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Zach is so damn strong, so maybe I pushed the worry aside. But seeing just how afraid Mary was about knocking over a damn vase makes it hard to ignore.
After practice, we all head into the locker room to shower before school, but Zach doesn’t seem like himself at all. I mean, I can’t blame him after yesterday, and he’s always quiet, but I can’t shake the bad feeling that something is off. We reach our lockers, and I nudge him with my arm. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” he says way too fast, like he was expecting me to ask. “Dinner was awesome last night. Tell your mom thank you again.”
I’m about to tell him to tell her himself after school when an obnoxious asshole from our class nudges me with his hand. “Hey, Bates! How’s your brother and his girlfriend?”
I roll my eyes at his half-ass attempt to rile me up. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this shit, and it won’t be the last. My brother dating Dixon is big news around here. I don’t even turn around to face him. “That’s a good one. Did it hurt to come up with it?”
“Aw don’t be mad, Bates. Maybe it’s Jameson that’s the girl. He did always throw like one.”
“Why don’t you shut the fuck up?” Zach has turned around, his nostrils flaring, and his hands are clenched at his sides. He’s not a fighter. Neither one of us are. We’re the quiet ones who sit back and watch all the morons fight it out.
But he looks ready for a fight now, and I turn to look at him, not the dumbass goading me.
“Oh, come on, Olson. We’re just having a little fun.”
“It’s not funny. Neither one of them are girls. They’re both men. and they’re together. And they’re both more men than you’ll ever be.”
“Aw, maybe you’re a little jealous, Olson. You have a crush on the older Bates?”
I roll my eyes again, but Zach starts to move forward like he’s going to knock this fucker on his ass. I stop him with a hand on his chest. “Don’t.”
He turns to look at me. “He needs to shut his fucking face.”
“He’s an asshole. We know this.” I don’t focus on anyone else but Zach, trying to figure out what the hell is going on with him.
And then another teammate is there, laughing his head off with the asshole. “Nah, Zach doesn’t want Bates. He’s just pissed-off because Chloe won’t give his sorry ass another chance.”
Zach’s entire body is rigid with tension, his jaw clenched tight. I whirl around to look at the fuckers who don’t know how close to a beating they are. “Shut the hell up and get to class.”
“Captain’s orders?” The guy is smirking at me. He’s big, but I could take him. Not to mention IamCaptain on the team, and I have Coach’s respect. So if this guy doesn’t listen to me, his ass will be benched.
It wouldn’t be a loss.
“Yes.”
He rolls his eyes at me but turns and takes his little friend with him. Zach turns back toward his locker, his muscles tense with anger.
“Zach—”
“Don’t,” he cuts me off quickly, and it damn near shocks me. He doesn’t talk to me like that. “Just don’t.” His tone has softened, but something is for sure going on with him.
We both quickly shower and change, grabbing our backpacks. But Zach doesn’t wait for me as he pushes through the locker-room doors and heads toward his class. We have third period together, but I can’t wait that long to check in with him, so I race to catch up to him and pull his arm, stopping him. “Zach. Do you want to talk?”
“Nope. Gotta get to class.”
But he won’t even look at me. I don’t understand what’s going on with him, and it’s frustrating. “Please,” I ask, keeping my voice down as students around us race down the halls to beat the tardy bell, which I don’t care about that.
His eyes meet mine. Finally. But they aren’t telling me anything. “Why do you always have to do the right thing?”
“What?” I ask, totally taken aback.
“Back there.” He points toward the locker room. “Why not just deck that fucker? Tell him to shut his damn mouth. Break the rules if it means standing up for your brother.”
“Jameson got in dumbass fights. Not me.” I’m not my brother. I avoid fights, and so does Zach. I’m beyond confused now. He wanted me to get into a fight? One that wouldn’t have solved anything and got us all benched or suspended? I release his arm, and he drops it to his side.
He’s clearly frustrated and angry when he speaks again. “It’s not a dumbass fight though. The girl? Fucking really? How goddamn ignorant can they be?”
