distant

5

I was walking to my car after school when I got a text notification.

It was from Zac.

Meet me at my house, Bloom

I didn't bother texting him back. I'd be at his house in the next ten minutes anyways.

I spotted Evan with his friends, standing by his car so I went over. "Hey."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss me. "Hi. What's up?"

I looked behind him—Jack and Lucas were watching us intently with grins on their faces. I lowered my voice to have them from overhearing—knowing very well they would make a scene out of anything.

"I have to go—tutor. I just wanted to let you know."

Evan's grin diminished. His lips fell into a straight line. "Where?"

"His place." I mumbled, shifting on my feet. I knew it was weird—me going to another guy's house. If I were in Evan's shoes, I would probably feel annoyed too.

Evan had never been the jealous type—honestly, he probably had too much ego and confidence to become jealous.

However, when it came to Zac—I had never seen something get under Evan's skin more.

Evan ran a hand down his face, sighing. "Why can't you study at the library?"

I shrugged, looking at him with soft eyes. "I don't know. He just told me to meet him at his house."

Evan's jaw clenched. I could tell he wanted to say more but refrained from escalating this into a bigger issue. "Fine—just text me when you leave his house."

I went on my tippy-toes, kissing him softly.

I ignored Lucas's holler as I headed to my car.

I got the Zac's house shortly. ringing the doorbell and waiting.

When the door opened, it was another boy—not Zac. I recognized him but didn't know who he was.

"Hi?"

"You must be Bl—Jasmine! Come on in."

I awkwardly stepped into the house, not sure why one of Zac's friends was here. If he had plans, he wouldn't have texted me to come over.

"Um—where is Zac?"

"I'm Shane—this is John Jones." The boy who opened the door nodded towards his other friend who sat in the living room, playing video games.

John glanced at me, shooting me a quick smile. "Hi there."

"Nice to meet you—Shane and John Jones." I shifted on my feet, feeling incredibly awkward.

I recognized them because they were both also on the soccer team with Evan and Zac. I had seen them with Zac at school before.

"Is—is Zac here?"

Shane slowly sat down on one of the couches. "He—he had some errands to run." He avoided my gaze.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. What errands would Zac have? "Oh. I can come back later. I don't want to intrude."

"No need." Shane patted the couch. "He'll be home soon. You might as well wait here."

I tugged on my fingers unsurely. This all felt very odd to me. I felt out of place—standing in Zac's living room with his friends who I had just met for the first time.

"Are you sure?" I murmured quietly.

Shane chuckled softly. "Of course, silly. We won't bite. Not like Lucas and them."

"What do you mean?" I asked slowly as I sat down on an empty recliner. My eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

John sighed as he turned the game off and came to join us, sitting on the other recliner. "Shut up, Shane." He shot his friend a pointed look.

"No." I spoke quickly, shaking my head. "Please tell me what you mean—about Lucas."

Shane shrugged nonchalantly, not seeming phased. "Lucas and Jack—come on, they're assholes. I've heard them hollering and making stupid comments at you."

I blinked, taken aback.

I always thought that was just how Lucas and Jack were. It was annoying but I dealt with them—for Evan. He's my boyfriend who happens to be best friends with pricks but Evan—he wasn't a prick.

I hadn't realize other people noticed Lucas's asshole tendencies—the things he said to irk me.

I shrugged, looking down at my hands in my lap. "It's fine. I just ignore them—I don't bother listening to whatever they're saying."

John looked at me sheepishly. "You shouldn't have to deal with them, period."

When I glanced at him, he smiled sadly. "I just deal with them when they're around Evan. I don't care about anything they have to say."

John nodded but looked like he wanted to say more. He didn't.

"Doesn't matter." Shane exhaled, scrolling through his phone as he spoke to me. "They're little asshats who don't know when to shut up. I don't know how you tolerate them."

I've never disliked anyone as much as I dislike Lucas and Jack. They were always teasing me—making stupid jokes. I'd silently take it and not say anything because I didn't want to be the girlfriend who caused problems between her boyfriend and his friends.

"So—what are you guys doing here?" I changed the subject nonchalantly. "Zac isn't home and I have to tutor him anyways."

"We're always here." John told me, leaning back on the couch. "House is usually empty so we all chill here."

I nodded. "What about his parents?"

Shane and John shared a look, speaking with their eyes. Of course I didn't know what it meant.

"That's—probably information Zac should tell you." John spoke softly but avoided my gaze.

I nodded sheepishly but dropped it. It wasn't a topic they felt comfortable talking about and they were right—it was Zac's story to tell.

Just then, the front door opened and Zac walked into the living room.

He paused when his eyes landed on me. "You're here."

I slowly nodded as I stood up. My eyebrows pulled together when I took in his appearance. His hand was bandaged, lip cut, and a bruise was forming around his right eye.

"What the—hell happened?" I exhaled sharply as I walked over to him, carefully taking his bandaged hand in my hand.

Zac looked behind me at his friends.

Suspicious and confused, I turned to look them as well. John avoided my gaze while Shane smiled sheepishly.

Shane and John knew exactly what was going on. They weren't going to tell me, I knew that confidently.

"I'm fine." Zac pulled his hand away from me and stepped back.

That—that kind of hurt. Oddly enough.

I blinked. I looked between the boys, concern obvious on my face. I knew none of them would tell me what was going on or who Zac had gotten into a fight with. I was standing here foolishly, looking like an idiot.

Zac was being distant again and I didn't even know why.

I just wanted to know if he had gotten hurt. If I could do anything to help—but he wasn't even looking at me.

"We'll be upstairs—studying." Zac muttered lowly to the boys before he turned and headed up the stairs, not waiting for me.

When Zac was out of sight, I turned to look at Shane and John. I crossed my arms over my chest. "Why is nobody—filling me in? What is going on?"

John gave me an apologetic smile. "You should really ask Zac. It's not our spot to say. I'm sorry."

Shane remained quiet, not wanting to speak and accidentally give something away.

I sighed, nodding faintly. I headed up to Zac's room. When I walked in, he was sitting on the end of the bed with his head in his hands.

I hesitated. "I can—come back another time. We don't have to study right now, Zac."

I stood there uncomfortably, fiddling with my fingers. I could tell Zac wanted space right now. He couldn't even look at me.

My fear of how he would react was swallowing me whole. I didn't want to say the wrong thing.

These were the moment when I would wish I was more like Bea—not being afraid to say or ask what I wanted to. If I was anything like her, I would have walked up and smacked his head, freely sharing that I thought he was idiot for getting into a fight.

Zac lifted his head and looked at me, shaking his head. "It's fine. Let's just—get this over with."

I stayed silent as I pulled out my books and got ready to tutor him. That is what I was here for, after all.

Half an hour in, I sighed and leaned back against the headboard.

Zac pursed his lips, turning to look at me expressionlessly. "What is it? Don't tell me I'm so hopeless with chemistry, you're giving up on me already."

I cracked a small smile." You are not hopeless, Zac."

He kept his face straight. "Then—what?"

I sighed, looking down at my hands. I didn't know how to say what was on my mind because I didn't know how he would react.

In the short time I had known him, he was never inclined to get personal or in depth about anything. We hadn't had many real conversations—aside from when he was drunk. I just didn't want to overstep and have him get mad at me.

It had only been half an hour but it was impossible to tutor Zac today. His mind was somewhere else completely. He was hardly listening to me when I was explaining things. He was lost in his own thoughts. I kept glancing at him—just to see if he was paying attention but he wasn't. When I'd ask, he'd give me an excuse about how chemistry is boring—but I knew that wasn't why he was distracted.

I straightened my posture. "Do you—maybe want to talk—about, uh—whatever happened?"

I was staring at my hands because I was too afraid to look at him.

God, I hated how worried I was about how he would react—to anything. So worried I couldn't look him in the eye.

I'm pathetic.

"No." He was blunt.

I glanced at him. "Are you sure?" It was a risk to push him but I couldn't help being concerned.

I don't know why I care to begin with.

This is Zac Miller we're talking about. This is who he is—cold and mean, getting into fights, dismissing other people, not giving a crap about anyone.

I was seeing him exactly the way I always knew he was.

Zac exhaled through his nose. I could tell he was trying to remain calm. "Yes, Jasmine. I'm fine. Can we continue now because I don't want to get kicked off the team for failing a fucking chemistry test."

Jasmine.

He only called me that when he was annoyed or mad at me.

My heart faltered. He just—spoke so aggressively. It took me by surprise.

Or maybe it didn't. I could have expected it—the aggression, the mood swings, him being a prick.

It was what I always expected him to be like. I was—frankly, an idiot for thinking that one or two decent conversations made us friends.

I ignored the pang in my chest from his coldness towards me and instead, started explaining the lessons to him.