When They Came [Under editing]

Chapter 22- Broken Bracelet

"What's wrong? Did someone say anything to you in school? I swear if it's that Hazy or whatever her name is said anything to you, I'll-"

"It's not that, Zack. No one said anything to me. I am just... Bored." I cut him off.

"You're bored?" He asked, his frown disappearing completely. I nodded and he continued.

"So as you know, our basketball match is coming up, would you like to come with me for practice?" he asked, looking hopeful.

"Sure, I have nothing to do anyway so why not." I shrugged to which he smiled.

***

"Why is no one else here?" I asked staring at the empty court.

It was only the two of us here and Zack was already holding a basketball in his hands.

"I often come here to practice alone. You were bored so I brought you here too." he said while throwing the basketball at me.

I put my hands up for defence and was startled by the sudden attack by the ball as it hit my little finger.

I winced while shaking my hand up and down to subsidise the pain.

Zack came running up to me. He quickly took a hold of my hand and started inspecting it. "Shit, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you." He said looking so concerned as if I would break into pieces any minute.

I chuckled at his reaction and he stared at me in confusion.

"It's alright. But please don't suprise me with these sudden ball attacks."
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"Do you know how to play?" Zack asked me after scoring his fifth goal.

I was amused after seeing him scoring goal after goal as if it was no big deal.

"Me? Nah.. I suck at every sport." I shrugged.

"Then let me teach you." He said before jogging up to me.

"You won't be able to." I laughed. "I suck at this."

"I won't believe that before you try."

"Okay." I jumped up from the bleachers and stood some distance away from the basket.

Zack handed me the ball and told me to try to shoot it in the basket while aiming for the square on the basketball backboard.

Grabbing the ball in both of my hands, I slightly bent down on my knees trying to focus on the square and threw the ball.

It missed terribly and Zack shook his head. "That was a terrible shot." He commented.

"Try again." He ordered.

I sighed before trying for another shot. This was even terrible than the last one.

After missing 7 terrible shots, I gave up.

Zack, however, wasn't willing to let me back off so easily. "Come back here again. I'll teach you how to shoot." he said in his authoritative tone.

I rolled my eyes as I sat down on the bleachers.

"Why are you wasting your time on me. I told you, I suck at this. You carry on with your practice." I suggested but he shook his head and came towards me again.

He grabbed my arm, trying to pull me up but I used all my weight to not get up as I sank lower in my seat.

He ran his hand through his light brown hair in frustration and sighed.

He then put his arms around my waist and easily picked me up in his hold.

I gasped at him and he gave me his infamous smirk. My hands, involuntarily wrapped around his neck as my eyes were fixed on his handsome face.

He walked over to our earlier positions on the court while I was just admiring his strength.

However, he didn't let go of me once we reached there. Instead, he stared deeply into my blue eyes.

His eyes were showing an emotion that I'd never seen on his face before- adoration.

He slowly put me down, still gazing into my eyes. He lifted his hand up and started caressing my cheek.

His palm was so soft as I kind of melted in his touch.

Zack just seemed to be lost in my eyes as he was staring into my soul with so much intensity.

"Zack?" I called out his name in confusion and he seemed to come out of whatever trance he was in.

He immediately pulled his hand away from my face before turning to look straight.

"You're so heavy. Do something about your weight."

I smiled. This was the Zack I know.

I took hold of the ball again, ready to shoot. But Zack came over to me, and put his hand over mine that was holding the ball, his other hand came around the side of my body, to put it on my other hand as he adjusted my hands in a weird position saying something about a 45 degree arc.

I understood nothing what he said as I could only focus on how close his face was to mine. I was practically in between his arms and I felt my cheeks heating up.

He suddenly raised my hands up to shoot the ball and my eyes widened in shock as I saw the ball passing through the the hoop.

I grinned like a little girl as I saw the ball bouncing on the floor.

"Did you see that? I made a goal!" I said while pointing at the ball and grinning at Zack who smiled at me with admiration.

"See? You don't suck that much in this." He said smiling as though we both knew that it was him who made the goal.

"Now, try again, this time, on your own."

I attempted to goal two times, but both the times, it missed.

I frowned but Zack didn't seem to give up on me. "Third time's a charm. C'mon, try again." he said reassuringly.

I knew that I couldn't do this but I still tried for Zack's sake.

I put my hands in that same position that Zack had taught me, and slightly bent down on my knees before throwing the ball towards the basket.

It seemed to go in slow motion as we both stared at the ball, waiting to see the result.

It kept whirling around on the hoop for a few seconds before passing through it.

"Yayyyy!!!" I exclaimed happily.

I went towards Zack and jumped on him to engulf him in a hug. "Did you see that? I made a goal! On my own!"

Zack hugged me back and chuckled.

"I knew you could do this." He said as I pulled away from him.

He smiled before speaking up again- "You know, Jennifer, we set our boundaries on our own. If you believe that you can't do something, you won't be able to do it. You have to believe in yourself for others to believe in you."

I nodded in understanding. It was so weird to hear such words of wisdom from his mouth.

Zack and I took turns to make goals. He hardly missed any, while I was able to make three more goals. I was beaming in proudness and Zack looked just as happy as me.

After a few hours, we finally went home. Everyone was already back by the time we had reached there.

None of us expected to see what we were witnessing in front of us -  Celine and Charlotte were fighting, pulling each other's hair and throwing slaps everywhere while Damien and Liam were trying to pull them back from each other.

Max was just staring at them in horror.

As soon as he saw us, Max came up to us, his eyes looking horrified as he said- "Someone broke her bracelet."

The bracelet that Charlotte's mom had given her before passing away.

I gasped and stared at the scene in front of me as I realised this.