Ch. 1

"Zev look out!" I heard someone yell.

That was all the warning I got. The only warning I got to begin this shitty ass day. It was also the beginning of a really shitty week.

I looked over still trying to figure out what the noise was about. Turns out one of the basketball players had missed a pass and the ball was heading straight towards me. Oh shit

It was only once I noticed, that the ball met the side of my face, hitting just below my eye. It also caught me off guard and managed to make me lose my balance. My body fell to the floor, and I forced myself into a sitting position. One of my hands cradled my face while the other supported my weight.

"FUCK!" I grunted at myself as I heard footsteps approach me.

I looked up and saw one of my classmates crouching in front of me, his face laced with concern. Dylan. Of course this was Dylan.

"Are you alright? I swear I didn't mean for you to get hit!" His voice was full of worry. And his team mates gathered around us.

"Oh yeah, feel great! Never been better! Why wouldn't I be." I spoke through gritted teeth. Cutting him off before he could respond.

"I just got hit in the face with a fucking basketball, no I'm not okay!" I glared up at him with one eye half shut.

"Right, I'll go get you an ice pack from the nurse—" he got up but before he could take a step I stopped him.

"Don't bother. I'll get it myself." I pushed myself up before he offered to help and pushed passed him and the students that had gathered around.

My bag thumped rhythmically against my back as I made my way towards the nurses office. The bell rang just as I reached the door. I tilted my head back and let out a sigh before walking into the office.

The nurse looked up at me as I entered. A smile plastering it's self onto her face as she spoke.

"What can I do for you sweetie?" Her voice was high pitched. I hated it.

"I need an ice pack, I got hit in the face with a basketball." I stated calmly.

She nodded and she went over to a small fridge in the corner, opening the door and pulling out a blue colored pack. She handed over the pack and I grabbed it by the small white cap. Her hand brushed my own and a strange feeling crept its way up my spine. I looked up and found her staring at me blankly.

"Uh thanks.." I turned and hurried out the door. What a creep.

I made my way to my first period, and braced myself for the stares. The door creaked open and shut loudly behind me.

Sure enough everyone was staring at me. I didn't bother standing any longer than I had to and took my seat in the back of the class. The students stared at me waiting to find out what the teacher would do.

"And where were you exactly Miss Ramirez?"

Instead of giving him a response I lifted the ice pack off my face. Maybe if he was smart enough he'd understand that I was at the nurse.

"Right..." It's a miracle. "and did you manage to pick up a pass on your way back?" He stared at me like he was trying to make me back down.

"Nope." I stared back unwilling to back down for him.

After a few tense seconds he turned away back to the board. He picked up a marker and quickly wrote down my name to the side, the writing barely legible due to my poor eye sight and his sloppy writing.

"Well then I'll see you after school for detention? I'll inform your guardians of your behavior as well." He spoke proudly as if it was some grand deed he had just done to the world.

A few snickers could be heard from the class and the teacher quickly hushed them before continuing on with the lesson. Honestly I don't know why people laugh when it's really not even funny, it's just an hour more than usual no big deal.

I rolled my eyes muttering a few curses at him before pulling my black hoodie over my hair. My hands shoved themselves into my pockets and I leaned my head back, lowering myself slightly so my head wasn't just hanging down.

I was already failing math so why bother paying attention. Plus I could always cheat on the test.

Sleep soon found its way into my head and I dozed off the rest of the period. I could still hear what they were saying but I didn't focus on it. Instead I steered my mind to the barely cool feeling of the ice pack resting on my face.

Makes sense, the ice packs here are no different from a water bottle that's been left in the fridge for 5 minutes. Hardly enough time to absorb the cold temperature, and yet enough to have some sort of effect on the person using it.

Broke ass school.

*     *     *     *     *

My eyes snapped open when I felt something poke my right side. I turn my head to look at my seat mate pulling his pencil back to the page he was working on.

"Class will be over in about 2 minutes. Thought I should let you know before you got in even more trouble with Mr. Dimvit." He whispered, giving me a side glance to see if I was listening.

"Thanks." It was the only word that left my mouth before I sat up and waited for the bell to ring.

He chuckled slightly at my lack of words, but it wasn't in a condescending way. He knew I didn't talk much, just like everyone else. Not unless I wanted too.

Sure enough the next bell rang signaling the end of class and the beginning of 4th period I think. I arrived a bit late due to certain issues and was hoping to be able to walk into class with out this teacher noticing. But sadly that didn't work out. Now did it.

The halls crowded quickly with students trying to rush to their classes on the other side of the school. It was mostly freshman with a few upperclassmen who were probably anxious straight A students. But other than that everything else was the same.

That's how the day went on until lunch at least. Lunch is when I really wish I had just skipped today and gone somewhere else, anywhere else.

*     *     *     *     *

I walked into the cafeteria making my way to one of the semi-empty tables near the back doors. The seat at the end was unoccupied as usual and I took it, putting my bag in the seat next to me so one would sit there.

I shuffle through my bag until I felt the detailed cover of one of my books. The bookmark only just slipping between the first 30 pages. My hand reached out to my phone in my left pants pocket pulling it up just slightly. The black headphones that were connected, hidden under my hoodie so the teachers wouldn't notice. My hood went up and one of my headphones blasted music as soon as my finger hit the triangle.

I turned the pages open about to continue reading when an apple made its way across the table. Stopping just a few inches away from me, and I looked up to see kind eyes staring at me from the front of the table.

"Thank you girls, glad you trouble yourself to make sure I have a magnificent feast!" I say jokingly and loud enough so they can hear me.

Cheerleaders, the sweetest people on campus- well other than the band kids of course. They giggled away at my acknowledgement of them and returned back to their conversation. The chatter was calming and welcoming, unlike the other ear that only heard the beat of the music playing.

I'd gotten only 5 pages in when I heard someone move my bag and sit down next to me. I glanced up and looked into piercing blue eyes. Dylan.

"Hey... I was um... just wondering how your eye was doing?" He spoke nervously like he was scared I would snap at him if he said the wrong thing.

"It's fine." I said hoping he would leave me alone.

Only I didn't hear him get up instead I looked over to him sitting there with his hands between his lap. He wanted to say something, I could tell.

"Spit it out already before you shit yourself dude." I smiled slightly while pulling my hood down, along with my headphone.

Giving him my full attention I waited for him to speak. His jaw clenched before he finally spoke.

"Your girlfriends cheating on you with Raymond!" He blurted out, and looked at me, waiting for my response.

My face didn't change, it still had the same neutral expression I had at the beginning of this conversation. And then suddenly I burst out laughing.

"I know that already you dumb ass!" I said between breathes. "Damn, you made me think something bad was going on, I thought the school got lice again!"

He looked at me like I was insane.

"You knew! A-and your not mad. Why haven't you talked with her, o-or broken up with her." He sounded baffled and I looked away and towards the clock. 6 minutes left.

"Look Dylan, Flora has been my best friend since I first moved to this shit place, long before we started dating. I can tell when she's not telling me the full truth. I've known for about 2 weeks now, it hurt at first, like bad. It still does but I'm not gonna let her hold me back for the rest of my life." I started putting my thing away. "Honestly I'd hoped that she'd eventually tell me the truth, and if not then I'd confront her myself at the end of the day. 2 weeks is all she's gonna get from me, that's it, nothing more." With that the bell rang and I swung my bag onto my shoulder. Walking towards the entrance and throwing away my apple core.

The school usually gives us a 15 minute gap between lunch and our next class. So I made my way over to my locker hoping to grab a few things for my next class. Jokes on me, I wasn't the only one who needed something.

There pressed against the locker was Flora... with Raymond. Sure I'd known about this for awhile now but it still hurt seeing them together. I quickly pushed back the emotions that threatened to bubble up and continued towards them- well not towards them exactly but they were right next to my locker so...yeah.

Without saying a word I opened my locker, the sound of the metal catching the attention of them.

"Zev! I didn't know you came to school today!" She blurted out.

"Yeah well, I did." My voice came out empty like I wasn't the one speaking.

"Look I don't know what you saw but i-"

"Wasn't what it looked like? Great line." I cut her off and noticed a few kids nearby circling us, which caught the attention of more students and so on. I let out a sigh. Gods I'm so tired

"Flora I've known you've been cheating for 2 weeks. I was trying to give to you time to own up but you didn't. But hey guess I can't blame you, you told me you just wanted to test out the waters and I got too attached."

By now I was done grabbing what I needed and was closing up the bag.

"Thats not fair and you know it you can't just use my questioning against me!" She cried out.

Maybe it was unfair, ist not like I didn't question my sexuality too, the only difference is that no one got hurt during my questioning period.

I hummed in some sort of understanding. But it only seemed to anger her.

"Look at me when your talking to me!" The locker slammed shut with a loud bang.

The words seemed so similar to them it was haunting and despite my own body, I backed away quickly and dropped my bag, nearly tripping over my own feet. My hands shook and my breath came out fast.

Flora looked at me, and immediately I could see the regret in her eyes as she looked at my hands and chest.

"Zevina I-" She started and quickly a I steeled myself. Grabbing my bag and gripping the strap with both hands.

"I-um...I think it's best if we avoid each other for the rest of year. It was nice knowing you Flora, thanks for everything!" The crowded parted for me with them giving me sad, pitiful looks. Then they turned back to Flora, and I'm not sure what look she got.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur and even detention seemed to go by fairly fast, until finally school ended. My feet carrying me to my house where I might be able to get some rest. Though I knew that was unlikely.