Page 55 of Tainted Romance

"You in there?" Zane waved his hand in front of my face.

Zane was sitting next to me. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

I watched as Zane's lips twisted into a smile. "You really are out of it, aren't you?"

"Yeah, sort of…" I frowned with an apologetic smile. "Just didn't sleep well last night."

He nodded with understanding, and I swear I heard him say 'I know' under his breath, but with my hearing not being the best now, I decided not to bring it up.

The class bell rang, and when Zane didn't get up to move, I couldn't help but give him a second look.

"Are, um, you going to move now?" I asked, while raising an eyebrow at him.

"Why, want to get rid of me or embarrassed to be seen with me?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, more interested in why you are risking your reputation to be seen with me."

"Came to ask you something." He pulled something out of his back pocket and handed it to me. "I was going to give it to you this morning before school, but you were gone before I got up."

"Yeah, I left for the gym." I unfolded the piece of paper and ran my eyes over the text.

When I awoke this morning, I didn't think Zane would be the one to get me out of this situation, but he was, by this piece of paper. "A run?" I asked him, still not believing what I was reading.

"Think of it as a camp. A whole two weeks of ruffing it in the bush, as a…" He looked around, then leaned in closer to me. "As our other side, if you get my drift."

"How many are going?"

"Not sure yet. It’s been really popular, already over fifty confirmed. A lot of families are coming, and dad said he is capping it at hundred and twenty people so, if you are interested, you should put your name up."

"How do I do that?"

Why did his face look so happy to hear my interest?

"Um, I can do it for you if you like. I'm sort of, well, organizing it." Zane scrunched his face up like it pained him to admit that he, Zane Harris, was organizing something.

"Well, you can count me in, but can I keep this?" I gestured to the piece of paper. "I might see if Blake and Chase are interested."

"Sure." His lips formed a tight line, and he got up from his seat when the teacher walked in. "I'll, um, see you later."

I nodded my head, watching him walk to the back of the classroom; back to his friends.

Was it weird, speaking to Zane and not yelling at him? Yes. Did I like it? Sadly, yes. I groaned internally. Why did I trust people who were known to be untrustworthy?

"Ok class, listen up… The teacher started the lesson, but I tuned out as soon as he started talking. In my defense, I had more important things to think about, i.e., like me turning into a pumpkin, or aka a human for real.

I started to scribble on my notebook, and when it began to resemble a pair of grey eyes that matched Zane's, I was quick to scribble across them.

Stupid brain, drawing what was really on my mind.

***

"You aren't really going, are you?" Blake scoffed, slapping his locker door shut. "That's like the boringness thing I have ever heard."

"Coming from the man who changes his engine for fun," I pointed out to him.

I wanted him to come because I had no friends, as he and his silly brother were all I had, and two whole weeks of being alone by myself was just cringe-worthy.

"Please come," I begged. "I don't have anyone else to come with me."

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