Burn in Water, Drown in Fire

Burn in Water, Drown in Fire ~11~ Turn Right

I disagree.

He handed my schedule to the teacher and I stood there awkwardly, not even wanting to look at the classmates that stared back at me.

“Angelique—”

“Angel,” I interrupted.

“Hallow,” she finished. “Do you happen to know that this year’s valedictorian is—”

“My brother, I know,” I finished. I looked to Joey.

“I’ll see you at lunch,” he concluded before leaving. I sighed and then took the only empty seat in the class. Let the awkwardness begin.

***

“I mean, sure, it’s weird, but I don’t see why that would matter,” Devin shrugged about the chances of him coming back to his true family and changing schools, only to change back.

“Hi,” I heard a voice say as we were having fun. I looked up to see Zac and my smile dropped. “Can I sit here?”

Joey nodded up at him and I gulped.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered. He wiggled his eyebrows at me, causing me to roll my eyes.  

“Aw. Angel, he saved your life. I think it’s alright to save a seat for him,” Devin responded. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

“Wait you’re him?” Joey asked, pointing to Zac.

“Depends…” Zac replied.

“Joey wanted to…congratulate you for saving me in the fire,” I said to Zac.

“Oh well…I’d say no problem, but—”

“He gets it,” Devin interrupted, making me question what his rush meant.

“Which brings me back…” I started. “What are you doing here?”

“My house happens to be in boundaries for here,” he smiled. As if I didn’t know…

“I meant specifically here at this table,” I clarified. “Don’t you have your stoner best friend to sit with?”

Hmm. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Brian here. I didn’t know if he was in range of even coming here, but it’s not like the district really cared about that factor.

“No, I don’t,” Zac answered. “Mrs. Hart decided that this was the perfect opportunity to send him to military school.”

“Good that’s where he belongs,” I smiled. I looked down to eat my food, but another thought crossed my mind and I looked back up to Zac. “Wait. Is Brian there too?”

He shrugged. Ugh. Great…

“So…” Joey said awkwardly.

“I actually have to go…work on something…” Devin said, standing up. He lightly hit Joey’s shoulder. “Help me, will you?”

“Dude. It’s the first day,” I reasoned as they started to leave.

“For you,” Devin scoffed.

“It’s okay. Don’t miss me too much,” Joey winked at me before leaving. He grabbed his tray and backpack and departed with my brother.

“New love interest?” Zac asked. My unintentional smile dropped when I looked over to him.

“Not the slightest,” I denied with swallow. “Just because you tortured me back at our old school, don’t think you can do it here—”

“Last time I checked, it was you that hated me, remember?” he said when he stood up and pressed his hands on the back of my chair and on the table. My jaw tightened as he sat back down. “And plus, I’ve decided that we should change our friendship from the beginning.”

“What friendship?” I asked. I wasn’t aware that we had one.

He stuck out his hand for me to shake.

“Zachariah Tyler, but you can call me Zac,” he smiled, revealing his to-die-for left dimples. I saw something flicker in his eyes and took his hand in mine and shook.

“Angelique Hallow,” I returned. “But you can call me…”

I didn’t want to be so willing and able for him to call me Angel like my real friends, because I still resented him in the back of my mind. But I didn’t like my full name enough to be called it by my ex-enemy.

“No worries,” he said, taking his hand back. “I’ll think of a nickname sometime.”

“Uh, sure,” I said, confused. He gave me another look before grabbing his things and leaving, making me realize that I didn’t notice him scarf down his food.