Chapter 5: A Different Side

Agent BM: Thx

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Honey was no longer the shy new girl, but now just a regular high school student. With their grades now at a decent level, Zeke decided it was time to kick Honey to the curb.

But for some reason, he was having a hard time doing it. It could've been her change in outfits, or it could've been the times he caught glances of her in the light. But Zeke began noticing that Honey was actually very pretty.

One Saturday, he was driving to the video game store. He'd finally gotten enough money to buy a video game he wanted. He found the store, which was right next to a Blockbusters. After parking, he went inside and started looking.

As Zeke looked for his game, he was surprised to see Honey restocking gameboys behind a glass case. Curious, he walked over to her.

"Honey, is that you? You work here?" he asked her.

Honey looked up, and smiled at him.

"Oh, hey Zeke." she greeted, ignoring the butterflies forming in her stomach.

"Yeah, I got a part time job here. Doing this I can buy more music for my Walkman, plus I'm saving up for a game boy."

"You play video games?" Zeke wondered.

"I dabble from time to time. My family owns a Super Nintendo."

"Well I own a Sega Genesis which is way cooler. I'm actually looking for a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Finally gonna purchase that one."

"Ah Sonic 2, I played that. It's super fun, and I love that cute little fox, Tails. Genesis games are over here." said Honey.

She led Zeke to another aisle and unlocked a glass case with Sega games inside, pulling out a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

"So, a game boy, why would you want that? Have you seen that Sega game gear there? It's in color, it's bright, you can even watch TV on it with that TV adapter." Zeke pointed out.

"Well Zeke, the Sega game gear may look cool, but having all that shiny stuff uses up batteries quite a bit. Plus it's a little bulky. As for the TV adapter, I got to test one today, the antenna is huge. Besides my bedroom already has a TV, I'm perfectly content. Plus I don't feel a huge need to watch TV outside of home. The game boy may look primitive, but only uses four batteries and has lots of cool games like Mario, there's a new Zelda game that looks cool, Tetris looks fun. Plus I hear the batteries last longer." Honey told him.

This really impressed Zeke. Honey was pretty smart, Madison was pretty clueless about most things.

"You sure know a bit about video games."

"I do have a Nintendo power subscription. And my old neighbors had a Sega Genesis. My dad also introduced me to some of these games. I'm also familiarizing myself with some of these new CD players hitting the market. But enough about that, ready to check out?" Honey asked.

He nodded, and Honey led him to a register and rang him up.

"So, you like working here?" Zeke asked her.

"It's nice and has its perks, get to see all this cool tech stuff, and my coworkers are friendly. I'm actually about to get off soon."

Honey looked at a watch she was wearing.

"Twenty minutes to be exact. Then I'm gonna head to the homeless shelter for some volunteer work. My mom will be waiting for me."

"Why would you waste a perfectly good Saturday doing that?" Zeke wanted to know.

"Because to me, helping those less fortunate and making sure they're fed is so rewarding. I'm gonna help serve the food. Feel free to join me if you want, or don't. Either way once I'm off I'm heading over there." said Honey as she bagged Zeke's game.

"I don't know. But I'll see you around." Zeke replied.

He took his bag, and left the store.

Zeke then went to Evan's house to hang out with his friends, and play his new game. After he'd had his turn playing, he let Vincent and Evan have a try. While Leah and Madison watched with Zeke, Madison leaned into Zeke's shoulder.

But Zeke didn't seem to notice her, he kept thinking about Honey.

"Something wrong, Z?" asked Madison.

"What? Oh, nothing." he replied.

His eyes were drawn towards the clock, and Zeke wondered if Honey would still be at the soup kitchen.

"You know guys, I gotta go." he informed.

"Already?" Leah wondered.

"Yeah, my mom wants me to stop by the store."

"Okay, well at least let us finish the game." Vincent told him.

Once they were finished, Zeke took his game and left. He drove into the city, and managed to find a soup kitchen. When he went inside, and saw many people in scruffy, dirty, or old clothes, getting served food.

And behind the counter, he saw Honey giving a man a plate of food.

"Hey, Honey." he called.

Honey looked up, and was surprised to see Zeke.

"Oh, hey Zeke. You came."

"Well I kept wondering about why you'd want to come here after work. So I just came down to check it out myself."

"Well we always appreciate the extra help."

"Honey." called a voice.

Wanda came up to her, wiping her hands on an apron.

"We need to get back to work."

Then she noticed Zeke.

"Oh, who's this?"

"Mom. This is Zeke, he goes to my school." Honey introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Zeke. I'm Wanda, Honey's mother. Are you here to help out?"

"Sure." Zeke replied.

"Well come on back."

Zeke went behind the counter, and Wanda had him wash his hands, and gave him an apron.

Soon, Zeke was helping prepare plates, and handing them out. When he handed a plate to a young girl, she smiled at him.

"Thank you, mister." she told him, smiling.

When Zeke saw her smiling at him, a warm feeling ran through his body. And as he watched Honey serve food, he realized what a nice person she was. Her new friends were lucky to have her. He then thought about his friends.

All they mostly did was slack off, tease others, and joke around. Thinking more about it, he didn't want friends like that anymore. And then he thought about Madison. She was everything Honey wasn't.

While Honey was kind, good-hearted, and modest; Madison was self centered, shallow, and vain. He didn't want Madison as his girlfriend, he wanted Honey.

After they were finished, Wanda walked up Zeke.

"Zeke, would you like to come over for dinner?"

"Mom." Honey whispered sharply.

"Well...that would be nice. But only if it's okay with Honey."

The two looked at her. Honey blushed, and finally answered.

"Sure, that's fine."

Honey rode with her mom, and Zeke followed them. When they got home, at first Trevor was surprised to see a boy with them. But after explaining that Zeke was a friend from school, and helped out at the soup kitchen he relaxed.

As Wanda and Trevor went to get dinner started, Honey suggested they play video games.

"Keep the door open up there." Trevor called as the two teens went upstairs.

"DAD!" Honey cried, as she once again blushed with embarrassment.

Zeke just shrugged.

"Parents." he replied.

Up in Honey's room, she set up her system, and the two played Mortal Kombat. The game was getting pretty intense, and the two were really into it. In the end, Zeke ended up winning.

"Aw man." Honey complained.

"(Chuckles), sorry Honey. Better luck next time." Zeke teased.

Honey smiled, then heard music coming from downstairs. It was the song, "You're the Inspiration".

"I love this song." she said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I love the lyrics and the rhythm."

Just then, Zeke heard something buzzing.

"What's that?"

He walked over to Honey's desk, and towards the bees' house.

"Uh, Zeke you shouldn't..."

But Zeke had already opened the little door, and got a sting.

"What the?"

Buzz, Bumble, and Stinger flew out.

"Honey, you have bees in your room? I know you like bees but this is just crazy."

"What's crazy is sticking your hand in someone's house." said Buzz.

Everyone froze.

"Did that bee just talk?" Zeke wondered.

Honey looked awkward, and then had her bees land in her hands.

"Zeke, this is Buzz, Bumble, and Stinger. They're my bees."

Honey explained how she had met her bees back home, and that they were able to talk like people. How it came to be, she didn't really know. Zeke was shocked to hear this, but the bees were pretty cool.

Soon dinner was ready, Wanda and Trevor had made lasagna, garlic bread, and corn.

"This is really good, Mr. and Mrs. Potts." complimented Zeke.

"Thank you, Zeke." said Trevor.

"It's a real pleasure to meet more of Honey's friends." Wanda added.

They then began explaining how they were glad that their daughter now had friends and that she was much happier now. As they told him that, Zeke glanced over at Honey, and she did look happier. He then began to feel a little guilty using her the way he did.

After eating, Honey walked Zeke out to his car.

"Thanks for having me for dinner." Zeke said.

"Thanks for coming." Honey replied.

"By the way, Honey, why were you always in your headsets all the time?"

"Well you see Zeke, Los Angeles didn't really feel like home to me. And my music was the only thing that gives me peace, and calms me." Honey explained.

"Oh."

"But now things are different. Thank you, Zeke."

Then before she knew it, Honey threw her arms around Zeke. At first Zeke was surprised, and then returned the hug. They broke apart, and Zeke got in his car and drove off. As he drove home, he knew he needed to stop what he was doing.

That's chapter 5