Time Heals

Chapter 25

Nathan

"Are you sure you're ready?" I asked Zara nervously as she jumps on her board and attempts a new trick she'd been working on. It made me nervous to see her flying around the skateboard, throwing herself into these tricks.
She was trying to do a 360 with the board on her feet and her hand holding the top of it. Even though it looked impressive from where I was standing, Zara was adamant it wasn't right.
As she raced towards the edge of the skatepark, going straight up the bank I found myself biting my lip with worry.
Yet again she leaps with the skateboard, only this time she doesn't manage to hold it in time and it drops away from her feet, leaving her to fall hard, skidding down the slope.
"Zara!" I yelled and pelt over to her quick as a flash. Please don't be hurt, I thought.
She stood up and winced slightly, bending her right wrist in her other hand. "Are you okay?"
"You're such a drama queen." She laughed at me and shook her wrist which seemed to be ok. "Its fine, I'm still in one piece."
"You gave me a heart attack." I took her wrist and examined it. Luckily it looked fine, as she said but I decided to keep an eye on it just in case. "Maybe you should lay off that trick."
"Are you kidding? I gotta perfect it." She kissed me gently and I sighed, letting her put her arms around my shoulders.
"Just be careful, please." I begged her and she nodded.
"Course, you know you remind me of my dad sometimes." She cocked her head at me and I took it as a compliment.
"He was a great guy, I'm pleased." I put my arms around her waist and she allowed me to pick her up, wrapping her legs around my waist as I do so. I could really get used to this.
"To answer your earlier question, yes I'm ready." She played with my blonde hair, driving me crazy with longing to overdo on the public displays of affection.
"Are you..."
"Yes. I'm ready to face all those losers at school laughing behind my back because I tried to dig myself an early grave." She rolled her eyes and I hugged her body closer to mine, wanting to protect her. "Look, its gunna be tough but I need to do it, rather than put it off day after day."
What she said made sense, I just wanted to keep her away from anything that could hurt her and take her back to the depressive state she was in.
"I'm not going to stop you, but you feel any negative feelings you find me straight away." I stared into her eyes, seeing the understanding there. She knew I wanted what was best for her, and I couldn't lose her. Especially not considering the close relationship we'd developed.
"Ok I promise." She smiled and kissed my lips quickly, making me long for more but she hopped out of my grasp and grabbed her board. "Now let's get going, school starts in ten minutes."
Pushing her board with her foot she effortlessly jumped onto it and before I knew it I was running to catch up with her.

Once we got to school, me out of breath thanks to my girlfriend not holding back on the speed she skated, I held her hand firmly and we walked into the building.
Even though Zara hadn't been in school for two months, she wasn't fazed by the looks she got and all the people pointing at her, talking to their friends about the schools most suicidal teenage girl.
My girlfriend held her head high and practically ignored everyone.
Since she'd come out of the rehabilitation centre she's become a completely different person. She's strong, determined and doesn't seem to give a shit about what other people think.
It's like I'm starting to get a glimpse of what she used to be like when she was popular and I couldn't deny that her strength just made her even hotter.
My eyes wondered round the corridors as the two of us walked hand in hand and that's when I noticed the guys checking her out.
Not one, not two but practically the whole football team was drinking in the sight of my girlfriend.
My hackles rose and I spun her into my arms, kissing her passionately. To start with she was a little taken a back but it didn't take long for her to melt into my arms.
"What was that for?" She asked breathlessly when I let her go.
"To show them your mine." I answered honestly and for the first time she noticed all the teenage boys around us, blushing like mad.
"Possessive boyfriend." She sighed, a smile playing on her lips. "Oh what have I got myself into?"
"This weekend we'll go on a date." I decided excitedly, our hands still entwined in one another's as we head towards our lockers. "Just you and me."
"I'll look forward to it." She smiled and opened her locker to put her skateboard in but froze.
Her hand went in her locker and she brought out a piece of paper.
Her face paled and she thrust it into my hand.
"What twats." She muttered and began sorting out her bag.

The paper was a rough drawing of a stick girl with blood pouring out of her wrist. Never before had a piece of paper made me feel so sick. How people could draw shit like that beats me.
"You're a better person than these bastards." I crumpled the paper and shoved it into my pocket, determined to show to principal if anything else happened.
"I know Nate, don't worry." She promised me, closing her locker and kissing me gently. "I'm guessing you still haven't got a locker then?"
Grunting in agreement we walked to tutor together. Due to not being at school at the beginning of the year, I'd never been sorted a locker but I didn't really mine carrying my bag around all day.
"Please promise me you'll tell me if anything happens when I'm not there." I glanced at Zara nervously.
She frowned and stopped in her tracks.
"Look, I love that you want to take care of me but don't wrap me in bubble wrap ok? I need to take care of myself." She was hot when she was bossy.
"Ok." I agreed, if a little unhappily.
"Good, I'm not your kid I'm your girlfriend." She pointed out and I liked the sound of that.
"Yeah, you're my girlfriend." I threw my arm around her waist and she laughed lightly, happily. I loved seeing her happy. There was a spark in her eye that I'd never seen before but now it's ever present and I never want it to leave.
"Enough PDS already don't you think?" A voice came from behind us.
Turning, I saw Madison glaring at Zara intently.
"When it comes to Nate it's never enough." Zara joked and turned away, ready to walk into tutor.
"Why do it Zara?" Madison spoke up and I felt anger rising but I stepped back to let my strong girlfriend deal with her ex bully. "Self harm and trying to kill yourself...it was all for attention wasn't it?"
"I suggest you keep your big nose out of other people's business." Zara shot back quicker than a lightning bolt, shocking the hell out of Madison. "I'm not the pathetic victim I once was. So watch out Madison. Watch out."
With that, she turned and stalked off into tutor, leaving a rather shell shocked bully who lamely called out after her.
"So this is what being in a mental home does to people!"
"Give up girl." I shook my head at her in despair and follow my girlfriend into tutor, pride spreading through me. "Holy shit Zara you're one hell of a girl!" I was beaming at what Zara had done and she looked pretty pleased herself.
"Nathan, language." Miss Livinton put her hands on her hips and I winced.
"Sorry Miss." I apologized and noticed her smiling at me.
"You're forgiven, and Zara it is so good to have you back with us." Miss beamed at her and it almost looked like they were going to hug.
"It's good to see you again Miss." Zara took a seat at the front of the class room and chatted to a random blonde girl who was sitting opposite. This girl seemed like an old friend of hers and, as I sat down next to Zara, I heard their conversation.
"I can't believe she actually managed to manipulate the whole school like that." The blonde was gushing, pleased to be talking to the ex queen of the school, or maybe she just wanted gossip. "I mean, we all believed her without questioning it. Kinda mad if you think about it."
"It's all in the past Carrie." Zara shrugged, seeming a little bored.
"So what's going on with you two?" She gestured towards me and Zara narrowed her eyes.
"If you're just talking to me to get gossip you can turn around and ask someone who cares." She snapped a little harshly and Carrie cowered away.
"Zara that was a bit harsh." I tried to reason with her.
"Yeah, well you don't know that girl." She whispered back to me. "I've gone through school with most of these kids, this one's the school gossip. I'd rather announce us publicly than through her."

I'd rather announce us publicly...

That gave me an idea and I felt myself grinning stupidly at the thought.
I'd show everyone that Zara and I were a couple.
And that I'm not ashamed to admit it.