broken home - j.f✔️

one.

Liberty High School.

The sign was daunting as she stared up at it, her second high school. The move from a beautiful city in Spain, to New York, and finally to California was stressful, but was it all worth it for this school? What is this school like? They'd arrived in California as summer started, and she was starting as a junior. She watched crowds of people, laughing and greeting each other as they walked through the double doors. She felt like she'd never find her way around the school, until she'd passed through those double doors. All eyes on her. The hundreds of students crossing paths every day, who they barely give a second glace to, and they all had their eyes on her.

And her eyes darted to the group of jocks in huddled by the lockers. The wolf whistles and eyes darting around her body made her shudder, but she ignored them anyway. They had eventually dispersed, giving her a brief chance to breathe. But one of them stuck around, hindering awkwardly. As if he wanted to say something, but was waiting for her to say something first.

"Are you okay?" She asked, staring up at him. He was extremely tall, or she was extremely short. Large build, jet black hair, and his letterman jacket fitting perfectly around his body.

"Um, yeah," he replied, acting as if he hadn't seen her and surprised she started a conversation. "Are you okay?" She chuckled softly and stared at her feet, feeling a sense of comfort from this stranger. Which made her a little uneasy.

"I'm new, I don't really know where I'm going." She explained, connecting their eyes once again. "I'm Elizabeth Reyes." He smiled down at her and moved his hair from his view, taking in the sight of her. He felt sympathetic for newcomers, especially girls, innocent and pretty, who could easily become a victim of Bryce Walker. He hated that he was even associated with him.

"I can show you to the main office, if you'd like." He suggested, walking alongside her and she took in the sight of the corridors. And endless maze of blue lockers, students who looked done with school already, and posters up everywhere. "I'm Zach, Dempsey."

"Well, hello Zach Dempsey." She greeted, following him to the main office. "I have a question," she paused before opening the double doors to the main office and turned to face him. She was taken aback by her own confidence. "Why didn't you follow your friends?"

Zach sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, scrunching his eyes in distress. "Jocks in this school have a bad rep, and I don't want you to end up mixing with the wrong crowd." He held the door open as she walked through, ending up at the front desk. "Also, I don't want you to think badly of me."

"A kind jock who helped me find my way to the front office on my first day? I don't think badly of you, and I've known you for a few minutes, maximum." They laughed together, it eventually dying down into awkward tension. What did you expect? They weren't going to be best buddies. "Thank you, Zach."

"You're welcome, Reyes." He smiled cheekily, opening the door to leave. Just as he was about to disappear, he looked back at her. "Just consider me a friendly face, if you see me, come and hang out."