When Zach visited Mrs. Bello, he concluded that using her class as an extra way to learn credit wasn't something for him. But the option he was left with wasn't going to be easy either. He had thought about it over and over until he concluded that it was better to find someone who could tutor him instead of joining the book club as the principal had graciously proposed. Although, he knew that she was only saying that to help him, but it didn't mean she wouldn't do as he wanted at the end of it all. His father, after all, pumped in money to the school every semester, like he was offering money to charity. Principal Carly Wayne sure knew how to do things in a subtle way, which was why she had asked him to go see Mrs. Bello, even though she knew he might not be able to do what was asked. There had been a certain way he had been avoiding this until now, but he was a senior and was graduating soon, so he needed all the extra grades he could get. Finally, after thinking about it like he
It took everything in her to not punch him in the face. He had just insulted her and he was showing no clue that he knew he had, which indicated her even more. He had asked if she would be interested to tutor her, and she had asked him why she would, but she didn't expect him to insult her like that, telling her to name her price. “Who the hell does he think he was?” she thought as she sat there, looking at him. Soon, a sound of a spoon clattering to the table penetrated her thought and she jumped out of it. She definitely couldn't stay here any longer, listening to him talk like that, it was so annoying. "I knew you were an ass, I just didn't realize it was this bad.” She said, standing up, and then she started to walk out. Before she could completely get out of the space between the table and the chair they were occupying, Hailey's hand shot out suddenly to grab her wrist. "Where are you going?” she asked and Chloe scoffed. Why the heck was she asking her that when she had been r
After the day Chloe went with Hailey and Zach to get ice cream, she had made sure to absolutely avoid Zach but Hailey had not come to school the rest of a couple of days, and neither was she able to see her on the weekend. She was her best friend here, in fact, if she was being sincere, her only friend, without counting the two girls Hailey had introduced her to that day who had acted like she was lice on their hair and avoided eye contact, then avoided her after that. Must be the rumor going around school about her and what she allegedly did to Zach, but that was by the way, it wasn't what she wanted to talk about or think about. So here was a new day in a new week, and she was hoping to see Hailey. She was a bad friend, because she didn't know Hailey’s house, and would have even tried getting her address from someone, but that someone was someone she was avoiding. She had called her though, texted even, but there had been no reply whatsoever. Sighing, she took her book from her
“That was the longest class of my life,” Hailey said as soon as they walked out of class and Chloe lifted one of her brows in question. All periods were the same and there was no class with double periods or anything, so how was the class they had just came out of the longest? She knew something was up with Hailey, and it must have to do with something at home. She was going to wait until she was ready to talk, but she would have to ask her what was wrong. She grabbed her wrist and started to pull her toward the bathroom that was down the hall.“Where are you taking me though?” Hailey asked. “I'm taking you to the bathroom, Hailey. We have to talk.” Chloe said, pulling her into an empty shed. She put a finger to her mouth and shush her, then she locked the door and turned to face her. "What's going on, really?” she asked. Hailey frowned, looking at her with confusion, but she knew that was just a pretense. Chloe could see the thoughts turning around in her brain, thinking of what
At the cafeteria, Zach and his friends walked to Chloe and Hailey's table and sat with them. That was a first. Chloe sure wasn’t expecting that, but she would have to deal with it, only she wasn’t ready for any more drama. She was angry at Zach, and she would have that conversation with him later. Somehow, the principal had called her to her office at the end of the second period to ask her if she would be willing to tutor Zach in exchange for not registering her in the book club program like the geometry teacher wanted. She had been shoved in a corner, because the moment she started to shake her head, Principal Carly Wayne had mentioned how she remembered she needed to see her father because of how she had insulted the math teacher in front of the other students. Chloe knew at that moment that tutoring Zach was a do or let your father in on your disrespectful manner affair, so she had quickly nodded her head and promised to do just that. Who was he and why did he think that using
The only place Zach could think of to take Chloe to was the library, because that place would be silent with no student around there yet. It was, after all, a time to eat and not to read. It wasn’t all students that were eager and enthusiastic to read too. He dragged her until they got to the darkest part of the place and then he pushed her gently so that her back was against the shelf. “What is this about?”Zach looked down at her, putting little to no space between them. He could see that she was not happy at all, whatever was the reason. Perhaps, it was because he called her out here, or because Principal Wayne had gotten to her. After they had spoken about her tutoring him, well he wouldn’t really call that speaking about it, it was more like him putting it out there and waiting for her response, she hadn’t said anything to him, and when his patience ran out, he decided it was best to take Principal Wayne’s offer to ask Chloe herself on his behalf. He had known something was up
Again, Zach stretched his hand to her, and out of habit to be polite she took it this time, regretting it instantly. But it was too late now, he was already grabbing her hand firmly. she gripped his much larger hand just as tightly, and at that moment, it was as if they both needed to prove that they didn't mind being in each other's space like right now. It was almost amusing to her though, even though it was nothing but nonsense, and she wondered what he would do if she hadn't taken his hand in a shake, or if she was to pull hers suddenly away from him. Chloe's hand was still on her, firmly that she couldn't take it off when if she tried, but she could see that he wasn’t really focusing on their shake anymore. It was something else that took over his attention, but she struggled to understand what it was. Everything about him was hassling her, even his eyes mocked her. It was as if he could tell that she had butterflies in her belly right now, even though she was giving off a not
“Oh my God, it’s finally lunchtime. I thought I was going to have to gauge Mr. Romero’s eyes out with the hunger.” Hailey said as she opened the door of the cafeteria and they walked in. “I know right.” Chloe agreed as she followed her in, her stomach rumbling. She was talking to Hailey but her eyes roamed the crowded cafeteria for Zach, hoping he wasn’t there, and wasn’t coming. Well, one prayer was answered because he wasn’t here, but she hoped the other get answered as well. "I didn't have breakfast, had to break out of the house from the chaos my brothers thought was funny to make after I made breakfast.” She said. They walked to the line and thankfully, the queue for food wasn’t that long, so they got their food almost immediately. They started to walk to the empty table at the corner end of the cafeteria when a voice stopped them. “If it isn't the new slut!” someone said and they both turned around to see Dana sitting with some Barbie-looking girls. Chloe frowned in confusion
The air felt so heavy around Zach as he approached Chloe's house, his breath forming clouds in the chilly evening. “Oh shit, I’m nervous.” He whispered. It was as if he was there to ask for Chloe’s hand in marriage rather than just having a causal dinner with her family.He couldn't help but feel a flutter of nervous excitement in his chest at the thought of marrying her though, because he would like that very much.Although, Zach had eaten with Chloe before, but tonight was different; it wasn't just another dinner. It was a gathering, an invitation from Chloe's family so that they could meet him official and probably talk about his relationship with Chloe. As he reached the front door, it swung open right before he could knock on the door, revealing Hailey, Chloe's best friend and his own friend as well, and he wondered how she knew he was at the door. Well, she had probably heard the sound of his car. That was the most likely explanation for how she knew to open the door before he
All Zach wanted was to never have to talk with his father again, but he wondered what this was about now. He stood up and followed him, but his mind was back there on the bed with Chloe. "What's this about, father?" he asked, but his father said nothing. Sighing, he shook his head and followed him in silently, not saying anything after that. When they got to his office, Zach silently closed the door before turning back to face his father, watching as he walked to the window to stand over it. Be would have preferred to open the door of the room and just let them talk so that it would be easier fir him to escape, but he also didn't want it to seem like he had anything to run for. His father took his sweet time before he spoke though, clearing his throat even, so that his voice would come out in his desired way. "I'm going on a business trip," his father started. "And what the heck does that have to do with me?" Zach wanted to ask, but instead, he stood there quietly without
They were still on his bed, but they had stopped kissing, and Chloe was now sitting in front of Zach instead of his lap, their head pushed together as they spoke in a hushed tone even though the room was empty. “Wait a minute, Zach. I have a question for you.” Chloe said and she pulled back a little, and Zach's hands around her loosen. He looked at her with his eyes squinted, wanting to know what was going on. “What is the question about though?” e asked. “Can you tell me what happened with your mom? I know she died, and because of that, you hate your father and his wife so badly. If it's not too much, can you tell me what happened there?” she asked. Zach stared at Chloe for a full minute, contemplating on what to say and what not to say. He knew Chloe meant no harm and she was just trying to get to know him even better than she did before. He decided it was best to tell her about it so that she would understand him even more. She would see that he hadn't just woke up one day and
A week later, Zach called Chloe and invited her over to his house and Chloe wondered why he was asking her over. She had been cooking for her siblings when she received his call that afternoon, so she had to finish up before leaving. As she walked to the bus stop to get on the bus, her phone rang again, and she picked it up to see that it was her mother. After the day her father had caught her over at the Elliot's house, he had realized that they needed to spend more time as a family, and he had had that conversation with her one night after she managed to come home from work. It turned out that the only reason she kept taking shifts over and over was because of a promotion that she was eyeing, but she could have just explained that. After that, her mother had spoken to her and told her she just needed two days, because the period for working for the promotion was over then, and ever since, she had been cutting back on work and showing up at home most nights. It wasn't entirely the
“Hey, you!“ that was the first thing Hailey said to her when she opened the door of her house that afternoon, a mischievous smile on her face. Chloe shook her head at her as she followed her into the house and then up the stairs to her room. “You’re definitely so up for hearing what I have for you, aren't you?” “What? Did you finally grow some balls to kiss that boy?” she asked and she turned to look at her over her shoulder, right before she opened up the door of her room. Rolling her eyes, Chloe chuckled. “No, but I have more juicer news. You won't believe what happened at all.” She said. Hailey plop down on her bed and then she turned to face her, all fully ready to hear the gist she had for her. “Out with it, now.” She said, hitting her on the arm playfully. “Ow, Hailey. What do you think you're doing? You’re not going to let me get to it if you continue doing that.” She said, then just to tease her, she asked. “Wait, are we alone at home or something?” she was just trying to
The argument with her father wasn't as she had expected, but it was long, and by the time he was able to convince him that Zach wasn't her boyfriend, she went out of the house to go to Hailey, also surprised that he let her, even after knowing she had lied about sleeping over there before. She had told him she was going to have a sleepover at Hailey's and that he could follow her there if he didn't believe her, or call his informant, Mr. Elliot-Day if he didn't believe her, and surprisingly, he had just rolled his eyes at her and nodded his eyes. She still wonder what Mr. Elliot-Day had told her father, but it was all good, because as long as she wasn't grounded or anything, then it was probably not something she should be worried about. One thing she was grateful for was the fact that her mother wasn't there at the time. It was still two o'clock in the afternoon, and she shouldn't be going to a sleepover this early, but it was Hailey’s house, so she needed to do just that, or that
Chloe used her hands to cover up her face, embarrassed at the things Zach said she did, the ones she couldn't still remember properly. She knew she hadn't taken in the intake of the alcohol properly, so they were a fat chance he wasn't lying or pulling her legs. “You were so bad last night, trying to send me to an early grave. I wonder why you were so bent on seducing me last night, though, but I guess it was the alcohol.” He said. He had started to drive and was somehow stuck in a little bit of traffic, but still, he wasn't looking at her at all. He was so focused on the road ahead of him one would think he had his eyes glued there. He definitely was avoiding her gaze. She turned up the corner of her mouth in a surprised smile, squinting her eyes as she looked at him. Was it possible that she had succeeded in turning him on or something? She wondered for a second, then she leaned over the console that was between them and asked him, whispering into his ear. “Wait, did I succeed in
Can you please take me home, Zach?” she asked him after they had talked about their families, looking at him with a small smile on her face. Zach nodded his head in agreement. “Of course, little bird. Just give me a second to get something better on.” He said as he gave her a small smile. He pushed Chloe off him as gently as possible, and then he walked to his closet, winking at Chloe over his shoulder as he realized she was watching him go. Luckily, she didn't flush when he looked at him until he turned back and walked into the closet. She reddened when he was gone, blowing out a breath. Zach was just really handsome and being in close proximity with him like this was really making butterflies fluttering in her belly. About a few minutes later, he walked out and told her it was time to leave. As she stood up to follow him, she caught her leg and twisted her ankle, going down in a fall. Before she could get to the ground, Zach caught her, but she was still flailing around, and t
When he woke up and saw a call from Mr. Elliot-Day to have breakfast in his house with his family this morning, he had been so happy, because it was a sign that the man might go ahead with the deal, so without thinking about anything else, he had made breakfast for made breakfast for his sons as his daughter had spent the night over at her friend's place, and had his bath, before heading over to this place. The last thing he now expected was for his daughter to be here, walking into their dining room with confidence as if she belonged there. When he had arrived at this house, the one he happened to pass by two times every day to and from work without ever entering, he had been in awe of how beautiful the place was. And he was glad he had been invited. One could tell that the owners of the house were wealthy because everything in the house spoke of it even. He had expected the expanse of this all because he could see the outside shone and stood out. As he got to the house, a woman,