Wizard of Oz || Zuo Hang✓

Fifteen

Zuo and Vicky were sitting together at lunch as usual, talking about random things but mostly about computers. Zuo was happy he had found a friend who liked computers as much as he did...well he didn't really like computers but he tolerated them for his family's sake.

'Oh guess who's walking over to our table?' Vicky asked him as she looked behind him.

'Who?' Zuo asked, wanting to turn around but knowing he couldn't do it because it would make it obvious that they were talking about the person who was approaching.

'Yanni.'

He finally realized what was about to happen. He had forgotten about the fact that Yanni was going to talk to him that day, because it was now lunch time. When he saw that she wasn't talking to him in the morning, he assumed she had changed her mind. Somehow it made him feel relieved when he realized she wasn't going to talk to him, it was nerve-wrecking thinking about the fact that she would anyway.

'Oh no,' Zuo said to himself and quickly grabbed a napkin, padding it on the edges of his mouth even though there wasn't anything to clean up.

'What?' Vicky asked him with a surprised look. 'What are you doing?'

Yanni walked over to the table, standing beside Zuo's chair.

'Hi,' Yanni said first of all to Vicky, who didn't bother to reply. Yanni then awkwardly looked down at Zuo who was still seated. 'Can I talk to you a moment?'

Zuo's heart started to beat faster out of nervousness. 'Okay.' He got up from his seat.

He could tell that Vicky was annoyed with whatever was happening, but he was going to explain to her later. Even though he knew what Yanni was about to say, he still felt nervous.

The two of them stood by the cafeteria window, a small distance away from most of the tables. They stood opposite each other, and Zuo was too nervous to look at her face.

'I wanted to say I'm sorry for everything that's been going on.' Yanni started. 'You've been my friend when we were younger and protected me but I didn't protect you from Zhixin.'

Zuo nodded. 'It's not your fault.' he finally got the courage to reply. 'You can't control Zhixin, he does what he wants to.'

Yanni nodded. 'Did you perhaps feel betrayed when you came back from the other city and found that I'm now close to a bully and I'm...acting like a typical popular kid?'

'I...maybe I did. But I understand, you did what you had to do to enjoy your school years.'

Once Zuo finally looked at Yanni's face, he saw that she seemed as nervous as he was. He was momentarily surprised, perhaps it was because they hadn't spoken in a long time.

Vicky felt irritated. She looked away from the two of them then noticed Xinhao and Zhixin walk to one of the tables with their lunch trays. She got an idea: it was devious, but it was the only thing she could think of at the moment.

She walked over to Zhixin and Xinhao's table on the other side of the room.

'No don't talk to us,' Xinhao raised his arm immediately. Vicky was one of those uncool kids, and he didn't want to be caught talking with her of all people.

'I don't want to talk to you, I just need to tell you guys something.' Vicky informed them, turning her full attention on Zhixin now. 'Do you know where your girlfriend is?'

'She said she needs to do something important and she'll catch up, why?' Zhixin furrowed his eyebrows.

Vicky pointed at Yanni and Zuo talking by the window, a slight smirk on her face. 'I guess that's the important stuff she wanted to deal with.'

Zhixin looked at the two of them, his face immediately turning into one of surprise. But it quickly changed from surprise to anger.

'How dare she?' Zhixin got up from his seat immediately.

'Don't overreact again.' Xinhao cried, getting up from his seat as well to follow Zhixin.

Zuo could see people walking towards them from the corner of this eye while he talked to Yanni. He turned in the direction of the people, already knowing this would soon escalate when he saw Zhixin and Xinhao.

'Your boyfriend is coming this way and he looks angry.' Zuo quickly said to Yanni.

She turned to Xinhao and Zhixin, then back to Zuo. Zhixin looked so angry that she had a feeling he would wrap his hands around Zuo's neck. Quickly, Yanni stood in front of Zuo, hoping she could talk to Zhixin before he put his hands on Zuo.

'What's going on? You just said you needed to do something important and here you are talking to Zuo?' Zhixin raised his voice out of anger.

'Of course, we were talking about something impor...' Yanni started.

'Important my foot, I'll deal with you later. Move it.' Zhixin told her, wanting to get to Zuo.

'No I'm not letting you hurt him.' Yanni replied, looking up at her boyfriend.

'I said move it,' Zhixin repeated.

Zuo felt like this was all his fault, he was the one who had told Yanni to talk to him anyway. He looked down at the floor guiltily.

'It's okay,' Zuo said to Yanni, 'I'll handle him.'

'No,' Yanni shook her head.

Zhixin's anger was rising very quickly. 'I said move it! I want to deal with Zuo!'

He grabbed Yanni's arm and pushed her away. He was ready to fight Zuo, but stopped when he heard Yanni groaning. He turned to her direction, only to see her on the floor painfully. Zhixin hadn't intended to push her that hard, so he felt a sudden rush of guilt and concern.

Yanni sat up painfully and grabbed her left arm. It was obvious her arm was in a lot of pain.

'I'm sorry,' Zhixin walked over and bent to her. He attempted to check her arm, but Yanni cried painfully the moment he had grabbed her wrist.

'No, don't come near me.' Yanni cried.

'I didn't mean to hurt you.' Zhixin begged. 'It's all your stupid friend's fault!'

Zuo felt like that statement was true, it was all his fault and he felt completely terrible.

'Calm down, I'll handle it,' Xinhao said as he helped Yanni up. 'I'll get you to the nurse's office.'

'Thanks.' Yanni answered Xinhao.

Zhixin looked at Yanni and Xinhao walk away, then looked at Zuo. He wanted to beat him up real badly, but he had lost the strength to do it. His focus was now on Yanni whom he may have injured.

'Stay away from my girlfriend.' Zhixin warned and walked away.

Zuo could see so many eyes of the students on him, and he awkwardly walked back to his seat.