'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button girl,
So cradle your head in you hands
And breathe, just breathe,
Whoa breathe, just breathe
"I keep to myself mostly. I don't always tell people things. I'm not good with...like, drama.
I learned pretty early on not to rock the boat.
To stay in my lane.
I try not to be a bully.
I try not to be a victim."
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"Are you okay?" I sat behind Zach on his bed the next morning. My chin rested on his shoulder as his eyes scanned over the letter Hannah had left for him in her bag in Peer Communications class last year. The same letter she had mentioned on his tape, having accused him of throwing it away when he had kept it the whole time. "Zach... it's not your fault."
"Then why does it feel like it is?" He glanced over his shoulder to look at me, allowing me to see the tears that had gathered in his eyes as he'd reread Hannah's letter.
"Because you're a good person," I whispered as I reached up to wipe his tears away before they could fall down his face.
"Zach?" His mother's voice rang through the house.
"Shit!" I swore as I jumped up to my feet. Zach quickly stuffed the letter under his pillow while I moved towards the window, prepared to climb out of it to avoid his mother.
"Stop," he grabbed my wrist before I could even open the window. I turned around to argue with him, but neither of us could say another word before his mother appeared in the doorway, clearly surprised to see me there.
"Penny, I wasn't aware you were here." She forced a smile as she took in my appearance.
"Yeah, she came over to help me with some homework last night and we fell asleep talking," Zach lied. Ms. Dempsey only nodded, choosing not to comment on my presence or her son's poor lying.
"You look good. Very sharp," she complimented Zach as she walked over to stand in front of him, looking over the suit he was wearing. "You ready for this?"
"Yeah, I'm all ready. Yeah," Zach took a deep breath.
"You'll do great," Ms. Dempsey assured him as she took his face in her hands. "You're a good boy. The best son a mother could have."
"Don't worry, Mom. It'll be fine," Zach assured her.
"Do you need a ride to school, Penny?" Ms. Dempsey asked me. I opened my mouth, prepared to deny her offer and say that I would call Tony and get him to pick me up on his way to school. However, before a single word could leave my mouth, Zach beat me to it.
