A few more weeks passed, and before everyone knew it was time for Thanksgiving. Most students were looking forward to the break from school for a few days, or the food or seeing their families again. For one student at Seabrook though, it was a day she had been dreading.
"Addison what's wrong, you don't seem as fired up as usual Cuz." Bucky asked her near the end of cheer practice.
"Bucky, you know how our family is and now they're all going to be here for Thanksgiving tomorrow."
"Yeah and? They all love me. What's the big deal?"
"They love you sure, but no one else besides you and your parents knows about me taking off my wig, and there's no way I'm putting it on just to please everyone. Much less the bigger bomb that Zed will be."
"He isn't coming, is he? Because you're right, if Zed's there will be an explosion. Mostly from Grandpa and Grandma."
"You don't think I know that, not only do they hate zombies most of all, but they were always super strict about my hair. Whenever I was with them, I wasn't allowed to do anything that could reveal it."
"Do you want my help with anything tomorrow then?"
"Just please don't mention anything about Zed before I do, it will be enough just dealing with the hair judgement."
"You got it besides, in case you haven't noticed I'm an expert at talking about me, and everyone loves it."
"No argument there Bucky. But I do have to give you props, you and the Aceys have been much better team players since you got back."
Zed walked into the gym, having just finished his practice. "Hey Addison, hey Bucky. You guys all done?"
"Yep." Addison said, leaning into him. "See you tomorrow, Bucky."
"Later Zed, Addison."
As they walked out the doors Zed could tell that Addison was still tense. "Are you still worried about tomorrow?"
"Yes," Addison admitted. "I can only expect the worse to happen."
"Do you want me to be there because either A-all their anger will be directed at me. Or B-I'll scare them into not even thinking about your beautiful, perfect hair."
"No Zed, I won't use you as a shield, and you should spend the holiday with your family. I would much rather be at your house than mine tomorrow. And there is no way I would want you to face a room full of people calling you a freak. They'll be doing that to me enough as it is tomorrow."
"I'll keep my phone on me, and if you need anything and I mean anything, or it really is as bad you predict, you call me, and I'll be there before you even hang up the phone. You came with me to face my biggest fear at containment, I'll be there the second you need me to help you face yours."
"Thank you Zed, you are the best boyfriend ever."
"I would do anything for the best girlfriend ever." Zed returned as they continued their walk home.
The morning of Thanksgiving, Addison was sitting alone in her room, she had been texting Bree and Zed, trying to distract herself and it was only working a little bit. Her parents had been busy all morning, preparing the food and making sure the house was spotless. Addison wanted to avoid them and everyone else for as long as possible, enjoying the peace and quiet while it lasted. She had also asked her parents to not bring up Zed until she did, and they agreed, but Addison knew she would just be delaying the inevitable.
Someone knocked on her door and Bucky walked right in. "Hey Cuz, you ready for this? Everyone's here."
"No, but let's get this over with."
Addison and Bucky walked back downstairs and into the kitchen. Several heads turned to greet them, but most of their familial smiles turned into looks of surprise at seeing her real hair. Everyone in the family knew about it of course, but most of them hadn't seen Addison's natural white locks in years if ever.
"Hi everyone, Happy Thanksgiving." Addison said, a bit timidly. By now pretty much everyone had gone silent and was just staring at her, no one wanted to make the first move.
Bucky tried to ease the tension by using his usual swagger. "Hey everyone, who wants to hear what the Mighty Shrimp have been up to?" He announced before taking his seat at the table and launching into a lively account of their recent successes, although leaving out certain details like any past zombie issues, and failing to mention that Addison was now captain instead of him. Not that Addison was paying any attention to him.
Addison sat down at the only open seat left near the other end of the table. She sat down next to Rachel, one of her other cousins, and tried to make conversation. "Hi Rachel, how's school been so far this year?"
"Oh, pretty good same old same old." Addison could see Rachel's eyes keep flashing between her face and her hair. "So, are you trying out a new look or something?" She asked a bit awkwardly.
"I decided I was done hiding who I really am."
"Oh ok, are you sure though, because you look really different."
"Being different isn't a bad thing." Addison told her.
"Of course, it's a bad thing!" Addison's grandmother Barbara started to loudly interrupt her.
"Addison where's your wig? You should be wearing it."
"I don't need to hide myself anymore Grandma."
"Of course, you do, everyone will judge you for being different and that was the only thing protecting you. Don't tell me you go out in public like that?"
"Yes Grandma, I do, I have nothing to be ashamed of, it's just the real me."
"How can you expect people to like you if you expose your freakishness. I know how this town works and no one will want to be near you. We only want what's best for you that's why we've told you to hide all these years. Missy, how could you let her leave the house looking like that?"
"Mom, Addison is getting older and is able to make her own decisions. Even some that I disagree with. We tried to convince her with the same arguments, but we have been forced to accept it, the whole town has seen her without her wig."
"Mom, I thought you were starting to accept me." Addison's strong facade and heart really started breaking now, she thought her parents had accepted her, but it seems she was wrong, her confidence was quickly dropping to zero and her fears were raised, if her parents still weren't supporting her then she was all alone.
"I do, but on this, I've realized it was a losing battle, as much I would prefer you wear your wig I gave up because I know it was useless to keep fighting after everyone had already seen you're different. Even after everything we told you for years about the dangers of being a freak in this town."
"I'm not a freak."
Barbara chimed in. "Yes, you are, and after all these years of hiding it, why would you reveal the truth now? I know Seabrook only accepts perfection and you are way too far from it. How can you expect to join the Cheer Squad? Even with Bucky as captain, I wouldn't expect him to let you on looking like that."
"Grandma, for your information, not only am I on the Cheer Squad, I'm the captain."
"Oh Bucky, that was so kind of you to make Addison captain with you, but was the nepotism really necessary?
"Actually, Grandma, I didn't make Addison captain."
"Then how is she captain, wait a minute does this have something to do with you breaking Seabrook's winning streak? Did Addison mess everything up for you?"
"No, what happened was…" Bucky started.
"The Cheer Championship loss was not my fault. That was all Bucky's doing. He cut half the team the day before the competition, so of course, the Mighty Shrimp couldn't perform as well as usual. He sabotaged himself. Then because he put other students in danger, he was cut from the Cheer Squad. Then I rejoined the squad and they all chose me to lead them as captain, it was only a few weeks ago that we let Bucky come back."
"Don't tell lies, Addison, you don't need to make up ridiculous stories like that. Bucky what really happened?"
"That's the truth. I made a mistake, and I paid for it by getting cut, I'm only a shrimp again because Addison asked me to."
This caused audible gasps all around the table.
"What did you do that could cause such a big punishment?"
Bucky's eyes darted to Addison's, "The Aceys and I hacked some zombies' Z-bands to show everyone that they really were monsters and didn't belong in Seabrook."
"You were punished for that? I don't blame you. Of course, zombies don't belong with humans, they should stay on the other side of the barrier where they belong." Grandpa Walter shouted out. He then turned to Missy, "I hope you finally convinced the rest of the city council how much of a mistake letting those monsters loose is."
"Actually Dad, besides the one incident, there hasn't been any major problems, and the city council and I, and most of the town agree that the zombies aren't as bad as we thought. We've actually been reviewing and revising or abolishing several of the zombie laws."
"What?! Those monsters can't be trusted. They bit my ear off! What could possibly make you think those monsters deserve anything more than what they already get. And Dale you're the Chief of Z-Patrol, you know those freaks can't be contained except by the Z-bands and the barrier."
"I know, we thought that way too for the longest time, but Addison showed us that we were wrong about Zombies and as long as they have their Z-bands they aren't any more dangerous than anyone else."
"Please, if you give them an inch, they'll bite your face off. And how can you believe her, it's obvious she isn't listening to you two anymore if she looks like that. You can't trust a freak like her."
This whole time, Addison could feel everyone's eyes around the table continuing to bore into her, no one was speaking up to defend her, so she was ready to just let the final bomb drop.
"I…I showed them they were wrong because-"Addison started.
"Is it because you're hanging onto the disgusting zombie that tried to eat Bucky?" Kathryn, Bucky's mom demanded.
"What! Addison, why would you go near a zombie? And what is this about Bucky almost being eaten? Are you OK Bucky?" Barbara demanded.
All eyes turned to him, and for once in his life, Bucky really didn't want to be the center of attention. "I'm fine he didn't even touch me, and it was my fault. I made him go rogue and he ended up chasing me under the bleachers. But before he could touch me Addison saved me."
"I don't understand, what could she possibly do to stop a zombie?" Walter asked.
"Stop it, all of you, his name is Zed, and I was able to help him calm down because I love him, and he loves me. He's the one that told me I was beautiful and that I don't need to hide. Zed is not a monster, and he only went full-Zom because of what Bucky did. And he has never hurt anyone."
"You what? You love him? Are you dating a zombie? How could you, you know what they did to me, do you want the same thing to happen to you?" Walter was now red in the face from his anger and disbelief.
"Yes, Zed is my boyfriend. He is not a monster, I trust him with my life, I know he will never hurt me. And yes Grandpa, I know what happened to you, but Zed nor any of his friends has ever hurt anyone. They deserve to live their lives just like everyone else."
"Why would you let her do this?" Barbara demanded, all eyes now turned to Missy and Dale.
Missy started, "Once again, we were against it at first too, but we've realized that Zed is a decent kid that deserves a chance, and while we don't agree with everything those two have done. We can't deny that Zed and Addison make each other happy."
"Zed is a wonderful person, he's one of the best players on the football and basketball teams. He's the only reason football won the championship for the first time ever. He was voted as class president because he cares about changing things for the better." Addison continued to defend him.
"Has he hypnotized you or something, and this whole town, is that why you're acting so insane. No one is dumb enough to vote for a zombie for anything." Walter suggested.
"Zed is a wonderful, amazing person that cares so much about his friends and family. I can assure most of the kids at school have fully accepted Zombies, including me. For your information, we even have zombie cheerleaders."
"You let zombies on the Mighty Shrimp Cheer Squad?" Barbara acted even more horrified.
"Yes, most of them are great dancers and love performing."
"Seabrook is never going to win again. You've ruined things for the whole town!"
"No, I haven't I'm sure if you actually get to know some of my friends you wouldn't be acting so angry, they are just like regular people."
"No, they aren't no one can trust zombies, and especially this family. They're all freaks and monsters. We all know that. Trust the one freak in this family to join them. You're a traitor to us." Walter yelled at Addison.
"Dad, what are you doing. Addison is not a traitor. She's just helped show us the truth."
"There's obviously something wrong with her on the inside too. Maybe that's why that rotten zombie is so interested in her, her brain probably tastes different than normal."
"Would you stop. You don't even know what you're saying do you all really hate me that much?"
"Of course not." Dale and Missy said, together. Everyone else though was silent, not wanting to earn their elders' ire.
"We've always known you were a freak, but we were able to ignore it, and you agreed to hide it, but if you want to be your true self fine, be your true freak self. I hope your monster doesn't get hungry someday." Barbara said.
Addison finally let the tears fall, she didn't know what to do, she was falling into a black hole with no escape, the only time anyone looked away from her hair was when they were listening to her grandparents berate her. She had enough. She stood up from the table and ran up the stairs to her room wanting to get away from everything. She locked her door and laid down on her bed, letting her tears fall into her pillow. All the hate, and all the shame. She couldn't get their words out of her head. Freak, Freak, Freak. She glanced over at her reflection in the mirror and couldn't stop the wave of disgust she felt for herself. "They're right, I am a freak." she whispered. Addison couldn't bear to look at herself for more than a few moments. She felt like the walls were closing in on her. She shakily took out her phone and brought it to her ear. After a few rings, where her breathing was getting more erratic every second, she finally heard his voice.
"Hey Addison, what's up?"
"Zed!" She sobbed barely able to choke the words out, her throat and chest tightening up like a vice. "I…need…you." Before she broke down in tears completely and dropped her phone to the floor. Unable to hold back the floodgates of misery anymore. Freak, Freak, Freak, still playing in her head. She curled into a ball wanting anything to make the pain go away. She heard knocking at her door, first her mom, then her dad, then even Bucky, but she ignored all of it.
Zed was happily eating Thanksgiving dinner with his, Bonzo, and Eliza's families at the Zambi's house and while he was enjoying the food, he was still worried about Addison in the back of his mind. His phone started vibrating in his pocket and knowing that only two people outside the room had his number he was immediately worried, but when he picked up he tried to keep his voice calm.
"Hey Addison, what's up?"
"Zed! I…need…you." Addison sobbed into the phone before it disconnected.
"Addison? Addie? Hello?" He tried, his mind now racing. The others looked at him with concern seeing the terrified look on his face. "I have to go." Zed ran outside like he was shot out of a cannon. Despite everyone's shouts asking for an explanation. He was deaf to everything around him. Worry making his heart beat faster than even a human's. He was going full throttle through Zombietown and then through Seabrook, he didn't even notice, but his veins and eyes were starting to darken, and his Z-band was flashing between orange Unstable and green Stable. He made it to Addison's house within 5 minutes when the normal walk took at least 15-20 minutes. He ran up the porch and as much as he wanted to rip the door off the hinges, he was able to restrain himself to ringing the doorbell. He had so much adrenaline pumping through his veins he couldn't help but tap his foot waiting for someone to answer.
Dale opened the door, and was shocked at Zed's appearance, still looking more zombie than normal. "Hi, Zed…are you alright?"
"Where's Addison?" Zed said with a growl, unable to control his voice.
"She's upstairs in her room and won't let us in. But Zed wait-!" Dale started.
That was all Zed needed to hear, he pushed past Dale like he was a scrawny freshman and then rushed up the stairs, not even noticing the multitude of shocked faces in the kitchen staring slack-jawed at his appearance.
"Addison!" Zed called out, his voice much softer now that he was talking to her. "It's me, I'm here, please let me in." Zed could hear her sobs and each one stabbed him like ice in his veins. She quieted slightly when she heard him and after a few moments the door opened, and Addison pulled him inside before shutting the door and locking it again. She collapsed into Zed's arms, sobbing into his chest, so Zed carried her over to the bed and sat her down where Addison curled into a tight ball, and Zed tried to wrap himself around her completely to protect her from everything. His senses were still on high alert, but just being near Addison, he could see the black veins fading below his skin and his Z-band flashing back to stable. He could pick up voices from below but couldn't tell what they were saying his entire being focused on Addison.
He tried to comfortingly stroke his hand through her hair to calm her down, but for the first time ever since the light garden, she flinched away from his touch.
"No," she continued to sob, "please don't touch it, you can't touch it."
"Addison what's wrong?"
"I…I… I'm a freak!"
Zed's heart nearly broke in two. "No, you are not, you are perfect."
"No, I'm not, Bucky's perfect, Rachel's perfect, everyone is perfect except me, I'm a freak."
"Stop saying that, Addie it isn't true."
"But it's true to them, no one loves me, my parents still think I should hide and everyone always hated me, they only kept me around because I could hide myself and pretend and follow their rules. So, they only pretended to love me as long as I pretended to be normal. No one loves me."
"You know that's not true, you know I love you with all my heart."
"I don't even know what love feels like. I thought they loved me, but they don't, they can all only accept perfection and I'm not it, I'm a freak."
"Addison look at me." He gently grabbed both sides of her face, forcing her to look up at him through her blurry tears. "Then let me show you." He crashed his lips into hers. Pouring out every ounce of his love and adoration of her. Addison couldn't help but fall of the edge of a cliff soon pouring herself into it as well. It allowed her a brief respite to control her breathing and a small distraction, but her thoughts were still running way too fast through her head.
"You want to know what the only good things that happened that day at the homecoming game?" Zed asked her. Their foreheads lightly pressed against each other, forcing Addison to look straight into Zed's eyes. "The first was our first kiss in the saferoom. And the second was finally seeing the real beautiful you. I may have fallen in love with you at first sight when you were wearing the wig, but ever since that day, my love for you has grown a thousand times stronger. I fell in love with you because you are Addison, I never wanted to search for perfection, but I found it the moment I met you."
"Zed...I-"
"Sorry, gorgeous but I'm not done, I mean every word of our song. You look delicious, and gorgeous, and if different was a superpower, you'd be so flawless. You are flawless, and your difference is a superpower. It allows you to connect and lead everyone you meet, people and zombies because you know how important it is to try to fit in and belong, but you know there are times when you should follow the crowd and when you need to stand strong. I could hear the crowd when we drove away. They booed you off the field, but you didn't give a damn because you knew that every single person there that treated anything different like poison was wrong. We are all different baby, and that's what I like."
Zed reached up and gently caressed a lock of hair. "It's beautiful, you're beautiful. Inside and out, whatever you see inside of me, I promise you, I see the exact same thing whenever I look at you."
"Zed…thank you," Addison sniffled, trying to wipe the last of her tears away. "You really don't think I'm a freak?"
"Never in my life will I ever think of you like that. To me you aren't normal, or different, you are Addison, which is so much better and the only thing I care about. How about we have a new rule, I can't call myself a monster, and you can't call yourself a freak, because neither of those things is remotely true. Deal?"
"OK deal." Addison said, as her breathing was beginning to relax.
"We can stay here as long as you need, but do you want to go back down soon?"
"No, we can't stay here as long as I want, I think my dad might have a problem with that." Addison tried to joke, giving a small smile, that quickly faded. "But wait a minute, you can't go down there, as much as they hate me, they hate zombies ten times worse. Especially my grandparents. I tried to tell them how amazing and wonderful you are, but Bucky's mom told everyone you almost ate him and that was the only thing they could focus on. Then when I got to you changing everyone's mind about zombies they hated you, and me even more. They thought you must only be interested in me because my brain must taste different. And it only makes sense that a fr… you know, like me would dare be idiotic enough to trust a zombie."
"They don't deserve you. I promise I will protect you from them whatever it takes, even if I have to kidnap you and lock us in the saferoom I will keep you safe."
"I know you'd do anything for me, just like I would do for you. Unfortunately, my grandparents are staying here tonight, while everyone else will be at Bucky's house at least until tomorrow."
"Then I am not leaving your side until they are gone, it doesn't matter what they say about me, but you obviously still care about them no matter what they put you through because that is the wonderful, amazing, cheertastic person you are, and if they can't accept the real you, you shouldn't be alone with them."
"Thank you, Zed, I don't know what I would do without you."
"You will never have to find out the answer to that question."
Addison's stomach gave out a light growl and she let out an embarrassed chuckle.
"How can you be hungry, it's Thanksgiving?" Zed joked.
"I was so nervous I couldn't eat this morning, and all the staring at the table killed my appetite. I haven't eaten all day."
"Well then we should go down, if nothing else, I'll grab you something and we can eat up here."
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Yeah, I had a few plates at Eliza's house, but I'm sure I can find room for dessert, did your mom make her apple pie again, that was delicious at Halloween."
"Yeah, I made sure she did, I had planned to save a piece for you."
"We should get going then, I don't want to miss my chance, but only if you're ready."
"Yes, I am."
Zed checked his phone and let out a groan, "I have about a dozen texts and missed calls from Eliza asking where the heck I am. I should probably text her quick to let her know no one's in immediate danger. I may have just ran over here without giving any explanation."
"I'm sorry."
"No apologies necessary, you needed me, I came. End of story. They'll understand. But just to warn you, I can hear them talking downstairs, mostly about how your parents could let a dangerous zombie in the house right now."
"I don't want you to have to go through this with me. I don't want you to be hurt being my shield."
"Then let me be the rock of your foundation, making you stronger."
Addison let out one more long slow breath, "OK, let's do this."
"And if you get overwhelmed again, just tell me, and I'll get you out of there. We can come back up here or we'll go back to Zombietown. I won't be leaving your side until you feel safe again."
"I know you won't. Just like I couldn't leave alone you when you needed me."
They walked slowly downstairs hand in hand, prepared for the worst, but ready to face it together, and once again everyone quieted and just stared at them.