Returning home, with Teddy, made Zoe happy beyond belief. Just being with him, as his girlfriend, was surreal in itself, but now they were going home. Zoe was going to see her friends again and see the babies and her big sister and everything was going to be okay for awhile. Zoe couldn't wait.

"Are you going to be okay with me hanging out with my friends when we get back to school?" Zoe asked as her and Teddy sat in the airport, waiting for their flight home.

"As much as I hate them all, I'm not going to tell you not to hang out with them. They're your friends. As long as I don't have to talk to them, I don't care. But... you better give Howl and Fisher some attention first." Teddy turned his phone towards Zoe to show a text conversation between him and Howl. "I guess I forgot to tell Howl I was coming to California and he kind of panicked when he couldn't find me the other day."

Zoe chuckled at that, finding it cute that Howl was so attached to Teddy that he worried when he went missing for one day. But the humor in the situation faded when Zoe read their texts and realized just how scared Howl seemed. He even mentioned that Teddy better not be dead somewhere, as if Teddy would kill himself. Zoe didn't know what would give Howl that impression because Teddy wasn't that kind of person. He was depressed, Zoe knew that, but she was never scared of Teddy killing himself.

"He really was scared you were going to hurt yourself, Teddy." Zoe hugged Teddy's arm and jutted her bottom lip out in a pout. "Did you do something scary while I was gone?"

"No. I was just depressed that you left." Teddy shrugged as he looked up from his phone to lock eyes with the sparkling brown ones he liked so much. "Howl took it upon himself to watch over me after you left. He was really worried about me."

"It was that bad...?" Zoe whispered, cringing at the amount of guilt flooding her stomach.

Teddy sighed and interlaced his fingers with Zoe's so he could bring her knuckles to his lips and kiss her. "I told you I loved you and you ran. Not that I really blame you because... I mean, I know why you did what you did... But after everything I've been through, losing another person I loved destroyed me."

"I'm sorry, Teddy Bear..." Zoe pitifully cooed as she rubbed Teddy's arm to comfort him.

Teddy flashed Zoe a sarcastic glare. He really didn't like that nickname, but as long as it was Zoe, he didn't mind so much. "You don't have to apologize. Like I said, I know why you left. I can't blame you for it. But it did hurt. A lot. And I'd rather you never do that ever again."

Zoe pouted and pulled Teddy closer to kiss him, silently reassuring him that yes, she would never be doing that again. She wouldn't hurt him anymore. Teddy happily swallowed such reassurance and gave it right back to her in the force of his kiss.

It was strange, the complexity of their relationship. Teddy didn't resent her for running from him that day but Zoe instantly resented him when she learned he was working for her mother. They both had their reasons and they both understood each other's reasons, but Teddy was more forgiving, for whatever reason. Zoe didn't know why and she wished she could be on board with him like he was with her, but throwing his life away just wasn't something Zoe could shrug off.

Maybe he was a better person than her for being so forgiving. Or maybe he was crazy. Zoe couldn't figure it out. After all, it's not like she was still mad at him. They had just agreed to disagree and abandoned the subject all together. It was... one of those things they just didn't talk about. They had a lot of those things, it turned out. But since they were both so in love with each other, neither of them wanted to talk about the elephant in the room and ruin their relationship.

Teddy and Zoe only separated when the speakers above them instructed the passengers to begin boarding the plane. Zoe excitedly gasped and jumped from her seat, grabbing her luggage and Teddy's hand to make him hurry. She was so excited to go home and see her friends and return to her very normal, very average, very domestic life in Ohio. It was going to be better this time, she could feel it. All of her dreams were finally coming to fruition, if only for a month.

-

Zoe cried when she got home. To nobody's surprise. Bailey did too, in Zoe's defense. Bailey was so excited to have her Auntie Zoe home again that she shed a few tears and that made Zoe shed a few tears too. Luckily, Carmen held herself together and Malik didn't really understand what was going on. Teddy just got to watch with a smile on his face.

The afternoon took a lighter turn when Bailey decided to show Zoe all of the art she made while her auntie was gone.

From the kitchen, making lunch with Teddy, Carmen sheepishly yelled, "and Bailey may or may not have decided to color on the walls of her room while you were away..."

Zoe looked up from the artwork displayed across the coffee table and asked, "is that a bad thing?"

Carmen's mouth fell open to respond but she was so taken aback by that question that she ended up staring at Teddy, who also looked just as confused. It only took a second of exchanged glances for Carmen and Teddy to snort a laugh and shake their head. Eleanor was a kind soul but she was also a mama raising two kids and drawing on the walls was not tolerated. Teddy and Carmen learned that real quick growing up. But with Zoe, being rich and neglected as a child, she probably didn't understand the concept so well.

"You don't think it's a problem?" Carmen asked Zoe.

Zoe shrugged as she glanced at the adorable little girl sitting in her lap. "It's her bedroom. If she wants to draw on the walls, I don't mind."

"Alright... This is your house so I guess, if you're okay with it, I'm okay with it. As long as she don't bring that mess anywhere else. She can't grow up thinking she can just draw on shit," Carmen declared.

"What if she grows up to be a street artist?" Teddy challenged as he tossed a pinch of shredded cheese into his mouth from the bowl he was hoarding.

Carmen slapped Teddy's hand away from the bowl and put it next to the other dishes of taco fixings. "What does that mean?"

"I mean, what if she wants to paint a mural downtown or something. Tag a few trains, even." Teddy leaned over the counter to steal more cheese, clearly unable to control himself.

"That's fine as long as she's not getting in trouble for it. In this house, she will get in trouble for drawing all over these marble floors," Carmen huffed.

Teddy chuckled, deciding Carmen might have a point there, and got distracted by the buzz near the front door. Someone was buzzing in from the gate at the bottom of the driveway. Teddy hurried to answer it and let Howl up the driveway. Zoe jumped up when she heard his voice through the comm, excited to see one of her best friends again. She was even more excited when she saw Fisher in the passenger seat of Howl's car. She got to see two friends and her family, with her boyfriend, all in one day. Miracles.

"Fishy!" Zoe squealed as she rushed outside.

"Zoe! You're barefoot!" Teddy groaned as he followed her out.

Zoe crashed into Fisher as she wrapped her arms around him and he laughed and hugged her back. Teddy trudged outside behind her, nodding in greeting at Howl, who did not return the casual greeting. Instead, Howl bolted at him with incredible speed and blinding rage. Teddy was quick enough to see the look on his face and run for his life, into the yard, but Howl was fast and hot on his tail.

Howl tackled Teddy into the grass and wrestled him until he was on top. Teddy refused to surrender and pushed and struggled against Howl, both of them cursing and trying not to laugh as they fought. Zoe was confused as she looked back at the two but relaxed when she realized they were messing around. She put her hands on her hips and walked into the yard with Fisher to watch Teddy and Howl fight.

"Asshole! I thought you were dead!" Howl shouted at Teddy. Their hands were a blur of thrashing limbs that neither Zoe nor Fisher dared to get too close to.

"I told you where I went, didn't I?" Teddy yelled one his defense as he struggled against Howl.

"You told me you went to see the devil! I thought she was gonna kill you! After I already thought you were dead! You stupid, selfish prick!"

Zoe shook her head and blocked the sunlight with her hand as she looked up at the clear, blue sky. It was a really nice day out. Zoe completely missed midwestern spring, which she was kind of bummed about. But now it was nice and the boys were outside wrestling in the healthy, green grass, so she was enjoying this weather so far. It wasn't as hot as it was in California but Zoe liked it. It smelled like home and everything around her was familiar, which made it feel like home.

"Have you learned your lesson?" Howl growled.

"What lesson, you psycho?" Teddy cried.

"Don't completely forget about your best friend just because you're chasing your girlfriend around!"

"Fine! I'm sorry, alright?"

Howl and Teddy finally stopped their fussing, both of them heaving from the exhaustion of their wrestling. Teddy was quick to shove Howl off of him before he brushed off his clothes and huffed in annoyance at him. Howl simply smirked as he returned to Fisher's side and slung an arm around his shoulders.

"So you guys going to kiss now or what?" Howl asked as he bounced a finger between Teddy and Zoe.

"Kiss?" Zoe squeaked as she raised her fingers to her lips, a blush rising in her cheeks.

It wasn't until she remembered the fact that her and Teddy had done much more than that, that Zoe's embarrassment receded. The last time she was home, with her friends, Teddy was just a crush. It was going to be strange adjusting to their new relationship here. Especially when it came to the other kids at school. Everyone knew Zoe hung out with Teddy, and some even knew she liked him, but surely not everyone would be expecting them to be in love all of a sudden.

"Yeah. You guys fuck now, right? You're like boyfriend and girlfriend?" Howl wiggled his eyebrows.

Teddy stole a glance at Zoe, who was furiously blushing and fighting a smile. The little twirls of her body and bouncing of her eyes gave away her underlying desire to cower in embarrassment. Teddy internally cursed himself for finding it so cute. Everything about her was cute. All the time. He would kiss her right now if it weren't for Howl teasing them about it.

"As long as we're in Ohio, nobody gets a say in how we show affection. That's between me and Zoe." Teddy gave Howl a stern glare before looking at Zoe again. She looked so full of pride at Teddy's declaration. The look in her eyes was making it even harder for Teddy to resist the urge to kiss her. "If you want to see some action, just wait around for a few minutes. I'll crack at some point."

"Not if I do first," Zoe purred as she skipped excitedly into Teddy's arms and planted a kiss on his lips.

Teddy happily kissed her back and let his hands wander toward her ass. He loved how soft she was. Both her lips and her ass, that is. Kissing her brought back very blissful memories that he would be more than inclined to revisit if they didn't have company over.

"Awh.. You guys are so gross." Fisher cooed at the handsy couple.

Zoe broke from Teddy and ducked her head in embarrassment. Teddy chuckled and kissed her hair before she turned in his arms and dragged his arms up to hang around her neck. With a tug, Zoe tumbled towards the house with Teddy attached to her, both of them with smitten smiles and their friends in tow. The teasing was slightly embarrassing but it wasn't nearly enough to make Zoe let go of the love of her life.

"Speaking of friends..." Zoe murmured to Teddy as Howl and Fisher started making conversation with Carmen. She fished her phone out of the pocket of the hoodie she was wearing and held it between them. "I have to turn this on now that we're home and I'm scared of the amount of messages that are waiting for me."

Teddy looked at the phone as a frown pulled at his dark features. "You mean those idiots we go to school with.."

Zoe forced a pout as she wrapped an arm around Teddy's shoulders, standing on her toes so their unmatched height didn't make the position awkward. "You said you didn't mind."

"I don't mind. You can talk to and hang out with whoever you want to. I just hate them. With a passion."

"I know you do," Zoe solemnly chuckled and shook her head, feeling a bit of guilt swirl in her gut.

Zoe didn't like the idea of being friends with people who treated the love of her life like trash. They were fun people to hang out with and they all really liked her, so naturally she liked them back. Zoe internally promised herself that she wouldn't talk to her friends any longer if they continued to act so terribly toward Teddy. He wasn't jut a crush anymore, they were together. Through thick or thin, life or death, and everything in between. So if they couldn't handle her and Teddy's relationship, they'd have to be cut off. No exceptions.

That internal promise ran through Zoe's head a million times between that moment and the moment she walked to school with Teddy. She knew Chuck would be unhappy and probably the first one to make a rude comment. She didn't know exactly what she would say yet. Zoe never wanted to come across as rude or abrasive or anything unkindly. There had to be a nice way to warn people not to be mean without sounding demanding and rude.

"How do you want to do this?" Teddy asked Zoe as they walked hand in hand down the street.

Zoe pulled herself from her thoughts and squinted up at Teddy, since the rays of the rising sun were shining into her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Teddy looked down at their intertwined fingers and drew her attention down to them. "You said your mother wants us to practice our PDA skills or whatever and we're almost to school. Is hand holding allowed?"

"I think so." Zoe shrugged and pulled Teddy closer to cling to his arm. "Hand holding, forehead kisses, hugs, footsie-"

"Footsie?" Teddy chuckled. "You're planning on playing footsie with me?"

"Well, if we sit together in class or in the library or really anywhere, I think I just might."

"I like that promise."

"I think you like anything that involves me touching you."

Teddy pulled his arm free from Zoe to wrap it around her shoulders and kiss the top of her head. "Mm, pretty much."

Although Zoe was excited to return to school and happy to have Teddy as her boyfriend, the closer she got to the school, the more terrified she became. She had left everyone without any warning, again, for a really long time. They would be angry. The texts she skimmed through last night were enough to prove that much. They were even curious about her relationship with Teddy after those photos of them together surfaced on the internet. At least, they already knew something was going on...

As soon as Zoe stepped foot on to school grounds, heads turned and eyes lingered. Zoe tried to smile and wave at everyone she made eye contact with but Teddy could feel her nerves through the tight grip she had on his arm. Teddy couldn't deny that even he was a little anxious. He wasn't excited about the amount of attention he was pulling in already. So many pairs of eyes, so much judgement. As much as Teddy hated it though, he wasn't going anywhere. He promised to stand by her side and he meant it.

The first friend that Zoe spotted was Selik. He looked shocked to see her before his eyes landed on Teddy, and their closeness. His expression turned sour before he gave Zoe a polite wave and continued on his way. That made Zoe frown. She didn't want anyone to avoid or dismiss her just because of Teddy. It's not like anything had really changed. They all knew she talked to him. What did it matter if they held hands and stuff? It wasn't like she was choosing sides.

"Remember what you said before, Zo?" Teddy asked, pulling Zoe from her wallowing as she looked up at him. "One hundred friends now and ten later. You said you'd be okay with that."

Zoe gave Teddy a solemn smile, appreciating his attempt at soothing her nerves by implying that anybody would stay by her side. "I did say that... I just thought that would happen because of something superficial. Like my money, you know? Everyone ditching me because of my boyfriend hurts a little bit more..."

Teddy couldn't stop himself from smiling at the fact that Zoe called him her boyfriend. It wasn't like this was her first time, but it still new to him. Months and months of dreaming about being with Zoe and the dream had finally come true. He hadn't expected a happy ending like that. The only problem was that it wasn't a happy ending yet. Zoe needed to be smiling first.

"Your friends abandoning you because of the guy you're holding hands with sounds a little superficial to me," Teddy argued, a little more smugly than he intended.

Zoe flashed him a sarcastic glare. "Are you trying to turn me against them? You said this was fine."

"Zoe, I've hated them since before you came to this school. I warned you to stay away from them since the first time they hurt you. I'm not trying to convert you to my side of the war, but only because they're going to lose anyways." Teddy smirked at his own declarations, feeling even more smug by the second.

Zoe rolled her eyes at Teddy and opened her mouth to bicker with him some more before she spotted more of her friends. They were standing around Joseph's locker, mingling casually and joking around. Selik reached them before Zoe and easily got their attention when he pointed her out. The urge to cower behind Teddy and hide made Zoe grip his hand with an anxious grip, but Zoe resisted. Instead, she flashed a happy smile and wiggled her fingers at her friends, hoping and praying that they wouldn't just turn around and ignore her existence.

Everything felt tense.

Those walking by stared, Zoe's friends halted their conversation to silently judge, while Teddy and Zoe were choking on their own anxiety. So far, it didn't look like anybody was happy to see Zoe, but they hadn't turned their backs on her yet. That gave her a little flicker of hope. Though, it was painfully obvious that nobody was going to approach her and welcome her home. Zoe would have to go to them. She already knew it was a bad idea to bring Teddy along with her but she also didn't and to leave him. She needed his comfort and didn't want to choose sides.

Zoe stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned Teddy toward her, flashing her most desperate puppy-dog eyes. "Come with me."

Teddy groaned as he reached to hold Zoe's adorable face in his hands. He really hated to refuse and disappoint her but, "I'd rather die."

"Come on... It will help if you make nice. They'll see you're not such a bad guy when you're in love," Zoe pouted.

Teddy couldn't help but snort a laugh. The last time he kicked Chuck's ass, he was very much in love. And that was probably true for every fight since the day Zoe arrived at this school. If anything, being in love has made him an even bigger enemy to those fools. Zoe didn't know that though. She was too sweet and innocent that she thought love could cure all. Teddy liked that about her but he couldn't live in that world again. If he went over there and someone provoked him, frankly, he didn't think he'd be able to resist his natural urge to throw fists.

"I think it's going to be best for both of us if you go make nice with your friends and I go find Howl before class," Teddy said.

Teddy pulled Zoe closer to plant a kiss on her forehead. When that didn't satisfy him, he leaned even closer to capture her in a passionate kiss. Zoe softly gasped against his lips, surprised to be kissed so deeply all of a sudden. Her original plan was to be modest when it came to PDA, but at the same time, it felt really good to feel Teddy's tongue caress hers so effortlessly. He had such a skillful mouth and he held her so gently, it was intoxicating.

"See you in class, Z," Teddy murmured when they parted.

"Bye, love." Zoe smiled.

Seeing Zoe smile for the first time today brought an even bigger smile to Teddy's face. He admired her for a moment longer as he ran his thumb across her bottom lip. If he could only stay and taste those lips all day long.

Teddy decided to leave before he made a scene, feeling a strange emptiness when he didn't have a hand to hold or a pretty face to look to for an easy dose of comfort. Zoe took a deep breath as she turned to her friends and weaved through the crowded hallways to get to them. She could see her friends whispering to each other the entire time she made her way to them. They were probably debating whether they should shun her or give her a piece of their mind. She could just be walking into disappointment, and that scared her.

"Hello, everybody..." Zoe awkwardly smiled when she finally reached her friends. Her eyes lingered on Chuck's, who seemed to be keeping his distance with a hard glare in his eyes. "I'm home... and I missed you all."

Nobody seemed to know what to say, or was biting their tongue, because it was eerily silent between everyone now.

"You disappeared for a really long time," Courtney blurted first. She was visibly holding back a frown and Zoe could tell. "And you ignored us all. For months. Like you didn't even care that you left us behind."

Zoe's heart pounded in her chest as guilt pooled into a disgusting swamp in her stomach. "I know, I know. I'm really, really sorry. I was gone longer than I expected... and I was so busy... But there is no excuse. I should have said something to someone so you guys didn't feel abandoned."

"We didn't feel abandoned," Zoe turned her eyes to see Lauren, who had a much more solid poker face. "We felt betrayed. You ignored all of your friends and then invited Teddy out to see you. That asshole treated you like shit while we all had your back, yet he's the one that gets to go to L.A. to see you?"

Zoe already knew her friends were going to bring this up and slam Teddy for it, but it was only making her feel worse and worse. She felt like she was going to be sick. Zoe didn't usually get herself into this much trouble with people. She even resorted to lying so that people would like her no matter what. Teddy even called her a pathological liar for it. Zoe was having a hard time finding lies to fall back on though. She really didn't want to lie. After everything she'd been through since coming to this school, it just felt like a waste of time. She had bigger priorities.

"Okay, listen..." Zoe took a deep breath as she ran a hand anxiously through her long, blonde hair. "Teddy and I... we're seeing each other now. We're together. We're a couple."

"Yeah. Got that part," Daniel retorted.

Zoe sighed with defeat, since she knew she was stumbling over her own tongue. "That's why he came to see me. And usually, I don't really let anybody near that part of my life but... it was Teddy. I mean, we're..."

"In love?" Lauren asked in a tone that Zoe knew was meant in a mocking manner.

Zoe's eyes bounced between all her friends and she gulped down her nerves. It didn't help. She was still freaking out inside. "Yes."

A few eyes widened while others rolled in disbelief. Clearly, some people didn't expect Zoe and Teddy to be in love while the others thought she was just being ridiculous. Zoe couldn't help but stare at Chuck though. He was one of her best, most closest friends and also happened to hate Teddy more than anybody. She couldn't read him. He was expressionless but still distant, simply watching and listening.

"But that doesn't matter. That's not the point. It has nothing to do with you guys," Zoe stammered as she tried to keep her wild thoughts straight. "Like I said, I try not to bring that part of my life with me when I'm at school and I also didn't want it to be the other way around. I don't bring my work here and I can't bring my personal life there. That's why I can't really talk to you guys when I'm gone. I'm too busy working and-"

"But that only applies to your friends? Not Teddy?" Jennie was suddenly here, which made Zoe flinch, and she looked hungry for drama. "I can't imagine anything being more personal than a boyfriend, yet he got to stand in front of cameras and escort you to Sensation headquarters with your mother? Sounds like your work and personal life have already mixed."

"Well, yeah... That's different." Zoe gulped and ran a hand through her hair again. "When you're in love with someone, you can't just turn that off when you leave them. When it's just your friends, it's a little easier to leave and know that you can come back and they'll be there."

"So that's what we are to you?" Jennie chuckled. "Just a bunch of randos that you can come back to whenever you please. Ignore us, betray us, it doesn't matter. We'll always be waiting for you, ready to accept you back into the group."

Zoe rubbed at her forehead, feeling her temperature rise so much that sweat beaded over her skin. She was nervous. She couldn't tell if Jennie was speaking for the group or if she was just trying to tear Zoe down in front of everyone. This was definitely the worse way this could have gone and it didn't look like it was going to end well either. It was making her miss Teddy. She needed him.

"Guys, I know this might make me look like a really terrible person but I promise I don't mean to insult anybody or use anybody or make you feel less than... It's just complicated. Teddy's my boyfriend and you're my friends and it's just..."

"Boyfriend..." Chuck quietly muttered to himself, accidentally catching Zoe's attention.

Zoe's shoulders fell as she frowned at Chuck. She couldn't imagine how disappointed he was to find out his arch enemy managed to capture one of his best friends. It wasn't like Teddy had stolen her away. She was still here, trying to earn their forgiveness so they could all be friends. She wouldn't abandon her friends just because she was in a relationship. But she also wouldn't abandon her boyfriend just because they didn't like him. She liked him and she liked them. There had to be a way that she could have both.

"Zoe! Oh my god!" A voice excitedly yelled from down the hallway.

Zoe turned and felt a smile grow across her face at the sight of Vanessa wiggling through the crowd. At least one friend was excited to see her. It made Zoe feel a million times better when Vanessa wrapped her arms around her and crushed her into a hug that told her just how much she was missed. Of course, Zoe could rely on Vanessa to care about her unconditionally. If anyone at this school was going to welcome and comfort Zoe, she should have known it was going to be Vanessa.

"Oh my god! We missed you so much, Zoe!" Vanessa squealed as she squeezed Zoe impossible tighter. "How have you been?"

Zoe squeezed Vanessa right back, feeling her heart swell in her chest at Vanessa's greeting. She was the only one who had asked how Zoe was doing instead of just accusing her of treason.

"I've been happy lately," Zoe said as she parted from Vanessa to offer her a smitten smile. "I assume you know about me and Teddy already. Like the others."

"I'd know even if I were dead and blind. Those photos of you two in California were the talk of the town for weeks." Vanessa chuckled and flicked a lock of hair over Zoe's shoulder. "He's been making you happy now? He's a good boyfriend? He doesn't bully you anymore?"

Zoe's cheeks warmed as she nibbled on her bottom lip. "He's a good boyfriend. He'd do anything to make me happy. And he doesn't tease me anymore than any boyfriend would."

"Oh good, good. I didn't think Teddy had it in him but I have to believe you with that lovesick look in your eyes." Vanessa played with another lock of Zoe's hair as she said, "And you know I'll be the first one in line to kick his ass if he hurts you."

Zoe chuckled, although a dark thought dimmed her smile when she truly considered Teddy's words. If he did ever hurt her, it would end worse for Teddy than for her. There were dozens of people that worked for Rin that would hop on that opportunity if he ever hurt Zoe. And they would likely do more than just kick his ass.

Despite the reality of that possibility, Zoe decided to simply appreciate Vanessa'a concern and offer her a warm smile.

"Oh!" Vanessa grabbed Zoe's arms and pulled her close until their faces were inches apart. She had a dead serious look in her eyes as she whispered, "and remember what I said about the orgasms? You're not being neglected in bed, right?"

Zoe's eyes shifted towards her gathered friends, all of whom were staring with intensely curious gazes. Zoe awkwardly cleared her throat and leaned even closer to Vanessa to whisper in her ear, "Teddy does not neglect or disappoint."

Vanessa snickered and raised her hand for a high five, which Zoe happily reciprocated. When she glanced at her friends, her mood dimmed at the sight of their unamused faces. It wasn't until now that Zoe realized just how exhausting it was to constantly beg for their approval. Ever since the very first day that she arrived at this school, Zoe had lied and forced a smile countless times just to make them like her. She was that desperate for friends, and their approval and attention. It was the same pattern she repeated countless times in her professional life.

However, that's not why Zoe came to this school. She didn't want to bring the bad parts of her life here. She wanted to escape, find new sources of happiness, thrive in her freedom. But constantly putting on the flawless, polite, always happy face of Zoe Yang in the face of people who were constantly awaiting her downfall was not what she wanted here. These people were not happy that she was happy because it wasn't in their best interests for her to be happy around Teddy. They were selfish. They wanted the fake, perfect version of Zoe.

And frankly, Zoe didn't care anymore because she had found people who liked her for who she was. They didn't need her fancy clothes, her expensive lifestyle, or her fake smiles to like her. Some of them even liked her despite of all that stuff. So why was she still torturing herself with more people like the ones scowling at her? What a waste of time.

With the feeling of a thousand pounds being lifted off Zoe's shoulders, she offered Vanessa a bright smile and said, "my classes changed again and I don't know where the chem lab is. Will you show me?"

Vanessa hooked her arm with Zoe's as they started down the hallway, ignoring their friends who were waiting for Zoe's attention but had just been blatantly abandoned. "I have chem this trimester too. What hour is yours?"

Zoe pulled her class schedule from the side pocket of her backpack. "Third."

"Me too! We can buddy up now!" Vanessa excitedly squealed.

Zoe copied Vanessa's excited squeals and felt her smile nearly crack the corner of her lips as her and Vanessa laughed at each other. It was so much nicer with just Van by her side. She was unconditionally supportive, only wished the best for her friends, and was always a good time. The others didn't matter as long as they would be putting down Zoe for making her own decisions. She didn't need that here and she wouldn't tolerate it.

Without her friends, going through her classes and the hallways in between was a lot quieter for Zoe. It was obvious to her that they were trying out the silent treatment when she ran into three of them in the hallway and they all blatantly ignored her as they walked right next to her. Zoe frowned but tried to remind herself that they weren't her true friends. True friends wouldn't treat her this way. That put a smile back on Zoe's face, as did Fisher when he joined her on their journey to their next class.

Zoe wasn't picky about who she talked to. She never was. So during her classes, she talked to classmates she hadn't talked to before or had been partnered up with once in a separate class. They were nice. Some treated Zoe like they would any other person while some got a little flustered and awkward in her presence. It was better than being shunned or shamed though.

After grabbing her salad at lunch, Zoe skipped across the cafeteria with a smile on her face, ignoring the friends that were ignoring her. Teddy was across the way and waiting with Howl. He was talking with a smile on his face and the most comfortable posture Zoe had ever seen from him. He looked so handsome and tall and she wanted to kiss him. They didn't have any classes together yet so Zoe was beyond excited to see him again.

"Teddy Bear!" Zoe squealed as she ran excitedly at her boyfriend.

Just as Teddy turned toward her, Zoe leaped at him with her arms wide and he reacted on reflex to catch her. The catch was awkward and nearly caused Teddy to tip over, but Zoe laughed anyways and clung to him. Teddy dramatically sighed when he regained his balance but couldn't fight a smile. With no classes together, Teddy was dying to see Zoe again. He used to enjoy learning in class, but without Zoe, it was so unbelievably boring. As if he would be paying any attention with Zoe around anyways...

"How you been, baby?" Teddy held Zoe close with a hand on her ass. She sarcastically glared at him for his shameless groping but decided not to protest it. "I missed you."

"Missed you more." Zoe bit her lip as she grinned at Teddy.

She grabbed his chin and gave him a kiss on his lips, uncontrollably giggling when she felt his grip tighten on her ass. Teddy peaked passed Zoe when he heard footsteps and realized Howl was leaving them, likely to find Fisher. And then his eyes caught sight of Zoe's friends, who were all staring. Teddy narrowed his eyes at them before he cupped the back of Zoe's head and missed her even deeper than before. She was lost on the kiss for a moment before he bit her bottom lip and made her yelp in surprise.

"We're in public, you know..." Zoe whispered to Teddy as she pushed his hand away from her ass with one hand and shoved his shoulder with the other. "This is a bit much."

Teddy took his eyes off Zoe's friends, who looked shocked and appalled, and kept Zoe pinned against him with an arm around her waist. "I said I missed you. I can't help it."

"Then, at least save it for behind closed doors..." Zoe scolded as she pried Teddy's arms from her waist. Teddy straightened his spine, easily towering over her with a frown. Zoe glared at him with one hand on her hip and the other pointing to her forehead. "Remember what I said this morning? Forehead kisses and hand holding."

The muscles in Teddy's jaw flexed under his skin. He couldn't help but steal another glance at the horde of enemies glaring at him. They got under his skin in ways that nothing else had. This wasn't about them though. Teddy had to remind himself of that. He finally had his girl, she was finally home, and they were safe. That's all that mattered.

"Forehead kisses," Teddy wiped the frown off his face and cupped Zoe's in his hand before he planted his lips gently on her forehead. When he let her go, he took her free hand and guided her through the hallways. "And hand holding."

Zoe glanced over her shoulder before they got too far from the cafeteria but she didn't get a glimpse of her friends before Teddy pulled her closer and threw his arm around her shoulder. Zoe scoffed at Teddy's clingy behavior and reached behind her to smooth out the fabric of her skirt.

"God, I thought you were gonna make me flash the whole cafeteria back there..." Zoe muttered with embarrassment.

"Nah.. That's all mine," Teddy smugly growled as he reached to grab her ass again.

Zoe squealed when she felt his fingers dig into the fabric of her skirt and easily skipped away from Teddy's reach. He chuckled and reached for her again just for Zoe to hold her skirt down and race forward. Teddy chases Zoe down the hallways with a smile shining across both their faces. Zoe darted up the stairs ahead of Teddy and raced into the library before she was stopped by the librarian, who scolded her for running and being so loud. Teddy popped up behind her and they both apologized before making their way to the table in the back that they always sat at.

"There were a couple times when I thought we'd never be back here again..." Zoe pouted as she ran her nails across the table. A shy smile was quick to replace it though. "I'm glad we're here again. This is perfect. This is my happy place."

Everything was so easy when she sat at this table. Ever since she first fell asleep at this table, beside Teddy, in order to escape the judgement of her classmates. This place made her feel good. It was quiet, it was empty, nobody looked for her here. Even Teddy seemed like a simple man at this table. He just studied, and studied, and studied. This table was the complete opposite of all the chaos of Zoe's life and she loved it.

Teddy gently brushed Zoe's hair off her shoulder so he could plant a kiss on her neck and shoulder. "I don't care where we are. You're my happy place. But I guess it's pretty nice here, with you."

Zoe's smile broadened and she turned to stare into Teddy's infinity black eyes. "I never thought you'd be this touchy and sappy as my boyfriend. You were always so guarded, I thought you'd be a little more coy about showing affection."

Teddy kept his hand on the side of Zoe's neck as his thumb brushed her warm skin. "Is that the kind of boyfriend you want me to be? I told you I'll be anything you ask me to be."

"No, no, no. I like this Teddy." Zoe reached to hold Teddy's hand on her neck and caress his skin. "This Teddy makes me feel loved. It's addicting. I don't want you to stop."

Teddy felt his chest flood with an overwhelming rush of warmth as he stared at the little blonde and her beautiful, enchanting smile. "Good. Because I can't convince myself to stop touching you."

"Good," Zoe echoed with a smug smile before she pulled Teddy's hand from her neck and planted a kiss on his palm.

"We should have sex on this table," Teddy shamelessly blurted, his expression unexpectedly serious.

"Teddy!" Zoe whisper-yelled as she playfully slapped his shoulder. She hid her darkening cheeks by turning away from Teddy to slid her backpack off her shoulders. "Don't joke like that..."

Teddy closed in on Zoe from behind, pinning her hips to the table with his own against her ass as his hands on either side of her caged her in. Zoe gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth, feeling her entire body ignite with arousal and complete embarrassment. She felt so small with Teddy's chest against her back and his height towering over hers. It was just a reminder of how powerful he could be when he wanted to, which was hot.

Really hot.

"I wasn't joking," Teddy whispered in Zoe's ear, reaching to brush her hair aside once more.

Zoe shivered at the feeling of Teddy's breath on her neck. Her heart was pounding like crazy and her breathing was already short. She couldn't even stop herself from squeezing her thighs together as she felt warmth settle in the deepest pit of her gut. Just thinking about the ways that Teddy blew her mind because Zoe all tingly and turned on. This erotic threat he was making only three fire on to more fire.

Zoe glanced toward the librarian, who was ignorant to their position as she stamped the first page of a every book in a pile beside her. The librarian wasn't paying attention but Zoe could still feel her face flush with embarrassment.

"Knock it off..." Zoe whispered and twisted to push Teddy off of her. When she looked up at him, Teddy was beaming with a cocky smirk and challenging glint in his eyes that Zoe had never seen before. "Forehead kisses and hand holding..."

"That sounds like it involves self control," Teddy chuckled as he leaned in to nip at Zoe's ear.

"Yes!" Zoe squeaked, her hand flying up to cover her ear as she glared at Teddy. "Lots of it. Better practice now because you can't do stuff like this in L.A..."

Teddy forced his composure as he stepped back to free Zoe from his teasing. Zoe scoffed at him and ducked her head to hid her red face. Teddy chuckled and fell into his seat at the same time as Zoe. He couldn't stop staring at her. She looked so adorable with her face all red like that. And now that he got a taste of that little fantasy he proposed, he let his imagination wander as he stared at her.

Fucking Zoe in the middle of the empty library, in their own, secret haven, sounded like fun. Having her pinned up against the table with her skirt pushed up and his cock planted between her legs sounded like paradise. He could already picture the way her back would arch and the way her hair would cascade down her shoulders like a gold waterfall. Resisting the urge to grab a handful of her hair as he pounded into her would be impossible. But maybe Zoe would like it.

"Stop it!" Zoe pointed a stern finger at Teddy, her milky brown eyes wide and serious.

"What?" Teddy chuckled, pulling himself from his dirty fantasies.

"You're staring, and you have a look in your eyes like... like you're thinking naughty things," Zoe whispered.

"You know me so well."

"Well, knock it off. Now's not the time." Zoe patted her cheeks, in hopes that it would stop the insistent blushing, and returned her attention to her salad. "I have to eat and you have to study. We're only here for a month, until the school years over, and I don't want me being here to distract you."

Teddy smiled, letting his attention linger on Zoe for a moment or two longer before he finally turned away to get to his school work. He didn't want to. Instead, he wanted to fantasize about Zoe all day and then live out those fantasies all night. It would be harder to do that with kids in the house now. But it wasn't like they had it easier in Rin's house. The chance of Teddy dying after being caught with Zoe was much smaller around here than around Rin.

Teddy just had to get creative, like Abe said. Parties, cars, showers, hotels... They had access to all of those things. Internally, Teddy reminded himself to figure that out before he decided it really was time to focus on his school work.