"Oh my god," one of the girls in front of me gasps as she looks at something behind me. She nudges her friend, "Look."

Being my curious self, I turn around to see what the drama is. And when I do, I almost gasp myself.

It's Zeke making out with a brunette.

His type has always been blondes. He says they have nicer legs. But here he is, with a brunette.

Part of me is annoyed by it. He can stick his tongue in this girls mouth who he probably doesn't even like, but he can't even answer my calls, someone who is his close friend.

"Zeke Blakely," our english teacher snaps.

He pulls away from the girl, "What? It wasn't just me. Barbara was involved too," he points to the girl he was just kissing.

"My names Brittany," she scowls.

"Both of you get on with your work!" Mrs. Taylor yells.

Everyone turns back to the front and starts working again. Zeke's eyes meet mine for a moment, but I quickly turn around.

+++

"Marnie?" Zoey snaps me back to reality.

"Yeah?" I say without looking at her.

"Why are you staring at the door?"

I'm waiting for Zeke to walk in. Lunch started half an hour ago, and there was no sign of him.

"Uh," I turn around to look at my friends, who are all watching me, "I was just daydreaming."

"About a certain Zeke Blakely?" Zoey smirks.

"No."

"Ah fuck," Isaac mumbles as he stares at the doors.

I follow his gaze and see Zeke walking in.

With Aubrey.

They split up when she goes to her usual table and he comes over to us and sits down.

"Hello," he smiles.

Something's not right.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Isaac asks.

"Just around."

"That's descriptive," Zoey comments.

"You were with Aubrey," Isaac says, more like he was telling him than asking him.

"I was," Zeke nods.

"Why?" Zoey questions.

"That's only for me to know."

"Were you fucking her or something?"

He starts laughing, "No."

Cole slowly looks up from his food. All this time he had his head down concentrating on what he was eating.

Isaac sighs loudly, "You're an idiot."

Zeke takes one of Cole's fries and shoves it in his mouth, then closes his eyes and moans while he eats, "Fuck, that's good."

"Are you okay?" I ask.

He's acting strange.

He opens his eyes, "Oh hey, Marnie. Didn't see you there. Just kidding," he laughs.

Marnie.

Marnie.

He's high.

"What did you do?" I say angrily.

"When?"

"Just there."

He thinks for a moment, "I ate a fry?"

Isaac gets up from his chair and grabs Zeke, pulling him up.

"Come on," he starts to pull him out of the cafeteria.

"What was he on?" I ask when they're gone.

"Weed, I think. He reeks of it," Cole answers.

But he promised me he wouldn't smoke anymore.

"What were you saying about him not being a druggy?" Rory whispers in my ear.

I turn around to see him smirk as he continues his walk to the food line. That jerk probably only went there so he could say that to me.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Cole stands up and walks over to him.

Oh God.

"Nothin' you need to know," Rory replies with a smug smirk.

"Look, why don't you stay with your group of fairies and stay the hell away from us, kay? Marnie doesn't need your ratchet breath whispering in her ear."

Oh God.

"Maybe you should stop talking to me and go help your junkie friend."

Oh hell no.

"Maybe you should stop talking about my friend like that," Cole spits back.

I've never seen him like this. He always seems so cheery and fun, and now he's so angry.

Zoey and I get up and stand beside Cole.

"Yeah, bitch. Or we'll give you a piece of this," Zoey holds up Cole's sleeveless arm and tries to get it in a flexing position.

"How terrifying," Rory rolls his eyes.

"What's going on?" Mason asks as he approaches.

"Nothing," Rory says, "Just this guy getting involved in something that wasn't to do with him."

"How about we both just let it go? Before this turns into something stupid," Mason raises his eyebrows at Cole.

Cole looks at him, then at me. "Fine." He sits back down at the table, as does Zoey.

Mason smiles at me, "Nothin' like some good old teen drama."

"You handled that so well."

"Well, i've had some practise," he shrugs, smiling. "These guys are at this everywhere they see each other."

"Why?"

"Just for some stupid reasons. The guys are mad at me for being with you. Apparently i'm swooning with the enemy," he laughs.

I glance at the jock table. Rory looks like he's in full rant mode about the events that just took place.

"Boys."

"I know right."

I crack a smile. Feels like my first smile all week.

"I know you're probably gonna be stressing over school for the rest of the week, but what about Friday night? Can you muster a couple hours of your time for me?"

"Are you asking me out on a date in the middle of the cafeteria?" I tease.

"We can go to the janitors closet if you want?"He jokes.

"Tempting."

He raises an eyebrow and steps closer to me, placing his hands on my waist. "Careful," he whispers, "You might just turn me on."

+++

I need to get out of here.

I've spent hours trying to study, trying to do anything. But I can't get my mind off of Zeke.

He was high. He was with Aubrey. He broke his promise.

I find myself rushing towards the last place that would take my mind off of him.

The cliffside.

Walking through the forest, I remember the times we'd done this together. The times I'd fell and he'd laugh. When I asked him questions about his Dad and he got mad. I wish he was walking beside me right now. I wish he wasn't acting this way.

When I get to the clearance, I'm out of breath, just about ready to collapse onto the soft grass, when I see someone.

Him.

I let out a breath, my insides bubbling.

Oh God, I hope he's sober.

I slowly walk to him. His back is facing me as he leans against a tree, staring out to sea.

When I stand beside him, he says nothing.

"Zeke," I breathe.

"What are you doing here?" His hair blows in the wind as he watches the sea.

"I don't know, I just... I had to get out."

A moment of silence passes. "What about you?"

"I was out a run. Ended up here." I notice he's wearing sports shorts and a black vest top.

A long while passes before one of us speaks again.

"You smoked today," I say.

He looks down.

"Sorry," he says after a couple of minutes.

"Don't apologise for something you're just going to do again."

He looks at me, "I won't."

I look away and sigh.

"You don't believe me?"

"I did. I don't anymore."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a lighter and a single cigarette. "I brought it just in case I needed it. But I decided not to use it before you even got here."

I look him in the eyes for a couple of seconds. He's acting like a different person. His eyes are no longer cold.

With no warning, he pulls back his arm and throws the lighter and cigarette far out into the water.

He turns back to look at me, "Well?" He says when I don't say anything.

"That's bad for the environment."

A smile tugs at his lips, "I missed my little nerd."

I blush and smile like an idiot at his words.

"Why have you been so angry at me?" I finally ask when we sit down and watch the sunset together.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I wasn't angry at you. I'm just-" He sighs, "I don't know."

"You know, Mason is so different from his friends. They're all jerks, but he's not."

"What's your point?" He rolls his eyes.

"My point is; maybe you guys could get along."

He looks at me as if i've just told him i'm Hannah Montana.

"Or you could at least try," I add.

"I'd rather just not talk to the douche."

I nudge him in the side with my elbow, "Don't call him that."

He rolls his eyes.

The sun is almost set and the sky is a beautiful pink colour. The sun reflects on the still sea, creating the most beautiful image. It looks like such art. God's art. I would love to come here and paint this.

I turn my head and catch Zeke staring at me. He quickly looks away and I blush.

I blush, even though he was the one caught staring. I'm the one who blushes.

"You're so weird," I tell him.

"How so?" He smiles.

"Your mood changes so fast. Earlier today you wouldn't even look at me, and now you're like this."

He looks back out to sea, his smile fading. "I think coming here made me realise how big a mistake I made with the weed. And Aubrey. Man, I can't stand that bitch."

"If you can't stand her then why are you sleeping with her?" I fake a laugh.

He snaps his head round to look at me. "You think i'm sleeping with her? Dude," he shakes his head, "The last time I screwed her was way before her and Mason broke up."

Thank God.

"Oh."

"Anyway, I am-" he clears his throat, "I am apologetic for being a dick."

"Apology accepted," I give him a smile before we both look back at the sky, watching the sun go down and darkness take over.

+++

"Oh em gee, no way did I just see Zeke Blakely making out with a brunette chick," Zoey mocks every girl that said that these past few days.

We stop on our way to Zoey's car and stand with the three guys in the parking lot. Cole and Isaac are holding cigarettes, Zeke isn't.

A wide smile covers my face. I'm so proud of you, Zeke, I want to tell him.

Zeke rolls his eyes at Zoey, "People need to mind their own damn business."

"Maybe if you hadn't been so picky about what girls you like to fuck all this time then this wouldn't be happening," Isaac states.

"I need a ride home," Maggie comes over and throws her bag on the hood of Zeke's car with a sigh.

"Where's your car?"

"Out of gas. I didn't have time to fill it up this morning so Darren drove me to school-"

"Who's Darren?" Isaac asks.

"My friend," Maggie says as she looks at him cautiously, "Gay friend," she adds.

Isaac looks away and crosses his arms over his chest.

"So," Cole cuts in the awkward silence, "Who's going to Jay's party tonight?"

Isaac and Maggie say they're going then Cole convinces Zoey to come, so it's just me and Zeke who aren't saying anything.

"Zeke?" Cole raises an eyebrow.

"I don't know yet."

"What about you, Marnie?"

I shake my head, "I'm going out with Mason."

"Lame."

Zeke starts walking to the drivers side and opens the door, "Hurry up and get in, Maggie," then he gets in and closes the door.

"Moody twat," Maggie mumbles as she grabs her bag and walks round the car, "See you tonight," she says, but it seems more directed at Isaac than anyone else.

+++

teaser: someone very close to marnie becomes zeke's new friend

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