"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I wanted so badly for me and Justice to work. I wanted her to continue being my girlfriend and everything, but in order for me to get to tomorrow, I was going to have to change up the routine once more. And this time, it was actually having to meet Zoey this morning, and making an attempt to talk to her.

No, I couldn't let Justice see me with her, she would only ruin what I was trying to accomplish with Zoey.

Blacking out a bit sooner than I thought yesterday, absolutely bothered me. I knew to expect the blacking out and everything, but not as soon as I thought. Before I could even walk inside my own house, I had parked in the drive way and I immediately blacked out.

Before I even saw it coming.

I didn't even think my brother had gotten a chance to see his older brother passed out on the pavement of the driveway. He'd been out the car, texting a friend.

I'd blacked out around 5:00pm, that was way too soon. It had been my fault, if Justice hadn't came onto me like she did, as if me and Zoey were gonna start making out right then and there without her permission, though that wouldn't have been the case...That look Zoey had given me before she'd left the parking lot, was starting to haunt me.

Her eyes had been consumed with something like: sadness, longing, and abandonment.

I had a dream where she was in her bedroom, looking at the mirror above her dresser, talking to herself. Trying to convince herself about something. I didn't know what she'd been saying, but her face had the same expression she'd given me right before Justice had whisked me away.

I shivered.

"Isaac eat your breakfa—" my mom began as she put the perfectly round and fluffy pancakes on a plate in front of me. I shook my head, I needed to go. I didn't have enough time to sit down and eat breakfast this morning. "Uh mom, I have to go." I didn't catch her response and before I knew it, I exited the house.

Justice texted me asking me if I could pick her up. I told her I couldn't because I needed to run a few errands for my mom before school. However, I asked her to meet me at the front of my locker before third hour.

I hated lying to Justice, but I knew how she'd react if I told her that I was needing to catch Zoey right before school started. She'd go ballistic, calling me every name in the book, plus I didn't feel like explaining this to her. I just had this feeling, she wouldn't believe me.

When I drove into the school's parking lot, there were a few parking spots. I didn't see Zoey's car anywhere, but I parked alongside the parking spot she claimed on this very day.

I then glanced at the time. It was only 15 minutes before school started, and Justice never arrived on the clock without me driving her here. So if Zoey happened to pull up any minute from now, Justice wouldn't be able to witness it.

I beat my hands against the dashboard, for the anticipation was getting to me. I was growing anxious; my hands were sweating and my heart was thumping rapidly against my chest. I didn't get why meeting Zoey had me feeling this way. When in actuality, this wasn't my first time talking to her face-to-face. Oh but Isaac, said my conscience, this is the first time you have ever pursued her and wanted to speak to her.

I nodded, my conscience had a point. It sucked to look at it that way, but the truth sucked that way. I waited and waited. Where is she? Before you knew it, Zoey's green mini van pulled in beside me in the parking space. Though there was 8 minutes left before school started, I knew it'd be enough time for me to get to know a little bit about Zoey, or at least initiate a conversation of some sort.

I got out as soon as she pulled in. I walked around to the driver's side. She was pulling out her backpack, when I decided to come up from behind her. Perhaps if I gave her a scare right before school, it'd lift her spirits some.

1, 2, 3...

"Rawr!" I screamed. Zoey instantly turned around. Her face didn't show a trace of fear, instead she arched one of her eyebrows up—out of curiosity, I think.

"Uh hi," she awkwardly greeted me. I grinned. So maybe the scaring-her thing didn't work out, but it was still funny, right? "Hey," I said.

She didn't say anything.

We both stood there for what seemed to be an eternity. The awkwardness was pulling us both in. Sure, it was weird how I came about this. I had to remember, that me and Zoey never had interacted much before this day.

"Uh geometry..." I began.

She stared back at me.

"I'm just wondering if you have it done?" I asked.

Nothing said, she pulled out of her binder a completed homework sheet .

She then handed it to me. "Here."

I didn't know what to say. I was surprised that she was willing to hand me her homework to copy. It was just that homework didn't seem that important right now. Matter-of-fact, homework was the least of my worries. I hadn't even known Mr Johnson had assigned us homework.

I needed to thank her, but not before trying to initiate a conversation first.

"Mr Johnson gave a load of homework last night, didn't he?" I didn't know what I'd just said.

She slightly laughed. That was a start.

"Yeah," she said, "but I'd have to say Geometry is a lot easier than Algebra 2."

Honestly, I couldn't comprehend that since I hadn't tried much in Algebra 2 last year. I would've failed, if it hadn't been for Red Sommers the smartest guy on the football team (he pretty much had let me copy off his homework all school year, if I was able to score him a date with Paris Nash).

Paris Nash was a friend of a friends. She was a cheerleader, and had been going through a tough break up with this guy from Wayward. I'd been able to persuade her into going on a date with Red. Too bad, he decided to take Calculus this year. Maybe, just maybe my grade would be savaged.

But I had Zoey.

I nodded. "Yeah, Ms Hough wasn't a good teacher, anyway."

"Yeah," she agreed.

Next thing you know, before I could say any more. I felt someone pat me hard on the back. "Stints!"

I groaned. Peyton.

"Hey," I said.

Peyton walked up from behind me and put his arm around my shoulders. "You talkin' to her?" he asked, taking a look at Zoey. I didn't miss the slight edge in his voice. It wasn't as if he'd told me he had the hots for Zoey.

I gave him a strange look. "Yeah," I said. "Whaddaya need man?"

"I'm just wondering why you couldn't pick up your girlfriend, man," he said. "I had to." I then looked behind his shoulder. Standing there with her arms crossed, was Justice who was currently glaring at me. I sighed, flustered and frustrated. I realized I needed to take this situation elsewhere. Why couldn't I ever talk to Zoey without someone having to interfere? I guess that happens when you have a lot of friends.

Funny how I could answer my own question.

"Justice should have told you I had some errands to run..." I trailed off. That came off lame. Peyton looked unconvinced and saw the situation as he only saw it; I was grabbing ass right before school, cheating on my girlfriend in the process. All not true. Which led me to believe that he and Justice would make a "cute" couple, since they never tried glancing at things from a different point of view.

"By the way, where's Gwen?" I said, knowing the situation would shift onto another situation, which would be his breakup with Gwen.

The look he gave me was... anger. "Me and her br—"

"Broke up," I finished patting him on the shoulder. "I know man, never knew Gwen had it for Canadians like that."

Oops.

I had a feeling that my words didn't come off as sympathetic and playful as I thought. I think it was the possible "liaison" he and my girlfriend, could be having behind my back that had made my words come off as they did. It also didn't help that Peyton drove Justice to school today, the thing that could've saved me from being skeptical was if he hadn't drove her here. Peyton had never given anyone a ride, since he never failed in putting himself first.

Ring!!!

Thankfully, I was saved by the bell.

:: :: ::

Justice texted me all morning, demanding me to explain what I was doing talking with Zoey Graves.

I really wanted to tell her truth, but it'd be no use. Justice would make the situation worse. She'd go blab to her friends on how I was cheating on her with a nobody (as she'd put it).

"Do you have my homework?"

I turned to my left.

"Oh," I said. I was surprised that Zoey said anything to me, now that we were in school. She seemed a bit lively, opposed to the bored-intimidating look I always got from her.

I then grabbed for my bag and took out what looked to be her now crumpled homework. "Eh sorry," I apologized. She didn't seem fazed by the condition of which my bag had done to her homework.

"You did nothing wrong," she said, "I'm just glad you have it."

I grinned.

"So..." I needed to say something. "So-like what are you doing after school?" I had my elbow on the table and casually leaned my head against my hand. She didn't answer my question right away.

"I think I'm gonna go see Lawson's band practice." She then got some necessities out from her bag, that were required for geometry.

A pencil and a piece of paper.

I founded myself doing the same.

How could I explain to her, that the Lawson was a big douche and that he was going to break up with her in less than 3 hours without sounding like a douche myself?

"Zoey do you think Lawson is a gr—"

I wasn't able to finish my sentence. Mr Jonhson threatened the class with extra homework; if everyone didn't shut up, and I wasn't close-enough with Zoey for her to be able to believe me anyway, if I told her that her boyfriend was a jackass.

And because of that, I realized that this was gonna be way harder than I'd initially thought.

:: :: ::

I blacked out.

The time was an hour late. I'd blacked out around 6 o'oclock.

I'd driven Justice home and once we'd stopped in front of her house, we began to argue. Then just like that, I felt my head fall against the head of the driver's seat.

I woke up, coated in sweat from head to toe.

I had the same dream, but this time Zoey's face was streaked with tears. And Lawrie Odin was flashing in between, sounding like a broken record; repeating that same line over and over again, "You need to save her!"

Some tips would be nice Lawrie.

What would it take for this to work? I only tried talking to her just for that day. Now I needed to take a different approach.

• Give Justice a more believable excuse on why I can't pick her up today

• make sure I can talk to Zoey away from everyone else

• try to see if I can threaten Lawson (Beat his ass maybe).

I figured him humiliating her was the trigger on her committing suicide.

The douche Lawson didn't have a heart.

The smell of my mom's pancakes made my stomach queasy. I wanted to puke. I needed to leave much earlier today, if I was gonna try to talk to Zoey again, without anyone around.

Remember Isaac, you don't know Zoey. She'd be less freaked out by a less random approach.

I'd need to stage something.

:: :: ::

Author's Note: Thanks @lunatically_ for voting. I appreciate it! (I didn't forget to thank anyone else, did I?). If so, let me know...sorry :C