"Zak, this is Jack and Finley, but we all call him Finn," my cousin, Georgie, introduced.
"Yeah, we've met," I sighed.
"Hi, Zakary," Finley chuckled.
"I didn't realise you were friends with this doofus," I snarled at Georgie.
"Zak, be nice. Finn's cool," she said.
"Yeah, Zak, be nice," Finley mocked.
"Shut up, dickhead."
"That insult was sooooo 2007, why don't you just give up now?" The boy retorted.
"You're such a cock cheese!" I hissed.
"Cock cheese? Now we're getting somewhere," he laughed.
"Boys! Stop it. Zak, fair enough, but, Finn, you're meant to be the more mature one here!" Georgie intervinned.
"Whatever, he's just so stupid, I find it funny to rile him up," Finley giggled. With the assistance of that statement, every drop of blood in my body fizzed and popped, an explosion happening within me. I hadn't even realised I've thrown a punch at the silver-haired boy until I felt my fist throb and screams emmitt from the two girls. Jack just howled with laughter, as Finley laid unconsious on the concrete floor.
I gasped. I hadn't meant to punch him, he just set something off inside me that scared me and I just acted out if instinct. "OHMYGOD, IS HE DEAD??!!" Ellie screamed. Jack knelt by the boy's side and placed a hand over Finley's heart.
"Nope, but ya' boy doesn't half pack a punch. His lips are already swollen," Jack gaped.
"Zak, how could you?!! You just punched a blind boy! What do you have to say for yourself?" Georgie shrieked.
"Thank God someone did it." And then I strolled out of the courtyard, backpack slung over my shoulders.
I was called to the headteacher's office later that day. I sat slumped in the arm chair, awaiting his arrival, for what felt like hours. I heard the door creak open, and a boy slightly shorter than me took a seat. An ice pack was pressed against his left cheek, probably because it was still throbbing from the punch. The headteacher took a seat behind his desk, glaring at me before he spoke.
"So, Mr. Peters, you're the one who punched Mr. Renolds over here?" He said.
"Mhm, it was a pretty damn good hit, too. I mean, look at the kid, he's still in pain." Despite my efforts to keep the mood light, the headteacher's glare became even more deadly.
"Mr Peters, this is not a joke. That boy could have been seriously injured, all because of your actions. Now, apologize."
I turned to Finley. His sunglasses were no longer on his face, so it was the first time I'd ever properly inspected his face. He turned to face me, after the headteacher told him I was sat to his left, and our eyes came into contact. They were beautiful. They were the most vibrant yet chilling things I'd ever laid eyes on. Hues of azule rippled through them, accompanied by flecks of silver and navy blue. I knew I was staring, but I couldn't care less. It's not like Finley knew. Though Mr. Hopkins (the headteacher) seemed to pick up on hit, faintly clearing his throat.
"Finley, I'm sorry." I was almost suprised with the level of sincerity that statement upheld.
"Apology accepted," he smiled, obviously picking up on the fact that I was telling the truth.
"Alright, now that that's settled, we'll discuss punishments. Zakary, detention after school every night this week. Is that understood?" Mr. Hopkins sighed.
"Yes, sir." I didn't have the energy to argue. I just wanted to hide in a hole and eat ice cream.
"Alright, now get to class. Zakary, help Finley, won't you?" I nodded, rising to my feet. Finley did the same and I helped him towards the door.
"You're staring at me." Finley chuckled, using his walking stick to scan his surroundings.
"What? No," I answered, too quickly to be true.
"Zak, I may be blind, but I'm not stupid." As we reached a flight of stairs, I helped him up, wrapping my hands around each of his biceps.
"Whatever. Where even is your next class?" I asked.
"164."
"Okay, it's not too far away." It fell silent between us two again. I couldn't get over how Finley looked without his infamous black sunglasses. He was actually one of the most breath-takingly stunning people I've ever laid eyes on. His jawline was prominant, his cheekbones were sharp, his eyebrows were shaped into a constant smoulder that could turn any straight guy gay.
"Can I ask you something?" Finn said, retracting me from my thoughts.
"Sure, fire away."
"What do you look like? I know it's creepy, but I just want to picture you with a more vivid image." Okay, that was pretty creepy.
"Erm... well, I have really dark hair. My eyes are hazel. I'm taller than you by an inch or so, around 6"3'. And I have more abs than John Cena,"
"You wish," he snorted.
"It's true. Wanna feel?"
"I think I'll pass," Finley said, but I could see a faint blush tinting his thin cheeks. It was adorable.
"You're blushing," I smirked.
"What? No, I'm not." But that only made him grow redder.
"It's okay, I don't judge. If I was you, I'd be druelling over me too." I chuckled.
"So you're gay?"
"No! No, no, nopedy, nope! I'm just saying I'm pretty fucking sexy." I really wasn't helping myself.
"Mhm... okay then, Mr. Sex God, are we almost at my class or not?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "So, I'm assuming you haven't always been blind?"
"Nope, I was involved in an accident when I was ten. I went blind and have been ever since," he explained.
"I'm assuming you're seventeen now?" I said.
"Sixteen, actually."
"Oh, right, you look older."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Finn chuckled. Oh, believe me, it was.
We arrived at Finley's class and I directed him through the doorway. "Bye, Finley."
"Goodbye, Mr. Sex God. Now, if you'll excuse me, my English class awaits me," he waved, before disappearing through the door.
I walked into my Science class with my head ducked low. "And why are we late, Mr. Peters?" The teacher sterned.
"Headteacher's office." I muttered.
"Okay, take a seat." I sat in my usual place at the back of the room besides Jacob and some other guys from the football team.
"Dude, what did Hopkins want with ya'?" Jacob quizzed, as I sat down at a stool.
"I punched some kid in year 11. No biggy," I shrugged, casually. I felt a pang in my heart with those words. 'No biggy'. It was quite the opposite. I felt terrible for punching Finley. I mean, the kid's blind for crying out loud. I'm such a dickhead sometimes.
"Gan on, son!" (A/N: Look it up on urban dictionary) he cheered. "What did he even do to piss you off so much?"
"He kept calling me an idiot 'n stuff. Seriously, it's no big deal, Jake."
"What did he say when you punched it?" He obviously didn't take any notice of me attenpting to drop the topic.
"Nothin', he was clean out of it."
"Zak, you mad-man! Who even was it?"
"Finley Renolds," I answered.
"Wait... isn't that kid blind or some shit?" Jake asked.
"Yeah."
"Oh my god, Zak, you're a legend." I swear Jacob didn't posses a heart at times. He was often crude and prejudice, but I loved him anyways.
By this point, some of the other guys sat around us had heard about the spectacle between Finley and I. Most congratulated me for standing up for myself, whilst others were impressed by my ability to knock someone unconsious in one clean strike.
"Don't worry, Zak, we'll all make sure that kid doesn't bother you again. By the time we're done with him, he'll be in a wheelchair, too." Michael - a member of the football team - reassured, though it wasn't very reassuring. I prayed internally that he didn't mean what he said, that he was just saying it to act tough in front of the girls sat beside him, but something told me that that was only the small slither of optimism inside me talking. They couldn't hurt Finn... could they?
I was so deep in thought, I hadn't noticed the bell ring for the end of school. Students stormed out of their classes and into the already bustling corridors. I had a detention in the assembly hall, which was going to be tedious as ever. Luckily, a friend (if we could even be considered that) called Sam did too, so I went with him.
"So, what did you do to get a detention?" Sam quizzed, kicking a plastic bottle between his feet which he found in the corridors.
"Punched someone," I mumbled.
"Whoa, hard-man. Who?"
"Just some kid in year 11."
"Ah, I see. Why?" I shrugged in response. "You feel bad?"
"Yeah, I guess." Finn didn't deserve what I did, no matter how much he wound me up. He probably had enough shit to deal with in his life.
"You like him, don't you?"
My heart stopped dead in my chest, my breaths short and snappy. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"Well, usually when you punch someone you go round boasting about it like an Oscar, but you seem kinda depressed, that's all. Am I right?"
"Err.... I-I don't like him. He's a dick. Why do you think I punched him in the first place?" I snapped, defensively. Who did this guy think he was? He couldn't just go around assuming things like that. Prick.
"Okay, man. I just figured you felt something for him. I don't judge, Zak, it's okay if you do, ya' know, like him. I won't tell the rest of the guys." Fortunately, we arrived at the assembly hall once he'd finished speaking. I couldn't wait to wiggle myself out of the conversation. He was really beginning to get on my nerves.
"Just... leave it," I huffed, storming inside.
"Sorry, I guess," Sam's muffled voice hummed, before following me inside the hall.