Sorry, I Love You.

1.32

Zoe was beginning to get so busy that, she was barely even showing up to school. Multiple times, she was caught talking on the phone and given detention by various teachers. She was caught in the empty stairwell, in the girls restrooms, and just outside the school. Zoe never went to detention though, simply promising her teachers that she'd pay her dues when she came back from Christmas break. Teddy even found her asleep in the library a few times, not daring to wake her from the moment he arrived to the moment he left.

Zoe wanted to ask Teddy to come over again and help her work but, she couldn't seem to find him. Admittedly, she was very distracted but, she could never seem to catch him. It was hard to spot him before and after school and, if she was taking a call during lunch, she couldn't sniff him out. Otherwise, when she did make it to the library on lunch, she would fall asleep before he got there. She didn't see Teddy until gym, a day before Mckenzie's Friendsgiving.

They were both in their separate classes, of course, but sharing the same gym, as always. While both of their classes were stretching, Zoe waved at Teddy when she managed to make eye contact. He nodded once at her and tried to avoid eye contact for the rest of the class. He was surprised to see her actually participating in gym when she seemed pretty busy all day and probably fell asleep in all her classes. Zoe was only in gym class because she was awaiting a call from someone who was busy for the next three hours and wasn't expecting any other calls right now.

Before the first trimester of school was over, everyone taking gym classes this trimester had to run the mile. And that was exactly what everyone was doing today. They were practicing, at least. It wasn't quite time for the test. When Teddy heard the news from his teacher though, he looked across the gym to Zoe. She looked uncomfortable as she squeezed her sides, her hands almost sinking into her body. Teddy was instantly worried. There was no way she'd make it through a mile run when she hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Uh, Coach Landry.." Teddy awkwardly cleared his throat as he approached his gym teacher.

"Huh?" Landry paid little attention to Teddy as he led his students through the basement of the school.

"Since you're a teacher here, you know.. Because, you're suppose to look out for us and all, uhm.. I kind of have a concern.." Teddy scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah. Go on. What is it?" Coach Landry motioned his hand to hurry along Teddy's words.

"There's a student that I don't, personally, think should be running the mile today.."

"It's just practice today, Teddy, you don't have to sprint or anything. We're just doing this to compare your time to the actual test. Besides, the kids with asthma and other disabilities get to walk the mile, anyways." Landry reassured.

"Oh.. So, Zoe can walk the mile and still pass?" Teddy felt a bit relieved by that. He was convinced Zoe would snap like a twig if she tried to run for any reason today.

Landry turned to Teddy when he stopped the class down the hallway they were going to start the mile. One class got to have the gym to practice the mile while the other two got to practice the mile through the hallways of the basement. There were enough smaller gyms, storage spaces, and wrestling rooms for the basement to be big enough for the mile test. So, Teddy and Zoe's class got to run around the basement hallways. It was far too cold outside for any of them to choose that option, after all.

"Zoe's not in our class, Teddy. Why would you worry about her?" Landry's eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Teddy.

"Worried? I'm not worried! I'm just saying-"

Coach Landry cut Teddy off by raising his clipboard and his open palm before he could start rambling. "From my understanding, Zoe is in perfect health to complete the mile. If she's sick, she can walk."