Lockers and Love

Chapter Seven

Tony made it through movie critique but he wasn't paying much attention. He kept looking at Ziva trying to figure out how to fix things between them. She had moved away from him, sitting across the room. It was the first day and he already messed things up. The bell rang signaling it was time for school to be over. He watched as Ziva walked out of the room and headed down the hallway. He ran to catch up with her.

"Ziva!" He yelled after her, not caring who looked his way. Ziva kept on walking as if she never heard him. He ran faster. He finally made it up to her and moved to stand in front of her. He was out of breath as he spoke.

"Wait, please. Just listen. You don't have to say anything, just please listen to what I have to say. If you don't like it then feel free to slap me or something. Please just listen to my explanation." When Ziva stood still, silently signaling for him to continue.

"Yes. I slept with her. Yes, it was at a party, and yes I'm known in this school for being a skirt chaser." Ziva huffed and moved to walk away. Tony gently grabbed her arm and pulled her back to look at him. She could see the unshed anger at himself in his eyes.

"Please. But you're different. As soon as I saw you, you seemed different. Special even. I don't know what it is about you, but I didn't want to get to know you because I wanted to sleep with you. I wanted to get to know you because you seem like such a...I don't know the words to describe you. I just feel this connection with you that I've never had with anybody else." He smiled at her, looking into her beautiful brown eyes.

"I want to be your friend if you'll let me. I never meant to hurt you, Ziva. I guess I'll see you around." With that, he walked away. He didn't want to hear her rejection. He couldn't handle that. He turned around to see her walking towards her house. He wished he could give her a ride home. He would gladly skip practice if it meant he got to spend time with her. He looked at his watch and noticed that he needed to be at the gym and meet Tim. He walked through the hallway and saw Tim leaning next to the door, glaring through the window at who he presumed to be Sacks and Langer.

"Hey man, sorry I'm late. I had to do something." Tim looked at him with a question in his eyes.

"Did it have to do with Ziva?" Tony looked down at the ground.

"Yeah. She's not happy with me. I just went to talk to her, to try to make things right. I don't know Tim. She probably hates me." Tim slightly nodded.

"Just give it time, Tony. It's her first day. She's probably overwhelmed with classes and Jeanne with her lackeys. She just needs time." Tony nodded, he was probably right and he wasn't making things easier.

"What are they up too?" He wanted to change the subject. Needed to get Ziva out of his mind, at least for now. He looked through the window and saw the two guys picking on a geek in the bleachers.

"Alright, here's the plan. I got to go get changed or Fornell will have my head. I'll meet you back here and we'll go in. Keep an eye on Dorneget. Don't let him end up like Jimmy." Tim nodded and turned back toward the door, looking through the window. Tony made his way to the locker room and got changed into his practice uniform. The number 8 on the front and back with "Gibbs" written on the back. He changed into his sneakers and made his way back to Tim. Tim's jaw was clenched as he walked up to him.

"What's going on?" Tim looked his way.

"We need to go in." Just then they saw Sacks land a punch to Dorneget's gut. Tony and Tim opened the door to the gym and made their way over to them. Tony put his hand on Sacks' shoulder and pushed him away from Dorneget. Sacks looked up and laughed.

"Well if it isn't the liar. Heard you changed. All because of some girl. Why does that not surprise me?" Tony's jaw clenched. Nobody would talk about Ziva like that.