12 | Z A C K

"I have something important to share with you guys. On Halloween, I'm throwing a gala, meant for Maxwell High students. All students are invited but do not consider this necessary." Mrs Miller pauses and hands Jenna a handful of papers.

"Jenna will distribute the invitation card."

"What about the costume, Mrs Miller?" Maya asked. All the students were quiet and attentive.

"About the costume, I decided to make this Halloween more lively. I want you guys to come with your partners. What I want you to do is to select your favourite movie. From the movie, choose an iconic scene and wear the costume. At the gala, you'll present the scene as the characters of that movie with the costume they wore. There, we'll find out who the winner is and who knows? You'll get free marks for the best performance?"

I took the invitation card from Jenna's outstretched hand and smile. She smile back before moving on to the next person. If this is going to be a group work, Jenna and I have a lot of work to do.

The students threw questions after questions at Mrs Miller who correctly answered all. I think the proposition is cool but I have no idea which movie scene to act on. I'm not much into watching movies. I can clearly recall Jenna going berserk about movies at the ice cream parlour. My only ambition is that she wouldn't choose a cliché, girly scene for our presentation.

After the dismissal bell rang, I decided to take this perfect opportunity to approach Jenna about our upcoming Halloween presentation. Except she's no where to be found. I searched around the crowd but couldn't spot her.

"Whom are you looking for?" Eric's boyish voice dragged my attention.

"You don't have to know." I replied and resumed walking, my eyes secretly searching for a little brunette.

"It's not like I don't know what your poop smelt like when you were a baby."

Eric is simply uncanny. I don't know where he derived this knowledge from but I find it mystifying. "What the hell, man?"

He accelerated his speed to catch  up with me. "Dude, a new movie just hit the theatre."

Before he could continue, I stopped him. "No. We have a lot of scheme to cover up. Unless you're ready to walk away form your responsibilities."

From a close distance, I saw Korbin approaching us with a huge grin and holding a bag of popcorn.

"The results for the first assessment are out. I came out with straight A plus, serving no mercy to a single A. Maya is distributing the results back in the classroom. You should go get yours."

"Oh shit! I don't want to see my results." Eric exclaimed. He's an average student, neither an A plus nor a failure student.

We reversed and went back to the class. Sure enough, the class captain aka Maya is distributing the results. She smirked at me before handing me my scripts. I wasn't surprised when I saw all the scripts marked with A plus. My results had always been good. I can't deny this but I work hard to achieve the points. I know I deserved it. Waking up in the middle of the night after a few minutes of napping to study isn't a joke.

"Well done, Zack Alan Hudson. Make sure to inform your parents about the good news so they can take you to your favourite candy store." Leslie mocked with a fake smile.

I merely grunted. Eric collected his and grinned satisfactory when he saw the Bs and Cs. As long as he pass, nothing matters to him. My eyes scanned through the students to see if I can find Jenna. I was lucky when my eyes caught her soft brown ones from across the room. We both stroll toward each other and meet in the middle.

"Hi." We said at the same time.

Every time we meet, it feels like it's our first time knowing each other. And then, she gives me a smile that just seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushed through me. Her smile is like armor. It always break the ice in awkward moments and shield me from negative energy.

"I'm glad you're satisfied with your results." I broke the silence.

She assesses me, a cute frown marred on her forehead. "How do you know?"

"Your eyes. They always tell the truth no matter the circumstances." I said honestly. Her cheeks reddened even though she tried to conceal it.

"What about you?"

"I couldn't be more grateful." I'm glad I was given the opportunity to study and pursue my dreams. Some play with their once-in-a-lifetime chances and regret in later life.

She tried to avoid meeting my penetrating gaze. "How's your sister, Eden?"

"She's fine. She asked about you a couple of times."

A white set of teeth flashed my way. "That's cool. My regards to her."

I nodded in response. "You excited about Halloween?"

"I'm not really into Halloween but I enjoy celebrating it with my family. I usually skip all the scary parts and jump straight on all the candies and gifts I'll receive." The sound of her melodic laughter filled my ears. The last line made me giggled.

"What is your favourite movie?"

She wrapped her hands around herself and fixed her attention on the floor. She must be thinking of the suitable movie she enjoys watching. As a matter of fact, I'm not into movies. My sisters' obsession with watching teenage cliché movies sabotage my interest.

"I can't possibly tell you because this is supposed to be a fifty fifty activity. We have to discuss our opinions before coming to the final conclusion of which movie to go for" She smartly said. Jenna is the kind of girl that takes her time to consider and observe before concluding. Smart move.

As soon as I open my mouth to speak, my words disappeared without a trace. Behind Jenna stood Daisy, her eyes narrowing dangerously between the two of us. Jenna seems to notice, because she spun around to find the subject of my attraction. For a brief moment, my gaze glided with Eric's confusing ones but I quickly looked away. The class is almost empty and the few students left behind were staring at us strangely.

Daisy stepped between us, her lazy eyes skipping from me to Jenna. "What? You trying to snatch him from me?"

"It's not like..."

Daisy cuts her off, "stay the fuck away from him, bitch. You're nothing but a hypocrite bitch. If you want to play the victim, I'll let you be but I'll pay the assailant. I'll soon expose all your secrets and your real identity."

Jenna's eyes glistened as she cowered away from her sister. Anger was boiling inside me. The words she spoke triggered empathy in me for Jenna. Daisy had always being blind when it comes to Jenna's bubbly psyche. Sh treats her exactly the way she treats her other victims, if not more.

Daisy is a natural bully, like a parasite that forcefully feeds on its host, causing excessive harm. The number of detentions and suspensions Daisy has in her record is enough to get her in trouble in the future. The cold aura she has built around is difficult to crack.

"You have no right to speak to your sister like that!" I said before I could even stop myself. It's an untamed instinct in me to protect anyone in threat.

Daisy stepped closer to me. Her eyes were filled with animosity like I've never seen before. "I think I need to make something clear to you again. My squad are my sisters. I don't have a sister back home. We share the same last name but nothing goes beyond that."

"You..." I started to say but a soft, trembling voice stopped me.

"Zack, no. Thanks for trying to..." She pauses and briefly peeps at her sister who was facing the other direction. "But I don't need your help."

She smiled before walking out of the room. "Jenna!" I called out as I attempt to go after her.

"One more step and the entire school will know what you're hiding." Daisy's hostile voice rang through my head.

I halted. She said it in a whisper but within my earshot. I feel wretched for not chasing after Jenna to sooth her. To assure her that she isn't alone. She must be heartbroken by what her sister did to her. It's obvious that Jenna loves and cherishes her sister even if the feeling's not returned.

"You're coming with me." Daisy commanded like I'm some servant, paid to work for her beiffe walking away and not eating for me.

"We'll take care of Jenna. Please go and end this sick relationship you have with Candy. She's trying to ruin you. She just chased away your long term crush, Zack. Who knows what she'll do if you remain with her?" Maya reassured me.

I went after Daisy who was walking faster than a speeding bullet. Unfortunately, I have longer legs than her. Before she could take another step, I took her arm and pulled her aggressively to me.

A small gasp escaped her lips to in surprise. I gripped both her thin arms and pulled her closer, her chest rubbing mine. I don't care whether this is causing attention or not. This little lady is trying to turn my life upside down. If I'm going to be the father of her child, then she has to obey my rules too.

"You're trying to overstep your boundaries!" I said angrily but in a whisper.

She tried to pull her arms away but in vain. "Let go of me, prick!"

"You have no right to come inside my life and try to control me. Yes, we're going to have a baby together but that's where it stops. I'll do whatever I want with my life without you interfering."

Her chest heaved against mine as she struggles to control her breathing. "We had already agreed on this during our first meeting. Jenna is just a hypocrite I'm trying to protect you from."

I threw back my head and laughed whilst still holding her. It was funny. So damn funny. "Suddenly, you're protective of me? Since when, Daisy? You don't have a heart to feel for others, to feel what they're going through. Because you're the one to impact the pain in them. You traumatised them, Daisy."

Her eyes were filled with rage. "You don't fucking know what I'm going through. I have my personal issues to concentrate on."

"Stay out of my problems too. They're mine to deal with. I don't care about what you think of Jenna but my opinion about her will never change. She's better than you."

"Jenna is a wolf in sheep's clothing. She'll trick you into trusting her by presenting herself as unthreatening then unexpectedly attacking you." For a second, I thought I saw hurt in her eyes but she quickly masked it that I thought it must have being my imagination.

"Jenna is my friend. You're not. You're just the girl pregnant with my baby." I angrily dictated.

Her nose flared before she shrugged me off belligerently. She took a deep breath for second time and then, her normal face mask is back. "Alright. You won. She won. I lose but nothing about how I treat that hoe will change. She deserves what she gets from me."

Unconsciously, her hand move inside her jacket before she pulls out a cigarette. My eyes zeroed in horror. She's fucking trying to hurt herself and the baby. Is she insane? I thought she loved the baby but it looks like she's willing to hurt the baby if she gets furious.

"Are you fucking insane?!" I drastically exclaimed before snatching the cigarette from her grip.

I have never, in my entire life seen Daisy embarrassed until today. Her eyes flew open and her cheeks flushed when she saw the cigarette I was holding. "It's... a reflex. Whenever I get angry, I smoke. I didn't in the last two months."

I warily stare at her. She looks so ashamed it's hard not to believe what she said. To hide her embarrassment, she brought out her results from the inside of her jacket and gave me. The only subject she has a B is Biology but all others are either C, D or F.

"I want you to study the results. We'll fix the timetable for the lessons after Halloween. What do you say?"

"It's alright."

Without saying goodbye, she walked away, leaving me in the partially empty corridor.

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