ZACK’S POV
Mike was amazed to see me and Zoe together. Zoe was smiling widely at Mike and I noticed It.
“Why didn’t you go home?” Mike narrowed his eyes at me with suspicion.
To avoid an awkward situation, I told him how I met Zoe in the forest. Appallingly, Mike stood wondered listening to It.
“How did you guys become friends in such your first meet? He asked Zoe in a huge shock. I couldn't help It and thus Interrupted them.
“Why are you shocked Mike? Do you know her? I felt weird when Mike reacted in such a way. What was actually going on here??
That’s when he Introduced me to Zoe as his sister and yes, I was pretty startled by the Intro!!
"Why are you both so different from each other?” it was the first thing that came into mind so I asked them that.
"We are not blood related and are half siblings. Her dad had married my mom to take care of her when her mother passed away" Mike gave me an explanation in serious tone. but what Zoe gave Mike was a terrible look.
“What? I thought you had told your only friend about It” Mike teasingly asked her and giggled. Now I was completely blank on where this puzzled expression game was going!!
why were they behaving like jokers because I didn’t find It funny. I had a bit of disgusted expression on and Zoe felt embarrassed of It. She brushed off Mike saying he was the world’s worst joker. That's when I figured out the joke and understood how lame it really was. Indeed, siblings could be totally different from each other and I had witnessed the best example. Zoe pushed him aside and we started to walk towards the lighthouse.
we didn’t talk till we reached the lighthouse. Zoe was extremely embarrassed to face me after Mike’s failed joke. to be frank, I did feel sympathetic to her. We were at the gate and before we could enter It Zoe was attacked by some girls. Every high school has a girl group who are called the plastics. What more can be used to describe them??
What they wanted was to approach the new good-looking champion, that was me, first but when they saw me with a girl whom they had put in the category of weirdo, they couldn’t resist the Insult. As usual, they cane up to us and began their girly drama. How crazy??
“How did the mystery fox of Beverly hills you end up with a champion like him?” one of them who looked more like their leader asked Zoe and she had pure contempt in her voice.
I looked at Zoe, who didn’t want to answer them and I, being myself couldn’t resist their horrific and shitty drama. Hence, I openly bashed them.
"at least she could make me talk to her with respect. What do you girls expect from me with your shits like this" I arrogantly gave them a befitting reply.
They hadn’t even got a chance to meet me and were startled to death by my reaction that made them think how Zoe made a man fall.
"Oh, my my, you have the guts to Ignore us. mark my words, one day you will realise your mistake and come behind us, champion" the girl warned me and I replied her with my attitude by standing in front of her folding my hands. I take no more shits girls!!
“And you Ms. Mystery fox, don’t ever think that yours and Caroline’s history won’t resurface again” she was spitting hatred at Zoe so furiously and the name she spelled struck me the most. Caroline???
They were utterly humiliated by me and their frustration made It clear how they were fumed by Zoe. Well things were becoming quite uneasy for me and Zoe further. Zoe looked at me with a strangle look and I led our way Inside the gate. we climbed the stairs and reached the top of lighthouse.
I had so many questions in my mind regarding the attitude of people in the town and Zoe had not many explanations.
“I, compared to other girls in the town am totally different. That’s why they call me a mystery fox and if you too feel the same way, no hard feeling, you can leave I” Zoe then broke the silence and without looking at me, expressed herself. I knew she was a book that was yet to be read and moreover, I had no interest in it until she was of no harm to me. I too was struggling with my life and had no plans Interfering in others.
But the name Caroline hadn’t yet left my mind!!
The struggle I was facing was adjusting to the new shitty attitude of the high schoolers. I was a person who was once obsessed with his dream of being a best athlete and this obsession had left no time for living the life the way it was. But one thing I surely knew. It was something my dad taught me. Never to judge someone without knowing their story.
"Zoe, it’s our first meet and there are lots of things to be known about each other as friends. so don’t let these people affect you or us" I tried to comfort her by saying things which I had never told anyone in my entire life. I was never a sentimental mam and it was a sure thing that If dash and Will had been here with me now, they would have stunned to death.
"Wait, do you mean we are friends?" Zoe asked me baffled as If she had never heard such words.
her glittering eyes expressed how astounded she with the new friend she had. Together we enjoyed the view. The wind swept through my body releasing my aura to a new pace. It was a divergent feeling. something like a divine feeling. I bet this feeling was the best rehab any depression struck person could feel.
Suddenly it struck my mind that I had totally forgotten about her compression band. being an athlete, I knew what It was used for and I enquired about it.
" I have a muscle cramp in that part. So, the doctor had advised me to wear It" she replied to me as If giving an excuse.
her face had already started to sweat a bit and her mood changed to a lost one. I was not easily convinced because of her tensed expression. I too felt something was mysterious about her. Her expression was so when she told me the reason. I didn’t think about It much because I never used to think about anything much. I usually give up on a topic easily It was really complicated to figure out.
After some time, we came down and bid each other bye. Mike accompanied Zoe from the beach and asked me whether I would join them on the way home. But I preferred walking so I humbly refused the offer and this time went back home the right route.
I came home before sunset and went straight to my room. A cold breeze blew inside my room and the scent of raw soil filled up. I took a deep breath and the scent filled up my senses with its natural power. The power of the scent released the tiredness in my stiff body and I felt much lighter and relaxed. Being born and bred in a city has deprived me from knowing the beauty and experience of nature. It got dark much faster than usual in the city and with the wind, my room was lit with the light from the street lights.
I didn't switch on the lights and fell flat on my bed. Silence was not my companion yet I really enjoyed it for the first time. The day got over too fast and the first day of the town was not that much memorable for me. They were really shitty because it was okay to be obsessed with dreams and passion but down tangling others in that matter was way too high.
If dad was here, he would have slammed a great reply to them after which they wouldn't have even dared to do something like that ever again. In his absence, it was up to me to keep his teachings alive in me and show them how to have some sportsman spirit. The cold wind still blew and I cleaned my mind and let it go with the flow of the wind. Soon I fell asleep and who knew that the next day was going to be a day of shocks, surprises and some more.
came my first day in the town high school. Mom had got a job as a receptionist in a company near the town. she had already planned everything beforehand and had found the job. So, she had to leave earlier than me. It was really tough for me to be in a new high school as the beautiful memories of my old school and my buddies disturbed my mind a lot. At this point of life those memories were torturing me rather than healing. I had to restart everything alone and had to accept the challenge of my new life. I pulled myself together and bid lee a bye. Lee was finding it much harder than us to adjust to a new environment, still he too struggled to keep his pace with us.
Mom had given me the directions to the school and it was a walkable distance from our mansion. On reaching the school I went straight to the administrative cabin with all my paperwork to confirm my admission. I met the administrative officer and received my schedule and was told to visit the dean before joining my classes.
It was a routine of the administrator to assign someone to a newcomer to show them around the school and make them aware of the rules and regulation of the high school. Surprisingly the person assigned to help me was Mike. It was my luck to get Mike as we were already in good company. I had liked his jolly good boy attitude from the beach itself and he was not at all like others. Ours was a perfect combination of a good boy and a bad boy.
being with him, I didn’t have to feel awkward with a new person. Mike was a sociable person and I was not really feeling that good with the thought of mingling with new people in my current state. actually, I didn’t want any. I was always like this from the very beginning. Having a lot of friends was like giving an invitation to a whole lot of troubles and I never wanted any. All I wished was to adjust in the new environment with the help of Mike. But who knew life would never go easy on me......