✧❦Popularity❦✧ ➳ skephalo

.8.

Darryl's POV:

By the time I returned back to my bedroom, Zak had fully recovered. My heart had broken when I woke up to find the poor kid crying, knowing he found out everything that had happened to him the night before. It was the first time I've ever seen him in a mood that didn't involve a cheeky grin. It was strange, since he was always known as the sophomore who played tricks on everyone and let out contagious laughter.

I approached the couch he was sitting on. The boy was staring at the floor, looking miserable and distraught. "Here," I murmured, handing him some ibuprofen. He look up at me gratefully, most likely forcing the small smile on his face.

Although it seemed fake, this was the Zak I was used to. His eyes were no longer red and puffy, his smile was shining like a sun at dawn. "I'm assuming you found out what happened, then?" I asked him as I walked back over to my bed and flopped onto it.

"Yeah," Zak replied, his voice all cheery like it normally was. It concerned me how fast he could fake happiness, it almost seemed like it wasn't his first time doing so. "It's all over Snapchat and stuff, plus my text messages pretty much explained it all."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Do you know if Zelk is okay? He made everyone leave before the cops got there, but I know that you and Finn left enough of a mess to prove that there was a party," I told him, biting at my fingernails.

Zak nodded. "Yeah, he wasn't arrested. He's pretty pissed at me though." He sounded slightly stressed when he spoke, showing that he was worried about Zelk disliking him.

I bit the inside of my cheek. "I'm sure he'll forgive you. Besides, you were so drunk, I don't think anyone would put the blame on you for lashing out, especially after something like that was revealed." 

Zak winced. "My... you know, my parents aren't really like that. You know that, right?" He asked me, looking up. A look of pain flashed across his gaze when he said that. I figured that he didn't want people to think his parents were horrible. "And... you know that... just because I live in a bad neighborhood, doesn't mean I'm a bad person, right?"

I swallowed nervously, knowing I judged him for that previously. I then nodded. "Yeah, I know," I replied, trying to comfort him in some way.

"So why did you avoid me?"

I propped my body up with my elbows and looked at him. "What do you mean?" I questioned with confusion.

Zak ran his fingers through his hair. "On Monday, you gave me your pass. Then the rest of the week you avoided me, taking different routes. Don't think I didn't notice, since I tried multiple times to approach you, but then you'd suddenly veer off a different way." He sighed. "Why?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to think of a reason that I'd avoid him. The truth was, it was because of his neighborhood, but I couldn't tell him that. Not now anyway. "You prank people, especially your friends. I didn't want to get involved in that," I lied, using a steady voice.

Zak narrowed his eyes. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying."

"That reason doesn't make any sense."

"What do you mean?"

"If you didn't want to be friends, you wouldn't have come to the baseball game. You wouldn't have helped me home last night." The look on his face grew angrier and angrier, it was the first time I've ever seen him mad. "So, you do want to be friends with me, but there's something stopping you. Something like me growing up in the wrong part of the district."

The boy suddenly stood up from the couch, grabbed his phone and clothes from last night and began to walk out of my bedroom and down the hallway. 

"Zak-" I let out, but he stopped me.

"Stop!" He exclaimed, spinning on his heels to face me. "I'm tired of people only seeing my background as who I am, before they even have the chance to get to know me. Thank you for helping me home."

Zak walked down the hallway, out of sight. I assumed he could find the way out of the house on his own.

I bit my lip, feeling horrible. But I tried to reassure myself. He's overreacting, he has no proof that you think of him this way. Besides, thinking of him as that isn't even that big of a deal. But the more those thoughts ran through my head, the more horrible I felt. Who cares if he had no proof, what he's saying is true! It's wrong of me to think of him like that. He's also probably reacting in this way since he's stressed out about his friends.

I covered my face with my hands, unsure of what I should do. "I didn't get the chance to ask him about his back," I muttered to myself with frustration.

I looked over at my phone to see a few text messages. A few were from Zelk, the other one was from my mom. She was probably checking in on me since she hasn't been home alone for a long period of time.

Mom. Did Skeppy's mom cause the wounds on his back? Theories buzzed through my brain. No, he said his parents weren't like that. Then what else could it be? I was too concerned for this boy that I've barely known for a week.

I need to relax. I need to call Vincent.