(ZIG'S P.O.V.)
"How cool was Mrs. Grell today, man." Dunker said, walking out of the Rubber Room with Tiny and I.
"She let us have the entire period to do anything we wanted," Tiny added on.
"Probably because of everything going on," I added. "Everyone was silent...how is that cool."
"Well it's better than what we have been doing," Dunker replied. "People still stare at me in the halls like I'm some victim." Dunker shook his head, thinking about what happened just a week ago.
"Uh oh," Tiny whispered. "Ex girlfriend alert."
I looked to my left to see Zoe walking towards me. I sighed. The last thing I needed on my mind was her.
"Good luck, man." Dunker patted my shoulder, walking away with Tiny. I kept walking, just for Zoe to follow me.
"Zig," I heard her say, and then she grabbed my arm. "Zig, can we talk?"
"About what, Zoe?" I sighed, opening my locker.
"Do you think we can meet at the Dot, or something?" She asked. "Not as a date or anything..." She paused. "I just want to talk to you."
I sighed again, stuffing my books in my locker. I didn't know what to say, to be honest. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to her. I had so many other things to worry about.
"Zoe...I don't know. Maya's on crutches and I should probably get her home."
"Can't Grace or Tristan take her home?" She pleaded. "I'm sorry Zig, I just want to talk, considering we haven't since that day at the hospital."
I looked at her, thinking. Maybe if I just talked to her, she would leave both Maya and I alone. After watching all of those shows with Maya while she is glued to the couch because of her leg - Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars - I learned that girls always need closure, and they won't stop until they get it.
"Fine," I replied, and she smiled. "Just to talk."
"So," Zoe began, sipping out of her coffee.
"So," I boringly replied.
"Zig," She began, taking my hands. I took them away from her though. "I just want you to know how sorry I am. I've been -"
"Why did you do it?" I mumbled.
"Huh?"
"Why did you do it?" I said again, louder. "Was I not good enough for you?"
She sighed, looking at me.
"I don't know why I did it. Everyone was just so happy about winning the game that night, and things just happened and... I wasn't thinking."
"Clearly you were," I snapped back. "You had to be thinking about me. Were you even thinking of me, Zoe? Because I sure as hell was probably thinking of you that night."
"I'm so sorry," Tears were in her eyes now. "You have every right to be angry with me. You were good - you were a great boyfriend. I was a terrible girlfriend."
I chuckled. Yeah, terrible girlfriend alright.
"You know," I sat up. "I don't know what if I'm more mad at you - or myself."
She looked at me, confused.
"I believed you when you told me that Maya was lying. I watched myself make Maya cry, I defended you." I shook my head. "I called her a bitch. And you," I chuckled. "You put her through so much shit. I let that all happen. So I guess I'm really the one to blame, right?"
"Zig this isn't your fault. I'm the one who had sex with someone else," Zoe cried. "I just - I don't want to loose you completely. Although it doesn't seem like it, you meant a lot to me."
"You looked me in the eye - and lied to me." I stood up, throwing my napkin on the table. "You lost me, completely."
"You know," I began, softly. "I made sure to be so gentle with you, knowing with your assault, you might not be ready." She began speaking, but I cut her off. "Don't try telling me I'm calling you a victim, I'm not calling you a victim, Zoe. I respected you, I made sure you were always comfortable, and you go off and give yourself to some random jackass jock?" I stared at her for a second. I regretted bringing up the whole 'assault' thing, although I was hurt, I shouldn't have brought it up. But I needed to get that out.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. I thought about saying "it's okay," or something like that, but instead, I looked at her and nodded. She took my hand, and instead of yanking it away, I let her hold it for a second, until I separated it from her.
"Goodbye, Zoe." I whispered.
And with that, I was out of the doors.
(MAYA'S P.O.V.)
Since Tristan was going to Miles after school, and trust me, I didn't want to sit there watching them cuddle, I had to get a ride from Owen. I didn't mind, talking to Owen was always nice.
He took me to Little Missteaks, the best food place probably ever. It brought back so many memories, with Zig and Tori, with Tristan and karaoke night.
"So how's the leg been holdin' up?" Owen asked, setting my crutches under the table.
"It hurts," I shrugged. "But I've been sucking it up."
"That's what I like to hear, Matlin." He nodded.
"So Owen," I propped my elbows on the table. "How about you? Are you ever going to tell me why you left school?"
He sat there, and then chuckled. "I told you, I had a lot to deal with at home."
"No you didn't," I shook my head. "If anything was happening at home, Tristan would have told me. And from the looks of it, everything is fine here," I paused. "Except the fact that I got shot in the leg...but before that everything was fine, so don't lie to me."
He was silent.
"What happened, Owen?" I asked.
"It's a long story," he sighed.
"Well I have time, considering I can't just walk out." I giggled.
"I got myself tied up with the wrong group," he began. "I was stressing about school, and my buddy introduced me to these guys who did all certain kinds of..."
"Drugs?" I gasped, and he nodded.
"I did it once, and then figured I shouldn't. So I didn't, but I guess I agreed to give those guys the answers to their upcoming exam. I was probably too high off my ass." he sighed. "And so I did. They seemed like pretty tough guys, and I was worried that if I didn't go through with it, they would get really mad."
"And..."
"And then I got caught."
"Owen..."
"Yeah."
"Owen no," I covered my mouth. "Did you get kicked out?"
"Not yet," Owen replied. "I haven't attended any of my classes in two weeks, I'm too worried to go back."
"Owen not going to your classes are probably making it ten times worse," I was so shocked.
"I told my other professors I had a family problem at home. Luckily, they heard about the school shooting, and figured that's what it was about."
"Is the professor of the class you cheated in...going to report you?" I asked. He shrugged.
"I have no idea," he shook his head. "He seemed pretty pissed. I was one of his best students."
I couldn't imagine Owen ever cheating. I mean, he was a dumbass most of the time. He was a dumbass last year, he was what you can call a "stuck up jock", but when it came to grades, he was always an A+ kind of guy, except in Algebra.
"Owen you have to go back," I urged, but I made sure to be gentle with my words. "Maybe if you just talked to him..."
"And told him what? That I was just a little 'stressed out', did some drugs, and gave these guys the answers to an exam?" He sighed again, he was worried. I can tell his hands were sweating. I didn't know what to say. Exams in college were important, and from what I hear from Katie, they can care less about the student themselves. All they care about is getting their jobs done. At least that's how most of them are in her college.
"Well I know for sure, that avoiding the problem won't get you anywhere," I said, grabbing his hand. "Who knows, maybe you will just get kicked out of the class."
"Yeah, one of the most important classes I need for this semester," he frowned. I squeezed his hand. It was hard seeing him so worried. He was practically my brother. A cool, big brother.
"Go back, Owen." I softly said. "You need to. The Owen I know isn't a quitter. If you get kicked out of the class...well you get kicked out. But college was always your dream, and maybe you can save yourself if you just go back."
He looked at me. I was surprised he was really listening. He was a 19 year old man now, listening to a 16 year old telling him that he needs to go back to school. I knew he was embarrassed, and I felt bad for him.
"I know, I will." he nodded. "After we get food in our systems, I'm starving." He laughed, opening his menu. I giggled back. So he was finally going back. I was satisfied, I got to him.
"Thanks for always looking out for me, Owen." I said. "You're the best fake big brother I could ask for."
He smiled, nodding his head.
"I know."
(ZIG'S P.O.V.)
After the Dot with Zoe, I went straight back to the Matlins. Ms. Matlin was home, which I didn't mind, obviously. She was in the kitchen making dinner when I got home.
"You know," she giggled. "Having Maya on crutches is double the amount of stress in this house hold." She pointed to her crutches.
"You need help, Ms. Matlin?" I chuckled, walking over to her.
"Okay, quit calling me Ms. Matlin. You've been living here for three months now." She chuckled, stirring the noodles in the pot. "And yes, help would be nice. You can start with those onions over there," she smirked at me, knowingly. She knew how bad I was with onions.
"Very funny," I smiled back.
"No, I don't need help, Zig." She playfully smacked my arm. I thought about going upstairs, but I sat at the counter, instead. Of my three months living here, I've obviously spoken to Ms. Matlin, had conversations with her about school, the usual. But that was usually it. We would also talk when we ate meals, usually when Maya was around.
"Can I ask you something?" I sat at the counter, and she turned around to face me, whipping her hands on her apron.
"Sure, shoot."
"I don't mean to pry in your business or anything, but...your ex husband like...cheated on you, right?"
She nodded.
"Don't worry, hun. You can ask me these questions. He did."
"How did you feel afterwards?"
She was silent at first. She was thinking.
"I felt betrayed, more for my daughters. I was astonished he could do that to me...but to his daughters? That made me feel worse." She paused. "Zoe, right?"
I nodded.
"Maya tells me everything," she said. "It's okay to feel sad, angry, hurt." She advised. "I'm surprised though - Zoe seemed like a sweet girl."
"Yeah," I slowly nodded. "I know."
"You'll meet someone amazing Zig, I know you will." She pointed her spoon at me. "You have a big heart. I wish Maya would date someone like you."
She then smirked at me. I knowingly smiled back.
"Just remember," she turned around. "Momma knows everything," she sang. I silently laughed, grabbing my jacket and heading upstairs.
It was around 9PM, I was listening to music when I heard someone coming up the stairs. I knew it was Maya, I could hear her swearing under her breath. I opened my door, and saw her struggling up the stairs.
"Aw," I giggled. "Does someone need help?"
She looked up at me, giving me a dirty look, but smirking. I went over to her, and decided to swoop her up into my arms. She held her crutches in one hand, her other arm wrapped around my neck. She was hesitant at first, shocked as to what I was doing. I carried her into her room, setting her on her bed.
"You didn't have to do that, Zig." She giggled.
"I know," I said. "But it's okay, you're not too heavy." I joked, and she smacked my leg, and it actually kind of hurt that time.
"Okay," I laughed. "Not everyone in this household needs a bad leg." I sat at the end of her bed, as I watched her get situated. I don't know if it was the lighting, or the way she was laying, but she looked beautiful. It was something about her - the way her long, curly hair rested on her shoulders, ending right above her chest. Or the way the light showed all of her best features of her face, or the mascara she was wearing, but she looked beautiful.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, and I came back to focus. I had been staring at her.
"You look rather extraordinary tonight, Maya Matlin." I giggled, trying to keep cool.
"Yeah," she chuckled. "Sure I do."
I waited a few seconds before opening my mouth again.
"No, Maya. You do look nice." I smiled, and it was silent, but she slowly smiled back.
"Thanks," she blushed. I thought about saying something else, but I couldn't find words.
"I should probably," I pointed to the door, getting up. "You should rest."
"Zig," she stopped me. "Wait."
"What is it?" I said, turning around.
"Stay in here tonight,"
TO BE CONTINUED...
No seriously, it's to be continued. Right from there. I know, I'm mean. But hey, it's whatever, right?
xoxo :)