My Hero

Chapter 4

Hero

I'd now been waiting a total of 47 minutes for Zoey to get ready, and she still wasn't dressed.

"Zoe I'm going to go without you in a minute."

"You say that every week, and not once have you ever left," she gives me a smug smile in the reflection of her mirror, just as she applies her red lipstick.

"Well I'm hungry so hurry up."

"Beauty takes time Hero, obviously you wouldn't know about that," I roll my eyes in response and turn my attention to my phone.

I don't use social media very often, and have few friends that I actually message, so there wasn't much else to look at on here either.

-

"Usual?" I look at Zoey for clarification, which she nods yes.

"Can we get two cheese burgers with lettuce, tomatoes, and ketchup, and one with gherkins."

The waitress gives us both a smile and walks back towards the kitchen. Me and Zoe used to come to this diner every Tuesday after Sixth Form, so now we just come before our lecture starts.

"You excited for our first lecture then?" Zoey toys with the straw of her drink, her eyes staring at me in amusement.

She knows I didn't chose to come university, but my dad insisted if I were to one day take over the family business.

"It should be okay, Vicks room mates on the same course as us isn't she?"

I know she's on the same course, I didn't forget. But I also didn't want Zoey knowing I remembered.

"Yeah she is," her face falls, and smile quickly disintegrates.

"Go on, what's up with this one?"

Zoey never liked the people Vicky and Jess tried to befriend. It was never out of jealousy, but just the fact they'd all been either annoying or cruel. Zoey was picky with people she let in, as was I, maybe that's why we are so close now. But Ember intrigued me, she didn't seem annoying or cruel but shut off from the world.

"Nothing's up with her, well not yet."

"Give her a chance, you might like this one," my face stays emotionless, making sure not to give off a pleading look.

"Or you may like this one," Zoey smirks in reply, the fact I think I can hide things from her, is just a lie in itself.

"Maybe, maybe not."

-

"Are we late?"

I look down at my watch seeing that we have two minutes to get to our room, which was a ten minute walk away.

"Not if we run," Zoey gives me a disapproving look, before sprinting ahead.

I follow her lead, feeling my hair lift off my forehead and travel to different parts of my head.

"Left or Right Hero?" I look ahead to where Zoey is, shouting back at her to turn left.

"Zoe here, room 72," I push open the pale blue door, looking at the clock straight ahead on the wall seeing we're three minutes late.

A man in his late forties turns to us, his bald scalp reflecting light off the projector, and his glasses low on his large nose.

"Well it's always nice to get to know the ones that'll be late for the rest of the term, what are your names?"

I look around at all the students sitting in seats, staring at me and Zoe with amusement, although one smile caught my attention over the others.

She was wearing a plain grey hoodie, her hair straight, falling slightly in front of her face. Her eyes catch mine, and then look away.

"I'm Zoey Richards," Zoey's voice captures my attention back to the bald man in front of us.

"Hero, Hero Tiffin," his eyes look us over disapprovingly.

"Is that a stage name?" I few snorts can be heard from the younger students at the bald mans remark.

"No sir, family given."

"Very well, go find a seat quickly," I roll my eyes, muttering 'prick' too quietly for the human ear.

Walking up the stairs I know Zoey's following my lead this time.

Ember was on the back row, with a few other students spread across. I walk across the small gap, trying not to move people's belongings in the process.

I see Zoey roll her eyes when we sit down, and cross her arms quite dramatically with a sigh.

I get out my book and a pen, placing them in a less orderly arrangement than Embers. Her book was perfectly alined in front of her, a black pen, red pen and pencil on the right side. Whilst three different coloured highlighters sat on the top left corner, next to a ruler and rubber.

I let out a small chuckle at her neat freak desk. She turns to me in confusion, her eyebrows furrowed, before dismissing it and turning her attention back to the lecturer.

I lean into her, my mouth close to her ear, "OCD much?"

She doesn't look at me, knowing if she does we will be in a very awkward position.

"If I had OCD I'd feel the need to sort your hair out, ran here did we?"

A smirk falls from my lips, I push myself back into my seat, still grinning like an idiot.

She bites back, and I quite enjoy it.