To Zion

22

"Can I sit by you?"

Anne looked up at me in surprise , but it quickly changed to concern when she saw my face.

"Umm...usually Taylor sits here, but...no, Zion!" She grabbed my arm as I turned to walk away. "I'll explain to him. You can sit here."

"I can sit somewhere—"

"Zion, sit by me." She smiled. A smile so big it almost made me feel okay.

"Thanks."

"Of course."

I sat next to her, setting down my backpack and keeping my eyes anywhere but at the front of the class.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I just shook my head. There was no point in lying.

"What's wrong? Oh, maybe this isn't the place to talk about this. Are you okay enough to sit through class? You don't have to. You look like a lot has happened to you. I'm sure—"

"Anne, thank you. I can handle this class."

She tried to smile again, but she was still watching me. Then she put her hand over mine, stopping me from fiddling with the zipper of my bag any longer.

"Wanna talk after class? Or just hang out or something?"

"Yeah, maybe."

I wasn't sure if I was really going to be able to make it through literature. How I got through this morning was beyond me. But this...there were so many people I wanted to avoid so desperately.

"Pretend we are talking. Please." I turned to her quickly, back facing the aisle so I didn't have to talk to anyone walking towards their desks.

"We are talking, Zion." She laughed, but saw the urgency in my eyes, and collected herself.

"Lovely weather we're having." I felt myself smiling, and Anne grinned triumphantly at me. "I'm just kidding. How are things going with your secret admirer."

I felt my smile fall instantly, dropping my eyes and hated that tears were already gathering in my eyes. Why the hell was I so sensitive?

"Oh, I'm sorry. That's probably what you are gonna talk to me about after class, right?"

I nodded slightly, picking at the edge of the desk, too embarrassed to meet her eyes.

"And you are going to tell me why you're avoiding Cooper?"

I glanced up at her quickly, but she was looking beyond me. Something told me that Cooper was walking by, even if I couldn't see him. Anne nodded, probably to him, but he didn't say anything in reply. He must have walked past us to his desk, because Anne looked back down at me, her eyes softening even more when she saw the tears in mine.

"Yeah." I hated the way my voice broke. Anne pulled my hand away from the edge of the desk, squeezing it slightly before putting it down on my lap.

"It's okay, Zion. And, I know I'm kind of making this my business. If you want to tell me to fuck off I really wouldn't blame you."

"No, I don't want to. I need a friend right now."

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