+chapter.six+

Tay was lying on the couch, Mackie was on the floor and the TV was on. No one else was in sight.

Taylor sat up immediately. “Whoa, Zac, who’s the chick?”

Zachary shot his older brother a look. “This ‘chick’ is Jennifer. You know her, leave her alone.”

Tay slumped in his seat some. That didn’t look like Jennifer to him. He shrugged it off for now and returned his attention to the television.

“Mom?” Zachary called, his arm around his friend.

“Upstairs, Zac,” Diana called back.

“You think you can make it?” Zac asked Jennifer softly.

She nodded, trying to force a smile, but it was no use. She was still so shaken up.

The two walked upstairs, both in their socks.

“Mom, we gotta talk,” Zac spoke, walking in his room where his mother was putting away clothes.

She looked up and gasped. “Oh my! Jenn, Baby, are you okay?” She could never mistake that sweet face.

Zac and Jenn sat down on his trundle as Diana sat herself on Taylor’s bunk.

Zachary did most of the talking and offered his mother the envelope to inspect. After looking through the things, she spoke. “We have to call your parents. Then the police.”

Jennifer shakily took in a breath and nodded.

“Don’t worry, Baby. Everything will be okay,” Diana spoke as she stood. She ran a hand over her second-daughter’s soft skin. “You can stay here as long as you like. I completely understand.”

“Thank you,” Jennifer spoke shakily. “For everything…Both of you.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Diana spoke before leaving the room.

Zac watched his mother leave then turned to Jenn. “You get some rest. Everything’s safe…and I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”

Jennifer nodded and laid down beside Zachary. Zac sat there on the bed, his feet gently placed on the ground, looking down at her and stroked her cheek gently in attempt to calm her. She closed her eyes slowly and tiredly.

Zac looked at his friend, his worry so great. He had never seen her so…frail and helpless looking. Ever.

Why would anyone do this to her anyway? She never bugged anyone.

He shook his head and stood up. “Sleep well,” he whispered gently. “Sleep well.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Isaac jogged upstairs and to his room. The door was closed. He looked at it, confused. Their door was never closed. He opened it slowly and poked his head in. He saw a figure lying on Zac’s trundle and squinted slightly to see that it was Jennifer.

Still thoroughly confused, Ike walked down the hall to the spare room where Zachary was lying on his back, his elbows pointed to the ceiling, and hands on his head.

“Hey, you okay?” Isaac asked quietly.

Zac looked up at Ike’s then dropped his head back on the pillow. After a deep sigh, his voice shaking slightly, he answered, “No.”

Isaac walked deeper into the room and sat down on the bed next to his brother. “What’s eatin’ ya lil bro?”

Zac’s arms fell above his head as he stared at his brother for a short while. Could he trust Ike? Really and truly trust him? Well, if he couldn’t trust Ike, he couldn’t trust anyone in that household. “Shut the door?” Zac spoke.

Isaac nodded, got up, shut the door, and returned to his seat on the bed. Zachary sat up Indian style and looked down at his hands.

“Zac…what’s the matter?”

“Maybe a half hour after you left, Jenn ran into me. She was so upset, Ike…God, I’ve never seen her like that before. She had this envelope she got in the mail. Ike…God, it was a threat letter. Had something like ‘I will get you’ spelled out on it. Then if that wasn’t enough…Lord, there were pictures of her. Her getting off the bus, from the window of her math class, and one from the window of her room. Her room Ike…I was…am so scared for her. What the hell is going on?” Zachary’s voice wavered slightly. He truly was deeply worried for his friend. Not even her home was safe anymore. “Then if that wasn’t enough, he was in her house. Everything was locked. She didn’t do anything wrong, but he still got in.” Zac looked up at his brother.

“Oh my God…” Isaac was shocked. Stuff like this never happened in Tulsa…Ever.

Zac nodded, swallowing hard. Isaac leaned over and gave his brother a reassuring hug. He could feel him shaking.

“Ike, please don’t say anything…to Tay or anyone I mean. Mom knows…she’s calling Jenn’s parents and the cops…Tay’ll find out soon enough,” Zac spoke, pulling away.

Isaac nodded. “Whatever you want.”

Zac bit his bottom lip lightly. “Ike…there’s…there’s something else I kinda want to get off my chest…”

Isaac nodded. “Okay.”

“I…I think I’m in love.”

“What? With who?” Isaac asked. This was a major shock. Not to mention a major subject jump.

Zac took in a deep breath. “Jennifer.”

Isaac’s eyes widened. “Jenn? The chick in the other room?”

Zac nodded shyly. “Yea.”

“Wow,” Isaac replied.

“What do I do?”

“Whadda ya mean?”

“What should I do? Say? Tell her or not?”

Ike looked at his brother for a moment. “Zac…if you like her…really like her…tell her. And as for when…as soon as possible. When she wakes up even…it would hopefully make you both feel better.”

Zachary nodded and smiled slightly. “Thanks, Ike.”

“Anytime…Anytime.”