Page 6 of Everything That Kills Me
His mouth…Stop it!
Zeph wanted to fall at his feet and weep. It wasn’t fair.Oh God, I’ve resorted to that mantra?In all this time, he’d not developed a crush on anyone at Fishbourne Academy and now Irresistible Boy had joined the school? It bloody wasn’t fair.
He could feel the tears in his eyes on the verge of spilling and he quickly took off his glasses and brushed his hand over this face before his glasses went back in place.
“Why didn’t you shove him back?” the boy asked.
“I’m trying not to react,” Zeph said.
He huffed. “You look like you’re going to cry.”
“Wait until they shove you against a door frame. It hurts.”
The guy laughed and walked away, and he wasn’t Irresistible Boy anymore but yet another arsehole. Zeph pulled himself together and headed down the corridor, keeping to the side to avoid being pushed.
It was a whole school assembly and the hall was full and noisy. Zeph tried to slink to the back, but Mr Perkins, his formerhistory teacher who stood by the door, indicated he had to go forwards to find a seat. Zeph could see two spaces, the closest was next to Rufus or several rows further forward there was a place next to Georgia. Zeph dropped down by Georgia, who predictably ignored him.
The moment the Head started to speak, the hall fell silent. Zeph was only half-listening as Mr. Carter talked about the school equipping students for a full and constructive place in society.Failed so far with Scott and Rufus, then!They’d probably end up as criminals or policemen.
Apparently, students should be willing to take risks in their learning, have a strong work ethic and always strive for excellence. He wondered what sort of risks Mr Carter was imagining. Refusing to do homework? More likely the head was in line with his dad and thinking of personal challenges like taking up a new sport, and joining a team.I won’t. They can’t make me.
When everyone started to clap, Zeph did too, though he wasn’t sure why he was clapping.
Georgia nudged him. “Get up there!”
He turned a shocked face in her direction. “What?”
“Carthorse said your name,” she hissed.
“Me? Why?”
“Get on the stage, dipstick!”
It was last thing Zeph wanted to do but everyone was staring at him. He shoved to his feet and made his way to Mr Carter’s side. Zeph’s hand was shaken, he was handed some pieces of card and went back to his seat. He didn’t look at what he was holding until he sat down.Oh.They were from the exam board. Apparently, he’d scored a hundred percent in his GCSE maths. And in physics and biology.Wow.He shoved the cards in his backpack. Another reason for Rufus and Scott to pick on him.
Maths was his first lesson. Zeph’s favourite subject. He headed for a desk on the far side of the room. Unfortunately, Scott and Rufus were in this class too but were sitting close to the door. Zeph made sure to walk far enough away from them to avoid any chance of being tripped. He’d just taken a seat when New Boy dropped down at the desk in front of him. Portia, the most beautiful girl in the school and didn’t she know it, with hair that fell like a black waterfall, sat at the desk next to the boy who most definitely wasn’t perfect. Not at all. Not one bit.
Probably.
“Hi. I’m Portia.”
“Jack.”
Zeph rolled the name around in his head. He hadn’t noticed at registration. He liked the name.
“Where are you from?” Portia turned on her intense megawatt beam, and pushed her hair behind her ear. She was such a flirt.
“Middleton.”
She giggled. “No, I mean which school did you use to go to?”
“Quiet now everyone!” Mrs Samson called. “Even you, Portia.” And Portia turned to face the front.
For once, Zeph found his attention wandering. Jack had taken off his blazer and hung it over the back of his chair. He’d not exchanged glances with Zeph at all. Zeph’s gaze was fixed on the fine hair at the back of Jack’s neck. He must have had his hair longer in the holidays because the skin was paler at his nape. A thought about how that soft skin would feel under his mouth made Zeph panic. A rush of heat was followed by a deluge of fear.Shit.But enough to quell any issue in his trousers.
Registration was taken and Zeph found himself waiting for the rest of Jack’s name. It turned out to be Steel. It sounded strong and hard. Not like Zeph Watson.
Rufus was tasked with handing out books and he slammed a text book and workbook down on Zeph’s desk hard enough to make him jump, which in turn, made him knock his desk forward into the back of Jack’s chair. Jack twisted round and gave him, not Rufus, a look of disgust. Of course he did. Even pissed-off he was attractive.
