Be Brave | Zach Mitchell [OLD VERSION]

[06]

"Hope is for suckers."

---

Morning came around and Elle woke Zach quietly, allowing the younger boy to sleep for a little while longer.

"I figured he needs a little longer away from all this," she admitted, shrugging. 

"Good idea," Zach praised. "Listen, I wanted to thank you for everything. So, thanks."

"You guys would not survive without me," she quipped, standing up and brushing herself off. 

"Probably not," he admitted, staring up at her. 

"Come on, Zachary." She held out her hand, pulling him up. "We got a car to fix."

"Guys?" A small voice muttered. 

"Morning, Gray," Elle spoke, smiling at the young boy. 

---

Elle sat on the table to the side, handing the two boys tools as she wasn't the most talented when it came to fixing cars, she had a general idea when it came to them, like how to change a tire, which she would argue was a skill everyone should know. 

"You're doing great," she told. 

"This would probably go a lot quicker if you helped," Zach sighed, sending the girl a playful glare.

"My words of encouragement are more help than I could possibly be," she explained. "I can change a tire and very little extra."

"I'm going to look around, see if there's anything useful somewhere else," Gray announced. 

"Take a torch," Elle instructed, handing him the flashlight. 

Gray left, a silence consuming the two left. 

"Can you hold this in place please?" Zach asked. Elle jumped down from where she sat and followed his instructions. 

"And done," he informed. 

"And I don't know what you've done but go you," she quipped, turning to face him.

"Can I ask you a question?" Zach questioned. 

"You just did," she joked. "Go ahead."

"How long have you been in the foster system?" 

"That's not fair," she muttered. "You know about me but I know nothing about you."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Fine. My parents are getting divorced, my girlfriend broke up with me and I'm scared shitless right now because there's a dinosaur out there that wants to eat us," he rambled. "Your turn."

Elle sighed.

"I've been in the sysyem since I was seven. My dad left when I was four and everything was broken, barely holding on and then one day it just collapsed and I was left at the door of this new place and my mum was gone. I waited for her to come back but she never did. I had hope and then I realised: hope is for suckers," she explained, her eyes stinging. "People leave and they don't come back." She clenched her fists, her eyes cast downwards as she turned her back on him. 

"You know it's not your fault right?"

"How can you know that?" She asked turning back towards him. "It's like people see me and think 'she's a good one to leave'. Even Simon is barely around. Do I have a sign on me that says 'damaged goods' or something? Why did they leave?" She cried out. Tears streamed down her face and she let out a sob. 

Zach wrapped his arms around the crying girl, letting her tears soak his top.

"You're not damaged goods," he reassured. "You've just been through some shit times but you're still you, you're still Elle."

"I don't feel like I am," she admitted. "And besides, you don't even know who 'Elle' is."

"Hey guys," Gray began as he opened the door into the garage. Elle pulled away from the hug, wiping her eyes quickly, turning away from the door. 

"I'm going to go for a walk," Elle whispered, rushing out of the room. 

---

Elle got back to the garage as the boys finished putting the new battery into the car. Gray started the car, showing that their work was successful. 

"I'll go get Elle," Zach told.

"No need, I'm here," she informed.

Gray climbed into the back of the car, allowing Elle to take the passenger seat. 

"Thanks Gray." Elle smiled, grabbing her backpack and jumping into the car. 

"Are you-"

"I'm fine, Zachary," she replied, sending him a smile. 

Zach climbed into the drivers seat.

"I thought you failed your driver's test?" Gray questioned. 

"What?" Elle exclaimed. 

"Only the driving part," he informed, shrugging. 

"Oh, God, that thing won't kill us, you will," she groaned, closing her eyes as he began driving away.