"Mr. Ranch, Maxynn hit me again! Do something! Punish her!"

"I did not hit you! Stop lying for once in your life, Aveline!"

Zach smirked over at me, but I ignored him as I fought back the urge to strangle Aveline. I had already hurt her enough; if I did anything else, I would be suspended or expelled for sure. I just had to control my anger and everything should have been fine... for the most part.

“Maxynn, Aveline,” Mr. Ranch sighed before the bell could ring and let us all go for the weekend, “I need to talk to you two for a bit after class ends.”

I nodded at our teacher, and Aveline would have scrunched up her face if her nose brace wasn’t stopping her. The bell then rang, and everyone hurried out of the room so they could start their weekend. Aveline and I, however, made our way to Mr. Ranch’s desk.

“You two are still going to be partners for the project,” he informed us immediately, and I let out a reluctant sigh. “I noticed that you two bicker and fight a lot when you two are together, but I think that this would be a good learning experience for the two of you. Maybe you two could become friends if you work together.”

“Not likely,” Aveline snapped, pointing at her nose.

Mr. Ranch rolled his eyes. “Either way, you two are still partners.”

"You’re kidding me, right?”

I rolled my eyes at Aveline, almost laughing when I looked over at her ridiculous nose brace. It had turned out that I really did break her nose, and every time I looked at her face, I just wanted to burst out laughing.

“No, I’m not kidding you, Aveline,” Mr. Ranch informed her flatly. “You’ll continue working with Maxynn on this project. You two are still partners.”

“But she tried to kill me!” Aveline shouted, and I crossed my arms over my chest when I rolled my eyes at her again. “She punched me in the face! Who knows what she could have done if there weren’t other people around! You know what she did to her mother!”

“I didn’t hurt my mother,” I growled, taking a step toward her, which caused her to jump away from me and shield herself with her arms. I scoffed, turning away from her and back towards Mr. Ranch.

“Aveline, if you just stop commenting about her mother, Maxynn would be less likely to hit you,” Mr. Ranch informed her matter-of-factly now, and I had to bite down on my lip to stop myself from snickering. “You’re really just asking for it.”

Aveline gaped at our teacher, and all I could do was smile. She definitely deserved that broken nose…

Mr. Ranch now waved the two of us away. “You two can go home now. That was all I needed to talk to the two of you about. Have a nice weekend.”

It was kind of impossible for me to have a nice weekend, considering the fact that the next day was my mother’s funeral… That was definitely something I wasn’t looking forward to…

“Don’t think that just because we’re being forced to work together means that I’m going to start being nice to you,” Aveline warned once the classroom door was shut behind us so Mr. Ranch wouldn’t hear. “I know you killed your mother, and there’s nothing you can say that’ll make me think any differently. Murderers deny killing people all the time.”

I wondered if I punched her in the nose again if it would hurt even more than it did the first time. Only one way to find out…

Before I could even lift my fist, Aveline had already spun around and had darted off down the hall. I knew that there was no way I could have stopped her, so I only rolled my eyes before turning the other way and starting off toward the front doors of the school so I could leave as well.

I hated staying after school on Fridays the most, because it felt like the teachers were taking part of my weekend away. And since my mother’s funeral was the next day, it just made everything else about the weekend so much worse. Especially since my dad was going to leave the day afterwards…

“Detention?” I heard someone ask me before I could get outside, and I turned to see Johnny smirking at me. Heat immediately rose to my cheeks for a reason that I didn’t know. “For punching Aveline, I assume?”

“I… I didn’t have detention,” I denied, and it actually was the truth. “Mr. Ranch just wanted to tell Aveline and me that we were still partners even after I punched her… Wait, how did you even know that I punched Aveline?”

“I told you, I work in the office,” Johnny informed me for the second time. “I overhear a lot of things.”

As long as he didn’t know that I lived at Zach’s house, or about the game, I didn’t care what he knew about me. He believed me when I said that I didn’t kill my mother, and that was all that really mattered to me.

An awkward silence floated around us, and I was starting to grow uncomfortable under his gaze. I just felt like a huge idiot, even though I had done nothing embarrassing in front of him at all. At least yet, that is.

“How about I give you a ride home?” he suggested, just like he had when I had fallen down the stairs the day before. “I’m pretty sure that walking to and from school gets tiring, right?”

He was right, and I really would have loved it if he drove me, but it would have meant that he would find out that I lived at Zach’s house. They were best friends, so I was sure that Johnny knew where Zach lived…

“Um, that’s okay,” I declined, even though I really wanted to say yes to his offer. “I actually really like walking to and from school. It, uh, makes me… healthier?”

I sounded like a complete idiot. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was completely turned off by me right then.

“Then I’ll walk you home,” he tried now, and I felt a little special since he was trying so hard to take me home. “My car’s at my house anyway, since I live across the street. I could just walk you home.”

I really didn’t want him to know that I was living with Zach. I didn’t know how he would react to finding out that I was staying in the same house as the biggest player of the school. I didn’t know if his reaction was going to be good or bad. I guess as long as he didn’t know about the game Zach and I were playing…

“Okay,” I nodded, sure I was going to regret this later. “Let’s go then.”

So we did. We left the school and started in the direction of Zach’s house. I felt my stomach turn with every step I took, but I kept on walking. I knew that if I wanted to get anywhere with Johnny, he’d have to know where I lived.

“So… are you staying in the house that was caught on fire?” he asked me once he fell into step with me. It wasn’t that long ago, was it?”

“We’re living with family friends,” I answered, making sure not to give him too much detail about exactly who I was living with. “But it’s only been a couple of days. It’s still kind of weird living there. I’m sure it will be weird for me for a while…”

Johnny shrugged. “It’s hard to adapt to change.”

I looked away from him, grumbling so he wouldn’t hear, “You have no idea…”

We walked the rest of the way in silence, and I got more and more nervous as we got closer and closer to Zach’s house. I really had no idea how he would react to knowing that I was living with a total pervert… I was definitely expecting for the worst, but I was hoping for the best.

“Johnny,” I swallowed, stopping right in front of Zach’s house and turning toward Johnny. “I have something I need to tell you.”

“Hah, it’s funny,” Johnny chuckled, and I blinked as I waited for him to continue. “You stopped right in front of Zach’s house.”

I knew that I did… But I had also stopped in front of my house as well. I didn’t know how I was supposed to tell him, and I immediately regretted deciding on letting him walk me home. Now he was going to know that I lived with his manwhore of a best friend…

“That was what I wanted to talk to you about,” I started now, letting out a deep breath as I twiddled my thumbs behind my back. “You see…”

When the front door nearly burst open, I nearly jumped right out of my skin in surprise. I turned toward it only to see Zach smirking back at the two of us. All the color in my face drained, and I didn’t know what I was supposed to do anymore.

“Welcome home, darling!” Zach called out, and I glared at him flatly when I realized the only reason he was calling me that nickname was because of the game. “I thought you got lost! Do you still not know the way back here from school?”

I wanted to bash his head in. Why did he have to be so obnoxious, especially when Johnny was here? I was sure it was obvious that I liked him, so was that why he had to act like a complete asshole every time he saw us together?

Johnny looked from his best friend to me, as if asking for an explanation. I gulped, suddenly losing my voice and unable to speak.

“Did Maxynn tell you, Johnny?” Zach now asked, hopping down from his porch and making his way toward us. “I’m guessing she didn’t. Well, Maxxy here is staying with me while her house is being rebuilt. Isn’t that great? It’s like an endless sleepover!”

He opened the gate, stepping outside onto the sidewalk and wrapping his arm around me. I elbowed him in the side, but this did nothing to shake him off.

Johnny stared at me. “You’re… living with him?”

“Yep,” Zach answered before I could. “We’re shacking up.”

I elbowed him in the side even harder, but he still acted as if I hadn’t even hit him. I didn’t know how muscular he was under his shirt, but he was definitely hard like a rock. So hard that my elbow actually hurt…

“It’s not like there’s anything romantic going on between the two of us,” I made sure to clear up quickly, still unable to push myself out of Zach’s grasp. “I didn’t even know it was his house until I got here. His parents were just friends of mine, so they allowed my dad and me to stay here for a while…”

“Don’t forget to mention we share a room, Maxxy.”

“We do not share a room!”

Zach laughed, his grasp on me squeezing even tighter. I stood there and took it, knowing I was going to have to think up some type of revenge for this later.

“It’s just… nobody else knows,” I now started nervously to Johnny, cupping my elbow with my hand without even trying to push Zach off of me, since I knew there was no use. “Please don’t tell anyone. Zach’s parents were just nice enough to let my dad and me stay here.”

Johnny nodded, looking completely understanding. “Of course. I won’t tell anyone.”

I smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you.”

“Anyway,” Zach smirked now, turning me away from Johnny and toward the house. “It was great seeing you, Johnny, and I’m sure Maxynn was delighted to see you as well, but I think it’s about time we go. Her curfew is in about five minutes.”

I elbowed him in the side again, successfully removing myself from his grasp even though I knew that I didn’t hurt him. “I do not have a curfew! At least… not this early!”

Zach waved it away, as if it made no difference. “Whatever. Bye-bye, Johnny!”

He nearly dragged me into the house, slamming the door behind us once we got inside. I glared at him, but all he did was smirk at me like the jackass he was.

“Why did you have to embarrass me like that in front of him?” I demanded, not even caring if anyone else in the house heard us. “Was that even necessary? What did I do to deserve that? What did he do?”

Zach smirked, taking a step toward me. He got so close, and I was about to pull away until he whispered in my ear, “You started the game with me.”

“You said we could do things with other people,” I snapped, and he didn’t move away from me right away.

“I know,” he shrugged, as if it was no big deal once he finally pulled away. “But it’s still fun messing with you.”

I glared at him. “You know what this means, right?”

Zach’s eyebrows furrowed at me in confusion. “What?”

I was the one to smirk now. “This means war.”

~*~

“Will you not look at me like that?” I demanded, scowling at him as I started toward the stairs. “This isn’t some kind of party or something. It’s my mother’s funeral.”

Zach shrugged, following me. “Funeral or not, that doesn’t change the fact that you look smoking hot in that dress.”

It was a compliment, but that was the last thing that I wanted to hear at that moment. It was better than being ugly, but… I just didn’t want to hear it on the day of my mother’s funeral.

“Are you two ready?” I heard Brianna now ask as she suddenly came up to the two of us. She then looked over at me and looked me up and down. “You look beautiful, Maxynn, but you’re going to roast out there in that dress! Your legs might be fine, but your upper torso and your arms are going to be so hot!”

I shrugged, as if I wasn’t bothered at all. But in all honesty, I was already roasting. “I’m fine, really. It takes a lot for me to get hot.”

That was a lie. I could get hot really easily. The truth was that it was hard for me to get cold, but she didn’t need to know that then…

“But yeah, we’re ready to go, Mom,” Zach now answered his mom, and I nodded in agreement. We needed to hurry and get to the cemetery, because I was afraid that they were going to start before we even got there. My dad said that that wouldn’t happen, but I couldn’t help but worry after everything that had been happening.

It was a fifteen minute drive to the cemetery, and I was shaking in the car the entire time. Kate and Todd were going to be there for me, but I’d rather have my mother be by my side. But since I knew that could never happen again, Kate and Todd were good enough for me.

“Maxynn!” Kate called out the second I stepped out of the car, and I was immediately being tackled in a hug. I hugged her back, but said nothing because I really had nothing I needed to say to her.

It was already so hot outside. I knew it was my own fault for wearing a long sleeved dress, but I couldn’t let anyone see the bandages that were covering my burns. People already thought I killed my mother; I didn’t need people to make fun of my burns either.

“Come on,” Kate now said once she pulled away. “We’re about to start.”

I gulped, following her even though I wanted to turn around and run away. This was the last place I wanted to be; my mother was so close, but then so far away at the same time. She was in the coffin in front of me, but there was nothing I could do to bring her back. She was gone forever and there was nothing I could do about it.

“We’re here today to say goodbye to Jessica Chase, a loving mother and wife,” the priest announced, and I sunk down in my seat, having to pull at my dress so it would stay on my mid-thigh. Her untimely death has affected us all, and I know that we will all miss her dearly.”

I wiped at my eyes as I stared down at my mother’s coffin, which was already in the ground. She wasn’t buried yet, and I was glad because I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want to see my mother’s coffin being covered with dirt.

When it was time for my mother to be buried, I turned away from the coffin so I wouldn’t have to look at it happening. I wanted someone to hold me, but my dad wasn’t by my side. Kate and Todd were on either side of me, but neither of them seemed to notice that I was about to break down.

When arms suddenly wrapped around my waist, I didn’t even look up to see who it was. I just stepped forward and pressed my face into their chest, proving that they were indeed male and not female.

Having this person hold me was just making everything so much hotter, and I felt my knees buckle a little bit. Having their chest block my vision was helping, but it was making me feel so much hotter in my long sleeved, black dress.

“Maxynn,” I heard Kate now say, her hand suddenly being placed on my shoulder. “It’s over now. It’s okay.”

I sniffed, wiping at my eyes as I pushed away from the person holding me. Before turning back toward my mother’s now covered grave, I looked up at the person who had been holding me, about to thank them for what they had done.

“Zach…” I blinked up at him in surprise when I saw that he was the one who had comforted me. “Zach… Why would you…?”

“We might be in the middle of a war, darling, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be your knight in shining armor every once in a while,” he winked, taking a step away from me.

“Thank you…” I swallowed, having nothing else to say to him.

“Maxynn,” a new voice now said, and I was being swept up in another hug by someone that was female this time. When she pulled away, I looked up to see Brianna, and I smiled sadly at her. “This must be horrible for you! I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better…”

There wasn’t anything anyone could do to make me feel better. I felt absolutely horrible, and this weather wasn’t helping me at all. I felt like I could have collapsed at any second, and all these people surrounding me and hugging me wasn’t helping at all.

“Maxynn?” I heard Brianna ask, but my eyesight suddenly went blurry so I couldn’t see where she was. “Maxynn? Maxynn!”

But I couldn’t respond, because in the next moment, I was on the ground.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have to keep reminding myself that Zach doesn't like Maxynn. He's just messing with her. But then he can be really sweet to her. I think I'm confusing myself. Dx He doesn't like her! He just thinks she's hot! xD

Ugh, this chapter is so late. I've been super busy with school lately with all the end-of-the-year projects that I've been assigned. Hopefully I'll have more time to write once summer starts. -__- I only have two weeks of school left!

This is for Watty Awards 2012! Don't forget to vote and share!

Please COMMENT, VOTE, and FAN! <3