US; The beginning

Chapter 9

Maddie had just gotten to school and was headed towards her locker when she was intercepted by Zac. He had bottled up every motion that he had up till this moment and he needed to get it all of his chest.

"What are you doing?" Maddie asked, a tad confused.

"Something I should have done a while ago" He replied.

"What in the butter crackers is up with you?"

"First of all, don't ever use butter crackers in that context again, and secondly, Keith; that's what's up" he replied viciously gesticulating.

"What about Keith?"

"I don't like what's going on"

"Zachary Jace King, are you jealous?" She asked.

"Heck no! A King can never be jealous of Keith Song"

"If not jealousy, then...do you love him? Are you gay?" She asked quite surprised.

"Yes, I'm madly in love with Keith Song" He replied with sarcasm. "Of course, I'm not gay".

"If not jealousy, not a homosexual, then what is it?"

"We can't talk here" He finalized while dragging her towards the bleachers.

They settled under the bleachers and started to talk.

"I'm pretty sure you think Keith likes you, but I can swear he doesn't" Zac warned.

"Of course, he doesn't" Maddie replied sarcastically.

"I'm serious, he doesn't"

"And how would you know that?"

"It used to be Keith, Max, Rick and...me" Zac said.

"Hard to believe"

"But true" he added.

"Wow" She awed.

"We were like the demigods of the school, they were all single but I was dating Nicole Waters" He explained.

"That's the Australian transfer student, right?"

"Yep. One day I got this anonymous text that said Nikky was cheating, I confronted her and she plainly denied all the accusations and I believed her".

"What does this all have to do with Keith?" She asked.

"I'm getting there; everything went on as it usually did and we were great again. One day, I call and say I'm coming over, she tells me not to cause she has homework to do and her parents were around to see to it that is done, I say ok" "Still don't get it"

"Wait, I decided to go over and help my girl with her work, so we can have a little fun. I bought flowers and chocolates, I get to the front door and there's no car in the driveway; meaning her parents weren't there".

"I get it, she lied, so?" Maddie's impatience grew greater.

"I go to the kitchen window and see Keith's bag on the floor. I refused to believe and decided to check the living room instead"

"Oh my God, the suspense"

"I find Keith's sneakers at my girlfriend's backyard. I peep and find them cuddling, and laughing. I thought it was dream and didn't want to believe what I was seeing and just then, she kissed him"

"Damn"

Zac left the emotional zone. "I thought to jump in there and snap his head off, then I reasoned that it was for the best, I dropped the gifts on the porch, rang the doorbell and left"

Nicole came out to see the gifts, she searched for dropped them and she Zac's car zooming off. She felt embarrassed. She picked up the gifts and read the note there: Thanks for it all, including cheating.