Lockers and Love

Chapter Five

The lunch bell rang signaling that their lunch was over. It was time to go to their next classes. Tony and Ziva had their last two periods together and walked together. Abby and Time also had their last two periods together. They all walked together until they got to the "intersection" hallway, and the four of them split off. Tim and Abby and Algebra Honors next and were talking about the complex equations they would more than likely be solving today. Tony and Ziva laughed as they rambled on and how neither of them could understand a word they were saying. Before they turned, Tony turned to Tim.

"Meet me outside the gym when school's over." Tim knew what he was planning on doing once they met up. Confront Sacks and Langer. They were both on the basketball team and would be a practice today. Palmer hadn't come to school today, probably scared for his life and in pain, something that he shouldn't be feeling. They needed to do something, this shouldn't continue. Jimmy was like another brother to the boys and was pretty close to Abby too. They had practically grown up together. They would put an end to this whether it started a fight or not. Ziva could see the look that passed between the two boys as borderline anger. What were they planning on doing after school? Ziva's face showed confusion when Tony turned back around to her. He nodded his head to follow him, which she did, and they began walking towards the gym as they had P.E. next.

"If you do not mind me asking, what was that all about?" Tony pulled her over to the side. Somewhere they could speak quietly and not be pushed around by other students rushing to get to their next class. Tony looked around to make sure that nobody was listening as he spoke.

"A buddy of ours got home last night with bruises and blood all over him. Glass in his arms from his broken glasses. We have a pretty good idea who did it. It's about time somebody put a stop to their games. Ziva nodded, she understood that quite well. When she was in middle school, her sister had been in elementary. She had come home one day with a black eye and her right arm had been broken. Bullies at her school had done these things at recess on the playground. Telling their teacher that she had fallen off the slide. Ziva would drop her off at school every day, her mother would normally pick her up. That time, she had gone herself and confronted the bullies and put them in their place. Afraid of what the older girl would do to them.

"I have practice today so I'll see them there. Better to confront them before practice than after as they tend to get aggressive as practice goes on." Ziva was confused.

"Why would they become aggressive?" Tony laughed. He moved closer to her so only she could hear what he was about to say. She was amazed at how good it felt to have him so close. To have his shadow cover hers.

"Cause they suck." He started laughing, causing Ziva to laugh. They turned and continued their way to the gym, not wanting to be late to class. Fornell wouldn't be too happy with them and would make them run 4 laps around the gym. Tony didn't want to admit that he had to do them more than once for being late.

Tony and Ziva separated as they got to the locker rooms. Ziva went in to find the four girls from lunch looking at her and glaring.

'Was that expression permanent on their faces?' These girls seemed to hate her, yet they didn't have a reason. She had done nothing to them. She guessed that was how some people were in America.

Tony on the other hand went into the locker room and saw some of his basketball buddies. As he was putting his gym shirt on, Gerald Jackson walked over to him and patted him on the back.

"Dude, what's up with you and the new girl?"

"What do you mean?" Gerald huffed.

"Come on man, you totally ditched us during lunch and you've been spending all day with her." Tony's thoughts went from when he saw her this morning to seeing her walk through the locker room door not even five minutes ago.

"She needed some help getting around."

"You'll ruin everything we've worked towards just because you're fascinated with this girl. I mean yeah she's hot and I would totally hit that, but come on man, where's the Tony we all know and love?" Tony sighed.

"What do you mean ruin everything? I was helping her get around. What's the problem with that?" He was starting to get defensive as he talked about Ziva and "the Tony they all know and love". That Tony was fake, just a show to become more popular. He felt he could be himself around Ziva. That she could be trusted with his vulnerability. Reputation wasn't everything. Everybody in this school couldn't get that into their heads.

"Reputation is a joke, Jackson. Don't talk about Ziva like she's an object either." referring to his "totally hot" and "I would totally hit that" comments. Yeah, like Ziva would go for a chump like Jackson. Jackson was one of those that would throw you under the bus to save his own ass. Gerald laughed at his comment.

"Dude, what's gotten into you? What happened to the playboy, the one that would make girls' panties drop with just a look and take advantage of that. Where's that dude?" Tony looked down, ashamed with his old ways. He was different now. Even after only 2 days, Ziva had changed him, he barely knew anything about her, yet she made him want to be a better man. He looked up and looked at Gerald dead in the eye.

"He's gone and he ain't coming back." His voice was low, dangerous. Gerald looked scared. Tony never snapped on anybody. He was always so carefree and the jokester. He moved away from him and went to his other buddies. Tony finished tying his shoes and headed out. The old him was gone for good. No more player, no more playboy. He was a changed man. All thanks to the exotic beauty across the hall.