New year, new school. But Zed was not excited. He was dreading it actually. Who wants to start in a new school their senior year?
Certainly not Zed, the green haired football star of his old school, now stuck moving boxes into their new house on the complete opposite side of Seabrook. On the hottest (and last) day of summer, of all times.
He hopped out of the back of the moving truck with a grunt, rubbing his forearm across his sweat covered forehead as he shaded his eyes from the scorching summer sun. He wanted to be mad at his mom and dad for the move, he really did, but his parents had worked so hard for this upgraded way of living. His dad busted his ass to get this new job at the power plant. Higher pay and the safer side of town, it all seemed like a win-win for everyone, right? And it was, for everyone except Zed.
Everyone he knew would get to have a great senior year, but no, he wouldn't be able to spend the last year of high school with his friends. He'd have to make all new ones, or just coast through the year under the radar as best as he could.
Ok, maybe he was a little bitter.
He sighed, turning back to grab a stack of boxes, when out of the corner of his eye, he caught something white. He glanced across the street and saw a girl with pure white hair hanging halfway out of her window smoking a cigarette.
He watched her for a few extra moments, mostly appreciating her choice in hair color. As someone who had a very unique color choice himself, he usually noticed when someone else did the same. It took courage to stand out, after all.
When he was about to turn away, their eyes locked. His heart instantly skipped. Her crystal blue eyes swallowed him into a raging whirlpool he didn't want to fight to get out of. He noticed her quirked brow and realized he'd been caught staring.
Zed quickly turned back to his stack of boxes as he coughed awkwardly, a blush creeping up his neck. He picked up the stack and marched inside.
Of course, when he sat down his haul, his dad came crossing paths with him. Zevon stopped and took a step back to look at him. "You ok Son? Your face is all red. Do you need to take a break?" He asked in worry. Zed's cheeks heated up even more.
"No Dad, I'm good." He tried brushing him off and heading back for the truck, his dad close behind this time. He managed to keep his eyes down for the most part the rest of the move.
But every time he spared a glance over at the white haired girl's window, she was propped on the ledge watching him, cigarettes long forgotten.
One box left. Zed passed it off to his dad and hopped off the now empty truck, pulling the teather and locking the hatch. He paused, his eyes fixed on his hands still gripping the lever.
He wanted to look over again, see if that girl was still watching him. Maybe he should wave? Say hi?
"Let's get inside Son!" His dad called from the front porch. Zed's attention snapped up to him.
"Uh, yeah Dad. I'll be right there."
It was now or never. He turned his head, his chest deflating when he was gazing at an empty window. She was gone. He let out a long sigh. This year was already starting out spectacularly, with the utmost sarcasm.
Zed jogged back up the porch steps and barely even shut the front door before his dad was bellowing proudly.
"That's the last of it! Good job, Family! We are officially moved into our new home!" Zevon cheered. Zed rolled his eyes but his mom and little sister, Zoey, enthused right along with his dad.
"Oh come on, Zeddy! Smile a little!" His mom, Zora, pried. Zed crossed his arms defiantly with a pout. She raised a brow then glanced at Zoey. "I guess you leave us no choice then." She warned.
Zed stiffened, eyes wide with sudden fear.
"Tickle attack!" Zoey exclaimed. Both girls charged, tackling him to the floor as their fingers tickled relentlessly. Zed burst into laughter, trying his best to block their assault but to no avail.
"Ok, ok! Mercy, mercy!" He shouted in surrender. Zora laughed and pulled the younger sibling up into her arms.
"Alright, we've had a long day! You three search through the boxes for some plates and cups. I'll fix us something to eat." She instructed.
Frozen pizza wasn't Zed's favorite but it wasn't the end of the world after such a busy day. He took a small bite and pushed his slice around the plate while he moped, his elbow propped on the edge of the table beside his coffee mug filled with fruit punch. All the while Zoey chattered away happily.
"Zed. Elbows off the table." Zevon said firmly. He sat up and slouched in his chair instead.
"Are you ok, Honey? You've been pretty quiet all day." Zora asked in concern. He sighed, knowing they wouldn't let him off the hook until he opened up.
"I'm just nervous about starting a new school. My senior year! I'm not gonna know anybody there! What if I don't fit in?! What if I don't make the football team?!" His frantics made his parents exchange a worried look.
"Zed, calm down. You'll have a great year! You'll make lots of friends with all that charisma you got from your father." She assured, winking at his father at the end to lighten the mood.
"Yeah right," Zoey chimed in. "Zed has the charisma of a wet noodle."
Zed glared at his little sister and tossed a pepperoni from his pizza at her as payback. She couldn't help but laugh, sticking out her tongue at him. He returned the gesture and the whole family got a good laugh out of the whole thing. Including Zed.
Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he was expecting.
Nope, he was right. This has been the worst day of his whole school career. Man, was he unprepared for true Seabrook life. Everyone in Seabrook wore the best clothes, the best shoes, had the perfect haircut, stood up straight. The works.
Everything Zed didn't.
His family couldn't afford the 'name brand' clothes so most of his stuff was hand-me-downs from either his cousins or his dad. Not cool. And most of it didn't usually fit quite right, either because he was much skinnier than his dad or because of his extraordinary height. So, he had to alter a lot of them himself. And his height made him naturally slouch to not be any taller than he already was to everyone else!
Needless to say, he was not fitting in. The abnormally tall new kid with green hair in self altered, out-of-date clothes was not how you wanted to present yourself on your first day in Seabrook High.
He found himself outside, out the back door of the school. The same spot he was sure the janitor came to take his breaks, if the lingering smell of smoke and cigarette butts littering the ground were any indication. But he just needed to be alone for a minute.
At least he thought he was alone.
"So I have company today." A female voice mused, successfully scaring the shit out of Zed.
"O-oh! I-I'm sorry!" He panicked.
His head snapped in the direction the voice came from and was met with unmistakable blue eyes, the white haired girl from across the street with a cigarette in her hand, leaning against the dumpster a few feet away.
Her white T-shirt was stained red all down the front, little remnants of dried blood along the edges of her nostrils. Instantly switching his brain into worry mode.
"You're the new neighbor." She commented, still sounding mildly amused by his presence. "Love the green." She said, referring to his hair.
"Are you ok?" He asked, either not hearing her remark or ignoring it, she wasn't too sure. But it vaguely surprised her nonetheless. She chuckled and wiped the back of her hand, still holding her cigarette, across her upper lip.
"Oh this?" She teased. "You should see the other girl."
Zed's face went from concerned to alarmed. "W-what?" His naiveté made her laugh. Oh, he would be so easy to corrupt. This should be fun.
"Don't worry. She's a total bitch at this school. She'd've probably even made a snarky remark about your cute green hair if I hadn't already busted her perfect little face." She assured him, earning a blush from the compliment, as she dropped the cancer stick to the dirt, using the ball of her shoe to smother the ember. "I gotta get outta here. Before Principal Lee finds me. I'll see ya around, uh," she left it open ended, more as a question.
"Zed." He offered, in awe of this badass chick he was neighbors with.
"Cute name to go with that green hair." She teased, making him blush furiously. "I'll catch ya later, Zed." She smirked, walking away from the school.
He shook off his embarrassment just enough to yell, "W-wait! I didn't get your name!"
"Addison." She yelled back, giving him a wave over her shoulder without turning to look at him.
"Addison." He breathed, falling back against the brick wall.
Suddenly, the door burst open, revealing a very angry Principal Lee. She spotted him first then glanced around like she was looking for something. When she didn't find the suspect, she turned back to Zed.
"Why are you back here?! Aren't you the new student?" She questioned.
"I w-was, uh," he stuttered. He made a mental note to enunciate from now on or people would think he had a problem.
"Never mind. That doesn't matter. Have you seen a girl with white hair? Was she back here with you?" She interrogated. Zed stiffened.
"N-no!" He answered too quickly, clearing his throat to compose a little better. "No, I'm, uh, kinda a loner out here!" He joked lamely. Principal Lee raised a brow, not believing him for a second but he hadn't technically given her any reason not to believe him.
"Okay?" She said skeptically then sighed, giving his hair a light pluck. "You'll need to do something about that color." She scolded. Zed's hand instinctively combed through his bangs.
"Oh! Please don't make me change it!" He begged. She raised a curious brow, telling him to explain. "I keep my hair dyed green for my sister. The green represents her lymphoma. I've done my hair this way since I was 12 to raise awareness." He saw the shock spread across her face then shifted to concern towards him.
"Your sister has cancer?" She asked.
"She's cancer free now. But I still love raising awareness for others." He explained. Her features shift once again to a proud smile.
"More students could learn from such a kind young man as yourself." She praised him. "Now get back to class."
He didn't hesitate to do as he was told, in fear of getting in more trouble. But luckily, he thinks, she'd forgotten her search for Addison. He at least bought her a little time.
