Lifted (Lock And Key #1)

Chapter 16 - Surprise! Good or Bad?

I fix Zac's twisted red tie, "What are you doing here?" I was too surprised to be anything but happy.

"I told you I was looking for a school, this one's the best." He takes my hand and walks me through the hallways, in the opposite direction of my class. Tyler is nowhere to be seen.

"And I told you, there's too much going on." I cling to Zac's hand lazily as we walk the hallways. "Where do you have to go?" Zac shrugs.

"Apparently the main office but I'm not in a rush." He smirks. I lead him into a different hallway.

"Oh no, you're in school now, you're not cruising through." I take Zac to the main office and quickly head to my class.

Everyone looks my way, they probably already heard the news that's flying around the school. I adjust my scarf, concentrating on my breathing and trying not to be too nervous. Their heads follow me to the back and when I sit down I start my technique I learnt from the counsellor, move your foot forward for four counts, move it back for four counts. It's meant for military but it helps keep you calm in situations you don't want to be in.

I breathe, probably making me more anxious of having an attack then calming myself but it gives me something to do. The teacher soon walks in and we start our class without too many people watching me every now and then.

I walk out of the school quickly, ignoring all of the students who are unusually rowdy and try to get to my car. A cluster of people are in one spot in the parking lot and I push my way through, just as I see Zac's fist connect with Blair's nose and she falls to the floor.

***

"What the hell Zac?" I scream at him while trying to keep my eyes on the road while I drive.

"She deserves it." I look at him briefly before returning to the road,

"That doesn't mean you stoop to her level!" I reason with him, repeating what I said on our first date back together. I'm still delirious that he punched the bitch but, no one deserves that.

I do still have conscience, despite wanting to punch her a few times too. I try to calm myself down by concentrating on the road. "You know you're going to get in serious trouble for this right?" I'm starting to feel like Zac's mother not his girlfriend as I say it.

"No, because they're the ones that did something wrong." I look at him briefly again to find him looking straight at me.

"What do you mean 'they'?" The possibilities of his answer are endless and strangely I think I know which one.

"Blair and Brooke are the girls that are giving you a hard time for no reason. No one fucks with you and gets away with it." His voice is so sincere I have no words for a minute before he adds even more firmly, "no one." And I know now that he's serious, because I don't think I've ever heard him so convicted.

My heart reaches out for him in that moment, because I want to believe him. And I think I do, but there is so much going on that I can't guarantee that he's going to be able to keep me from all of them.

Zac sighs and turns to the front again. After a moment of silence Zac tries again, "Why do you let them get away with it?" he asks softly. I take a deep breath not wanting to look at him so I focus on the road.

"Because one day, they'll get what they deserve. Whether it's from me or someone else." Zac seems to take that as an okay answer and goes quiet.

***

I rush to the bathroom as my stomach heaves out my dinner and leaves bile in my throat. I just get to the toilet on time as I throw up; Zac looks at me from the doorway, worry written all over.