Beyond the Brick Wall

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

*Zoey Saunders*

        Right after school, I was heading over to Brick-o until a newly familiar voice called from behind me.

        "Heading somewhere?" I turned around and found Tom behind me, he was with a few of his friends so I thought that we weren't hanging out together today. 

        "Oh, uh, hey. I'm just heading home," I lied, hugging my History book closer to my chest. There's kind of like a boundary between him and the brick wall right?

        Tom looked back at his friends for a moment and said something I couldn't hear. When they left, he spread his arms wide. "So…?"

        "So what?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

        "I don't get a hug?!" He pouted and looked down at the ground, his arms falling lifelessly at his sides.

        "Oh!" I laughed and walked over to him, hugging him with one arm as the other still carried my book. He wrapped his arms around me. He smelled like laundry detergent. Not like there was something wrong about laundry detergent. It actually smelled good, you know? Like-

        "Stop talking to yourself," he laughed, separating from me.

        "You- you- you heard what I- what I said?" I stuttered, feeling so embarrassed as that familiar, annoying heat come to my cheeks. All because I haven't been this close to someone for such a long time, I kept on blushing.

        "Yes I did, babe. I'm glad you like the smell of detergent, though," he said, he slung his arm around my neck casually as we walked absentmindedly, as if we were friends for such a long time. Babe. The blood in my cheeks stayed there and I mentally slapped myself. I'm so stupid. All the time. And correction, he was walking absentmindedly. I knew that we were heading over to Brick-o.

        "You just called me babe," I blurted out after a long silence, wanting to slap myself once again.

        He chuckled. "Yes I did. Unless you don't like it..."

        "It's alright. Although, isn't it your time with your other friends today?"

        He shrugged. "Everyday for me from now on is Zoey Saunders time."

        "Really? That's... flattering," I told him, a grin forming on my lips.

        "You get flattered with everything," he stated matter-of-factly. "Not like I don't like it. And... my other friends are wondering if you'd like to eat with us during lunch tomorrow? They noticed how sad you look alone. I also hate leaving you alone then."

        "They're really okay with it?" I looked up at him, bewildered.

        He nodded. "How could they not be?"

        "Sure then. I'd love to." He then took my book from my hands, slipping it in his backpack.

         We continued the walk quietly. It was kind of comforting, not an awkward silence. We passed by Brick-o and I felt this guilty feeling in my chest, I wanted to check if Romeo replied to my note from last night already. I shook my head, this is time with Tom. I just hoped R wouldn't mind the wait.

        Next thing I knew, we arrived at Bursberry Park. The park where Xavier and I used to go to all the time. I hated the fact that I actually missed him a whole lot. The anger I had for him was because he wouldn't apologize. No, Zoey. You can't miss Xavier.