Zeke and Pattie

Chapter Five: Pattie

"Oh god, why can't this stupid thing slip on any faster! Grr, I'm going to be late!" I yell, frustrated. While trying to squeeze into the green dress my mom had bought for me the day before.

"Pattie, sweetie. You need to relax. Or else you'll rip the dress, hurt yourself or me and thirdly, stress yourself out. You still have plenty of time." My mother had reassured.

"I know mom.I just want to make sure I'm ready and this night is full proof for not only me but the shyest boy in school. Zeke really needs to have a good night. Just like I do. My goal is to be the one to give him the opportunity of that since I seem to be the only one who's approached him in this school."

"I know honey. What you're doing is extremely thoughtful. That Jensen boy seems like a nice person. I can't lie and say something seems off about him? I've seen that red hoodie everywhere in town. He's always plastered with a distressed look on his face. Is there something going on with him?" My mom asked, worried just like me about Zeke.

My mom and I may have our differences but, the one thing we had in common was our caring personalities. Looking out for people's best interests. Luckily for my mom, her wonderful personality reeled in my father, who's also just as caring. Lorna and Ethan Clarence. Been married for over 25 years and not including the years they spent together in high school.

"I don't know mom. I am worried about him though. A lot of the time we're together he suddenly goes a little dark whenever he replies to something. Like he's directing it towards himself. When I confront him about it, he tries to cover it up as a different meaning, but I don't really buy it. There's obviously something bothering him if he slurs out things like on April 1st! I brought my cousin up and her baby. Zeke said something along the lines of 'Well, tell them I say congrats. Tell them that for me. Before what I say gets forgotten' or something like that." I paused for my mom. Before nodding, letting me know it was good to continue my story.

"Then Charlie Love came around the corner and mocked Zeke. Charlie isn't as nice of a guy as you think mom. Zeke just had his look of despair when Charlie appeared. He focused on the ground, just shutting down." I spilled to my mom. I took a moment to let her swallow in all the information.

"Oh! That's not all. I've asked Zeke a few times if he's alright and he has admitted to having a rough time right now but, yesterday something different came out of him. Don't take this the wrong way about him because he truly is an amazing person. I discovered a black eye that he was hiding behind his hair. When I got a little too close and moved some hair out the way to see it better, he lashed out at me a little. I did get too close and touched his wound. He apologized right away. Zeke said it was because of a bike accident. I saw him hunching over as he walked and dragging his feet. Like he's in pain.." I explain.

My mom looked saddened for Zeke. "You said that Charlie Love has mocked Zeke. Has it happened more than this?" She asked. I nodded.

"Charlie has kind of targeted Zeke for teasing. However, nothing more extreme than a little name-calling has happened. I think anyway." I reply.

"Honey, It appears to me that Charlie is bullying Zeke a lot worse than what you see. We could never assume how long it's been going on. Think about it, you said Zeke disappeared for the rest of the day. Suddenly the next time you see him, he's hiding his eye with his hair. A bike accident would have caused more scrapes and cuts to his face. Zeke's face would have been more bruised too. Could it be possible that Charlie did that to him? It sounds like Zeke fears Charlie too." My mom explained to me.

That does make a lot of sense. I instantly felt distressed, knowing that Zeke could possibly be in this position.

"I know Zeke would report to the teachers if he was being physically bullied. I don't want to assume something that may not be true. It is possible though. I do promise to look out for him. If it's true and I see it for myself, I'll report it. Mom, you don't need to worry, won't carry on his problems for him. I just want to be a person he can count on at most." I say to my mom. She smiled proudly at me.