Young Writers Society

After the gym, Zach came home, much calmer. Just what he needed. "I'm back," he called to whoever was still up, and got a drink of water from the kitchen. With a deep sigh, he got his books together for school tomorrow, and walked up the stairs, showering quickly, and falling onto his bed, asleep the second his head his the pillow.

--

The next morning, Zach pulled on his school uniform and his tennis shoes, ruffling his hair with axe gel before walking down the stairs. He could already smell his mom's chocolate chip pancakes. He pecked his sister on the cheek and spun into his mom, smiling down at her cheekily. She smacked his with her 'spatular' as she called it, and turned back to cooking.

Jada slowly made her way down the stairs, wearing the same outfit as Zack, just more woman-based, with the skirt and school colors. "Oh yeah, Jada's going to St. Mary's now." His mother smiled and Zach nodded.

"Sweet." He looked at the green cast. "Damn, my sister already sign it?" He took out a sharpie from his bad, smiling childishly at her. "May I?"

When i woke up i changed right away.Into my uniform, first day at a new school. St. marys,
i had been going to the other scool in the area, the public school, central. Rich had wanted me to switch becuase one of the guys in my class had been flirting with me.

I made my way downstairs, the smell of food hit my nosterals. Rich only let me eat what he left behind. Which wasnt alot, i couldnt be more then 90 lbs at best. I thought i heard mrs. reid say something. But i brushed it off.

I looked up at zach, almost running into him again "Damn, my sister already sign it?" He took out a marker from his bag, he smiled gesturing at my cast
"May I?" i held it up, watching him carfully
"Sure." he took my arm carfully, signing his name. We sat down and ate, even though they urged me to eat more i only ate two pancakes. The smallest ones i could pick up. If i tried to eat to much now i would surely get sick.

Zach watched me the whole time. That scared me even more, i didn't know if i could trust him.

"Zach, you're taking Jada to and from school." Dr. Reid announced from behind his newspaper. Zach looked up at his dad, well, his dad's newspaper, and then over at Jada.

"B-but Dad! She doesn't want to ride with m-"

"Hey Donna, would you look at this! Pastor Greene's having another blood drive!" Zach growled, obviously being ignored, and stood up.

"Are you done?" He asked Jada softly, receiving a nod. "Okay." He took her and his plate, and put it in the sink. "You ready?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Sure, he wanted to help her, but he really didn't know how to get passed her scared demeanor.

"Zach you're taking jada to and from school." Dr. ried called out not taking his face from the newspaper. I looked at Zach, I could hear the blood pounding in my ears. Zach argued back, he didnt want to take me. could he tell how scared i was of him?

Dr. ried commented on something in the newspaper. Saving him the argument with zach.Are you done?" He asked me, I nodded to afriad to speak, i didnt even look up at him. "Okay." He took our plates and put them in the sink "You ready?" He asked rubbing the back of his neck. Akwardly. I just nodded again and followed him, i thought about when rich asked me to come inside. I wimpered covering my face, hoping he didn't notice.

I was pretty sure he hadnt. I got in the car and buckled up, sitting with my hands between my legs and looking out the window away from him. Afriad of what he might do, Or say.

The whole ride to school was completely silent. Zach reached for the radio dial, and Jada flinched. Zach sighed, stopping at a red light and laying his head on the steering wheel. "Jada.. I'm not going to touch you without your permission. Nobody's going to hurt you with me hear, not even that bastard, okay? I won't let anything happen to you. In school, at home, out on the town. No matter where you are, I won't let anything happen to you, I swear. I wish you could trust me." He pressed on the gas when the light turned green, soon yanking into the school parking lot. "But obviously.. that's not going to happen is it?" He looked into her eyes, his expression softening at the look she was giving him. He let out a mental growl and stepped out of the truck, walking around the truck and opening the door.

"Well, come on." He sighed softly.

I was quite the whole ride. But when he reach out towards the radio i thought he was going to hit me. So i flinched away. I wasnt as afraid of him anymore, but i wasnt going to let my gaured down. he sat back at the red light then put his head on the stearing wheel "Jada.. I'm not going to touch you without your permission. Nobody's going to hurt you with me hear, not even that bastard, okay? I won't let anything happen to you. In school, at home, out on the town. No matter where you are, I won't let anything happen to you, I swear. I wish you could trust me."

That was a little reassuring, but i still sat close to the door, my hands between my legs looking away. The light changed and he pulled into the school parking lot.
"But obviously.. that's not going to happen is it?" I looked over to him, he stared into my eyes, that scared me even more. When he looked away i shook my head, no that wasnt going to happen.

He walked around and opened the door, i was so deep in thought that i hadn't noticed and jumped a little when he spoke up,"Well, come on." he sighed as if to say 'lets get this over with.' i hopped out almost falling when i did, i had leaned up agaisnt him for support. When i found my balance i cringed, expecting to be hit. I was both shooked and releaved when he didn't. Maybe he wouldnt hurt me... but even then it would take some getting used to.

"Zachary!" A brunette girl ran over to Zach's side, smacking his arm and chest over and over again. "You never showed up to Kassy's birthday!" Zach laughed deeply, grabbing both of his friend, Amanda's wrists, holding them over her head and spinning her around playfully.

"I love what you're wearing" He grinned, Amanda blushing scarlet.

"Thank you!" She squeaked, running back over to Kassy and her friends.

"Hey Kass!" Zach shouted. "Sorry for not showin' my ugly mug, I had a family emergency." Kassy stuck her tongue out playfully, causing Zach to chuckle deeply and glance over at Jada. Gosh... she was more beautiful that any of those girls. He shook the thought away quickly, and walked into the front office.

"Hey Miss Donnavann, this is Jada Michaels. She needs her new schedule." The secretary nodded and handed Zach a suddenly printed paper, which he handed to Jada, and led her to her first class.

"Zachary!" I nearly jumped out of my skin whe a girl shrieked, She ran over and i covered my face. When nothing came i looked and she had been smaking him on the chest playfully."You never showed up to Kassy's birthday!" Zach started laughing i winced at his deep laugh. He grabbed both her wrists and twirled her around

"I love what you're wearing" I looked away going deep into thought.I heard him yell something,i flinched again. I looked back up at him, he walked me to the front office, i just followed him. Still deep in thought. A piece of paper came down in front of me. I jumped a little again. He led me to my first class, english.

"Ill cme get you after class. okay?" I looked back up at him and nodded. He frowned and walked away, i became less tense. There was no chance i would see rich here, he was never baptized. I went in and sat down, we were here early. So it was just me and the teacher. She introduced herself as mrs.Rite. She shook my hand and i sat. After a while the bell rang and class started.

I daydreamed through the entire class. But was first out when the bell rang. Again i walked right into Zach.

Zach laughed softly, but still deeply, and helped Jada steady herself again. "Geeze, anymore of this and I'm gonna have a bruised chest." He teased slightly, not getting much of a reaction to his small, cheesy joke from Jada.

"Oh Zach, that's hilarious!" Kassy laughed loudly, cackling and covering her mouth with her fake, dragon nails. Zach smiled and bit the inside of his cheek in annoyance. "Really, it is!" She continued to cackle. Zach rolled his eyes and gently put his hand on the small of Jada's back.

"Come on, we've got biology next. We're in the same class, and we're supposed to be dissection frogs today. Fun huh?" He joked, walking into the biology room. He intoduced Jada to the teacher, and all of his friends that were in the class before leading her to a double seated table, where he sat down beside her, smiling at her warmly.

He laughed at me, helping me steady myself."Geeze, anymore of this and I'm gonna have a bruised chest." He was trying to be funny, at least he was nice. The only other times rich would talk to m it was to tell me i was worthless.

"Oh Zach, that's hilarious! Really, it is!" She continued to laugh. She must have either been very good friends with him or his girlfriend. He Pushed the small of my back, i whimpered to low for him to hear.
"Come on, we've got biology next. We're in the same class, and we're supposed to be dissecting frogs today. Fun huh?" He walked me into the biology class, introducing me to the teacher. Then he sat right next to me. Staring at me.

I tried hard not to look like i didn't notice. I felt the blood flush from my face when the frogs were passed around. I Wrapped my arms around my stomach. Looking away from it. I couldn't stand the fact that people do this for a living! I would never be able to, the sight of these frogs was almost to much for me.

After a little while, the Biology teacher was called out of the room. Noticing that Jada really didn't want to do this, Zach held his finger to his lips and winked at her, tossing the from into the trash and pulling out a sheet of already finished lab reports. "Easiest way, as well as the non-gross way." He smiled and wrote his and Jada's names on them, soon taking out another sheet of paper.

Jada obviously didn't want to talk out loud, so maybe... just maybe, she'd write.

Zach took out a pencil, and neatly wrote his letter, sliding it to Jada.

Why're you scared of me? Was all it said.

I looked up at zach. The teacher had been called out of the room, the only reason i looked at him was to see if he had noticed how i felt. He put his finger infront of his lips and winked, quickly dumping everthing in the trash and writing our names on a previously done lab report "Easiest way, as well as the non-gross way." .

Then he took out a fresh sheet write something on it and pushed to towards me. I descreatly unfolded it 'Why're you scared of me?' nothing else, very straight forward, i didn't know what to say. 'Becuase you could snap me in half like a twig.' I pushed it back towards him, just noticing he had been watching my every move. I swallowed the lumo in my throat. I could feel my hands getting shaky.

At that, Zach couldn't help but guffaw in laughter, holding his stomach tightly as he wrote. Okay, I don't think it's funny that you're scared of me, but more the reason why. I've told you before, that everyone says I couldn't hurt a fly. It's actually more of a thing, that I won't hurt anyone. I'm going to study to be a doctor, so what kind of doctor would I be with 'abusive boyfriend' on my records? I mean really? He snickered softly and slid it back to her, shaking his head slowly, trying to stop laughing.

"Psst! Psst, hey Zach!" Zach leaned back in his chair, grinning at a fellow football player. "Think you can set me up with your cute little friend? I'd love to play around a little bit with her."

"Sorry Tye, no can do."

"Awww, man, why not?" Zach just shot him a warning glare.

"Cause she's off limits, and if you, or anyone else touches her without her permission, I'll kick your ass." He lowered his voice on the last part, and sat back up.

he handed me the paper back after a minute, 'Okay, I don't think it's funny that you're scared of me, but more the reason why. I've told you before, that everyone says I couldn't hurt a fly. It's actually more of a thing, that I won't hurt anyone. I'm going to study to be a doctor, so what kind of doctor would I be with 'abusive boyfriend' on my records? I mean really?'

wow a doctor? he had a good future for him, i'd give him that much. While i pondered what to resond i heard zach and another gut start talking,
"psst! psst, hey zach."he leaned over a bit
"Think you can set me up with your cute little friend? I'd love to play around a little bit with her." I shuddered, fighting back tears.
"Sorry Tye, no can do."
"Awww, man, why not?"
"Cause she's off limits, and if you, or anyone else touches her without her permission, I'll kick your ass." He tried to lowered his voice at that last part,but i still heard him.

he sat back up as i began to write.
'Why do you care anyway? you hardly know me, and i've been nothing but trouble since you met me.' I folded it and pushed it back over, i looked up at his friend and shuddered.

Zach sighed after reading what she wrote. Should he just come clean out and say why? With a barely noticable shrug, Zach began to write.

Truthfully, I don't know. There's something about you that makes me want to protect you. Like, something that draws me to you and screams at me to help you and it makes me want to protect you from anything that may happen. Maybe it's because my sister went through the same thing with her ex, and it had done a toll on who she was, and I don't want you to become how she was. But anyway, I don't know. Like I said, it's like instinct.

He added a smiley face and slid it back over, smiling softly at her before talkign with another of his friends.