Flight Risk

We tried to take our minds off of the chaos by watching movies in Zacky's living room. Zack and I curled up side by side on the right end of the couch and Johnny sat on the other end, his eyes trailing to us every so often as Zacky played with my fingers.

The day felt longer than ever as we waited for school to get out. Our plan was to confront Micki so we could find out if she was the one who had told or possibly, if it had been her brother. With every thought about her spilling my secret, I grew both angry and upset. If she had, I was fresh out of girl friends. It was a strange kind of hopelessness that had settled in the pit of my stomach, a constant reminder that the people I'd trusted had screwed me over.

Zacky and I were outside the school when the final bell rang. Down the street Draven sat in the driver's seat of Micki's car and I could almost see his eyes trained in my direction.

"I need to go talk to him," I sighed, running my fingers through my long tangled hair as I leaned back against Zacky's passenger's seat, "I need to find out what he and Micki said."

Zacky glared down the street. "No way," he muttered angrily, shaking his head, "You're not going near him alone, Grange."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be fine," I defended, "It's not like he's going to force himself on me or anything. I just need to talk to him. He won't lie to me." I reached for the door handle but Zacky stopped me by grabbed my other hand.

I looked back to him and leaned across the console so I could press my mouth against his, reassuringly. Kissing him would never get old. Every kiss was more than just our lips touching. It was as if I could feel what he was feeling just by the simple act of my mouth touching his. He pushed his chin forward, pressing his lips harder against mine for a minute before he pulled back, causing me to push forward to keep our mouths connected.

I could feel him breathe against my lips, the air moist and warm as my cheeks reddened from the heat between us. I stopped his breathing as my lips touched his again, unable to stop myself and end it, and as he closed his eyes I could almost feel his lashes against my cheek.

It was the simple feeling of being near him that made today so much harder. The idea of not being close to him was heart-shattering. I could imagine it, but without him, I could only see myself miserable and needy. I'd never been someone who needed someone else by my side. Having grown up in the shadow of my older brother taught me that I was going to be on my own for a long time, but now, with Zacky here next to me, I couldn't imagine ever being on my own again.

Sure, he and the guys would leave for tour, but he would come back for me eventually. He and I were compatible like me and nobody else ever had been. He could make me nervous and excited just by the way his dark eyes looked at me.

As I sat back in my seat and reached for the handle of the door again, I was newly determined to figure out how Naomi could possible know anything about he and I. Zacky groaned loudly when I got out of the car, but when he realized I wasn't getting back in, he stepped out too and watched me walk away over the hood of his car.

Draven saw me coming. His eyes followed me as I walked around to the driver's side and pulled the door open. I crossed my arms over my chest and stepped back, farther into the road. "Get out, Draven," I demanded, noting the large bruise that spanned the left side of his jaw. "I need to talk to you."

He stared at me for a minute, just looking at me as he tried to figure out what I wanted. He stepped out of the car, much taller than me even as he leaned against the metal frame. "What do you want, Granger?" he asked, sounding unimpressed and bored with me.

"How does Naomi know how old Zacky is?" I asked, cutting straight to the point, "How does she know and what the hell do you think is going to happen when she tells her dad?"

Draven stayed composed and I knew that he already knew about Naomi.

"What the hell is your problem?" I screamed, grabbing onto fistfuls of his shirt and yanking him towards me, "Do you know what is going to happen when her dad figures out that it's true? Zacky is going to jail!"

Draven shoved my hands off of him and smoothed his cotton shirt down over his stomach. "Maybe that's where he belongs, Granger," he retorted, clenching his fists by his side, his eyes boring into mine. "Did you ever consider maybe that he's just using you? If he's so awesome, then why can't he get a girl his own age?"

"Because I want him and he wants me, Draven!" I exclaimed, becoming hysterical now that I knew the truth. "I love him, don't you understand that? It has nothing to do with how old he is or who he hangs out with. It's just him. I only care about him!"

"Why him?" Draven shouted back, throwing his hands into the air to show that he didn't understand. "Why did you chose him over me?"

I screamed loudly, no words, just screaming, as I turned my back to him and looked at the trees on the other side of the road. I wanted to break everything, but there was nothing to damage so I kicked my foot at the black-top and stomped angrily, unsure of what to do with my anger. Finally, I spoke, not turning around to face him. "I love him because of the way he smiles," I answered, grabbing my hair in my fists, "I love him because he's reckless with everything but me, because he cooks me breakfast and worries about me when I don't feel well. I love him because his family is huge and amazing and sweet. I love him because he's good at almost everything but doesn't care about any of those things except music." I pivoted around to face Draven as the last school bell of the day sounded mutely from inside the building. He was composed but slightly curious as he listened.

"I love Zacky because he's a mamma's boy and because he's protective of his older sister, even though she's more than capable of taking care of herself and everyone else. I didn't chose Zacky," I stated, shrugging my shoulders. "I didn't chose him over you Draven, there was no choice. I feel like he was made for me. You're so worried that he's controlling me, but honestly, if anything, I'm the one controlling him. He's the one risking everything because I love him, not the other way around."

"He doesn't care about you, Granger," Draven breathed, almost begging me to believe him. "You've got to get him out of your life before you're stuck with him."

I shook my head, needing him to believe me instead of the other way around. "He does care about me," I rebutted, "But even if he didn't, I'd still be that stupid girl chasing a guy who doesn't care about her because he's mine, Dra. He's mine and I'm his."

Teenagers pooled from the building in swarms, each one ready for the day to be over and excited to be going home. Draven covered his face with his hands and moaned as if he was in pain. And maybe he was. I hoped that this pain stemmed from the idea that he made a mistake, but when he looked back up his eyes were hard, yet pleading.

"I don't know what you want me to say," he stated, his arms hanging limply at his sides. "It's over."

"What's over?" I asked quickly, grabbing his arm, "What's over, Draven? What's happening?"

He turned his head in the direction of Zacky's car and for a moment, I thought I felt my heart fall out of my chest. When my eyes met his, he pulled his wrist away from me and stepped back, looking for his younger sister, my best friend.

She came walking towards us with her shoulders back and her eyes glaring at me. "Get away from him," she yelled to me, heading around the front of her car to stand between us.

"What the hell did you do?" I asked, nerves climbing up my throat, "What'd you say to Naomi and her dad, Micki? What'd you say!?" I stepped forward on the black top, grabbing the collar of her shirt roughly.

"Get off of me!" she screamed, shoving my shoulders back.

I stumbled, almost tripping over my own feet. I rushed her again, shoving her against the car and holding her there, wanting the answers that she had. "What'd you do!?" I asked again, yelling in her face as rationality left me.

"Granger, get off of me, you're insane!"

Before I could lift my fist to punch her, Zacky's arms were around my waist and he was yanking me away from her. "Let go of me!" I demanded, trying to shove myself out of his grasp, "I'm going to kill her, Zack, let me go!"

"No," he growled, his voice close to my ear, "Stop, Ev, just stop." He tightened his arms around me, one around my waist and one pinning my shoulders against his chest.

"She told Naomi about us!" I seethed, unable to figure out how he could be so calm when one of our friends stabbed us in the back.

Micki straightened her posture and her clothes and rested her palm on the hood of her car. She stared at Zacky and me, then moved her eyes to her brother. "What are you talking about?" she asked slowly, folding her arms over her chest.

"You told Naomi about Zacky and I and her fucking dad knows, you asshole!" I exclaimed, trying to break free of Zack's hold.

"The hell I did," Micki retorted, glaring at me, "I didn't say a god-damn thing to that bitch."

"Someone did!" I yelled, glaring at some of the students who looked my way as they made their way to the parking lot.

"How could you think that it's me?!" she asked, outraged.

I scoffed, not believing a word, "You're the only one who knew that Zacky and I have been together!"

Micki licked her lips and slowly looked to Draven.

My eyes widened. "You told him?" I yelled, "You told him that Zacky and I have had sex?! How could you, Mickhalah?!" I shrugged Zacky's arms off of me and glared at the siblings in front of me. I had trusted Micki not to tell anyone, yet she'd went and told the one person who actually would've cared who I was sleeping with.

Micki turned to Draven, honest shock on her face. "What did you do, Draven?" she asked, dead serious, "What did you tell Naomi?"

"How did you tell her?"

Draven didn't look apologetic. Instead, his eyes met Zacky's as he spoke. "She and her dad came into the store this morning," he said, his tone darkening, "Naomi asked what had happened to my face as they were checking out and it just spilled out of me. I couldn't help myself."

"And I can't help myself!" I yelled as I rushed towards him and jammed my knee into his private, not even satisfied as he doubled over in pain. "You're an asshole, Draven. Just because you can't get what you want doesn't mean you can ruin our lives!"

He looked up to me with gritted teeth. "That's a little dramatic," he seethed.

"He can go to jail!" I defended, about to kick him again when Zacky stopped me by lifting me up and away from him. "Let me go Zacky," I seethed, keeping my eyes on Draven as he got to his feet.

Draven shook his head and spoke to Zacky, "Don't you let go of her," he demanded, leaning against his car, "If either one of you touch me again I'll call the cops and then you'll really go to jail."

I took Zacky's hand as his glare settled on the boy in front of us. "Jealousy isn't a good color on you," he spat, wrapping his arms around my waist.

Draven rolled his eyes. "We're very close to finding out if orange is your color."

"Stop it," I growled, pulling away from Zacky. I stepped close to Draven and looked him in the eye, even though he was much taller than me. Micki stood quietly near him, her fingers pressing against the metal of her car as she steadied herself, obviously surprised that her brother would do this to us.

I tried to compose myself on the outside, but nervousness and anger was boiling just under the surface. I was merely a foot away from Draven, standing almost exactly between him and Zacky. I sighed and then took a deep breath, my fingers curling around my hair in frustration. "If anything happens to him," I said softly, trying not to be defeated, "If anything happens to Zack, Draven, I will kick your ass so hard that you won't even be recognizable."

Micki opened her mouth to speak, most likely to defend her brother, but I held up my hand to silence her, not wanting to hear a word come out of her mouth. "Don't even," I said, not bothering to look at her, "This is as much your fault as it is his. I can't believe I trusted you."

"But, Grange-"

I shook my head. "Just don't, Micki." I stepped away from the siblings and took Zacky's left hand in my right. I didn't know what was going to happen now, but somehow I knew that something was going to happen at least. Naomi and her father were cut from the same cloth.

"Granger, I didn't know that he-"

"I said stop," I demanded, taking in her disheveled appearance, including her messy hair and crestfallen expression. I closed my eyes as I sighed, too angry to forgive her. "I don't care, Micki, we're leaving. So just leave me alone."

She tried to apologize as I pulled Zacky away, but I ignored her, not at all interested in listening to ramble about her own mistake. Zacky didn't say a word to me either. This was serious. This was no stupid fight between two high school seniors.

"What do you think is going to happen?" I asked when we were back in the car, "Do you think the cops will show up at your house?"

Zacky pulled out of the school drive and onto the street, his expression stony as he shrugged. "We'll have to see."

"I don't want to," I replied softly, pulling my knees up to my chest. I looked away from him as tears flooded my eyes. I wiped my cheeks angrily.

"Ev," Zacky sighed, reaching to touch my cheek, "Don't cry, Baby. It'll be okay."

"What else is there to do?" I asked, wiping my face with the palm of my hand. "There are going to be cops and you're going to jail, Zacky."

"You don't know that," he stated while shaking his head, "They have no proof. The word of some teenager isn't enough to prove anything."

"What happens if we tell them that we've never done anything?"

Zacky almost smiled as he realized what I was saying. "Nothing, I don't think. If we're just friends then they can't do anything without proof."

"That's what we'll do then. We just pretend that we're friends. Nobody will say anything. Just our friends know."

"Yours obviously know more than mine," Zacky murmured, managing to make a little joke even with the circumstances.

"Shut up," I replied softly although I was relieved that he had made me smile. I undid my belt and got out of the car once he'd pulled into his driveway. Honestly, I was relieved that there weren't cop cars waiting in his driveway, I'd been expecting something at least.

"Johnny, we're back!" Zacky greeted when we walked in.

Johnny looked up from his spot on the couch and muted the TV. "How'd it go?" he asked nervously, crossing his arms as I sat next to him.

"Micki told Draven," I started, scooting close to Zack as he sat down.

"And Draven told Naomi the other day," he finished, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

"What are you going to do?" Johnny questioned, concern on his face as he looked at us.

I pulled my feet up onto the couch and tucked them under me, leaning into Zacky's side as I slightly faced the shorter boy. "We're not going to do anything," I explained, watching as he became confused, "Zacky and I are just friends. Why should we be worried?"

Johnny's eyes widened. "You're going to lie?" he asked, messing with his fingers nervously, "Can't you get in trouble for that?"

"Only if it goes to court and they find out," Zacky stated, "Which is won't because they won't have any evidence as long as everyone keeps their mouth shut from here on out."

Johnny promised that he would and suggested that we have everyone over to relay that message to them. Within an hour, the guys and their girls were walking through the front door side by side. We hadn't told them over the phone why they needed to come, but their expressions made it known that they knew it was serious.

Gena came through the door last with Lacey, who raced over to Johnny and dropped into his lap with an easy smile on her face.

Our friends sat in the living room as Zacky explained what had happened. Val was one of the most emotional women in the room. When she heard that Zacky could possibly go to jail, she jumped off her seat and onto Zacky's lap, her arms wrapping around his neck as tears came to her eyes.

"Zacky, oh my gosh," she murmured, hugging him tightly, "It's going to be okay. We'll all vouch for you. Nothing bad is going to happen."

Zacky patted her back comfortingly. "It's okay, Val. We're going to work everything out."

I leaned back against the couch and nervously fiddled with the ends of my hair. Having everyone here was comforting. Matt pulled Valary out of Zacky's lap and cradled the woman against his side. Brian and Michelle sat next to them with their hands connected as they listened to Zacky's explanation.

Next to them, between Michelle and Jimmy, Gena sat on the floor, her hands clasped in her hands. I looked at her as our news met her ears. I didn't necessarily want her here, but she was in on our relationship and we had to ask her to pretend that Zacky and I never got together.

"This is just terrible," Lacey commented, reaching for my hand, "You two must be freaking out."

I held her hand and shrugged my shoulders.

Lacey sighed loudly and pulled me closer to her and away from Zacky. "Don't be stoic," she demanded, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

I chuckled softly. Lacey was in Johnny's grade, but I never saw her because we didn't have lunch or classes together and she spent most of her time suspended or just not there. While she wasn't the best roll-model when it came to being responsible, she was a sweetheart. It was easy to tell why she and Johnny got along so well.

Jimmy looked offended as he sat cross-legged next to the dark-haired, Leana. The usually bubbly woman was incredibly muted, her lips pressed together as she leaned her shoulder against Jimmy's.

Jimmy climbed over the coffee table quickly, stunning all of us, and wrapped his arms over both mine and Zacky's shoulders, his head between ours as he hugged us.

"Thanks, Jimmy," I replied, hugging the lanky man back as I chuckled at his crazy antics.

"We could just kill the snitch," he offered as he climbed back over the small table to sit next to Leana. "Then the cops won't have anyone to testify."

We all chuckled and Zacky rolled his eyes. "It's not going to come to that, Jim," he promised, taking my hand back in his now that people had stopped hugging us. "Micki's brother won't say anything anyways. Granger threatened to whip his ass if anything happens to me."

"Which nothing will," I reiterated to comfort everyone again, including myself.

It seemed that everyone was surprised when Gena spoke up. "But what if something does?" she asked quickly, "What if someone finds out the truth and Zacky is arrested?"

"Have a little faith, Gena," Brian suggested, trying to keep the room calm.

"Well, someone obviously found out already," she stated, looking to Zacky's eyes. "How can you be so calm about this, Zack? Your stupid idea has completely screwed you over."

"Gena, please don't," Zacky replied, shaking his head at her, "I really care about Granger. The risk is worth it."

I pressed our connected hands against the side of his thigh and he smiled at me slightly.

Gena stared at us before she spoke. "I'm more than happy to pretend that this-" She motioned to us, "Doesn't exist, but you two should probably turn it down a little bit. What happens if someone comes barging through that door with an order to arrest him and you two are all cuddled up? That lie you're concocting will go right out the window."

"We'll worry about that," I stated, looking her in the eye, "But thanks for your concern, Gena."

The blonde nodded and looked away, giving up now that she had got her point of view out there and still nobody was on her side.

Zacky pulled me into him and kissed my forehead reassuringly. The guys chatted about everything and nothing as we sat in Zacky's living room, the air of the room returning back to a comfortable one as we changed the subject.

It was about an hour later that my cell phone started ringing from my back pocket. The room quieted instantly as I pulled it out and my mom's picture flashed on the screen.

We all knew that this was the beginning of something scary and that lying would be the only way out, but even though our plan was to pretend that Zacky and I were just friends, he pulled me closer and nodded for me to answer.

Our hopeful outcome would be that Zacky would walk away from this with no charges and no discipline, but once my mom would find out that Zack and I were still friends, I would be grounded again and these people in front of me, the ones who were here for me, wouldn't be allowed in my life anymore.