No More Bruises

Chapter 2

“‘Zachariah! What did you do this time? You disgrace me!’ The brute coming closer, as I allow fear to overcome me. He raises his hand to hit me --”

“Ah!” I awake in my bed downstairs, perspiration dripping from my forehead.

“Just a dream, just a dream.” Knowing that I have no one to talk to leaves me lonely, and these dreams are what I’m left with. 

What ends up feeling like only two minutes has really been two hours. My alarm clock -- with a broken chime -- breaks my daze.

Not bothering to change, I just get up, grab my backpack, and grab a piece of the leftover pop tart from yesterday’s breakfast; and walk to the bus stop.

On the way to the back of the bus, I catch someone’s eyes through the dark. Such a beautiful, hazy yellow-green, so bright, it lit up the dark of the bus. I’ve found many girls pretty, but I have never felt the way that I feel now, and a bus ride has never felt so short.

Green eyes are perfect for blue eyes.

We reach the school, and I can’t get the green eyes out of my head. Who was that? I try to stay behind to wait for this mystery girl, but the crowd getting off of the bus drags me towards the school doors.

Putting my stuff in my locker, I catch the green eyes again. I prepare myself. I stick out my chest and take a deep breath. I start walking towards her. Then, a bunch of girls crowd around her. 

Now I can’t go over there! What am I going to do? Okay, calm down Zach. I’ll talk to her later. Yeah. 

It's the third period now. I hate history, but I have a feeling that I’m going to like it today. I saw her walk in the room not too long ago, and she was with Britney. Of course.

Okay, Zach. “Let’s go!” I thought that I had said that in my head, and I did. The thing is, is I said it out loud as well. 

I’m now standing in Ms. Hilton’s class, everyone looking at me like I’m crazy. I can feel Ms. Hilton’s anger, but I can’t look away from the mystery girl.

She’s in the center of the room, giggling. At ME! I know that that would embarrass some people, and it kind of is embarrassing, but she makes my heart beat a bazillion times a second. 

Her white blouse has ruffles, which makes her eyes pop. I can’t help but stare into her eyes. And guess what? She’s staring back at me!!!

Her smile is so beautiful, her teeth perfect. I can’t help but smile back. I notice Britney eyeing the both of us, so I turn away to look at Ms. Hilton.

She’s pointing at the empty seat in the back, my seat. I slowly walk to the seat, unable to control the urge to look at the mystery girl. I sit down, continuing to stare at her. Her hair is so beautiful and long, it’s brown curls falling down her back. I just imagine holding her hair in my hands…

“As I was saying…” Ms. Hilton begins, “We have a new student.”

That catches my attention, and I sit up. “Her name is June Capt. June, you wanna tell the class something about yourself.”

June. June.

She shakes her head, and even though I’m in the back of the class, I can see her blushing.

A shy one. Not gonna lie, it’s kinda hot.

The bell rings, which surprises me. Time seems to go by so fast when you have such a beautiful distraction. She gets up, with everyone else, and I can’t help but watch her stand there listening to the conversation between her friends. Her hips leaned to one side.

I hear something mentioned about me, and Britney looks very angry, but you know high school. I ignore it and leave the room, June still in my mind.

The rest of the day is a blur, and I don’t even remember the wounds on my face. I’m about to board the bus, when I see June coming towards the bus with Britney. She whispers something to June.

“Hi,” I say, blocking the door before they can get in. Her face grows a dark red. 

“Get out of the way, Zach!” Britney’s a little feisty today!

“And why should I do that?” I give a charming smile.

“Ignore him,” she tells June, shoving past me.

“Hey,” I begin, catching her attention almost immediately. “I uh… I know some great parties, or I could help you find your way around town or something.” I feel my face heating up.

My throat has never been this dry, and I have never felt so nervous. I have butterflies in my stomach. 

“Thanks, I think. I’ll remember that.” She doesn’t even look at me as she climbs up onto the bus. I offer my hand to help her out, she turns the offer down.

I don’t think that I’ve ever had a girl turn me down like that the first time they meet me. Bummer. I’ll get her though.

I climb up on the bus, giving both her and Britney a wink as I pass by them. Britney’s eyes rolling makes me laugh every time. She likes me, she just won’t admit it to herself.

I sit back, then remember that today, I have to go to work. I hate work. 

The restaurant that I work at is called “Mr. Yummy’s,” which is completely unappetizing. I mean, why would you call it that. 

My boss, when he started the restaurant, did have his name legally changed to Chad Yummy. I don’t know if that’s actually his first name, I’m just guessing. That is his last name though, maybe that’s why? I don’t know.

The bus stops, and the bus driver yells, “Mr. Yummies! Gettin’ off?” 

I get up, and my eyes become shocked. June is also getting off! Does this mean that we’re working together. I really, really hope so.

We get off, and the bus drives away. Sitting in front of us is a small, one-story, brick building. There’s one big window on the front, and there’s a large red sign with green letters spelling Mr Yummies. 

I walk in front of her and open the door, and she gets all blushy again. I gotta get this girl out of her shell!

Inside, is a disappointing sight. There is black and white checkered tile on the floors, and cheap tables in the corners for dine in. At the front, there’s a long island where people get their food, the menu shining bright above them.

On the side of the restaurant are the bathrooms, and the old, dirty pop machine. Who put the pop machine next to the bathrooms? 

I know that you’re thinking that, and I wonder that every single time.

I show her the way to the back, handing her her own green apron. She keeps staring at the floor whenever I look at her. 

I think about reaching out to tilt her head up to look at me, but decided that that’s a bad idea. It’s not time yet. Give her a little bit to trust you more.

I start my fun routine of cleaning, and June heads up to the counter to take orders. She'll be standing there for a long time, considering that people rarely come here.

Finally, it's lunchtime, and June and I go sit at the table I just cleaned. 

"Hi," I say, trying to start up a conversation.

"Hi," she continues to look down at her sandwich.

"Where'd you move from?"

"Connecticut."

"Wow, that's pretty far away."

"Not really, just approximately 809 miles." Yes! I understand her now! She's smart.

"You know, you sound smart." Wow, smooth Zach. You can't even keep your thoughts in your head.

"Thanks," she blushes.

I've talked to a lot of girls, I've dated a lot of girls, I've broken a lot of girls' hearts. But this time, I've never felt so accomplished to get a girl to talk.

She's so beautiful, and she's the first one to have ever given me butterflies. I don't understand, there's no way that I can be in love. Can I?

Each school day, we come back to work and talk. We talk about everything, and her knowledge and voice blows me away every time.

I feel like today is the day to ask her out. 

"Hey, June?" I interrupt her, which catches her by surprise, her perfectly curved lips are shut tight.

"If I...If I asked you out..."

"I would say don't interrupt me to ask..." I feel my smile disappear. "And I just might say yes." 

I can't believe it. I don't think that I have ever smiled so much in my life! And she is smiling too, now I think that I'M the one blushing!

I reach out, offering my hand to hold. I watch her eyes so intently, and could see as her cheeks reddened, and she reaches out. 

I can feel her soft hands, a little cold, within my own, making me sharply inhale as they touch. We stare into each other's eyes, reading each other's souls. Like I said, green eyes are perfect for blue eyes. 

Our boss, Mr. Yummies, shouts at us, telling us to get back to work. As he walks out, I get an idea. I pick up a handful of crackers and throw them at June. She's caught by surprise, not at all having expected what I just did. She picks up her sandwich, takes the piece of bread off... Now understand this bread has ketchup, mustard all over it... And she throws it at me!

She laughs, and I can't even pay attention to the condiments all over my shirt. All I can pay attention to, is her laugh.

Her laugh is a mix of giggles and gasps for breath and for whatever reason, I love it. 

We continue the food fight, now with the rest of the restaurant. Our coworkers have joined in, and we're throwing food, squirting condiments, and anything else that we can find. Then, Mr. Yummies walks in, and he doesn't look happy.

"Who started this?" he asks, his hands on his wide hips. His chef hat has even fallen to the side, revealing the slightest bit of a bald patch on his head.

Both of us turn red.

"Get out!" he shouts, pointing at us, "You're fired!"

We throw our aprons down, and I give him a smile. I'm glad to get the heck out of here, especially because I have a girlfriend now.

We run out the door, slamming it behind us. We run across the street, cars honking out of anger because of our carelessness.

We run to the woods, the place that I have been so many times before. I pull her with me, showing her the trail. She smiles at me, every few minutes asking where we're going. "I'll show you," I respond. She probably thinks I'm a murderer and I plan on hiding her body in the woods.

We reach the creek, and her eyes show it all, widening to take in the beautiful sight. Her smile is so big, and she looks at me, almost to reassure that this is real. I hold her hand and bring her to the big log, and we sit down.

"So, what do you think?"

"What do I think? I think it's beautiful!"

"This has always been, kind of mine I guess. I come here a lot, to think. Now, it can be our place, to think." She smiles at me, a contagious smile that you can't help smiling back at, and I scold myself for flirting so intently.

"So," she starts, "What do you think about when you come here?"

The question catches me by surprise. I'm the bad boy, she's the shy good-girl, and she's asking why I come here to think. How do I tell her that my dad is abusive and I come here to escape? I've never told anyone before about what goes on at my home, and no one's ever asked.

"It's okay if you don't wanna say..."

"Oh, no, it's fine. You're my girlfriend, and there shouldn't be secrets in a relationship."

"Girlfriend?"

"Oh, uh--"

"No, I am, it's just I've never been in a relationship before."

"Oh. Okay," we both start giggling.

"Anyway," she begins again, and I know she's going to start the beginning conversation up again. I don't blame her for being curious. I'm her boyfriend now, and we want to get to know each other. "So, why do you come here to think?"

Her hair falls from behind her ear, covering the opening of her shirt. Her bright green eyes look at me with intense curiosity and trust. She doesn't know much about me if she trusts me this much.

"Have you ever hung out with a bad boy before?"

"No, I haven't really hung out with any boy before." I don't know what to do. I love her, but I want to protect her from myself. She has a clean reputation, and in five minutes, I can ruin that. I could make her rob a*****e, or get her into detention...

"Well, I come here because..." I don't want to tell her about my home life. That might make her want to stay with me. "You know, I gotta get home. My mom probably needs help with dinner."

I watch as her disappointment fills her eyes, mouth, and body. I just can't tell her the truth; I'm going to have to figure something out.