked toward the window. We were almost at school.

Brilliantly, an idea clicked into her head.

"Hey Victor, what do you say if we carpool after Track practice? She suggested. "That is, if you'd like to."

Had she really just asked that question? My blood was rushing vigorously and I wanted to scream with pride! Without hesitation or doubt, I answered,

"Yes! That would be a blast!"

We giggled in unison, then made it official that we were friends. Though, a part of me still didn't believe it.

We arrived and headed inside. When my friends noticed me walking alongside Zia, they all shot devious smirks. The kind of smirk people give when they finally witness their friend talking to the person they're attracted to. Artemis shouted, "GO GET SOME MY MAN!"

Zia looked at me in awe, then burst in laughter. I can't deny, it was a bit embarrassing getting called out by that remark, but at the same time, it felt good. We sat down together at a half-populated table, and talked for the rest of the morning. Zia seemed to feel better from her panic-attack. Her eyes sparkled with glittering stars cascading over space and the air around her was less tensional.

When the bells rung about, this time, we walked together, side-by-side to class. I don't care what Draca says, he may make me feel confident and cunning, but he will never change my heart about her.

Draca, do you hear my declaration?

"Yes, but it's one that will have an expiration date." He hissed.

We'll see, Draca, we'll see.