Zachary's POV

"Fine."

The ear piercing shrill that followed after that one word reply was almost deafening. Mandy Hartfield started jumping up and down, her blonde hair bouncing along with her springy legs. I had to cover my ears her screaming was so loud.

Andrew seemed to have the same feeling, I noticed, as I glanced at the dark haired boy through my blurred vision from the waves of girly screams. Andrew had this pained screen over his features, and he just simply looked uncomfortable from sweet, innocent, Mandy's happiness. Speaking of the little angel, she was getting ready to hug the big baby, her arms outstretched like she had just won a million dollars, but she never got to as Andrew swiftly caught her shoulders and side-stepped around her. He wasn't going to give her a hug, and to me, that was just the funniest thing ever. This whole situation was hilarious really, but I didn't just want Andrew to be tortured by a little sophomore. I had other plans, too. This amusing outcome was just a plus.

Andrew did give her, however, a second glance before saying, "I gotto get to class. See you later." Now that she finally knew she was going to homecoming with such a stud, she wasn't so nervous anymore, so she smiled, not caring that he was basically blowing her off now. He was going to homecoming with her anyway, so why not let him get to class?

I shook my head, inwardly laughing at the whole ordeal. But then, I remembered the real reason for doing this whole scheme.

Waving goodbye to the pint sized witch, I jogged up next to Andrew to catch up with him. He slowed slightly, but only enough so that I could comfortably put my arm around his shoulder again.

He tensed up.

"God, your arm is so heavy," he whined out, slightly low so I bet I was the only one in that hall to hear it. It made my lips pull into a grin at how much progress he was showing. A few weeks ago, he probably would have punched me in my ever loving face if I so much as tackled him wrong. Hell, I probably would have punched him in the face first because let's face it, I didn't like the guy very much. However, since this whole fixing him job wiggled into my brain for some unknown, other worldly reason, I've just taken a shining towards him. It happened out of nowhere, and he finally seemed to be warming up to me. It felt... nice.

He was different from all my other friends.

I kind of liked it.

"You know. I feel like you love it when I hold you. I bet it makes you feel all tingly." I smirked right in his face, taking great joy out of the slight disgust in his eyes and the pull of his lips upward.

He sighed, for a second slowing even further down as if he was going to stop in exaggeration, but he didn't. He only rolled his eyes and looked away. Brooding in a way, and that again reminded me of why I wanted him to go to homecoming with me - well not me but Mandy.

"Hey so," his blue eyes found their way back to mine, and for a moment, I stared at them. I liked the way they looked, and they were slightly more alive than a week or so ago, albeit still sunken and just a smidgen too overused looking, but hey still good. Maybe I was making progress, maybe I was just seeing things.

"Yeah?"

I licked my lips, clearing my thoughts for a second so I could get the words out of my mouth before I got distracted. Again. "Thanks for saying yes to Mandy about homecoming, but um..." Andrew looked at me to continue, his face a mirror of confusion and arm scorching against my side.

I was too close.

I let go of Andrew, taking a half a step away from him. "Uh, yeah, actually, all that stuff I said about Taylor's parents hating me and car pulling wasn't my real reason as to why I basically need you at homecoming. I mean, Taylor's parents do hate me, but that's not my point -"

"- what is, then? -"

"- well, I know how you feel lately, and man, you just look depressed," which was the epitome of the truth because although he looked better, the feeling of only just finding out slowly starting to leave his shoulders, he was still depressingly hunched and his eyes baggier than they used to be, as mentioned. So maybe I was seeing things. "And I'm hoping homecoming will cheer you up. You know, like having a breather right before more sex." This time, Andrew did stop in the middle of the hall way, right in front of my class actually, in exaggeration, face flat and eyes rolling to the back of his head.

"Such a fucking barbarian."

My stomach started convulsing from my laughter. I could hardly breathe as I was saying, "Says the guy who... who literally... boned Mandy Grace.... Haley McDonald... and, and Gretchen Yondi over the freaking summer! What an animal!"

I had to hold onto his shoulder a little tighter or else I might have rolled over on the ground, dying. Of laughter that is.

"Get a hold of yourself Rogers, geez." Andrew's arms were suddenly grabbing my shoulders, his fingertips slightly clutching the back of my neck. They were strikingly cold compared to the rest of him, and this coolness sent a chilling shock through my whole body, waking me up. I straightened my backbone impossibly, the laughter dying down inside my mouth before it got the chance to escape, and a very familiar feeling creeped into the back of my head that had me clearing my throat and looking away from Andrew.

The thoughts of the past, all these memories I had with Him were coming back. All these repressed feelings and movie clips going around and around and around in the shallow crevasses of the back of my memory for what felt like hours. He who shall not or ever hold me down because just the mere whisper of his name inside my brain had me slowly crumbling from trying to forget. Forgetting Him. Those feelings. Everything.

It was only a single second.

Andrew was staring at me when I tried clearing my mind of everything in that moment.

I could feel the confusion he was quickly starting to feel, so I had to brush these thoughts off quickly and pull him to the side, away from the doorway of the classroom where Quinn was trying to get through. "Okay," I said finally, getting to the actual point, "just go to homecoming this Friday, see what happens. You never know, you might feel a lot better." I was only making accusations about what Andrew would feel, but the hope that he was going and he was going to get better was still hanging in the air above my head, still edging me onto the side of the cliff that was his emotions at the time.

I just wanted everything to get back to normal, to be honest.

For him. For me, for everyone.

Then again, if everything did go back to normal...

"Yeah, who knows..." He licked his lips, his eyes shifting their interests into a distant world where his thoughts played out on his sleeve for me to see before they found their way back to mine. He forced a slight smirk to his chapped lips to say, "so you're picking me up at eight, right? Better not be late or else I'll have to make you buy me a corsage." I'll be playing football at eight.

I chuckled, liking that he was starting to joke with me. It was nice.

And that's why I didn't want things to go back to this all-the-way-normal thing. Mostly.

The bell signaling the start of first period screamed into our conversation and Andrew nodded at me, "See you 'round, Zachary," before he - after I had this realization only then that he was still clutching basically the nape of my neck - let go. He turned to leave, and I should have too, but I didn't. I stared after his silhouette from the doorway of my first period, watching his split lipped half smile leave. I must have been smiling or something when I walked into Mrs. Heralds because Allison Carson with her pitch black lipstick covered lips and thin eyebrows was rolling her eyes, yet, if my eyes were deceiving me or not, had a small smile. "Get a room next time."

◇

Ha... ha... h...a

I've posted this chapter because I know some of you guys have been wanting another chapter I've been trying my hardest. But to be very very honest with you guys.

I

Have

Writers

Block.

So please try not to rush me when I know I can't go any faster.

Now don't get me wrong, the last few times I really was busy but now that I'm not so busy anymore, my brain doesn't know how to function around writing this book.

But hey!

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE AMIRGHT?

A freaking chapter. That's so rare nowadays Steve Irwin could even do a documentary on this book.

Oy Crikey, a wild Straight Boys in its natural habitat... Oh! Don't get too close to it, it might go back into hibernation for another twenty years from all the excitement.

(NOT meaning to be offending. Also probably super true.)

Anyway I just wanted to give you guys a christmas present. Yes it's short but at least I'm trying.

But questions time!
Who do you think Zachary is trying to forget?

Your thoughts on Zachary's POV this time around?

Why was Zachary acting to weird around Andrew a few times?

And man, do you think Zachary is taking this helping him thing way too far with the homecoming ordeal?

And so! My lovely little readers, I hope you enjoyed and please stay! I know I suck at updating but I love you guys. ❤