From A to Z - Angel Reyes

Chapter 1

Trying her best to get out of the building as quickly as possible, Zara zigzagged through the crowds of kids at dismissal trying not to make eye contact with anyone. She was so close, a few feet from the main entrance when she heard her name.

"Miss Osborne!"

She froze. "Yes?" She asked, turning in the direction of the voice.

"I forgot my recycle donation," the freshman said.

"It's fine, we're doing two this year. Save it for the end of year drive."

The student nodded and hurried off down the hall leaving Zara to run out of the double doors and right to her car. The maintenance man at El Centro Regional High School had already loaded her SUV with the cans from the recycle drive.

"Here's the address of the scrap yard," the man told her. "You'll get the most at this one."

"Yeah, okay," she huffed. "Thank you."

"Relax, it's Friday!" He said cheerfully.

Zara forced a smile as she jumped into the driver's seat. It was Friday but she was throwing a party on Sunday and she was going to be running all weekend to prepare.

On her way to drop off the cans, she stopped at the butcher to pick up her order. The bells rang over her head as she swung open the door, frazzled and slightly out of breath.

"Hola," Felipe said politely.

"Hello," she smiled. "I'm picking up for Osborne."

"I'm wrapping it all now," he smiled. "Sorry, we had a rush, I fell behind."

"Don't apologize," she said. "I'm going to sit outside. Can you just tap when it's done?" Zara gestured to the storefront window and Felipe nodded before turning back to her meat order.

Taking the extra few minutes to relax, Zara lit a cigarette and enjoyed the breeze while sitting at one of the small tables outside the shop. She barely noticed when a young man pulled up on a Harley, leather on his back, and strolled into the shop. It wasn't until he reappeared a few minutes later that she paid him any attention.

"Zara Osbourne?" EZ said with a wide smile, holding out her order in two large white bags.

"That's me," she said. "Thank you."

"Pop said you already paid. It's heavy, I can take it to your car."

Zara smiled and nodded, pointing a few feet away. "I'm parked right there. Thank you," she said again.

"No problem," EZ replied. He saw the bags of soda cans and other metal recyclables in the back of her truck. "Is this the El Centro drop off?"

"Uh yeah," she looked at him with confusion. "How'd you know?"

"I work at Romero Brothers," he told her. "The principal called last week and I uh, I noticed the parking pass on your windshield."

"Oh, ha," she felt her cheeks flush. "Small world, huh?"

"Even smaller, I graduated from El Centro."

"My best friend went there actually," Zara laughed. "I teach Bio and English Lit there now."

EZ laughed, a genuine laugh, and gestured toward his bike. "I'll follow you to the yard and help you unload it."

"That would be great," she paused, "You know my name but I don't know yours."

"EZ, Ezekiel," he said.

"Nice to meet you EZ."

"You too, Zara."