I open the front door to a squealing Zoey, and she rushes into my house, grabs my arm and pulls me upstairs and into my bedroom.

"Will you tell me what's going on now?" I ask as I fall onto my bed. Zoey called me half an hour ago – freaking out – and told me she needs to talk to me about something, so I told her to come over. And now here she is, closing the door and checking outside my windows for dramatic effect.

Finally, she sits on my bed beside me and takes a deep breath. "Cole and I had sex last night."

My eyes widen. "Really? You finally gave into him."

"It's not that I gave into him... I wanted to."

"... How was it?" I ask, surprised that i'm even interested in knowing about this subject.

"Surprisingly really good. Cole is... somethin'," she says with a laugh. "He knew I wasn't a virgin but he still asked me like a hundred times if I was okay and if I was sure."

"Aww, that's sweet." Cole is such boyfriend material which is unexpected because he's never had a real relationship.

"So did you forgive that dick Zeke yet?"

"Hey, don't call him that," I scold her, annoyed. Zeke gets called too many names and it's starting to get on my nerves that people just assume he's a dick because of the bad boy image he portrays.

"So i'm guessing you did," Zoey rolls her eyes then smiles.

"We went out last night. He explained everything. We got ice cream. Went to the beach. He saw me in my bra. No biggie," I say in my calmest tone even though I still have butterflies from that night.

"What?" Zoey's jaw drops. "Hold the fuck up, how did he see you in your bra? Did he rape you or something? Oh my god, are you still a virgin?"

"Of course I am. We were just sitting at the beach and things got a little... hot."

"Details, woman!"

"He started kissing my neck and stuff, and I sat on him, then he lifted my shirt but before anything else happened Charlie called me."

"Damnit, Charlie!"

"Maybe it was a good thing he interrupted though. Zeke said he hadn't had sex in like twenty years so what if he was just gonna use me for sex? It wouldn't mean anything to him."

Zoey gets up on her knees and starts punching the air near my face. "I am going to fucking rip the hair off of your head in a second."

"Why?" I say, holding her arms down.

"You're so blind! Zeke is obsessed with you. There's a reason why every girl in school is jealous of you. They can see that Zeke is different with you."

"Since when is everyone jealous of me?"

"Seriously? That's what you got from that?"

"Okay, so let's say Zeke did like me back. It's obviously not enough for him to do anything about it. Maybe he doesn't want to commit to a relationship."

Zoey falls back on my bed with a sigh. "Can't he just grow some balls and ask you out? Man, I hate that guy."

"Why do you hate him?" I ask, jumping to Zeke's defence once again. "You should get to know him more; he's really sweet. Last night he beat up some guys who said something about me."

"For real? Was it hot?"

I laugh. "Kinda."

"Ah, how did these sexy guys come into our pathetic lives."

"Well, I got a job babysitting the bad boy. And then him and his friends wouldn't leave us alone."

"Hmm, that's a good way to put it. But remember to add the part where the bad boy falls in love with his babysitter."

"Shush," I tell her.

"You should just tell him you like him. See what he says," she sits back up.

I sigh. "I don't know. What if he just laughs in my face? I'd die."

"You know he won't."

But what if he did? What if he laughed and said that nerd isn't his type. I'll just be like another one of those girls that fall in love with him after a one night stand. Although we haven't slept together yet, I've fell in love with him after he touches me a couple times.

Love.

Am I in love with him? I can't be. Am I?

"I'll think about it," I finally say.

+++

"Nah, man. Hannah is way cuter than Miley," Cole says through a mouthful of chips.

"No, the brown hair brings out Miley's eyes," Isaac defends.

I almost snort at his sappy comment but realise I am thinking the same creepy shit about Marnie, watching her as she rummages through her locker a couple metres down the corridor.

She has not realised that we are sitting here on the stairs – Cole and Isaac arguing about fucking Hannah Montana while I stare at her.

"But blondes are better," Cole says as if that just won him the argument.

Marnie takes out a pile of books, almost stumbling from the weight of them, then sets them back in her locker. She puts her hands on her waist and I assume she is thinking of a better tactic. Ha, dork.

Finally, she does the obvious thing and opens her bag, then places the books in one by one. She seems frustrated that this way is taking longer. Her long hair keeps falling in front of her face, and she angrily pushes it behind her ears. I would be laughing if I wasn't so caught up in how beautiful she looks.

Fuck, can I stop thinking this shit? I sound like fucking Isaac.

Marnie closes her locker and walks down the corridor, out of sight, and I am left bored.

"Hannah's bangs are cute though. Miley's hair is just boring-"

"Would you both shut up?" I say, interrupting Cole. I have been patient with this annoying conversation for long enough. "They are the same person – why does it fucking matter? And Cole would you stop eating those fucking chips right next to my ear," I slap the bag of chips out of his hand. "You just had breakfast and now you are eating this shit. And Isaac you fucking stink of smoke. Can you stand back?" I snap.

Isaac rolls his eyes and walks back a step, leaning against the railing of the stairs. Cole picks the bag up from the floor and mumbles something.

"What was that?" I question him with a warning glare.

"Oh nothing. Just wondering if we were distracting you from staring at Marnie," he smiles and puts a chip in his mouth, then crunches it loudly.

"You are a piece of-"

"Blakely," Isaac interrupts me. "What's your problem today?"

"Nothing," I let out a sexually frustrated breath. Just that I can't stop thinking about what happened between Marnie and I on Friday and how she got me worked up and didn't finish what she started.

Evil Marnie.

"If it's about Marnie; ask her out. I'm sick of you being like this."

He says ask her out as if it's easy. Maybe it would be easy if it was anyone else, but Marnie is different.

"What am I supposed to say?" I blurt out, surprised that I am seeking advise from my friends who happen to be the worst two people I know at relationships.

"I don't know," Isaac looks around. "Say, yo I like you, let's date."

I roll my eyes. "You suck. How did you ask Maggie to be your girlfriend?"

"Well, it was while we were fucking."

I screw up my face at the disgusting thought of him in bed with my sister – in my sister.

Isaac shrugs. "You could do that or try Cole's way and get up on top of a table and tell everyone that you've fucked them all."

"You're just jealous because it was cute," Cole crosses his hands over his chest. "And it got me the girl."

"What are you guys talking about?" Zoey says as she stands in front of us with Marnie by her side.

"Nothing," I say at the same time Isaac says "sex toys" and Cole says "ramen noodles".

"Hmm, interesting combination," Zoey nods her head, thinking.

Marnie looks around awkwardly at anything but me. I wonder if she is nervous after Friday night.

Without thinking, I pull her down onto my lap. She squeals from surprise and tries to get out of my grip, but fails.

"What's wrong, baby?" I ask with a smirk, trying not to think too much about her ass being on my leg, and her sexy legs in between mine.

"Let me go," she squirms, trying to push my arms off of her.

I notice a group of nerds staring at us, disapprovingly. They are probably ashamed of Marnie right now, sitting on my lap where everyone can see. Bitches, go play chess or something.

"Zeeeeke," Marnie whispers. "People are looking."

"Let them." All it does is make me want to pull my pants down just to piss them off even more.

The bell rings, making me sigh. Marnie shivers from the feeling of my breath on her skin, and I smile to myself.

"Can you let me go now?" She asks, but her strong grip on my arms tells me that she does not want to let me go.

So I stand up, pushing her off of me, and start to walk away, just so she will chase me.

"Zeke?" She runs up to walk beside me. "Did I say something?" Her hand touches my arm slightly, but she seems to get nervous and pull away.

See, I have worked her out. If I push to hard, she steps back. If I walk away, she runs after me. She is like an open book.

"No, baby," I say quietly so that no one else in this busy corridor can hear, and place my hand on her soft cheek.

She blushes and fights a smile, looking away.

How did god create someone like her.

Shit, there I go again with the sappy shit.

I drop my hand and leave, stopping myself from saying any of my ridiculous thoughts out loud.

+++

I have decided.

I am going to ask Marnie to be my girlfriend.

This is a big risk. I am not even sure if she likes me back, so if she says no... Fuck. I don't know what I will do.

A junior, Louisa, is having a party tonight, so I figure I will ask her then – that is if she will go.

Isaac kicks my leg under the table, and I snap back to reality, ready to kick him back ten times harder.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?" Zoey asks before I can do it, and I realise I haven't said a word since we sat down.

I look up at Marnie, her cheeks are flushed and her hair flows down onto her shoulders, covering some of her face. "Nada," I say, looking down at my food.

"So anyway," Zoey starts, "Have you guys seen that new movie with the-"

"Are you two going to Louisa's party tonight?" I ask, interrupting Zoey and whatever irrelevant shit was about to come out of her mouth.

"Yo, Zoey was talking," Cole nudges me with his elbow. Why do they need to touch me?

"And now I am talking."

Zoey's eyes narrow to slits.

"Do you need to be so rude?" Marnie frowns.

Oops.

"Are you going or not?"

"Yes," Zoey says.

"No," Marnie says in unison to Zoey.

I sigh. This is going to be hard. "Why not?"

"It's a school night. And I don't like parties anyway."

"So what if it is a school night?"

"She doesn't like staying out late all night, dumbass," Zoey says and I clench my first, holding myself back.

"Shut up you fucking slutty little-"

Cole punches me in the jaw before I can finish.

The familiar sharp pain spreads through my jaw and my left cheek as my head jerks to the side from the impact.

"Oh god," I hear Marnie mumble as I cover the area he punched with my hand, and open and close my mouth in an attempt to loosen up the tenseness.

"Don't talk to her like that," Cole warns in his most serious tone.

I look at him, pissed off. "That hurt."

"You deserve it."

Maybe I do. If anyone spoke to Marnie the way I do to Zoey, I would do a lot worse to them.

"I hate you," Zoey states, glaring at me.

"Likewise."

"Can't you guys just try to get along?" Marnie says tiredly.

"No." I rub my jaw.

Marnie looks at Zoey pleadingly, which Zoey responds with a sigh. "I would try if he would stop being such a dick."

"No," I shake my head.

"Dude," Cole says, still serious.

"No," I say again.

"Please?" Marnie begs.

"No," I say more hesitantly this time.

"I'll go to the party if you be nice to her."

I think about this for a moment. Shit, she is good.

"Fine," I sigh then give Zoey my fakest smile. She smirks back at me, a hint of evil in her eyes. Oh she is not going to make this easy for me.

+++

"Hey, Zeke," Louisa says, greeting me at the front door of her house where the party is going on.

"Hello," I respond, stepping into her house and immediately looking around for Marnie.

"Do you want a drink?"

"No thanks," I say, not looking at her.

"Oh, okay. Well, do you want me to show you around upstairs?"

I look at her. She is wearing a very revealing, tiny dress, showing off her small cleavage. If Maggie wore anything like this I would throw her over my shoulder and take her home.

I have heard that invite to be shown around upstairs way too much. If she thinks I would get into bed with her, she is deluded. Well maybe I would have a couple months ago, but tonight I am only here for Marnie.

"I am just going to go find someone," I say and walk away before she can respond.

After searching downstairs and seeing no sign of Marnie, I head to the backyard where I know Isaac and Cole will be.

Just as I thought, they are standing just outside the door smoking, but Aubrey is there too, surprisingly.

The smell of cannabis is so strong, I feel I could get high just from standing with them.

"What is she doing here?" I nod towards Aubrey, even though she can hear me.

"Just talking with my old friends," Aubrey answers, smiling.

Whatever. "Have you guys seen Marnie?" I ask.

"Yeah, she was with Zoe twenty minutes ago or something," Cole says then takes a draw from his blunt. He holds it out to me and I shake my head.

"I saw her with Mason," Aubrey says.

"No you didn't," I roll my eyes. She is just trying to cause drama.

"I did. So did Isaac."

I look at Isaac who is staring at the ground. Is she serious?

"Isaac?" I question, getting his attention.

Isaac shrugs. "They were just talking, dude. She doesn't like him anymore, you know that."

Do I?

"Please," Aubrey rolls her eyes. "She is not over him, and he is not over her. People have said they've been talking again for a while."

"Shut up," I snap.

"I'm telling the truth, Zeke. You don't think this bugs me too? Why would I lie?"

Well, there are many reasons why but I don't think she would like me to say them out loud.

I walk away without another word. I just need to find Marnie. She will explain that she doesn't like that cunt and I will ask her out and she will say yes.

Walking back inside, I go to the stairs and start walking up, though it only takes me a couple of steps until Marnie is in my sights.

Standing in the hallway upstairs, her and Mason are together. Marnie is laughing.

Laughing. Her sweet laugh is loud enough for me to hear. Mason smiles as he talks, shaking his head.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. What the fuck do I do? I could stand here and torture myself, watching them, or I can beat the shit out of Mason.

Marnie would hate me for it though if she really does like the cunt. What if she never stopped liking him? Or loving him like Mason said she did. Fuck.

What was I thinking? Marnie would never date a guy like me. I am the stoner guy. The druggy. Mason is the sports star of the school. He has a bright future. I don't even know who I am.

I am an idiot. A fucking idiot. Like everyone, Marnie knows I am the guy who does the stupid shit. Why did I stop? Why am I not out there getting high with my messed up friends?

Because Marnie, that is why. Fuck her.

They all think that is who I am, so I will show them exactly what they expect to see.

+++

hey guys i'm backkkkk.

remember to vote & comment

teaser: the old Zeke comes back again

ly

-e