Meeting Him

Sitting in class was pure torcher. I hated being in a desk getting work shoved down my throat. Schools say that they didn’t want you to be a certain way all alike, but the truth was they wanted you all to be exactly alike. The popular kids hated outsiders, freaks. I quit frankly couldn’t give a crap. I wore skinny jeans, tight band T-s and converses. I had long blonde hair that was platinum blonde. People said that if I wasn’t a freak that I would be really beautiful.

“Okay class your homework is to write a story of your own choosing it must be at least ten pages it’s due next Thursday.” Mrs. Fields said. Great homework just what I wanted on a Monday, but of course it was included with Mondays at school. Since we weren’t here for two days the teachers pilled on the homework to make sure we get everything done in time for the inspector. The teachers wanted to make sure that they got their big fat check at the end of the month.

The bell rang and I grabbed my note book, pens, pencils, and my book, stuffing them all in to my bag. I hurried out of the room and ran into a guy. His big broad shoulder ramming in to my chest. I stumbled backwards, “Hey watch were you’re going freak.” The guy yelled. He grabbed my remaining books and knocked them out of my hands sending papers flying around the hallway floor getting trampled on by passing students. “Well you don’t have to be a fucken jerk about it. You were the one that stopped in my way.” I said.

Bending down I picked up a couple of papers shuffling some of them in to a pile. God there’s no way I’m going to get all my papers back. Sighing I got to work and tried to get all of the scattered papers.

“I think this belongs to you.” A guy’s voice said bending down behind me handing me a stack of papers. I took the papers without looking at the face. He probable wasn’t here really to help; he was going to make fun of me like everyone else.

“Hey listen I’m sorry about Jake, he can be a real dick sometimes.”

“Sometimes?”

“Okay all the time, but he really is a good guy once you get to know him.”

Turning my head around, I faced the guy. It was Derek, Jake’s best friend. This had to be some sort of set up. Nerveless I had to say thank you, he was the only guy that stopped to help me while everyone else went to class. “Thanks.” I said gratefully. “But I’m not planning on getting know him.”  I got up and pulled my bag further up my shoulder trying to make sure my bag didn’t fall off.

“How come I haven’t seen you around here before?”

“You hang out with the popular crowd and Jake. I tend to stay away from them if you haven’t noticed we don’t get along very well.”

He laughed and gave me a smile, “Well I happen to think that you’re great and not a freak.”

“Oh trust me I’m a freak. I get told that every day by every single person at this hell hole.” His face hardened into a frown. “I’m sorry that people treat you like this.”

“Don’t be I don’t need your pity.” I walked down the hall to my locker. Derek’s long strides caught up to me. “I didn’t mean to disrespect you.” I opened my locker and sat my bag in the bottom part. Since I didn’t have a locker partner I had it all to myself. “Let me make it up to you. How about we go get a burger after school?” Why was he even trying to be nice to me? I’m just the freak, the nobody. I shook my head no.

“Come on. Why not?” He asked.

“You know this much that you don’t want to be seen with a freak like me, okay. Your friends will turn against you faster than you can say gone.” I really wished I could just have one friend, one person to trust, to tell them my fears, but I didn’t trust them, anyone. I learned a long time ago to not trust anyone.

Derek crossed his arms, “It’s just a burger they can take a chill pill.”

He was making it hard to say no to him, with that dazzling smile. He was very cute. A jock himself. He was wearing his football jersey for their game they won last night. He had blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He was what every girl wanted, but he didn’t date much. Just one look at his eyes and his smile I couldn’t say no.

“Okay fine.” I said.

“Did you drive to school?” He asked.

“No I don’t have a car.”

“I’ll pick you up after school. I’ll wait by your locker.” He said.

“Okay.”

We went our separate ways. Turns out I was late to class and the class just happened to be with Jake and Derek. When I walked in Jake and his group of loud and obnoxious friends busted out laughing. “Zoey and Derek I’m glad you chose to join us finally.” I ignored the teacher and walked past them. Jake stuck his foot out tripping me. I prepared for impact with the floor but was surprise to see Derek caught me. Jake glared at Derek and he let go off my arm after setting me up right. He slipped a piece of paper in to my hand without anyone else seeing.

I went to my desk in the very back of the room in a corner. I sat down and put my bag on the back of my chair. I opened the note and read it. Here’s my number 342-8430 text me I looked across the room to the other corner where Derek sat. He was looking at me and leaned back enough to show me his phone. He wanted me to text him now. I tried to talk myself out of texting him but I had to say thank you again. I took out my phone and put it in my lap. Mr. Gary never looked in the corners of the room because he was party blind. He couldn’t see far away. Not that he cared anyway. I typed in his number and text him Thank you for not letting my face meet the floor. He texted back saying don’t worry. That was a dick move and I wasn’t going to let him do that to you. I couldn’t help but feel a bit happy. I knew that I shouldn’t be.

So why did you want me to text you? I wondered I could have texted him later, maybe if hadn’t talked myself out of doing it. Maybe that’s why he wanted me to do it now. I wanted to make sure that you are okay. I never seen a person have this much happen to them in one day. I texted him back I’m fine. I have more than this happen to me a one a daily basis.

I took in a deep breath trying not remembering all the horrible things I’ve been through. I held back the tears. No need to cry in class over things that happened a long time ago. Hey if you rather come over to my house and hang out we can. My mom’s a great cook.  I didn’t know if that was go idea but I knew that he wanted me to hang out with him. It would be better to go to his house so that I would have to be abused by kids at the local dinner. And it would be a better situation for Derek so he would have to be seen with me. I didn’t want to cause more trouble between his friends.

Okay.

What all classes do you have today?

History, Science, Geometry, Lunch, P.E., Creative Writing

I have all of those too.

Yeah                   

I put my cellphone back into my pocket. I opened my notebook and started to doodle random things. I never paid attention to Mr. Gray any way. He was super boring almost putting me to sleep. I yawned as I tried to at least listen to what he was saying, but he kept dragging on and on about the same thing never moving on. He never got side tracked which sucked he was a strictly no fun teacher.

15 boring minutes later the bell rang and I had to once again pack up my things. This time I just stacked up my books to carry them. Derek had come over to my desk and waited for me. “You don’t have to wait.” I tried to tell him. “I know but I want to.”

“Derek you don’t have to start being my friend, I’m perfectly fine with being alone.”

“So you don’t like me is that it?”

“No. That’s- that’s not what I meant.”

“I know I’m just messing with you lighten up, Zoey? Is it?”

“Yes. I’m sorry okay. I just don’t want you to regret this later one when your friends are pissed as hell because you’re hanging out with the biggest freak in the school.” I said. We both started walking down the hallway to our next class together. So now he’s walking me to class. Weird.

At lunch I was stuck at the back of the line since all the jocks cut to the front of line. I asked before why they were allowed to do that and the lunch lady told me that the principal said that the sports kids are the future of our school. That’s really all that he cared about sports. The more trophies he had in the case the bigger the ego he got. I personally thought that he was trying to relive his glory days.

The line was slowly moving inch by inch. For a small town it was a big school filled with lots of students. I looked down at my phone since we were allowed to have them out at lunch. I had a text from Derek asking where was I that he already gotten my food for me. I texted him back and told him that I was waiting in line to get my food. He didn’t reply back instead he came over to me. “I have a tray piled high with food come on. You don’t need to stand in the freakishly long line.” He told me.

I was ready to tell him that I could go get my own tray but I looked at the long line again. If I stayed in line I would be luck to even get to eat my lunch. “Okay fine. You’re just lucky that I’m starving.” “Follow me. I’ll lead you to the food.” We navigated through the tables and people to a lone table by the long wide windows that stretched the length of the wall. On the table was a tray that really was piled with food.

“I think I died and gone to heaven.” I said sinking into a chair.

“It’s not much; remember it is school food, no five star dinning.” He laughed. He sat down across from me at the table. I reached out and grabbed one of the brownies. I was surprised to find that it was still warm. “Oh my god it’s actually warm!”

“Starting with desert first?”
“You can’t judge me. I’m lucky if I even get a brownie, and if I do its ice cold. Trust me this is so much better.”

“You haven’t even tried it yet.”

I raised the brownie up to my mouth and took a small bite. It was pure heaven. Derek started to laugh as if he could read my mind. “If you like those you should taste my mom’s they are the best brownies I have every tasted and I’m not just saying that because she’s my mom.”

“Derek, why aren’t you sitting with us?” Kayla the most popular girl in school said. She was standing behind him with her group of “friends”. They weren’t really friends just friends to be popular. That’s what high school was all about being popular and Kayla would do anything and everything to make sure that she’s popular.  I watched her as she destroyed her best friend just to become popular. It was cruel the things people would do just to get to be called popular.

Derek turned around and faced her. “I wanted to sit with Zoey is that a problem?” He asked her. Kayla crossed her arms and put on her best fake sad face. “But Derek you promised to sit with me a lunch today.”

“Kayla I’m never promised you anything. You won’t be alone any way.” Kayla wasn’t likely to give up just yet. She had always found a way to get what she wanted and right now she wanted Derek to sit with her.

“Come sit with me.”  She ordered.

“Kayla no, I’m sitting with Zoey.”

Kayla was stunned and took a step back shocked that he said her no. She opened her mouth but closed her mouth and walked away, her group of minions following her. I always laughed at the look that was on her face as she left. She sat down at her normal table next to Jake. She leaned over and whispered in his ear.

“Uh-oh, I think you’re in trouble.” I told him. He opened one of the cans of pop and took a sip. He swallowed the pop and laughed. “I like trouble.” He said.

Derek P.O.V.

 Zoey was incredible beautiful. Her long blonde hair framed her face perfectly. I couldn’t care less if Jake or Kayla approved of me hanging out with Zoey. I was going to do it no matter what, she needed a friend. I knew who she was before today. I saw some of the things that they did to her; I never once stepped in to help her. I wanted to so badly but at that time I was more worried about being accepted by other people.

I met Zoey at her locker. She was leaning up against the locker with her head leaned back and her eyes close. “Long day?” I asked her.

“Shh… trying to sleep.”

“Well let’s go you can sleep at my house until suppers ready.”

She opened her eyes and rocked forward. She opened her locker putting her books that she didn’t need for homework back into locker. I reached down and grabbed her hand, holding it in mine as we walked down the hallway together. Did she not want me to hold her hand? She wasn’t pulling away. I opened the car door for her and walked around to my side.

“Wow a guy that opens a door for a woman. You’re a rare species indeed.” She joked. I started up the truck and drove out of the school’s student parking lot. “Let’s see what kind of music this species likes to listen to.” She said turning on the radio. Animals by Maroon 5 was playing. It was one of my favorite songs but it was really the type of song that you could sing in front of a girl that you were trying to get to come out of their shell. Zoey started to sing along.

“I love this song.” She said and the continued to sing. She had a beautiful voice I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t in choir, she would be great. When the song was over I asked her how come she wasn’t.

“Kayla is in choir.”

“Yeah, so?” I asked her.

“She gets the solo every year. Everyone says how good of a singer she is.”

I now knew why. She didn’t think that she was a good singer herself. She wasn’t self-confident. “Zoe you’re a great singer, way better than Kayla.”

“No one would show up if I had a solo in the concert.” She said looking down at her lap. She really did think that she wasn’t good enough. I turned my attention back on to the road. “I would.” I would go to see her sing she was great and I was hoping that we were becoming friends. I could see how bad she needed a friend.

I pulled in to the drive way to me house. It was a pretty nice house my parents made pretty good money. The house was two stories with a fully finished basement. We had a huge garage that held four cars. Mine, my fathers, my mothers, and my younger sisters, which was not yet allowed to drive.

“Are you guy’s rich?” She asked.

“Not really. My parents save their money and invest very well. My father is hardly every how with how much he works. Mom works too but she makes sure she how at night and she doesn’t travel for her job.”It must be nice to have a least one parent that was there for you.

I put the truck in park and got out. I grabbed her bag and mine carrying both up to the house. “I can take my own bag.” She said. “My mother raised me to be a gentlemen and only sometimes does that show.” I said giving her a wink. I opened the door for her letting her pass me.

Zoey’s P.O.V

The inside of the house was just as nice as it was on the outside. Lots of expensive but comfortable looking furniture was everywhere. Of to the side was a living room that was clearly used a lot with a giant big screen TV.

“Are you sure that you ant’ rich?”

He laughed, “Mom I’m home!”

A voice from somewhere in the house answered back, “Hi honey. Did you have a good day?” Derek walked down the hall to a big kitchen. A woman in her thirty’s was standing over a stove stirring something in one of the pans.

“Pretty good. I brought home a friend is that okay?” He asked.

He was just now asking his mom if it was okay if I was here. Wow he should have called his mother before he invited me. She might not want me to be here. My mind was racing; I was always neverovs around new people.

The woman turned around and faced me with a smile on her face. Instantly she looked me up and down inspecting me. Her eyes reached my face and she continued to smile. Did that mean that I got her approval?

“Of course. My name is Elizabeth, everyone calls me Beth.”

“This is Zoey my um… friend.” He told his mom.

His mother gave me and hug and said, “It’s very nice to meet you Zoey. You kids go have fun. I’ll call when suppers ready.”

I followed Derek up to his room which was on the 2nd floor. He closed the door behind us. I tried not to be frightened by that but I hated being in a room with the door shut. “So you want to watch a movie?” He asked.

“I don’t care. Umm… where do I sit?” I asked.

“On the bed dugh.” He turned on his Playstation3 and grabbed a controller. I sat down at the edge of the bed. He flopped down on to the bed on his belly. He went to Netflix. “What do you want to watch?” He asked me. I looked through all the TV shows that he had and I saw The Walking Dead. “How about the Walking Dead? It’s my favorite.”

“Wow that’s my favorite too.” He clicked on it and it went to the episode selection. “What was the last one that you see?”

“Last time I watched it, the governor had just killed the old man and Rick killed him. I haven’t gotten to watch it in a while.” I said.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get you caught up tonight. You in for watching a Walking Dead marathon?”

“Do you even have to ask?” I laughed. Zombie movies were my weakness, I loved them. He clicked on one of them and I started to realize more after I heard the theme. I flipped over onto my belly and glued my eyes to the screen.

An hour later his mom came up. She knocked on his door before opening. “Kids it’s time for supper.” His mother poked her head in. “Okay mom we’ll be down stairs in a minute.” Derek got up and paused the movie.

“I hope you’re ready to gain ten pounds. My mother’s a great cook.” He said laughing. He helped me up and we walked out of his room. Going down the steps I said, “I don’t think I need to gain ten pounds. I’m already fat as it is.”

Derek stopped and turned around to face me. “You are not fat. You’re as skinny as a stick a couple pounds wouldn’t hurt you.”

I smiled and continued down the steps. “Derek!” A little girl screamed. The tiny curly blonde jumped off the couch and over to us. Derek picked up the little girl and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

“Sophia this is Zoey.”

The little girl looked up at me and smiled. “Derek has a girl friend.” I coughed choking on air. I waited for him to correct his sister. “She not my girlfriend.” He said spinning her around. Sophia leaned in and whispered loudly, “She’s pretty.”

Derek whispered back perilously louder, “I know.” I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks. That was the first time anyone ever called me pretty. He carried Sophia into the dining room where his mother was already setting the table. He sat his sister down in one of the chairs.

“Is there anything I can help you with Beth?” I asked. I want to be generous and help out since I was invited on such short notice. Beth looked up as she sat down a bowl of rolls. “You could help bring in the plates and silverware if you wouldn’t mind.”

“No problem.”

I went into the kitchen and looked threw the cabinets and drawers until I found the silverware and plates. I didn’t know how many we needed so I just grabbed a couple. Derek said that his father was hardly every home and I’m guessing that he never made it home for dinner. I placed a plate in front of each chair and sat the silverware next to the plates.

“Can you pour me some juice?” Sophia said looking up at me.

“Beth is it okay for Sophia to have some juice?” I asked. I didn’t want to give her something she wasn’t supposed to have.

“Yes she can. Top shelf of the fridge.”

Once we all were sitting down at the table. Sophia asked, “Mommy shouldn’t we wait for daddy? He promised that he was going to come home for supper.”

I looked over at Beth. She looked down and said, “Honey daddy had an important meeting he called to say that he couldn’t make it tonight.”

“Okay, he’ll make it tomorrow. Right mommy?” The little girl didn’t know that people didn’t always keep their promises. This broke my heart. I could remember me asking my dad where mommy was and when was she going to come home. I could tell how disappointed she was that her dad wasn’t here.

“Of course honey. Now let’s go ahead and eat.”

Derek sat next to me and Sophia and his mother sat across from us. Sophia was a pretty well behaved I was surprised by it, most little kids I didn’t have the tolerance for but with her it was completely different. After dinner me and Derek went back upstairs to finish watching the Walking Dead. Derek went into the bathroom and changed into a pair of sweat pants. He laid down on the bed next to me.

“Can I watch with you?” Sophia asked.  Derek looked at me for permission. “It’s fine with me if your mother’s okay with her watching graphic violence.” I said.

“Oh it’s fine; she normally watches it with me. And if she has any nightmares she comes to me so she doesn’t get in trouble. Right sis?”

“Yep.” She said shaking her head. I moved over so there was room for her to lay down between me and Derek.  He pressed play and shut off the light turning on the lamp beside the bed. “Derek never lets me watch movies with his girlfriends.” She said.

I looked at Derek and he smiled. “Sorry.” He mouthed to me. “It’s okay.” I said. Together all of us watched the TV. A couple of minutes later Sophia fell asleep, with her head on my shoulder. I found myself drifting asleep. I closed my eyes.

“Zoey.” I stir and relax again. “Zoey, come on time to get up.” I open my eyes and look up. Derek was looking down at me. Somehow I ended up resting my head on Derek’s shoulder, Sophia in between us. I get up slowly not wanting to wake up Sophia.

“Sorry that I fell asleep on you.”

“It’s okay.”

I find my bag next to his on the floor by the bed. “What time is it?” I asked. Derek takes out his phone and pressed a button. “It’s about eight thirty which explains why this munchicin is asleep it’s past her bed time.”

“I better get going home.” I said pulling my bag up over my shoulder.

“I’ll take you.” He offered.

“No it’s fine. I can walk home. It’s not too far of a walk.”

“Zoey it’s dark outside. I don’t care if it’s only ten steps away; you are not walking home alone. I can and will take you home. No arguments.” He said. He got up himself gently letting Sophia’s head lay down on the pillow.

He got up and went to the closet to grab a hoddie. He put the hoddie over his t-shirt. “You’re going to freeze.” He said. He shifted through the closet and pulled out an Under Armor hoddie. “Here put this on.” He said handing me the sweat shirt. I sat my bag down on the bed and pulled the hoddie over my head. It was a little big on me but really comfortable. I grabbed my bag and went down stairs.

Beth was down stairs watching TV in the front room. “Mom I’m going to take Zoey home. I’ll be right back.” He said.

“Okay. Come back soon Zoey.” She said checking her phone.

 “It was nice meting you Beth.” I said.

 I walked out of the house knowing that this was today to be the last time that I step foot in this house. This was just him trying make up for what he felt he owed me. There was no way that he was going to really want me to be friends with him. Monday everything would go back to normal, he would go back to his group of friends and sit with Kayla. She would have everything that she wanted.

The car ride home was silent and kinda awkward. Once Derek stopped in front of my house I took off the hoddie. “Here.” I said.

He shook his head no and said, “Keep it.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Think of it as a present from me to you as friends.” He said.

“Derek I know that after today we probably won’t talk to each other again. I’m perfectly fine with that so you can drop the whole act of us being friends. Me and you both know that today was just for you feel better about yourself for what your friend has done.”

“That’s not true.” Derek said.

“Sure it isn’t.” I said. I opened the truck door and got out. I could hear Derek calling after me but I rushed to the house and shut the front door behind me locking it. The front room was dark, Matt must not be home yet, which was a good thing. I went to my room shutting the door and dropping my bag. I still had Derek’s hoodie in my hands.

I woke up in my bed the next day and found that I had a text from Derek. He said that we needed to talk. There was nothing to talk about thought. I deleted the message and pulled the covers back over my head. I plugged in my ear phones and played my favorite song Broken by Seether. My music was interrupted when I got a text form Derek.

I swear to you that yesterday wasn’t just a onetime thing. I was really hoping that we would be friends. Not b/c I think I owe you but b/c of how great of a person you are.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I didn’t believe him. I wanted to but there was no reason for me to believe him. He could easily just lie to me and have me think that we are really friends and then crush me like every other person.

Monday morning I got dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans, a Black Veiled Brides T-shirt, black combat boots, and a beanie. I did my makeup and grabbed my bag. I opened the door and stepped out of the house. Derek’s truck was in front of my house.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked him.

“I’m driving you to school. Get in.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you. You did you good deed for the year so you can just drive away.” I said. I put in my ear phones and turned it up. I started walking down the sidewalk like I did every morning. I felt my feet being lifted up off of the ground and arms wrapping around me. Derek threw me over his shoulder.

“Hey what are you doing?” I took out my earphones. My hair was covering most of my face as I looked down.

“I’m taking you to school.”

“This is kidnapping!” I yell.

“Very funny Zoe.” He said. He opened the door and sat me down on the seat. He buckled my seat belt and shut the door.