"Perri, Perri!" I woke up to my mom shaking me

"Huh?"

"What are you doing home?"

"I wasn't feeling good so I came home." She sighed then felt my forehead,

"Well you don't have a fever, but you do look a little pale. What's going on Perri?"

"Nothing mom." I said

"Perri are you......are you pregnant?" She asked and I sat up in shock

"Jesus mom no."

"Are you sexually active?"

"Mom!"

"Well a lot of your symptoms fit and since you won't tell me what's going on. I'm trying to figure it out myself. Do you need to go to doctor? Is it Zach? Is that why you two have fallen out?"

"Mom for the last time I'm not pregnant!"

"Then tell me what's going on with you!? Because if something happens to you Perri I don't know what I'd do." I could tell she was trying not to cry I just pulled her into a hug

"I promise I'm not pregnant or suicidal. I'm just trying to cope."

"Ok I'm here just know that. Your my girl ok?"

"I know mom."I said then kissed her cheek and she hugged me tight then she left to start dinner. I sat back down on my bed, when my phone started ringing, I looked it was Sheri

"Hey Sheri."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I can breathe a little."

"Do you want me to come by after practice?"

"No I'm fine."

"Okay but remember your promise, if it too much talk to me."

"I remember."

"Good but guess what?"

"What?"

"Zach and Monty got into a fight."

"What?" Making sure I was hearing her correctly

"Yeah it was pretty bad."

"What happened?"

"Well after you left Zach walked up to Monty asking about you, I didn't hear what Monty said but Zach snapped and kicked the crap out of Monty."

"Zach started it?!"

"Yeah and he suspended for the next 3 days, and Monty gone for a week." She said and I was in disbelief, just then there was a knock at my door and I looked up to see Zach step in I could see a bruise on his right cheek and his lip was busted

"Sheri let me call you back.." I said then hung and I got up and walked over to Zach

"Are you ok?" I asked as he sat on the edge of my bed as I looked at his face. He took my hand in his own and I looked at him then I pulled away

"Why did you fight Monty? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was defending you."

"What?"

"He was still talking shit about you, so I hit him."

"Zach don't do this because of me, I bet your mom is pissed and think about your scholarships this will be on your record."

"So? I told you I'm not standing by and letting anyone hurt you anymore. Something happened when you went out with Mont did he do something to you?"

"No!"

"Something wrong with you Perri I can tell."

"You sound like my mom."

"Because we both love you and we want you to be ok."

"I'm fine, Monty didn't do anything to me."

"Really?"

"Really he's actually been kind of helping me."

"Helping you with what? Perri tell me what's wrong."

"I can't."

"But you'll tell Marcus?" He said and I got angry

"Marcus was just there." I said

"I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere." He said rubbing my back

"Zach I'm so fucked up."

"We've been friends since we were kids, I'm just trying to be your friend. I could use a good one and so can you"  He said and he kissed my forehead

"Thank you Zach, I'm sorry for all the drama."

"We're good and I'm sorry too."