"A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life."

― Charles Darwin

photo jacket credit _nyctophilia_: 

The Day Zoey Died

    I woke up feeling well rested, and pumped. After I managed to half-ass my homework last night, and still go on that date with Justice before curfew, it was the prefect way to end the day, which was with a good night's sleep.

   The sound of my mother's voice woke me along with the familiar smell of her bipolar pancakes. Some days the pancakes were just perfect; fluffy, round, and fat. And some days they were burnt to the crisp, the round black cakes seething with the supposed exclamations, why was I ever made? Why wasn't I cooked well?

   Today, they were made perfectly. Not only did my mother cook good pancakes (which indicated she was in the best of moods) but she was also playing a Billy Idol CD (that must've woken me up too).

   Singing along with the song, she prepared my plate. After putting the syrup and jelly on the pancakes, she handed the plate to me, along with a fork. The pancakes were as expected: Amazing.

   As I crammed them into my mouth, my mother called for my brother Todd, who was in grade 8, to come down and eat his breakfast.

   "Isaac, I need for you to pick up your brother after school," she said with a lightness in her voice. "Your dad and Denise are on a cruise for their honeymoon you know, and I can't call your aunt because she's all the way in Africa on a college trip. So, please, before you go off and goof around with your friends, pick Todd up from the middle school, and drop him off at home."

    I made a sound of confirmation, continuously cramming the fluffy delight in my mouth. My mind was only focused on devouring the food before me.

::: ::: :::

   The foxy looking brunette Justice, who made me the lucky one to be her boyfriend came out of her luxurious house, and walked up to my car. "Hey, babe," I said to her, as she leaned in to give me a peck on the cheek. "You look nice."

   She rolled her eyes as she got inside the car. "No, I don't Isaac, I look fucking fat."

   That was what Justice always said. Seriously, she could go on this big diet, and lose a lot of weight and she'd still deem herself too fat; like something was wrong with her.

   We didn't say much during the ride to school. She snap chatted, and I listened to some song's on the radio. I pulled into a parking space when a song by The Weeknd started to play.

   "Hey, Stints, and the girlfriend too!"

   My buddy and teammate Peyton Laufield called from across the other side of the parking lot. "Get your asses over here quick!"

   Justice sighed out of frustration and huffed. "Seriously, what does he need to tell us?"

   I shrugged. "I don't know," I said, "maybe he's gonna start complaining about Gwen. So don't get offended if he does. That's what guys do, they complain about their girlfriends.

   She shrugged, adding in an eye roll this time. "I know what you guys say. Besides, I'm pretty sure him and Gwen are still going strong. She would've texted me yesterday about it, if they had gotten in an argument."

   I didn't say anything, but I smiled at Justice.

   When we reached Peyton, he threw a football at me, and I caught it smoothly. "So, what's got you excited this morning?" I asked.

   He gave me a tight-lipped smile, as if I said a joke out of line or something. I gave him a questionable look.

   In response, Peyton gave me a giant shove, and poked Justice in the ribs. He put both of his arms around my shoulder, and Justice's shoulder. "I wanted to tell you guys, before you heard from anyone else...eh, me and Gwen broke up."

   Justice looked at me before she said anything. "Why?"

   I responded with, "did she not cook for you?"

   Peyton stopped walking, and leant his back against the school building. " Hardy har har, funny Isaac." Hints of anger were evident in his voice. "I saw a photo of Gwen and some fuck making out on Facebook. Now everyone thinks I'm a dumbass."

   "Do you know who the guy is, maybe we can beat the fucker's ass if we wanted to." I suggested, though Peyton's girlfriend cheating didn't come as much of a surprise to me considering, she dated a new guy ever 2 weeks. So it was proned to happen. But that didn't mean we couldn't beat the jackass up.

   Justice gave me the mean mug, and then looked a little apologetically at my friend. "Gwen usually makes out with different guys when she's drunk," she defended her friend.

   Peyton nodded. "Sure Justice says that, because the fucking new kid with the Canadian accent was the one she messed around on me with." He shook his head and walked away, leaving me and Justice.

   Justice moved some of her brown strands of hair away from her face, and scoffed at me. "Why did Gwen hook up with him? He's not even cute, maybe she wanted to see what a Canadian tasted like." Justice laughed at the last part. She always laughed at her own words. I shook my head.

   "Well Gwen needs to know she when she isn't single," I said. I hope what I just said, didn't come out as harsh as I didn't attend it to. I just thought it was lame that Justice didn't see her friend as a slut.

   I waited for Justice to take-in my words ; usually I would try explaining myself on why I said what I just said. But she gave me an unconvinced look. She thought all my words were lame and dimwitted.

   "That doesn't mean Peyton isn't a man whore," she fired back at me. She then walked away but not before smirking and saying behind her shoulder, "Besides, you never know, Peyton and me could've hooked up before." When she walked away from me, I had a feeling that the words that just left her mouth were true, and that they weren't only attended to just make me angry.

   I wanted to go after her, but I didn't.

   I never asked Peyton if him and Justice ever hooked up. I didn't even know if that was a validation in our bro-cro: Do not hook up with your bro's girlfriend, nor do you get with a girl that your bro has hooked up with.

   I knew that those words that'd left Justice's mouth, would keep on nagging me all day. Admittedly I was the kind of person, that tended to get jealous easily, and it sucked.

   I then decided to head to History early, which was my first class. I never got to class early—usually late. Hopefully me changing a step to my usual routine, would keep Justice's words off my mind.

:: :: ::

   I didn't get what Mr Johnson was saying. His words made no sense to me. The different degrees each shape had, made my head wanna combust. Why did we need to learn about this stuff. Once we got out of this place called, high school? We'd just forgot about all this stuff they'd teach us. Basically it was a waste of everyone's time.

   Geometry sucked.

   Mr Johnson then handed out each of us a worksheet. that meant homework for me. I groaned with the rest of the class.

   "Why, Johnson?" I asked Mr Johnson when he handed me a worksheet. He gave me a grin that didn't summit to his eyes, if all the smile was freaky-looking and seemed forced.

   "Just do the assignment," he ordered.

   I nodded. "Gotcha,'" I said.

   I wanted to say some smart-ass excuse, but I didn't feel like getting sent to Mr Ethridge—the principal's office—today. He'd only say the same things he'd say to me every time I got sent to his office. His breath smelling of stale coffee and cigarettes, he'd threaten me with detention, demand me to write a letter explaining my disruptive and disrespectful behavior, and make me deliver it in person to the teacher who's class I tried to disrupt and disrespect as a student.

   Staring at the blank worksheet on my desk, I looked around to see if I could copy off of anyone.

   To my right sat a girl who usually kept to herself. Her name was Zoey... I think. I wasn't sure if it was her name, though. I wasn't good when it came to names, especially when I didn't even talk to the person.

    I watched her a little before I attempted to steal a glance at her worksheet. She didn't look like the kinda person to not let you look at her paper. Maybe I could ask her? She couldn't say no to me.

   "Hey can I bor—"

   She gave me a look and sighed. "You wanna copy off of me?" she asked. I gave her a small smile, and chuckled a little bit. Shit. I was starting to feel dumb based off of the look she was giving me. When was I ever going to try and do my own work?

   "Uh, yeah," I said hesitantly. "Please?"

    She looked to where Mr Johnson was sitting. He was reading a book and seemed to be into it, like no one had a chance of distracting him away from it.

   "Okay, here it is," She mumbled.

   I took the paper delicately from her hands, and started to write down the answers on my sheet of paper. I glanced at Zoey, and saw that she was staring at me. But she quickly reverted her eyes when she saw me look at her. I smirked at her, and shook my head. Yeah, I knew what she may have been thinking.

   After I had all the answers copied, I handed the paper back to her.

   She was a good person to cheat off of, and that's why I was passing Geography. Man, wasn't I grateful?

   I then heard Zoey mumble. "You're welcome,"

   Oops, I thought.

   I gave her a look. "Eh, sorry," I said.

   She didn't say anything. She only shook her head at me and began working on what looked to be homework from another class. Looking at Zoey, I knew she was smart. During our school's annual Academic awards, her name would be called constantly amongst other smart people and nerds.

   Though she wasn't popular or known much around here, that didn't mean she wasn't attractive. Maybe if she lost the whole shy-intimidating persona, she'd be more hot. I mean, she was a brunette like Justice except Justice's hair was moused and wavy, while Zoey's I saw was naturally straight and to her shoulders. I liked it when Justice's hair was straight like that, instead of the hair-stuff she always put in it to make it wavy.

   I stared more at Zoey. She wasn't wearing makeup at all. Her face was spotless, so she didn't get acne like Justice, though Justice didn't get acne much she'd just start freaking out as if it were the end of the world, if she saw a bump anywhere on her face.

   I didn't know how long I was staring at her, much less I didn't even know I was staring, until the bell rang.

:: :: ::

   It was the lunch hour.

   And currently me and Justice were sitting inside my car in the Burger King parking lot, arguing over that comment she'd made to me this morning.

   "Isaac get over yourself. I was just joking!"

   I stared at my hands on the steering wheel. "It didn't sound that way to me Justice. When you make comments like that, it makes it hard for me to trust you."

   Justice crossed her arms and glared at me.

   "Have you slept with Peyton?" I asked for what seemed to be the thousandth time.

   "Fuck you Isaac," she seethed, flipping me off. I wanted to laugh at the immaturity of her gesture, but I remained annoyed.

  "If you don't believe me, ask Peyton."

   I sighed. Would Peyton really tell me, 'Yeah man, me and your girlfriend hooked up.'? I didn't know. Peyton could be honest when he really wanted to be. And really, would I wanna hear the truth from him?

   "But you're my girlfriend," I said.

   Justice ignored me.

   I sighed again. I hated when me and Justice got in an argument like this, but her comment bothered me and still bothered me. But I needed to put this behind me, right? I knew Justice loved me, and her and Peyton would've told me already.

   "Okay babe," I touched her arm. "I'm sorry."

   She stopped ignoring me and turned around. "Fine. Just don't question me like that again."

   I didn't say anything, because I was still skeptical. But just for this moment, I'd put it behind me. Because right now, I just wanted to kiss her.

   She was waiting for me to say something.

   I just leaned in and kissed her.

   She kissed back.

   I'll put it all behind me, just for now.

:: :: ::

   The rest of the day had gone by quickly.

   Athletics had went okay, and Peyton seemed to be in okay spirits once he got his head in the game. Besides, he told me last week that he didn't want Wayward beating Warner's football team again, so it was best to just focus on the plays coach was going over with us, instead of his ex Gwen who didn't give a rat's ass about him.

   Justice had texted me while I was taking a test in Chemistry. She was wanting me to drive her home. I guess Gwen wasn't available. I'd texted her back saying it just depended on how long football practice would stretch.

   I knew she didn't like my response because it took her awhile to respond.

   Eventually school let out, and before making my way over to the field for football practice I met up with Justice in the parking lot.

   Justice was talking to Gwen who didn't seem too happy to see me, considering I was her ex's friend. "So Luigi's on Saturday..." 

   Gwen gave me a glance over before interrupting Justice's rambling and nodded her head towards me. Justice turned around, "Finally," she complained, irritation coating her voice just like the lip gloss on her lips. "It's too hot for you to have me standing out here, Isaac. You want me to sweat like a damn pig?" I felt the end of my lips slightly go upward morphing into a smirk.

   Justice. Pig.

Those two words didn't seem to quite match up in my mind.

   "I'm here," I said. I could see Gwen roll her eyes. "Well," she said to my girlfriend. "I'm gonna be going, don't forget Luigi's."

   "Of course," reassured Justice, "don't forget pink flowers, either."

   I raised my eyebrow out of curiosity. Luigi's and pink flowers?"

   "Okay." Gwen then walked away.

   Justice and I were now alone.

   "So," I said a little awkwardly. I didn't know why it suddenly got a little awkward between me and my girlfriend. "What's this thing about Luigi's and stuff?"

   Luigi's was a popular Italian restaurant in Havendust. Justice and I ate there a couple times a month when we went out on a dinner date.

   She shrugged. "Gwen is going on a date with Liam. I was just suggesting a couple things for her to do."

   I gave her a quizzical look. "Who's Liam?"

   "The Canadian."

   I shook my head.

   That guy.

   All of this felt kind of weird, due to the fact that Justice was still friends with Gwen, and I was still friends with Peyton, and they'd broken up. And now, when Justice brings up all of this stuff about Gwen and Liam (the Canadian guy) it just feels fake. But I didn't say anything about that, instead Justice and I just talked about the weekend and we made out.

—

   Then there was football practice. The coach this time had the team do some weight lifting. Thereafter heading back over to the field and going through the usual practice drills and baloney, we were let out of practice for the day.

   "What you doin after this man?" Peyton queried as we both headed to the parking lot, carrying our athletic bags and drinking the fresh cold bottled waters that were given to us after practice.

   I shrugged. "Justice wanted me to take her home, but I told her I didn't know how long practice would take. So, I don't know," I glanced at my phone. "She hasn't texted me back."

   Peyton laughed. "She could be hanging out with Gwen and the Canadian."

   I sighed, frustrated. Justice was starting to get on my nerves because it seemed like I was irritating her a lot today, and I wasn't even trying to. She could be so evil sometimes.

   Before practice, when we'd been making out, I guess we hadn't been making out in front of my car like I thought, because the next thing you know, the Zoey girl from Geometry interrupted our make out session because we'd been blocking the door to her car, even though I thought it'd been my car. I couldn't even look at Zoey due to the fact that Justice was being blatantly mean to her, and I had no control over the situation. And I was kind of embarrassed, and I didn't even know why I felt embarrassed, because Zoey was just some nerd. Why did she matter?

   Since Justice wasn't answering my text, and I was a bit irritated at her anyway, I decided to go pick up my brother from school like my mother told me to do. My brother had after school tutoring, so I didn't have to be late (a little bit) to football practice in order to give my brother a ride home like I thought so.