Chapter 10: Slow strides.
I walk on the sidewalk with Hannah trailing behind me.
"I didn't do this." Hannah says behind me.
"I know you've always had this unspoken beef with Zachary, but this is too low. Even for you." I say as I start running.
Hannah doesn't chase me, she just gets back into her car.
I really need to talk to somebody who understands what's going on inside my head. The first person that comes to my mind is Courtney, for some weird reason. But hey, she's also suspended so she knows how this feels. I dial her number three times and as expected she doesn't answer. I trash the plan to talk to Courtney and I just walk home.
When I get home, Zachary is on my front porch. He is pacing back and forth with his hands in his smooth and silky hair.
This can't be good.
I walk up the porch and he notices me.
He lifts his hand up and sighs.
"What's wrong?" I ask him.
"Do you mind sitting down for a minute?" He says and I sit down on the bench on the porch.
"So, what's up?" I ask him.
"My parents want me to date Courtney. We had her over for dinner and they brought it up" He blurts out.
"Well, what do you want?" I ask him, hoping he'll say "you".
"I don't even know at this point." He says, running a hand through his hair.
That hurts.
"Wow. Seems like you know what you want and it's not me." I tell him, standing up from the bench.
"Hey, don't be like that." Zachary says, grabbing my hand.
"Let go, Zach. If you have to make a choice between me and Courtney. Choose Courtney." I tell him.
"Why? I like you." He says, touching my cheek.
"And you also like Courtney. Just get away from me, Zachary. You're the main reason I'm even suspended." I tell him.
"I'm crazy about you." He says, holding me by my waist.
"Sorry babe, I'm on a diet, I don't eat lies anymore." I tell him.
Prying his fingers off my waist, I walk inside my house. I rush up the stairs and I enter my room slamming the door behind me. I sprawl on my bed and sob into my pillow.
My phone buzzes and I check it.
It's a text from Spencer.
Spencer is my ex-boyfriend.
Wrong timing bro.
He calls me and I pick up the phone.
"Um, hey." I say, sniffing.
"Are you...crying?" He asks.
"Yeah." I say laughing.
"I'm in town for two weeks. Wanna hang out?" He asks.
"You know what, I do. I'll meet you at the park in ten minutes." I tell him.
***
I arrive at Jenkins Park and I walk through the plain fields. I see Spencer in the distance. His chocolate skin is glowing. He looks really good.
"Spencer Maddock." I call out.
"In the flesh." He says, smiling at me.
"You look so fine, boy." I tell him.
"Gas me up, Vee." He says, smiling.
"You look good. How have you been?" I ask him.
"Great. My dad's here for two weeks and I decided to come with. I had to see you." He says, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"Aww, you're so sweet." I tell him, smiling.
"Why were you crying when I called earlier?" He asks.
"It's nothing." I lie. "Let's go get hot dogs." I suggest.
"Sure." He replies.
We walk over to the hot dog cart and I order a veggie dog and he orders a hot dog with mustard. The vendor gives us our goodies and we sit on the bench in front of the cart.
"You left me high and dry, Vee." He says.
"No, I didn't." I deny.
"You did. You left me without an explanation too." He says, taking a bite out of his hot dog.
"Well, I'm sorry. But I'm here now, so is that enough?" I ask him.
"Yeah it is. You are." He adds.
"Well, in that case, A toast to us." I tell him, raising my hot dog to click with his.
"A toast." He says and we click our dogs together.
That sounds so wrong.
"I heard you go to Barkridge High." He says, looking at me.
"Yeah, I do." I tell him.
"How is it over there?" He asks me.
"I'm on suspension right now, so you can say it's going great. Absolutely perfect." I say, sarcasm clear in my tone.
"Whoa. You? Trouble? Nah, that's not Valarie." He says.
"I thought so too." I mutter to myself.
"So, how's that new girlfriend of yours?" I ask him, wanting to know about his love life.
"I...uh...I don't have a girlfriend. Not after you. Not after what we had." He says looking down.
"Oh. I'm sorry I asked." I say, apologizing.
"It's fine. I just haven't really moved on since we dated." He adds.
"I didn't know that. I thought we weren't that serious. I mean after I left you acted like you were over me." I tell him.
"It's called acting, Valarie. And it's something I'm good at." He says.
"Enough of that. Moving on. How's your modeling career going?" I ask him.
"Great. I just signed a deal with Gucci." He says, sheepishly.
"Shut up." I tell him, smiling.
He nods, smiling at me.
"Shut up." I repeat, hitting his shoulder.
"I'm deadass." He says, smiling.
"Oh my God. Congratulations." I exclaim, wrapping my arms around his body.
"You smell like peaches." He says and I'm instantly reminded of Zachary.
"Um, this was fun but I have to go." I tell him.
"And the fun ends." He remarks.
"It's quite dark, can you drop me off please?" I ask him.
"Sure. You know I'd do anything for you." He says, looking into my eyes.
"Let's go then." I say, standing up.
Spencer takes my hand in his and pulls me closer to him.
He wraps me in his arms as we walk slowly to his car.
"I want to take you out to dinner sometime." He says, staring at me.
Spencer is doing the most right now.
"Sure." Is all I say as we walk in slow strides.
YOU ARE READING
His Name Is Trouble
Teen Fiction|𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗜 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦| Valarie Stone has had her own fair share of heartbreak when she dated Zachary Henderson in the ninth grade which led to a series of scary events that made her leave town for two years. She's back...
