Crayons

Chapter 34

It doesn't take long at all for the bell to ring and the halls to fill with bodies, all swarming around to meet up with friends and leave school grounds. I gather my things together and find myself waiting outside Zach's locker when he rounds the corner, walking and laughing with a friend until he sees me. His friend departs, leaving Zach and I alone at his locker. He smiles down at me, making me suddenly all too aware of his height over me.

"Hey," he says, shifting his feet slightly, his lips forming a lopsided smile. "Have you been waiting long?" I shake my head, not trusting my voice to properly form words. I want to scream about Mrs. Turner and Eric, I want to cry about these apparent parents of mine, yet I want to jump into Zach's arms and let him make me happy and to forget about all the other shit. I move to the side when he goes for his locker and patiently wait for him to get all his stuff. I give him a big smile each time he glances over at me, which is actually quite often.

Ignoring the looks and stares from other students, he takes my hand in his and intertwines our fingers as we walk down the halls and out the school doors. Outside he says, "How was your day back?"

"It was okay. How about your day?" He shrugs his shoulders, instead just smiling at me brightly and giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

When we make it to his car he stops, pushing back some hair from my face and running his thumb across my cheek, carefully avoiding the cut left behind from David, "What's wrong?" My lips part slightly to ask, but before I can get a single syllable out he says, "I can tell you're upset."

"Everything is getting messed up and turned upside down," I start, feeling my eyes grow wide as I look to Zach. He puts up a finger, stopping me, then leads me to his car.

"Let's talk about it back at the house so nothing will distract us." I nod in agreement and we drive in silence back to his home. I watch as buildings pass by in a blur and I ignore the droplets on the window as a downpour gradually overtakes the vehicle, too busy trying to ignore the thousand of thoughts coursing through my mind at lightning speed. I don't even notice my hand trembling until he reaches across the car to grab hold, rubbing his thumb across the back to sooth me.

We pull into his driveway, he turns off the car, and we both just stare out at the rain so dense the house just looks like a white blur. I whip my head to face him, a smile painted across my lips, "Race you to the door?"

He returns the grin, "You're on." He reaches for his door, ready to make a mad dash. When I grab his shoulder closest to me, he raises a brow at me.

"But before we get all wet," I let my voice trail off. Zach's eyes are understanding as he slowly leans toward me across the car. With our lips just an inch apart I breath these words, "Good luck," before snatching my bag, throwing open my door, and running for the house.

I hear a shout, followed by another car door shutting. I climb the front steps of the house and rush to the door, laughing with my victory. I rest against the house, catching my breath, as I wait for Zach. A few seconds pass me by before I hear footsteps approaching. I turn to face him just as he gets to me, our bodies immediately making contact. He laughs, "You cheated."

"I did not," I claim, smiling up at him, "I just took advantage of the situation."

"You must take advantage of a lot of things then," he says with a smirk.

"Like what?" I ask, biting my lip slightly.

"Like me," he answers, lowering his head to where our lips nearly meet, "Here I am, all wet, practically in the palm of your hand."

"I'm all wet too," I say without thinking. He chuckles at my exclamation and a blush overtakes my face as I realize what I said and how it must have sounded, "What I meant was..."