"Tim!" I open my most likely blackened eyes and feel the pain surge through my head.

"Tim, are you all right?" From beneath the strip of vision I have, I see her.

"Zoe," I murmur. She's standing over me, worry forming in her face. Even then, she looks just as beautiful as earlier today.

"Yeah, it's me, I saw everything. I-I wanted to come and help you, but Iknew that would be social suicide for you! They'd beat you up even more, and I-I just couldn't let that happen, and I saw the way they held you down and let Shane the Pain hurt you, and you looked so exhausted, you didn't even fight back, and I just-" I cut her off by raising my weakened arm and cupping the side of her face.

And we kiss.

Just Kidding! Of course not, I'm not that lucky.

Instead, a silvery tear slips from beneath her ice-cap eyes, and slides onto my hand.

"I just was so afraid for you."

I chuckle. "No, you don't have to worry about me!"

Zoe cracks a weak smile. "Uh, yeah I do." More tears fall. "Now,let's get you back to a convenience store to get you fixed up. I'll buy you an ice-pack and some bandages."

"And a candy?" I ask jokingly.

She beams. "Yes, and a candy."

Zoe lifts me off Shane's lawn. Everything hurts. I glance back at the house, and it's lively in there with the music blasting against the windows. Zoe shakes her head. I start to try to walk, and then falter. She hoists me to my feet again, and has one arm holding me up. We walk down the street; I'm limping the whole way.

"How long was I zoning out for after Shane left?" I ask.

"Not even a few minutes." Zoe answers.

"Why were you even on this street?"

She gives me a playfully sly look. "I was around."

I try to act like it's not bugging me that she's not telling me why she's around this street. I was around.  That statement practically screams secrets within those three words.

It takes a while, but we soon get to the street where the store is. It's not the store I work at, it's our "competitor" as Ms. Piedson calls it. Now, even though they beat us out in shipping and pricing every year, I can say that it is a convenient store. It's open until eleven pm. It's only about eight-thirty. Early, actually, for a party.

"Here,"Zoe sets me down on the curb. "Stay here. I'll buy you some ice and stuff to help you." She examines my cuts and soon-to-be bruises."Youch. Poor thing."

I chortle, even though it hurts to.

Zoe walks into the store.

She does so, and five minutes later, another person enters the store.

Now, I normally wouldn't care if another person walked into the store. But this guy... he had something strange about him.

 He was carrying a horse mask. 

And then I spot the gun.