A New Perspective

Chapter 16: Bully

I was hoping that Topaz would hold off Zach's sadness. It did for a while, but then he started thinking about it again. He sat on the couch while I made him coffee. I heard him sniffle which meant sadness. I really just didn't know how to comfort someone. I walked over and handed him his coffee. His eyes were red and puffy. I sat next to him and put my arm around his waste.

"Thank y-y-you," He said. I just smiled and rubbed his back. I felt terrible He put his mug down and leaned back. I was not used to him so upset. I leaned in and kissed him. I tried to pull back, but he had me tightly up against him. Everything about the thought of kissing someone made me uneasy. It brings back bad memories of my drunk abusive parents, but if it made Zach happier I was all in. Today was the day of the funeral and I wanted to be there for Zach, but funerals suck. Obviously.

"You will come with right?" He asks, his voice sounds so different after he has been crying.

"Of course!" I say. I go home and change into something black. I get back to Zach's house and he is in his suit. I told him I could drive, but he insisted on driving us. The whole time he kept one hand on the steering wheel and one in mine. I knew I was gonna hate this because I wasn't sure If it was wrong not to cry or better. I have only met his grandmother once, so I didn't really have any emotional connection with her. Then again, I never have an emotional connection with anyone. We get there and I see his parents, his aunts and uncle, his sister, brother in law and a lot of other people I didn't know. I step out and all eyes are on me. I feel VERY unwelcome. But it is just as well Zach's grandmother as It is Nancy's! So, If Nancy's husband was here Why couldn't I be here?

"Hi honey," Zach's mother says patting him on the back. We go through the funeral and I am clung to Zach's side the entire time. Until the "Celebration of Reida McGowen's life." As the priest said or the after party. His dad called him over but for some reason they were standing right by the microphone the priest was talking into. We couldn't here the first part Mr. Whinn(Zach's dad) said, but we heard a lot.

"Why do you come everywhere with her? She is not a part of our family and I think she is making you a lot more depressed since you have been with her." Everyone looks at me and I blush and hide under my sweater.

"But she's my girlfriend dad! I love her!" Zach insists.

"Maybe you should find a new, better, happier one!" Mr. Whinn says. Then I'm done. The embarrassment was to much. I ran outside. Dude, that sucks, I think to myself. I only hoped his Dad's suggestion wouldn't get to him. After all, he is all I have left.

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ZACH'S POV:

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"Maybe you should get a new one," My dad says referring to my choice of girlfriend. But Spencer Topaz was more than a shallow girlfriend. She was my best friend. Was she my girlfriend? I hate to admit my dad might've been right about the depressed part, but I acted very upset anyways. 

"How could you!" I yelled at my dad and stormed out. Everyone in the whole auditorium's eyes were on me. I tried to spot Spencer, but I couldn't find her. My sister pointed towards the door. CRAP! DID SHE HEAR ALL OF THAT?! I run outside to see her Sitting on a bench with a pissed off expression on her face. I run up to her and kneel in front of her, grabbing her hands.

"I will NEVER, EVER. Stop being your best friend. I promise." She just looks away from me refusing to make eye contact.

"Please," I beg her to forgive my stupid conversation with my dad.

"Whatever I obviously did something wrong in your dad's book" She asks frustratedly.

"No! You're perfect!" I tell her smoothing down her hair. She shakes my hand off her head and I sit next to her.

"You don't have to talk to anyone. Just please go back in for me," I ask her nicely. She stands up and hides behind me as we enter the room. My dad doesn't even seem to freaking care that he almost just made me lose my best friend. He is just laughing at some joke that his friend told, at a funeral. He never liked his mother in law. What a jerk. I just sit at the table with my sister and Jake. Spencer just sits there ashamed of herself. The waiters come around and serve drinks. Spencer doesn't want anything, she never eats in public. At the end I walk out with her. My dad comes up in front of us.

"My son has been really dep-" He starts.

"I know," she says,"Thats because his grandmother just died," she says snapping at him. I could tell he has been drinking because he had been slurring his words.

"Stay away from him," My dad says pointing in her face.

"Dad!" I say enraged at his rudeness.

"No thanks," She says rebelliously. My dad lifts his palm up and slaps her in the face. She quickly Moves her hands to her face.

"Dad!" I yell moving in front if her. She quickly walks away but instead of going straight to the car she stops to elbow him in the back and pull his legs out from under him.

"I'll do what I want." she mutters to him under her breath while he is laying on the gravel face first. I just stand there in shock, awe more like while she pops in the front seat of the car. I run after her and we leave before He can hurt her again. She doesn't talk the whole way back. Her cheek is bright red and purple and very swollen.

"I'm really sorry. but-," I interrupt her.

"No, I'm sorry about my dad, He was Drunk." I tell her.

"You should probably call him. Tell him you broke up with me," She says tapping her fingers on the dash board.

"What? No!" I say shocked.

"Listen, You do not want to be in bad graces with your parents. I know better than anyone." She insists.

"I would much rather be with you than with my parents." I tell her happily. She shakes her head.

"Don't be stupid and irrational Zach," She says holding her hand up.

"Spencer!" I yell at her, "I love you!" She laughs.

"Okay, but one day you might need your parents and they won't be there for you, thats all I'm saying," She ends the argument. She has a point, but She means everything to me and I will never let her go. Why hasn't she told me she loves me back? 

Zach + Spencer= Zencer!

Ship it!!