Josephine and Zed sat underneath the bleachers of the school even though the sky burned with streaks of fire as the sun kissed the earth goodnight. For Josephine, she had no one waiting for her and for Zed, the curfew was still a couple of hours away.

"So, your... friend-"

"Eliza."

"Eliza." Josephine corrected herself, rolling her eyes and fixing her crossed-legs to get more comfortable. "Hacked your Z-Bands and gave you super zombie strength... which you don't normally have?"

"Yep."

"...so then how come your fast and strong with the band working?"

Zed leant back on his hands with his legs stretched out and shrugged, trying to not let the compliment boost his ego too much. "I'm not."

"Bullshit." Josephine snapped out before widening her eyes and covering her mouth at the curse. "I'm so sorry!"

"You really think I care what you say?" Zed's eyebrow lifted up and his eyes rolled at the still horrified look on the human's face. "You've said some pretty anti-zombie and I'm still here."

"Why?"

"Because, I told you. I want to be friends. Every day is more progress so that I can show you and everyone else that humans and zombies aren't as different as we think." He was serious and passionate with his words which made Josephine uncomfortable because she still wasn't not anti-zombie. "Mark my words, Jett. You'll come to love the green eventually."

He said it so confidently that Josephine almost believed the zombie but all she could think of was the horrific face of the monster in the gym. She nodded slowly in response to Zed's passionate declaration.

"I-okay."

The rest of their conversation was light and mostly consisted of Josephine listening to Zed's stories of football, the other side of the fence, and human/zombie life. He seemed to tiptoe around his relationship with Addison, but all he did was confirm that there was something.

With the sky now covered in darkening shadows, Josephine and Zed parted ways with a small, awkward fist bump from Zed when she refused a hug.

Outside of the school, Josephine stared at her bike and frowned. Her cheerleading duffle was tied firmly to the back and her book bag was buckled on her as normal, her helmet teasing her in her hands.

She took one glance to the left, then to the right, behind her, in front of her, repeat. No one.

One foot on the left pedal, helmet on, deep breathe in. Kick off, right foot on pedal. Breathe out.

Pedal. Faster. Faster. Faster.

A huge grin plastered itself onto Josephine's cheeks as she went as fast as she could home on her bike for the first time. She didn't care if her skirt waved up too much or her hair became unruly, no one was watching her. And she couldn't find herself carrying if anyone was watching.

The wind was sharp, but felt like a familial hug caressing her cheeks and nose as if she was being welcomed home for the first time in years. The burning in her legs reminded her of young races with her brother down the sidewalk and back and she would win.

Home was too close, she mused as she pulled into the driveway her chest heaving and heart beating in the best of ways. She felt alive. Her conversation with Zed, not wearing make up, combined with the exhilarating bike ride had Josephine feeling like she was high.

But when she woke up the next day, Josephine sat at her vanity staring at the make up on her face.

Perfect again.

She left the house.

She grabbed her bike.

The leather grips scratched at her hands as she tightened her fists around them. Her foot stepped on the right pedal, kicked off, and then the left pedal.

And she went slow.

With a good morning here and a hello there, a smile on her lips at all times, she acted perfect. She got off her bike, locked it up, and headed into school where Bucky and the Acey's awaited.

"Jackson." Bucky's eyes narrowed and Josephine had to physically stop her eyes from rolling. The cheer captain slammed his locker shut and she couldn't help but wonder what she did this time.

"Yes Bucky?" When she only received the same hard eyes Josephine took a shallow breathe. "Is everything okay?"

"You know what you've done." Stacey looked at her with disgust and Josephine wondered if it was because she didn't wear make up yesterday. Unconsciously she touched her face, but relaxed when the familiar texture of foundation eased the pads of her fingers.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean."

"Tracey saw you yesterday. No make up." Lacey's eyes looked over the brunette with disgust on her face. "Under the bleachers?"

Josephine's heart speed up.

"With a zombie?!" Bucky hissed out, getting in the human girl's face. Out of the corner of her eyes, Josephine saw green and purple pass by. She gulped. "You know you're more than off the team right?"

"You're ruined." Tracy smiled tightly. The four continued to look at Josephine who clutched her books closer to her chest as she tried to calm herself down. Her vision was tunneling and her heart was trying to run the marathon of its dreams. "We told you to help get rid of the zombies, not get closer to them

"W-wait, let me explain." Her eyes darted over to a familiar green haired creature and she felt like the lump swallowed was filled with needles. "In private?"

Buck stared through narrowed eyes, arms crossed, back straight. He stared the brunette down for a solid twenty seconds and when she didn't falter... he snapped and jolted her.

"Cheer lounge. You have 5 minutes."

Every step towards the room felt like a bass drum beating in her ears. It felt like a death march but she wasn't sure whose it was for. She passed by Zed and his friends, whom only smiled and greeted her. Her eyes cut forward not bothering to see his reaction.

The glass room was in front of her, Stacey being so very nice to hold the door open for everyone as Bucky lead the way and sat in his big plush chair at the front. The Acey's made their way behind him.

Josephine's mind was ripping into two halves what did she want more?

To be perfect or to be free?

Bucky cleared his throat and motioned for Josephine to began her explanation. "You've got 4 minutes left. Please don't tell me you've come here to waste my precious time further."

Josephine bit her lip and she tasted her lipgloss. Strawberry. Did she really want to put Zed? Was it worth it? Did she really want to fit in that much that she'd share his biggest secret to the one trying to ruin his life.

Moreover, when did she start think of Zed as a he and not an it?

Bucky sighed his eyes rolling, tired of waiting, and stood up. "I knew it-"

"H-he told me his secret - something that could get him kicked out!"

His butt was a few inches off the chair when Josephine had her outburst and Bucky blinked, before falling back down on the cushion with a growing smirk.

"Oh?"It sounded like what she imagined a demon would say when summoned to make a deal - deceptively sweet and trustworthy laced with a sickening amount of dread.

"It's not his dick size is it?" Lacey sneered, the others snickering at the humor and not hiding exactly what they had thought went down Josephine felt herself flinch at the risqué jab and her fists started clenching.

"No." Josephine said through gritted teeth, trying to remember who she was talking to and why she was talking. She was there to keep her status quo, not to pick fights. Josephine Jackson did not pick fights, she was diplomatic and patient. "I was talking to him so he'd... trust me."

Zed would never want to be friends with her now, Josephine laughed darkly at herself in her mind. This was it and the words spilled sinfully like honey out of her lips and the cheerleaders took it all in like honeybees. As if she was weaving a stick web that would soon be used to wrap herself up in and wether it was the bees or spiders, who knew what would get to her first.

By the end of it, Bucky was grinning like so wide she could almost see his molars. His eyes were wide and sparkling as if he had won the jackpot. It was quiet for a while while the junior took in what all was just spilt.

Josephine held her breathe.

"If I wasn't me, I'd kiss you."

She let her breathe go.

"But did you think we would let you go so easily?" He continued, Josephine's shoulders tensed once more. Bucky inspected his finely manicured nails be fore pointing to the ground. "Kneel. Beg your perfect captain to keep you on the team."

There was a flame that burnt through her body at the request, the bell had rung and students were now passing the see-through room. They looked in, curious and pointing as to what was going on. Embarrassment, despair, anger.

What else did she have to lose? Dignity?

Her eyes drifted over to the people walking past and who would have known that Zed would be everywhere she looked. Addison stood at her locked and the two shared a brief eye contact and secretive smile before passing each other by. Josephine sighed.

And kneeled.

Who needed dignity when you had the approval of others?

They had sent her away with proud comments and pats on the backs, and a fake cheerful see you at practice! But none of it sat right to Josephine. As soon as she was clear of the glass her pace quickened to a jog then to a run until finally she was at a full out sprint to the bathroom down the way.

Shoving the door open, she ran to the furthest stall and pushed up the cold toilet seat where she emptied out the fruits she had for breakfast. Her eyes watered as she sat back on her heels and shoved her face in her hands.

What had she done?

The first sob broke down the defenses and then the second made the path for an onslaught of cries to escape full force.

She deserved no pity. She made the choice to betray Zed and soon she'd pay the price because this was wro-

"Everything ok... oh." Josephine opened her eyes and turned to see Eliza opening the door slightly to view the human in all her glory. "It's not even lunch time yet."

Josephine snorted and wiped her tears. "Not that cheerleader. Try one of the Acey's." She grabbed a piece of toilet paper and lightly wiped her lip, throwing the paper in the toilet, and flushing it. Carefully, she picked herself up and brushed her legs off. "I just never eat anything that tastes good makes me feel full."

"That's surprisingly honest... for a cheerleader." The zombie replied looking around, not sure what to do. She nodded towards the toilet. "So why are you staring into the toilet?"

The irony of Zed's friend being the one to find her made Josephine smile thinly. She wasn't sure what the cheerleaders would do next, but Josephine knew she wouldn't be welcomed like this in the long run.

"I've got no spine, no brain, no guts, so thought I'd get rid of my stomach too." She joked but even Eliza looked concerned. Josephine walked past the zombie to wash her hands and looked at her make up. "You wouldn't happen to have any concealer would you?"

"If I did, it wouldn't match."

"You're probably right."

Josephine chuckled trying to clean up her make up thanking her mom for waterproof mascara and setting spray.

"Are you... okay?"

The human washed her hands carefully and let out a hum, considering the question.

Was she okay?

Anywhere near fine?

"I'm... perfect."