𝔇𝔦𝔣𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔫𝔱 -Z.K

13

"Didn't we agree on going just as friends?" I ask Brandon as we walk into school.

"Yeah, but Austin wanted to ask Soph to be his date and I didn't want you to feel all left out" he says looking at Austin and Soph who were a bit ahead of us.

"Wait. So Austin LIKE likes her" I say looking at Brandon.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure" he laughs. "Funny how it took them four years to realize they'd make a cute couple"

"Aw so it's finally happening" I gush.

We look at them like proud parents.

"Hey. You didn't think I.. LIKE liked you just because I asked you to hoco right?" He asks me.

"What? No. No I just assumed that because you asked, you wanted to go as... more than friends" I respond.

"So yes?" He replies.

"Okay yeah I did" I say. "I just didn't want you trying for something that would never happen, you know?"

"Trust me, if I had feelings for you, we'd be together by now" Brandon says slightly bragging.

"Hey!! I'm not that easy!" I say insulted.

"Awh China" He says putting his arm around me. "You don't even know how easy you are"

We laugh and the bell rings for first period. I walk into ap chem and sit next to Zion.

"Hey! Crazy game last night, huh?" I say sitting down.

"Mhm" Zion responds.

"Uh, what did you wanna show me after the game? You kinda bailed on me" I say.

"I didn't bail." He scoffs.

"I turned around and you left" I chuckle. "I think that's considered bailing"

"You looked a little busy anyways" he says annoyed.

"I'm sorry. Did I miss something? Are you mad at-"

"I'm not mad alright?" He says finally looking at me. "Just leave me alone, China"

I frown and face forward.

"Hey. I'd love to go with you" a girl with straight black hair I recognized as Ashleigh Bailes says to Zion.

"Okay. Cool" he responds looking back down to his paper.

I stare at him but he continues to ignore me. Why did I feel so off. It's the same feeling I had when Soph was mad at me. What did I do wrong?

Later that day.

"How you doin bubba" I say sitting on the couch next to my brother.

"Good, did you know that snails have four noses?" He responds not taking his eyes off the tv.

"Yeah that's why they stay away from our house" I say "they can smell your stank feet from a five mile radius"

"Shut up" He says pushing me off the couch with his feet.

"Come help with the groceries" my mom says as she enters the house. We both get up and start to put away the groceries.

"How was work?" I ask her.

"Good, I got the day off tomorrow so I can spend the day with bubba, and you can go to homecoming" she says. "How was school?"

"Good" we both reply.

"Oh, China, I've been meaning to give you this" She hands me a keychain with the number three on it.

"Uh thanks? What's this?" I say observing the keychain.

"I don't know. I found it under your car. Figured it was either yours or Sophia's" she says.

Number three? I remember when Zion came over. It must've fallen off his backpack.

"Oh yeah! I think it fell off of Soph's backpack" I say. "Im gonna go do homework"

I go upstairs and twirl the keychain in my fingers. I wonder why he was acting so weird today. I think back to me putting ice on his bruise. Uh oh. What if his dad hit him again.

I bolt up and grab my phone.

China.
Hey.
[ read 5:24 ]

China
Really?
You're ignoring me?
[ read 5:29 ]

China.
Okay I get it. You don't wanna
talk to me but I'm kinda spiraling
right now and I really need you to
text me if you're okay.

Zion K
I'm okay.
Quit worrying about me.