Chapter 12: A deal is a deal

Chapter twelve: A deal is a deal (Zach's POV)

It was Monday morning and luckily, everything between Ellie and me had gone back to normal. Normal in the sense we were back to bickering. I couldn't put my finger on it but something just always feels off when I get vulnerable or open up to people, and that never applied to any of my best friends, but since I got to the boarding school, it's applied to everyone.

My parents are leaving this Thursday, which leaves me with four days to get a teacher's number.

This is so hard, why did I do this to myself?

Well, I suppose I could ask for help, couldn't I?

"Mr. Prichard!" I called out. Everyone was shuffling from class to class so I wanted to be quick.

"Yes?" he asked when I made it to him.

"May I have a word with you, please?" I questioned.

"Of course," he nodded.

"You're a students teacher, everyone likes you," I shrugged.

"I would like to think so," he said suspiciously.

"Well, you're not my teacher but I need your help."

"The last time I taught you was freshman year, Zach," he sighed.

"Oh, could I transfer to your class?" I asked. This is off-topic.

"Sure, just get a form from the office," he replied.

"Thank you, but that's not the help I need. I've made a bet."

"And you've gotten yourself slapped by Mrs. George so I'm guessing I know the bet." He gave me a pointed look.

"You know me so well," I smiled, "I need to get a teacher's number. They must give it to me willingly," I explained.

He shook his head before chuckling, "Try Ms. Shield. She's our youngest, and single. Art room three," he said before walking away to teach his first period.

Love you, Mr. Prichard!

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It was lunchtime and I was heading straight to Artroom three. First of all, I didn't want an audience this time, it's best I do this privately, second of all, even if I do get rejected per se, nobody's gonna know I even asked her. I wanted to make sure her class was empty so once all the students filed out, I went inside.

Wish me luck.

I've decided to be generous enough to spare you of the details. She's only twenty-five, I'll tell you I learned that.

But I did it.

I walked to lunch feeling extremely cocky and arrogant. I didn't think that was a bet I would win, but I did.

I met Brett on the way to the cafeteria and he noticed almost instantly that something was up. "What did you do?" he interviewed suspiciously.

I cleared my throat, "I won the fucking bet," I said smugly.

"No, you didn't!" he gasped while laughing.

"Sure did," I smirked.

"What teacher would give it to you?" he laughed.

"That's for Ellie to know. I don't want to say the teacher's name and get her in trouble or some stupid shit like that, so once Ellie sees it, I'll rip it to shreds and throw it in the trash," I shrugged.

"Fair play," he nodded as we entered and got seated after grabbing our lunch.

Ellie walked in while talking to Spencer, getting in the lunch line. She was talking, flailing her arms around like always to emphasize her point before he said something and she laughed. They made it to the table shortly after and then Ashley and Nathan sat down as well.

Throughout lunch, I didn't say anything, I was just smirking the whole time because I knew that I won. She would have to come stay with me.

I can't imagine how much I could annoy her within a month.

"Is something wrong?" Ellie asked, looking between me and Brett. He simply shrugged and she watched me. "Why are you smirking like that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Just because," I shrugged.

She stared at me and I stared at her, and we stared at each other until she blinked and looked away. "What did you do?" she huffed.

I cleared my throat, leaning forward and sliding the folded piece of paper that Ms. Shield wrote her number on, and slid it over to Ellie. "I won the bet," I smirked.

Ashley dropped her fork onto her plate, Spencer almost fell out of his chair, Nathan stared up at me wide-eyed, and Brett was just trying not to laugh.

"No, you didn't," she scoffed, taking the paper and unfolding it. "How do I know this is a teacher's number and not just a random person's?" she arched an eyebrow at me, holding the piece of paper between her fingers.

"Come with me," I stood up and walked over to her side. She looked at me doubtfully. "Just come with me," I huffed. She stood up and followed me out to the field in an isolated area. "Call the number, it's supposed to be Ms. Shield's. Ask her if this is Faye Shield, and you'll know," I shrugged.

"If you're mugging me off, Zach..." she trailed off while taking her phone out of her pocket. She dialed the number and put it to her ear. "Hello? Am I speaking to Faye Shield?" she asked. She listened in for a minute before her eyes widened and she hung up. "I forgot she's the youngest teacher, damn it! Well, you win," she handed me the piece of paper.

I ripped it up and threw it in the trash on our way back in.

"Did he get it?" everyone asked.

"Yup," she sighed while sitting down.

"You know what that means, right?" Spencer asked.

"You're going to live with him for an entire month," Nathan said.

She looked at me. She was no doubt trying to think of a way to get out of this, but I'm not letting that happen.

"A deal is a deal," I shrugged while smirking.

"Come on, man," Brett laughed, nudging my elbow.

"Nope. I completed my end, time for her to complete hers," I retorted.

"Fine," she glared at me, "When?"

"This Thursday," I answered.

"Aren't your parents going to think it's weird?" Ashley asked.

"They're not here. They're going to New York for a month for work, I'm staying with Brett," I explained.

"You are?" Ellie and Brett questioned simultaneously.

"Yeah, cool?" I asked Brett.

"I don't mind, sure," he shrugged.

"I just don't understand how I'm supposed to put up with both of you," she mumbled under her breath as the bell rang and we all grabbed our things, tossed the trays and headed for class.

School was done but I had practice today, so I got to my car, grabbed my things, and headed in. The reason my stuff was in my car is because the only locker left is jammed shut and until someone can open it, I'm using my car.

"Can somebody just get this thing to work?" I asked while throwing my shirt off and pulling my jersey on.

"You can try," Brett shrugged.

I huffed and stared at it. I walked out to head to the coach's office but as soon as I opened the door to step out of the boys' locker room, I ran into someone.

She collided into me full force, gasping as she tumbled back but I managed to keep her up. "Jesus." She stepped back after gaining her balance.

"What are you still doing here?" I asked her.

"I had to get some printouts for an assignment, what are you doing?" she questioned.

"I need a screwdriver."

"A screwdriver?" she questioned weirdly.

"Or a pencil will work, actually. Have you got one?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said slowly and slightly confused before handing it to me.

"Thanks, Ellie," I said before going back inside. I put the pencil through the opening and hit the door with my elbow, causing it to pop open and the pencil to break. "Well," I sighed before throwing it in the trash.

Once we got to the field, I could faintly see her getting in her car before driving away.

"Is something going between the two of you?" Isaac asked while we stretched before taking a few laps for warming up.

"Who? Me and Ellie?" I questioned. He nodded in response. "No, we're just friends. Why?" I asked in confusion.

"I don't know, you two don't seem like people who can be friends. You're so different from each other."

I am so confused. "So?" I thought out loud.

"So, opposites attract," he replied.

"I'm not attracted to her," I stated.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Yeah, why is that so surprising?" I pressed further, now genuinely curious.

Does everyone think something is going on between us?

"Well, because you two were a thing before you left and she's a very attractive girl," he chuckled, "You're really not attracted to her? Like at all? Not one bit?"

How can I be? She's the girl I used to call Ellie-Belly growing up.

I'm not attracted to her in that kind of way. I'm not. Am I? No, I couldn't be.

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Chapter twelve

Let's be honest here, we all know how this is gonna go. He's gonna keep saying he isn't attracted to her for the longest time, once he realizes it, he'll try convincing himself he isn't, then he finally admits it and we will hopefully get a happily ever after.

Question: What time is it right now where you live? I'm curious, comment it

Next chapter: Packing