cassettes & roses || zach dempsey x 13rw

roses

"Naomi," Zach had the note in his hands when I turned back around and he looked at me with pity in his eyes.

It was her handwriting and everything. Did she write this before she died? Who sent the roses?

"Zach, no." I put my hands up to stop him from stepping towards me.

I felt terrible for being so distant with him, but what else could I do? I hated being touched ever since what happened at the party, and I knew it was killing him. He just wanted to hold me and make sure everything was okay, but I wasn't letting him. Everything in my life was falling apart and there was nothing I could do to keep it together. Seeing Bryce in the hallways was driving me insane and I just want to take his fat head and slam it into the ground. Trust me, Zach wanted to too.

He had been nothing but supportive, staying with me every single night. I guess now that his mother knew that's why she was okay with him being gone every night. He needed to be with me for his own good. This was effecting him too.

"Naomi, please." I could see tears forming in his eyes, so I looked down to avoid eye contact. "I just need to know you're okay. I need to know you're getting better."

"I'm not getting better, Zach! If anything I'm getting worse! These tapes are making everything a million times worse and- and I was fucking raped!" In that moment I broke saying the word that I tried my hardest to avoid saying. I broke into tears and Zach didn't hesitate to pull me into his arms and I could tell he was crying too. He pulled me to the ground and I sat in between his legs, curled into his chest. He was holding me in a way he had never held me before.

•

After I had finally calmed down, Zach grabbed the roses and lead me upstairs to my room. He set them right next to my window where the sunlight hit them nicely. I sat in front of my desk and Zach sat next to me, setting up my old stereo. I couldn't find the energy to have a panic attack right now as he pressed play.

He held my hand tightly, rubbing circles into my hand with his thumb.

"You were my best friend, and as one last kind gesture, just because I know how much you love them, these tapes were sent with roses. Even though I hated him. Welcome to your tape, Naomi."

I was surprised I hadn't broken into tears yet. I felt like all I did ever since Hannah died was cry. I hated being sad all the time but it was hard to find any happiness anymore. Zach was my only source of happiness. But even I felt like I was pushing him away when I didn't mean too. Who knew how long it would be until he left too. 

"Now, Naomi, unlike Mr. Clay Jensen who appears on these tapes later, I haven't quite figured out if you belong on these tapes or not. You may have been my best friend, but don't let that fool you. Let me go to the very start."

Clay Jensen? What the fuck? 

"Sweet Naomi Kahele moved to Crestmont towards the end of our freshman year. She was almost like Jessica and I. Brand new and shiny. Everyone wanted to be her friend. Everyone wanted to get in her pants. But unlike Jessica and I, Naomi didn't have a single bad bone in her body. Jess and I have had some rough moments, we've both done bad things. Naomi? She wouldn't hurt a fly.

"I remember meeting Naomi. I was her tour guide on her first day here and we clicked almost instantly. Before I knew it we were slowly becoming best friends. I knew Jess and Alex would love her. Just because she was so sweet and innocent and had so much to talk about. After all she was from Hawaii. 

"It took much longer than I thought, but Naomi slowly started drifting towards the popular crowd after that first party I invited her to. Now you all know what happened with basketball star, Zach Dempsey right? How right after I turned him down, his poor ego was so hurt, he had to run to my best friend to hurt me? I guess, he started to pull her away, turn her into one of them. I may be in over my head, but let's be real, you have changed haven't you Naomi?"