Cheer tryouts were next Monday, giving all the recruits time to learn the routine Bucky had created for auditions. Her parents were back to work so mornings were once again met without company. The brightly colored home seemed dark.

Josephine did her routine, reading the note her parents left about studying, practice, and eating the meals provided. No meat or dairy, can't be bloated for cheer tryouts. She sat at the breakfast table alone for the third time since her brother had left for college, something she didn't think she'd miss.

The zombies were still in the basement and thankfully she had been spared from anymore trauma from awkward conversations with a zombie to her dad running over to her after responding to the call at the school on the first day. There seemed to be a rumor around town that she had beaten a zombie after being seen intently walking around with the Z-Pole.

Josephine sat with Addison and her friend Bree at lunch just like they had been doing all those years before. All three girls wanted to try for the cheer team and Josephine kept her mouth shut when Bree said she wanted to be a flyer.

"So, Josephine-"

"You can call me Jett, Bree." Josephine smiled through a bite of quinoa. "Friends call me that."

Bree seemed to shine at the comment of friends. The new girl really was easy to please and quite... pleasant, even through the times when she went on her rants. The girl was so unequivocally herself that the pink on Josephine's shirt felt green. Maybe she needed to lay off the edamame, she mused eyeing the dish in front of her.

"Wow, I'm just so thankful to have you both as friends."

Smile, chuckle and agree pleasantly no matter how much the kindness makes you want to puke your guts out, rip out their throats, and feed them to the zombies. Just normal 15 year old girl thoughts, right?

Cheer, cheer, cheer. That was everything they spoke about until Friday when Addison decided to tip toe on change.

The blonde had something on her mind growing for the past few days where she would open her mouth to talk about it but then think twice before shutting her mouth and shaking her head. It was starting to bother Josephine, but she knew better than to be aggressive. Addison wasn't one to stay silent for too long.

"So, erm, zombies…"

Both Bree and Josephine paused their meal consumption to look over at Addison in confusion. Josephine was the first to swallow her bite down and ask for some elaboration, not expecting that to be what had been bothering her for the past few days. A Seabrook citizen couldn't just say the word zombies without some social backlash.

"Well, it's like... when I was in the zombie safety room and Zed was there, I didn't feel like he was going to hurt me. He seemed and looked... nice."

This time Josephine choked on her food, Bree slapping her friend on the back in an attempt to help the girl out. Eventually the edamame slipped free and Jospehine was able to politely cough herself back to normal. "Nice? Nice?!"

The brunette leaned in over the table with narrowed eyes over at Addison similarly to how her own father would do to her on serious matters. "Zombies aren't nice, Addison. They're vicious, ugly monsters who want to eat us!"

"Even if I did want
human brains,
yours would be
the last one I'd pick."

"I-I don't know, Addison. He was so kind and his face wasn't horrible at all-"

"What about when you're on the ground and his mouth is tearing into your flesh, using your bones as a chew toy later? When he's got your organs stuffed like preservatives to spread on toes and your hair like floss?" Addison looked down at the hateful hiss and felt herself deflate, Bree looked wide-eyed at the brunette - not expecting such a vile image from the usually polite and delicate teen. "Zombies are bad news. As the daughter of my dad's boss, I thought you'd understand that better."

"I-I-"

Josephine was going to burst if she didn't get out of there. She was so unnecessarily angry at Addison already for her perfect... Everything and because she was trying to stick up for the zombies it made Josephine want to punch something.

So Bree and Addison watched with wide eyes as the brunette picked up her things and stalked out of the lunchroom. "Was Josep- Jett always this angry?"

Addison stared at the retreating back in confusion with her eyebrows furrowed and worry in her chest. Did she truly know Josephine as well as she thought she did?

"I-I don't know."

Her locker was annoyingly on the second floor like most freshmen and at the end of the hall, nowhere near any of her classes. With everyone at lunch, Josephine was able to let her face fall from her usually pleasant face and relaxed her shoulders. Ever since she was a toddler, she had suffered from a depressing case of bitch face and she had vivid memories of her mom behind her in the mirror teaching her how to smile.

A deep breath in and out. Josephine was fine, her life was perfect so why should she worry? With hesitation, Josephine looked around the hallway to find it was clear before grabbing the familiar leather of a football in her hands.

It was the ball her brother had kicked that got him into college. He had immediately given it to her after the game for good luck - though he insisted she wouldn't need it - with a signature of Jett, be brave! She really missed her brother.

Josephine returned the ball back to the shelf with a sigh. She should probably go back to the lunch room and apologize, she mused as she grabbed her next period items. Addison didn't deserve that treatment, she was only trying to make conversation and Josephine acted like a... monster.

Speaking of monster... Josephine had closed the locker door to leave, but was shocked to find Zed standing against her neighboring locker looking at the ceiling as if he was there all along. He was once again in her BED zone and she was without a Z-Pole. The brunette's eyes darted past Zed at the zombie alarm down the hallway and frowned.

It was a little far, but it was her best bet at making it out of this school... or at least preventing anyone else from having to encounter the zombie. Josephine was fast and light on her feet, she could probably maybe get there in time... yes, she could do it.

Get to the alarm, pull it, get out of there.

Zed stepped in front of Josephine to stop her, but the human stiff-armed him in the chest, pushing the zombie out of the way to get to the alarm. Zed was shocked at the maneuver but shook it off as he easily caught up to the girl and grabbed her by the wrist to stop her from getting any closer.

"W-wait a second, I haven't even said anything!"

Cold skin touching her skin, calloused and firm without any weight behind it. He was strong yet once again showing gentleness by not using his full strength. Still, Josephine felt fear when she couldn't break out of the hold.

"L-let me go!"

The zombie didn't like the fear on Josephine's face, but he didn't want to let her go until he was sure that she wouldn't make a dash to the alarm the moment he didn't have her anymore.

"I'll let you go, just please hear me out." Zed pleaded, trying to summon all the puppy-dog eyes he could from his many years of playing dog for Zoey. Josephine started to feel uncomfortable as the zombie's facial expressions became more... human. "Please?"

Near perfect grades, Josephine mocked her dad's voice when she came home with her final report card sporting A's and a B. There wasn't much praise for someone who wasn't perfect in everything she did. So maybe she made near perfect decisions too.

His gaze was pleading and cedar-sighted, eyes like the earth's soil, a malt-musing mountain gaze as if he came directly from the ground. She felt rooted by him and found herself shakily agreeing to his terms. "O-okay."

Zed nodded back slowly, letting go of the human slowly and when she didn't move, he took a step back. Josephine let out the breath she was holding and deflated an inch. She felt contradictory emotions of danger and safety at the same time and it made her stomach more queasy than the beef-bean burrito her brother made for dinner two years ago.

"Good, good. Progress." Zed said semi-confidently with a smile growing on his face despite the fear that still lurked in the girl's eyes. He could work with this as long as she was actually facing him, talking to him, and not running from him. "So, uh, how's your day going?'

"My day?" Josephine blinked at the zombie then looked over her shoulder to see if there were any hidden cameras filming her reaction. This had to be a joke. "You're asking about my day?"

"Well, yeah, I don't know. Usually when zombies talk we ask how they're doing, y'know?" Zed supplied helpfully. He was pretty sure this was a norm amongst the humans as well, so he was a little confused why she was confused. "Is that not something humans do?"

"Humans ask other humans about their days. Not zombies asking humans." Josephine tried to reason, but felt like she was slowly going insane. She still wasn't sure how she wasn't dead yet and how Zed seemed to radiate optimism. The zombie continued to look at her expectantly and Josephine cleared her throat. Maybe if she just played along, he'd let her go eventually. "U-uh, it's good. I guess. Y-yours?"

Zed went up on his toes a few times in excitement. A real conversation with a real human who wasn't actively - keyword, actively - trying to kill him. Baby steps were important to becoming proper members of society and Zed would take what he could get.

"It's been great! I woke up today and my dad made my favorite breakfast, fried cauliflower brains with peanut butter and bones, absolutely delicious!" Zed responded happily with a smile on his face, ignoring the wide eyes of Josephine. "Came to school, learned some Chemistry - I think anyway. We're in the basement and our teacher is the janitor, so we really just talked about cleaning supplies... but that's something, right?"

Puppy.

This teen had an energy that reminded her of her neighbor's golden retriever puppy from next door. Sure he wore green but his personality was yellow.

"Cauliflower... brains?" Josephine questioned in morbid curiosity. "Why not real brains?"

"Well, that's a little illegal, Josephine." Zed informed her with full humor. He tilted his head, raised his eyebrows, and pointed at the girl cockily. "Unless you're offering?"

"...I thought you said you didn't want my brain?"

"No, no, no. I believe I said it would be the last one I'd choose, but y'know... begging-zombies can't be choosers."

A smile threatened its way onto Josephine's face at the tease, but she managed to push it down. She didn't like how easily the monster was breaking down her guard. Perhaps they had evolved a predatory instinct that manipulates their prey? "O-okay, and basement? Why aren't you there right now?"

Zed pretended to look around as if the answer was top secret and when he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he waved Josephine closer who shook her head in rebellion. With a roll of his eyes, the zombie advanced forward and cupped his hands to the human's ears.

"I'm trying out for the football team."

Blink, blink, blush.

Nevermind what that zombie thought he would ever make it on the football team. Forget that she was within the dangers of BED. And toss away the fact she was having a normal conversation with a monster... Why was she blushing over a zombie?!

Zed took a step back, closer than before, but far enough away to keep Josephine comfortable. "What do you think?"

"About football?"

"About me playing football!" Zed rolled his eyes playfully. He brushed off his shirt, patted his thighs and then held his arms out as if he was presenting a prize with a dazzling grin. "Honest opinion, come on!"

Honesty?

Josephine wasn't supposed to be honest if the truth hurt. Instead, she was to find a diplomatic way to respond or just tell them what they wanted to hear so that people still liked her after. Carefully crafted sentences with a satisfying sentence structure, well-placed emotional response, and the right hand gestures was what she lived off of.

But did that matter if the receiver was a zombie...

She couldn't risk his rage. He may be good at keeping it hidden, but Josephine also knew what could hide behind smiles and pleasantries. She swallowed the nerves and tried to appear genuine.

"I think you'll d-do fine."

Zed raised his eyebrows and looked at her almost like a dad scolding their kid. His hands went onto his hips and his head tilted much like her own dad had done before.

"That was a crappy lie."