When We Met // Zach Dempsey

"You what?"

  I walked down the hall to get to my 5th period class and there was Monty staring at me looking pissy as always.

I went into the library to check out a biography book for English next hour. "Cameron." I looked over and it was Monty on his way over to me. I grabbed a book off a shelf quickly and began walking towards the front desk.

"Cameron." I turned around hearing his voice again. "Can you leave me alone? I get it I'm a slut or whatever else you've been calling me for the past week." I rolled my eyes. "What did Bryce tell you?" He got in my face. "Excuse me?" I stepped back. "What the hell did he tell you?" Veins were popping out of his head and neck. 

Memories of him holding me down in the club house and the tragedy at my gender reveal came all across my mind. "Why does it fucking matter?" I snapped back. "It's my business." I laughed as soon as he said that. "Like taking my picture in the club house and helping Bryce rape me was your business?" Tears filled with my eyes.

Monty quickly looked around to make sure no one heard me. "You deserved it." He said as he moved closer to my face. I looked at him. All the anger from everything filled my body. "Fuck you!" I screamed and threw my very first punch as hard as I could to his face. I watched as he winced in pain. "You bitch." He began walking over to me until Justin and Clay came over and grabbed him.

"What the hell happened?" Justin was pissed. "Monty thinks he's all that but he's just a scared little bitch for people to know that...that." I looked at Monty. His eyes were begging me not to tell anyone. "That what?" Clay was so interested. I looked back over at Monty not saying a single word. "He's just a pussy." I got out and walked away.

I should've said it but I didn't have it in me to make things worse.

...

I sat down with Clay, Justin, Annie, and Alex. No one said a word to anyone. We all knew there was many more secrets we still haven't unraveled.

"Hey." Zach sat down next to me. We all just looked at each other in silence. "What?" Zach was lost. "I punched Monty." I said out loud. "What? Why?" I saw Zach face me in the corner of my eye. "Yeah, why exactly?" Clay was still mad. "What are you so mad about?" I looked over at Clay. "What's going on?" Tyler walked over to the table and sat down on the other side of Zach.

I watched as Clay made dead eye contact with Tyler. "Cameron punched Monty." I saw Clays jaw tighten. "Why?" Tyler looked over at me. "He told me that I deserved to be raped." I looked down at my water bottle and began playing with it. "What the fuck? He did what?" Zach stood up mad.

  "Zach." I grabbed his arm. "It's okay. It's handled." I half smiled. He sat back down then looked over at me again. "What?" I laughed. "How's that bruised hand?" He chuckled while still being pissed off. I looked down and my knocks were blue and purple. "Hurts but was worth it." I smiled. "Good." He smiled.

...

Zach and I went out to dinner with Justin, Jessica, Clay, and Annie which I guess was sort of like Clays girlfriend?

"It's been awhile since we've all enjoyed something together." Justin smiled as he wrapped his arm around Jessica. I smiled. I was happy for Justin but I knew Jessica or anyone else at this table knew he was back on drugs. "Yeah." Zach smiled. "How's Ava?" Jessica asked. "She's great. Said he first word the other day." Zach started bragging. I loved that kind of bragging though.

"So homecoming game with Bryce this Friday." Clay brought up. I saw Jessica had many thoughts going through her head at that moment. She didn't seem much upset though. She had a look of pride. "Yeah." Zach rolled his eyes. "We need to kick their asses." Zach pushed Justin's shoulder. "Hell yeah." Justin got excited. 

"I met up with him." I announced. I looked around at everyone's reaction and I regretted it right away. "What?" Zach was hurt. "It was no where private. I met up with him at Monet's. He wanted to apologize and that was it." I shrugged. "What if he would've done something to you?" Zach was now pissed. "That's why I made him meet up with me somewhere where someone we know usually is." I felt bad.

Everyone kept to themselves including Zach now. "I think he meant it." I knew nobody was going to believe me. "I have to go." Jessica grabbed her back then got up and left. "Jessica wait." Justin said as he ran after her.

I looked across the table at Clay and I knew he was thinking hard about something.