Protector - Montgomery De La Cruz

The Truth Comes Out

Alex ran as fast as she could to try and catch up to the boy, he legs were tired from all the cheerleading that she had been doing, but she knew that she really needed to catch up to the boy, especially if he was going to the clubhouse where Justin and Clay were more than likely snooping around looking for the polaroids. 

 "Zach hey! wait up! Wait a sec!" she called out to him but he didn't slow down. He didn't want her to see him like this. He was so angry that he was sure he was about to cry, his eyes going rede and his nose becoming slightly running as he faced his head towards the ground, beelining for the clubhouse behind the trees and shrubs. 

She watched as he threw open the door, which the boys had stupidly left unlocked, not even giving them any time to react. Alex managed to finally catch up to him, trying to grab onto his jersey and quickly following him inside. As soon as they walked in they were met face to face with Justin Foley and Clay Jensen. 

Justin's eyes went wide as he looked at his two best friends, though he stayed silent, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Clay on the other hand shook his head softly, "oh shit," he muttered out, worried that he was about to get his ass beat. The air went shockingly cold, but was also humid. No-one moved or said anything for a few moments, each of them waiting for someone else to make the first move. 

Clay looked over at Alex, hoping that she would help him, but also suddenly becoming suspicious that she had ratted them out to Zach. "What the fuck are you guys doing in here?" Zach scolds as he storms over to the two of them.. Clay and Justin quickly stumble back, almost tripping over their own legs as they were instinctively pulled back

"Za-" she tries to grab onto his wrist and pull him back, not wanting him to scare the boys, but he pulls his arm from her grasp and continues to stalk over to them at a strong and rapid pace. her first thought was to stand in front of Justin protectively, but she knew that Zach wouldn't actually do anything to them unless they tried to attack him first, and based on the looks that they were wearing on their faces, Alex doubted they would try taking the first swing at the giant basketball player  

"We know about the clubhouse, we know everything," Clay says quickly, thinking that it was some kind of a threat, and praying to the gods above that it was going to make Zach back down and they would be able to get out of this, "and we aren't the only ones who know." Clay hopped that this would get them out of trouble right now, but clearly he didn't know as much as he was letting on

"Oh, you know everything? I dont think so," Zach snapped, shaking his head in frustration as he looked at Clay. He hadn't expected the two of them to try and sneak in there, it was a stupid idea that could easily get them seriously injured by one of the other jocks. 

"We know enough," Clay snaps, trying to seem intimidating to the tall basketball player. He then looked over at Alex for a few seconds before turning back to Zach

"H-hey, just back off Dempsey," Justin pleads with his best friend, reaching his arm out to try and calm the boy down. It was clear that he was beyond pissed and the last thing that he wanted right now was for a fight to break out... because he knew damn well that he and Clay wouldn't be able to take Zach on, not to mention it was possible that Alex could get caught in the crossfire. 

"Or what Justin?" Zach fires, also aware of who would win if they were to fight. 

"Guys come on, that's enough. Everyone just needs to calm down okay?" Alex pleaded softly, looking between all three of them. 

Clay scoffs, "did you tell him that we were going to be in here? Seriously? We trusted you and then you went and told him?" he asks angrily, pointing an accusatory finger towards the girl

"What? N-"

"You knew that they were coming in here?" Zach asks angrily as he turns around to look at her, shaking his head in frustration. Alex opened her mouth to defend herself but nothing came out except for a few incoherent stutters. "Seriously Alex, do you know how stupid and risky it is for them to come in here?"

"Hey man, she was trying to talk us out of it but we made her help us, don't get mad at her," Justin speaks up, trying to defend her

"Or what Justin? Are you going to come at me? I wasn't scared of you even before you fell apart," Zach sneers, looking at the boy he once considered to be his best friend. His face held a mixture of disgust, empathy and frustration. 

"Do what you want Zach, I have had the shit beat out of me once this week already," Clay speaks up, becoming more and more confident as the seconds passed. He took a small step closer to Zach, trying to show the boy that he wasn't afraid of him and there was nothing that he could do that would stop them from coming forward about what they know about the clubhouse, "it is not going to stop us."

"Really?" Zach takes a step closer to Clay, seeing if Clay was just bullshitting or not and whether or not he really was serious about this. 

"yes."

"Cause it's going to keep happening to you Clay," Zach says then turns to Justin, "to you too, Justin. it doesn't stop. You can't take shots at the top and expect to not get hit back," he says to them. Alex takes a step closer to the boy and leans agains him slightly to show him that she was there for him, no matter what. it was his choice as to whether or not they gave the rest of the polaroids to Clay and Alex was going to stand by Zach no matter which choice he made. 

"Im not afraid," Clay reaffirmed, standing up a little bit taller. Zach nodded softly, his demeanour changing completely as he took a small step back, "good." He then looked over at Alex, who nodded her head, before he walked over to one of the shelving units in the corner of the room, grabbing a box and then walking back over to them, placing the box on the table in front of them. 

"You already have three of these," Zach tells them. Clay and Zach feel their hearts short circuit for a few moments as they looked at Zach in complete shock. They couldn't believe it. They were so sure that it was Scott who had been giving them the polaroids... and Zach Dempsey was one of the last people that they would have suspected, "there is the rest."

"What happens with them next is up to you guys now," Alex told them softly 

Zach and Alex go to leave them there, knowing that if they didn't get back to the game soon they would be in serious trouble. "Wait wait," Clay stuttered out, following after the two of them, a million thoughts going through his head a second. Zach and Alex stopped, turned around and waited for him to continue

"It was you two? W-why the big mystery? Why couldn't you just talk to me? Tell me what was going on? Alex you literally talk to me almost every day and I've talked to you about the polaroids before, why didn't you just tell me?" Clay asks in confusion, as well as frustration as he looked over at the two Jocks who could have made this process a whole lot quicker and easier if they had just said something to begin with instead of making it some anonymous little goose chase. 

"Because im a fucking coward," Zach snaps, more angry at himself than he was at anyone else, "and you're not." Clay looked at him, his mouth agape and eyes wide as he stared in astonishment, not really knowing what to say about that. He didn't know what he had expected Zach to say, but it sure as hell wasn't that. 

"It was Zach's idea. He's been trying to help from the very beginning Clay... I told you didn't I? Zach is a good guy," Alex explained to Clay. Zach would have usually smiled at a compliment from the girl, but right now all he felt was shame. I'm not a good guy. 

"Come on Lex," Zach muttered out, turning around and then walking out of the door. Alex gave the boys one last look, offering a small smile before running out after Zach, the two of them going back to the game only to be asked a million questions and to be scolded by the coaches.