Fire With Fire.

13.

"Hey mom, I need a ride to school." I knock on her door as she applies some mascara to her blonde lashes.

"I can't, sweetie. I've got an 8:30 client. Ask your father?" She gets up to put her coat on.

"He told me to ask you." My lips press themselves together.

"Where's Truitt?" She asks, adjusting her hair. My heart drops to my stomach, and I start to feel sick.

"He uh.. he's busy today." I look at the ground.

She gives me a weird look, but thankfully doesn't press the subject.

"This is why I told your father to get you a damn car."

She heads for the stairs, and I follow behind her.

"I'll need a driving license for that." I laugh lightly, and she raises a brow.

"You're 18, that's on you."

"17." I correct her, fully aware of my birthday next week.

"I've gotta go, darling. Maybe call an Uber?" She smiles, kissing my forehead.

"I-"

"I could take her." Hayden appears from the kitchen, stirring something in a bowl.

"Perfect! See you guys later!" She calls out, closing the front door after her in a hurry.

"I'm making pancakes, want some? You're not allowed to help me, though." He winks, taking a sip from his coffee mug.

"Sure." I smile, taking my phone out.

10 new text messages from Truitt.

I feel a jab in my chest, and I put the phone away. My smile instantly fades away.

"You okay?" He asks, looking at me concerned. He pours the mixture into the seering pan, the sound and smell was comforting.

"Yeah. I just hate school." I force a laugh, hopping off the island.

"I'm gonna get ready. We need to leave in like half an hour, okay?"

He send me an 'okay' sign, and I take the stairs two at a time.

- - -

"Man, I haven't seen this place since I left. It's so different." He sighs in amazement as he looks up at the school, pushing forward behind the steering wheel. He inches forward a little more, and the horn blasts, making us both jump.

I begin to laugh as the person in front of us flips him off.

"Oops." He laughs too, pulling up at the entrance.

"Thanks for the ride, Hayden." I smile, and he nods.

"What time are you done?"

"It's okay, I'll just ask Kate-"

"I insist." He looks at me with a warm smile, his blue irises piercing through me.

"4." I found myself short of breath, gripping tightly onto my schoolbag.

"See ya later, sweets." He winks, and I roll my eyes, but the smile was still glued to my face even when he drove away.

- - -

Katie and I walk out of Bio and head to our lockers. I catch sight of Truitt from across the hallway and my heart begins to quicken with anxiety. I keep my head down and ignore his desperate stares, walking fast.

"What's going on with you and Tru?" Kate asks as I grab my Geography textbook from my locker, still weary.

"What are you talking about?" I don't make eye contact, sounding dull.

"Well, you guys didn't get here together, he looks like a goddamn slob this morning, and you've been avoiding him." She shrugs.

"What's going on?" She adds a little eyebrow raise when I look at her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's complicated." I sigh, heading to the toilet. She grunts, following me.

I look in the mirror and cringe at my appearance. I felt different. Not a good different.

"Stop avoiding!" She flicks my arm.

"I'm not." I say calmly. I take my eyeliner out, and begin lining my bottom waterline, blending it out with my finger.

"It's bad, isn't it.." she quiets down, and I look at her through our reflections. She looks at me with worry behind her hazel eyes.

How do I even tell her something like this?

"It's nothing you need to worry about." I smile, trying to hide the tears which sting my eyes, I look down.

"I'm your best friend..if it's affecting you, I'm gonna worry. Especially if it's this bad." She frowns, flinching as the first bell rang.

"It's not bad. Okay? Come on, let's get to class."

She looks at me for a few seconds, before nodding and walking next to me.

- - -

I wait on the curb outside for Hayden, waving Kate goodbye as she drove away. I scroll through Instagram lazily, looking up every few seconds to look out for Hayden's Jeep.

"Zoey.." a voice sounded from behind me. I didn't turn around.

No. I wasn't ready.

"Baby-" he touches my shoulder, and I jump out of his reach.

"I'm not ready to talk to you, Truitt." I say softly, not making eye contact. I start walking away down the curb.

"Look, I said I was sorry. I was shitfaced, I wasn't myself-"

"I don't wanna hear it." I scoff, turning away from him when he appears next to me, but he grabs my arm to pull me back.

Flashbacks of last night flood my head, and I begin to panic.

"Stop it!" I scream, making him let go.

"I'm sorry! Baby, come on, let's just forget it happened and get back to being us. Let me send you home." He says in a softer tone, one I was more familiar with.

I looked up at him, and he looked worried. He offered a small smile over his furrowed eyes.

"I'm not ready." I say, shaking my head and stepping back away from him.

Just then, Hayden's horn beeps twice, making me sigh in relief. Truitt glares at the car, then looks back at me.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" He gestures to Hayden, who watched us from the car.

I ignore him, and climb in.

"Everything okay?"

I stare back at Truitt as we drive away, watching his fists curl tightly.

"Peachy."