I ran up to my room with my mint flavored ice cream in my hand. My parents always knew how to make me feel better. I grabbed my backpack and spilled all the contents inside of it on to the floor. I decided to start with math since that one always took the longest. An hour had passed and I just finished my ice cream and my math homework and I started thinking about christina gain. I knew I couldn't just pretend what had happened to her didn't happen and it was my job to find out how to help her. I didn't really know where to start. I decided to change into my pajamas and make a checklist to help me see which part of Christina's story was blank. As I tore off my jeans a piece of paper fell out as I was about to throw it away. I opened it to see what is was. Benson's number. I had almost forgotten! It was perfect. He could help me with the investigation! But I remembered he didn't really like talking about Christina. Maybe I could find a way to convince him but for now I would just call him so he knew I was ok. I grabbed my phone from the counter and dialed his number in.
There was a static sound and a heavy breath. "Hello?"
He seemed tired and I looked at my clock. 12:10. Woops. I didn't think he will mind. I did just kinda witness a murder so.. "Yeah hi this is Zoey from the hospital I don't know if you remember but you gave me your number and I just kinda called you so you would know that I was ok."
"Oh! Wel-"
"You seem really surprised maybe I shouldn't have called you after all I'm sorry I just thought-"
"Wait no don't hang up. I just didn't think that you would actually call me let alone see the note."
I giggled. I had no idea why my heart was racing maybe because I was just about to ask my friend to help me in a murder investigation. "Oh ok."
"So what's up?"
"Well can I ask you something?"
"Yeah sure anything."
"Can you help me figure out what happened to Christina?"
He sighed. "Look Zoey isn't that what the police are for? I am sure they are doing everything they can to find out what happened to her. I know you probably feel like this is all your fault but trust me it isn't. I know you can't forget what happened to her but at least for now. Just let the police do the investigating all you have to do is relax."
"Ok yeah you're right. Forget I even asked."
"Zoey.."
"No it fine. It was dumb of me to ask you anyway."
"How about this you think you can come over to my house tomorrow? The address is 1245 reseda blvd 91326."
"Why?"
"Because I think right now all that you need is a friend."
I hesitated.
"I'm not taking no for an answer."
"Ok what time?"
******
For the first time I was actually ready for school on time. I went downstairs to eat my breakfast. I had picked a really nice outfit for my day back at school. I put light makeup on my face then wore a blue strapless blouse paired it with ripped white jeans and brown sandals. I brushed out my hair and curled it halfway. Then I topped it off my wearing a few rings and brackets. I hope it wasn't too much. Too late for me to change it anyway. My parents were already downstairs.
"Oh honey? What are you doing up?"
"What are you talking about? I'm going to school right?"
"We just thought because of what happened last week you wouldn't want to go back to school so soon. All of your teachers know what happened and are willing to let you have a week off."
"It's alright mom. I can't hide from school forever no matter how badly I want too." That got a chuckle from my dad. He came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
"When we want you to go to school you don't want to go but all of a sudden when we give you this opportunity you want to go to school."
I laughed. I actually didn't want to go to school. I was just so excited about seeing Hazel eyes in school today as my boyfriend. But at the same time I didn't want to see him. I hadn't texted him all week and I had refused to see him when I was checked into the mental hospital. I really hope he wasn't mad at me and maybe I was also kinda excited about what Benson wanted to tell me today. At first I was annoyed but maybe he has a lead or something on christina. After I finished my breakfast I grabbed my textbook and was out the door. I was so jittery that I couldn't even sit still. Maybe I should text Hazel now? No because I already waited too long. I'll just work it out with him at school. My mom pulled up the school's parking lot.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay home? I can still take the day off."
"Don't worry mom. I'll be fine. I'm already here anyway. Now go to work."
I waved my mom goodbye until I couldn't see her car anymore. I took a deep breath and recounted what I was going to say. I walked in and instantly regretted not staying at home. Everything was back to the way it was before. Me trying to get by by staring at my feet and everyone else ignoring me. I almost made it to my locker when I felt someone grab my wrist gently and turn me around. I jumped and found Hazel facing me.
"I'm so sorr-"
He pulled me into a tight hug making sure not to let go. "Oh my god you ok. Thank god you're ok."
I looked down at my shoes sheepily. "I'm sorry I didn't all you or let you see me when I was in the hospital I was just.."
He lifted my chin with his thumb. "Look at me Zoey I don't care about that. Forget that! I'm just glad you were ok. I couldn't sleep not knowing how you were or what happened to you. Then I found out what had happened at the hospital and I almost lost it. I called you hose like fifty times I even came over and knocked on the door but you weren't there. Your parents had said you were ok but I needed to see you for myself. I was even surprised to see you at school today. Your mom said you weren't going to come."
"I wasn't but I guess I wanted to see you too. You thought about me?"
He took my hand and squeezed really tight as he fix my hair. He then looked me straight in the eye. "Of course I did. I can't stop thinking about you."
I hugged him back making sure to take in every piece of him and suddenly everything was better it reminded me of the moment we had on our first date, still and quiet.
"Hey dipshit come on you don't want to be late for class!"
This tall olive skinned boy cam and practically yanked Hazel from me while his crowd of friends laughed. But I didn't mind. We did have to get to class anyway.
"So the lone wolf does have friends."
Hazel laughed in a deep hearty matter making me smile even more. "Yeah just a few. I'll see you later then? Bye Zoey."
"Bye."
"I'll meet you at your locker so we could sit together at lunch."
"Okay." I turned around and headed to class for once truly happy.
******
The bell had rung which meant the end of 4th period and now I would have lunch with Hazel and his friends. I was really nervous. What if they didn't like me? What if I did something stupid. I took a deep breath. I just had to relax I mean there was probably going to be only a few of his friends. I got to my locker and he was already there with a few of his friends.
"Hey."
"Hey. So Zoey this is Mason and Chase ignore everything they say. About 100% of what comes out of their mouths is stupid."
I giggled and Mason furrwoed his eyebrows like he was trying to think of a comeback to say but Chase beat him to it.
"Oh so then I guess we can't tell you little girlfriend her much you talk about her how she's the most perfect girl in the world?"
Mason got the idea and chimed in. "Don't forget how you wanted to smas-"
"Ok guys I think that is enough we should get going to the lunch area!"
I had never seen Hazel get embarrased and his face was bright red. Mason and Chase high five-ed each other and headed outside.
"I guess we're totally even then?"
"We were counting?"
"Yup! You are making me sit with your friends when I was perfectly fine sitting with only you."
He raised his hands in the air. "Ok. It's only a few people."
I grabbed his hand and closed my locker. "Yeah yeah."
As we got to the cafeteria I saw a bunch of tables and tried to figure out which ones that Chase and Mason were sitting in.
"We are stirring at that table in the middle right there."
It was the one with the most people and the noisiest. It was like half of the school was in there. I took a gulp of fresh air. "That one? You said it was a few people!"
"Oh! My bad!" He grinned. "So I guess that's two points for me?"
I rolled my eyes and turned around headed to the bathroom. He grabbed both of my shoulders and spun me around.
"You. Will. Be. Fine."
I batted my eyes and pouted my lips "Are you sure?"
"Yes! Now come on."
We finally sat down at the table and everyone instantly turned and looked at me. "Hi."
Everyone simultaneously said hi some nodded their heads then they went back to their everyday gossip.
"Okay see Zoey that wasn't so bad?"
"Yeah I guess you were right."
"Wait was was that? I didn't really hear you clearly. Can you repeat that?"
"Don't push your luck."
He grinned and went back to eating his lunch.
******
The school day was finally over and my first day as Hazel's girlfriend was not that bad. I hadn't realized that he was so popular. I guess his group didn't have any drama worth talking about or they were good at keeping it secret. I was about to walk out of school when someone called my name.
I turned around to face Amber Rose the most popular girl in school. She treats everyone like something that got stuck on the bottom of your shoe, disgusting, annoying, and useless but everyone still worships her anyway. Did I ever mention how much I hate her? She always flirts with every guy in school and always has a crowd of girls with her. I don't know why she was coming over and I really didn't want to find out. I remember when I went to school wearing an ugly green wool sweater that my aunt had made me before she died and she and her friends had made fun of me the whole day. The next day I stuffed my sweater in the trash and vowed to never wear it again. So whatever she was going to throw on me I will not take this time.
"Hi Zoey! Where are you heading?"
"Oh I'm just heading to a friend's house."
"Well anytime you want to hang out you can."
I laughed "I'm sorry not to be rude but why do you want to hang out with me? You never wanted to hang out me before and honestly I don't want to hang out with you either."
"Ouch someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Well let me tell you a little something. Just because you are dating-"
"Where are you going with this?" That was close I almost found out what Hazel's real name was.
"I'm just saying don't think just because of your boyfriend you going to be popular. This little thing you have with him will soon blow over and you'll be back where you belong."
"Where is that exactly Amber?"
"Alone."
Then just like that she walked away. I don't want to believe what she said but I was scared but that maybe she was right. I tried to shake out what Amber and walked out the school.
"Hey mom can you drive me to my friends house."
"Wait sweetie I want to hear how great you day back at school was."
"Mom how do you know it went great what if it went terrible wrong?"
"Trust me if it had went terribly wrong I wouldn't have picked you up at the end of the day I would have been called by you to pick you up earlier."
"Good point."
"Mom I'll just tell you everything when I get back I really need to go over to my friends house. It's for a project. Please mom."
"Okay but do I know this friend?"
"Actually kinda it's Benson."
"Oh. Well what kind of project are you guys working on? Isn't he in college?"
"Yeah but it's more like a project on how people shouldn't feel alone and that there will always be someone there to help."
"Oh that's good sweetie. Then yeah I'll take you."
I hated lying to my mom but if I told her what we were really doing she'd freak. We pulled up in front of his house so I waved my mom goodbye and rang his doorbell.
"Zoey you came, good."
He had a frightened look on his face.
"Yeah? We talked about it remember. It something wrong?"
"I'll explain just get inside."