Eve was washing her hands in the girls bathroom after using the toilet when she noticed someone standing behind her in the mirror. She looks up and turns around to see a pretty blonde eyeing her with her arms crossed. "Can I help you?" Eve asks as she furrows her brows at her before reaching for the brown paper towels.
"There's not many black girls in this school, especially in our grade so I️ guess it's safe to assume that you're Eve?" The girl said, glaring at her.
Eve eyes her warily. "Yeah...who are you?" She asks. The girl scoffs, as if Eve offending her by asking such a question.
"Are you serious? What, do you live under a rock or something?" She says snorts. "Or do they not have cable in the 'hood?" She taunts.
"Girl, I️ have better things to do with my time than argue with you. Hurry up and tell me what you want or get out the way," Eve snaps. That's when three other girls enter the bathroom, blocking the only exit. Eve was now slightly more worried but she tried not to show it. "So you brought more of your skinny ass friends with you. Is that supposed to intimidate me?" She points out.
"Look, homegirl," the girl says condescendingly. "You've been hanging around my boyfriend for two weeks. And if you think that you're gonna steal him away from me, you're dead wrong," she hissed.
"So you're Maddy?" Eve raises an eyebrow.
Maddy seemed pleased she recognized her. "I️ knew Zach talks about me," she says smugly.
"Yeah, to complain about you," Eve shrugs off, making two of her friends snicker behind her back. "Now are we done here? We have to study," she says as she tightens the grip on her backpack.
"Enjoy it while it lasts because once he's done with you, he'll be running back to me," she hears Maddy says from behind her. "Don't forget he's just using you for a good grade and nothing more," she starts to hear the girls giggles behind her. "As if he's into like her," she snickers.
"Zach wouldn't be caught dead with a black girl," one of her friends whispers the last part.
Eve's head starts to hurt and throat starts to burn as she tries to hold back tears as she makes her way to the student parking lot where she knew Zach was waiting. He was sitting in the driver's seat, bopping his head to the music and looking absolutely adorable. For a second, Eve pretended that they were together, and that he was waiting for her after class, like she'd imagine her high school boyfriend would've done...if she had one.
Zach looks up, sees her and smiles, beeping his horn before hoping out. "Evie!" He yells so enthusiastically that it almost made her swoon. "Hurry up! We gotta get Eva and Eddie!" He says.
"I'm coming!" She yells back, almost smiling. But she suddenly became self conscious as all eyes turned to witness their interaction. A couple of confused, surprised, annoyed and curious stares suddenly brought her back to reality.
He wasn't her boyfriend.
This wasn't a date.
He wasn't attracted to her.
She wasn't into him.
She had to remind herself that their situation definitely has made their closer, but as friends only. She will admit that she has come to like and care for Zach, but just as a friend. And probably thought likewise, or else he wouldn't be so nice to her siblings.
Eve got in to his car and while he drove off, she caught a glimpse of Maddy smirking at her, as if she knew she got into her head.
Well she didn't.
Eve tried her best to seem okay but it must've not been convincing enough because Zach noticed her quiet and distant demeanor. "You okay?" He asked, lowering the volume of the radio.
Eve looks up from looking out the window. "Yeah, I'm fine," she tells him. "Just...got a lot on my mind," she states as they pull up to pick up her siblings.
As they got out, Zach looks over at her in concern. "Is it something you wanna y'all about?" He asks as they knock on the door.
Before she could answer, Mrs. Johnson opens the door with the children following suit. "Evie!" Eddie exclaims, hopping into her arms.
"Zach!" Eva screams as Zach picks her up into his arms.
"Hey babygirl," he greets happily.
"Well aren't you two just the cutest couple!" Mrs. Johnson gushed.
"Oh no, we're not-"
"He's not my boy-"
"Alright well y'all have a good evening now!" Mrs. Johnson bids, leaving the two teens confused. They both look at each other before turning around and heading back to the car.
"Man, Miss J getting old," Eve laughs off as she sits in the back with her siblings now. A song on the radio catches her attention and she gasps. "Oh my gosh, turn the radio up!" She tells him.
Zach turns the radio up and Warren G's "Regulate" comes on. Eve raps the lyrics, making Zach laugh as he looked in the rear view mirror to see her tickle her little sister, making her giggle. They both danced in their seats, bopping their heads to the beat. A couple minutes later, they arrive to a cute, retro themed 50's diner.
"How vintage," Eve commented as she handed her sister over to Zach, who reached out to grab out as he helped them get out. Eddie quickly hopped out once she undid his seat belt. She got out after him and shut the door behind her and took his hands into hers before entering the quaint eatery. They walked in and it seemed like they were really committed to the 50's theme. Something about the whole thing gave her a sense of deja vu.
They found a booth and sat down, picking up the menu that was already there. "Okay so, definitely getting fries and chicken tenders for the little monsters," Eve said, making Zach look up and smirk. "Eva, what do you want to drink? Do you want chocolate milk?" Eve asked. "I️ know you love that."
"Yes," Ev nodded.
"Eddie? What about you buddy?" Zach looked over at the little boy sitting next to him. Eddie didn't answer him, instead his attention elsewhere. Five year olds. "Do you like chocolate milk too?" Zach tries again.
"Sprite," Eddie finally answers.
"Absolutely not," Eve snaps. "You can't handle sugar. Apple juice," Eve answers for him.
Soon a waitress makes her way over to their table and introduces herself. "Hi, I'm Steph and I'll be your waitress for today. Can I️ start you guys off with some drinks?" She asks.
"Chocwit milk!" Eva exclaims, amusing everyone.
"Chocolate milk for the lady," Zach smiles, "Coke for me, apple juice my man right here," he points to Eddie who played with the silverware in the table now, "and..." he now points at Eve.
It took Eve half a second to realize that was her cue. "Oh! Sprite please," she smiles.
"No problem, the drinks will be right up and then I'll take your orders," the waitress said.
Eve smiles at her before turning her attention in Zach. "How do you feel?" She asked.
Zach raised his eyebrows in confusion. "About...?"
"The last test!" She reminded him as Eva squirmed in her lap. "You're almost off the bench!"
Zach shrugged his shoulder as he looked over the menu. "Not much about it really," he lied. In reality, he felt bittersweet about the whole thing. So, deciding to take a chance, he spoke up. "Actually..." he said, catching her attention. "I️ know we had a bit of a rough start and again, I️ apologize for being such a, racist asshole," he tells her. "But, you've helped me so much. And, I think we make a good team...Evie."
"Thanks quarterback," she gives him an appreciative smile. "Means a lot." Before She could say something, Eva started to get fussy in her arms. "What Eva?" She asked her sister, as if she'd answer her. "What do you want?" She asked her again. Eva instead started to cry. "Oh no. Where's a chocolate milk? I️ think that's what she wants," she tells Zach.
Zach hurried off to the counter to ask for the waitress when a white couple sitting in front of them turned and gave them dirty looks. "Excuse me? We're trying to eat in peace here," the older white woman said.
"I'm sorry! She's just hungry," Eve quickly explained. Eddie stood up from his chair and tugged in Eve's elbow. "Eddie! Stop!" She scolded.
"I'm bored!" Eddie complained.
"Sit down!" She ordered him in a whisper-hushed tone. "Zach will be back soon. Maybe he'll entertain you."
The white women and presumably her husband turn to look at them again. "Can you get your kids under control?" Her husband now said in an annoyed tone.
Eve rolls her eyes. Common misconception that never fails. "They're not my kids! And I'm trying as best as I️ can!" She snaps.
"Obviously not hard enough," the white lady huffs.
"You wanna try to soothe two cranky toddlers yourself?" Eve challenged. "Didn't think so," she rolled her eyes.
Zach soon come back with the waitress, who comes back with their drinks. "Hey, we're back," he announces as soon as he sat down. Eve quickly grabs the drink and the straw, handing it to Eva while Zach pulls Eddie beside him once more.
The white man behind him eyes the two disapprovingly before speaking. "Excuse me, young man," he says, making Zach look up at him. "Aren't you Bradley Fontaine's son?" He asked.
Zach smiles at him. "Yeah, I️ am," he nods.
"Well I work with your father at his law office," he says. "And...I️ think your father would be disappointed and disapprove of the company you keep son."
Both teens now look at him confused and annoyed. "What?" Zach's voice got tight, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing and he was holding himself back.
The man looked over at Eve once again, feeding Eva chocolate milk through a straw. He leans in closer, as if sharing a secret with him. "Come on son, you're young, handsome. You know you can do way better than...well, people like her."
Before anyone could see it coming, Zach's fist went flying across his face, startling several people including Eve, who quickly jumped up and grabbed Eddie to pull him away from Zach. "Zach!" She yelled. Eva started to cry again, while Eddie huddled behind her as he watched.
"You wanna say something else?" Zach challenged, standing up now.
"Oh my god, George!" His wife quickly hurries over to him. "What the hell is your problem?" She barks at him.
"What's yours?" He scoffs. "You know what, we're out of here. I️ just lost my appetite," he huffs, grabbing his keys. "Let's go guys," he helps them up before leaving.
Eve wordlessly gets into the car. Zach and her decided to go to McDonald's to get a Happy Meal for the kids before ending up at a local playground, sitting at a bench as they watch Eva and Eddie play, hoping it would burn all that sugar they drank in their drinks and tire them out.
"Why'd you do that?" Eve asked as she watched Eddie and Eva slide down a slide.
"I️ don't know," he simply responded.
Eve shook her head. "I can't accept that," she says. "You really scared us," she tells him. "You scared them," she gestures over to her siblings.
"I️ didn't mean to," he said guiltily. "I'm sorry."
Eva looked over at him. "What did he say to make you snap like that?" She wondered.
Zach shook his head and looked down. "I'd rather not repeat it," he honestly tells her, making her frown. Once upon a time, Zach had the same mindset as that man. Sitting next to Eve now just made him feel all more ashamed of it.
"That bad huh?" She scoffed. "It's alright-"
"No actually," he speaks up, looking at her, "it's not. They shouldn't have been attacking you like that. They don't know you...like I've gotten to know you these past few weeks. You're so much more than..."
"Than...?"
"Your skin," He finally says. "That's what he was saying. He was saying I️ could do so much better than you and that I️ shouldn't be seen with you, asking what my dad would think."
Eve felt as if she's been slapped. That was the second time today someone's attacked her for her race. "And then you punched him?" Her voice wavered a bit.
He noticed the slight emotion in her voice. "No shit. I️ won't let anyone bully you in front of me," he promised.
"But, he's right," she whispered. "You have Maddy, you shouldn't be seen out here with me," she tries to spare him. "You definitely deserve better than me-"
But it was no use, he wasn't backing down.
"I don't want to do better," he admits, "you're amazing. Anyone who can't see that is missing out," she notices his face nearing hers.
Eve was stunned for a moment. And that's when she knew...she was definitely in love with him.
"Wow...thank you, Zach," she whispers, wrapping her arm around his shoulders, pulling him into her right embrace before pulling away once more. Her hand rests on his jaw, and feeling the intense emotions of the moment, leans in.
"Evie, I️'m tired!"
"I️ wanna go home!"
Zach and Eve quickly jump away from each other, now giving the kids their full attention, trying to set aside what just happened. "Yeah! Let's get you two to bed," she picks up her sister while Zach reaches for her brother. They both headed back to his car and she sat in the back as her sister fell asleep in her lap and her brother fall asleep against her arm.
* * * *
The entire school cheers as Zach makes his return off the bench and on to the field. The football team and the cheerleaders surround his table as they all excitedly buzz about how Zach's gonna lead them to victory that night.
"We're gonna party so hard tonight! We're going up against Bartlett High..." he hears Asher say but eventually tunes him out as soon as he sees Eve walk through the courtyard, book in hand.
They haven't talked all week. Ever since their almost kiss in the park, she's avoided him, and he didn't know why. Did he make her uncomfortable? Or was she glad she finally got rid of him? He couldn't really tell.
He gets up mid-conversation, making everyone look at him as he quickly tries to catch up to her. "Evie! Eve, wait!" He calls out to her, making her turn around to face. "Hey," he breathes once he catches up to her.
"Hey..." She greeted, giving him a smile. "Congrats on getting back on the team quarterback," she smiles.
"That was all you," he praised, making her smile. "After the game tonight, there's a party at Asher's, you should come," he offers.
Eve breathes in before letting out a sigh. "Zach...I-"
"Come on genius, if it wasn't for you, this wouldn't be happening," he urged. "And plus, I️ think," he takes a step forward, making her taking a step back, making her back hit the locker behind her as he put his arm on one side of her, boxing her in.
She almost gets lost in his blue eyes when the bell rings, snapping them both out of it. "I gotta go," she shoves him away and hurries off, leaving him behind.
"Zach!" Maddy screeches begins him. "There you are! Aww!" She purrs as she wraps her arms around his shoulders. "I️ heard you passed! Oh, I️ knew you could do it!" She said, pressing multiple kisses on his cheek and lips.
He kissed back, but not with the same passion as they once had, secretly realizing he'd rather be kissing another.
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I️ have another book up if y'all haven't read yet. it's called Malamente. It's also BWWM like most stories of mines, it was just a reworked old idea that finally came together.
It's about an Italian mafia boss entering an affair with a Mexican cartel leader's girlfriend, who used to be a pageant girl/beauty queen. I️ was inspired to rewrite it again after watching 365 Days (it's coming to US Netflix June 7th apparently. Y'all should watch it...when your parents aren't around. It's like...what Fifty Shades SHOULD'VE been.). It's my most mature books, dealing with violence, drugs, cheating, drinking and has sex in almost every chapter. So if that's also your thing...
Thank you for reading! I️ have about three more chapters for the 90's (I️ KNOW?!) left. Let's make'em count!