Zion:

Axel:

"Zi," Wynter called distantly. I wasn't paying attention. My gaze trailed over and my head perked up. I cocked my head to the side, raising a brow. Wynter grinned slyly. "Did you see the new kid?" He hummed to me. I raised a brow and followed his gaze.

The new student, I didn't know his name, stood at an open seat. He was talking to the teacher from across the room. He had an oddly official voice for someone only in his teens. His voice was also extremely appealing, very smooth and strong. It also had a hint of a British dialect.

"He's cute, huh?" Wynter asked, nudging me. His voice wasn't always so appealing, it was high pitched and scratchy. I shrugged. Wynter's hair was very silvery, like his dad, Viktor's, and thin as well. It was also very short. His skin was extremely pale too. He had never been the most appealing to me.

"Sure," I responded sarcastically. I knew my voice was more boyish than most girls. It was either really deep or too high pitched for any human to understand, there was really never an in between. I smirked at my snowy-eyed friend. It was funny his name was Wynter because of the color of his pale eyes, they really were a winter theme. I looked back to the new boy, his hair was too well placed and oddly thin. It bounced as he stepped, the black and blue of his hair did, that is. He was walking to the front of the room, looking around. We made eye contact, I nodded. He nodded in response. Wynter made a squeaking noise, causing me to flinch. I gave him an annoyed look with my frustratingly multi-colored "hazel" eyes.

"Did you see that? He was totally staring at you!" Wynter practically yelled, then again most of the kids were freaking out. I was mostly confused and a few other kids looked annoyed.

I looked nothing like Wynter, my hair was black and fluffed. I had also given my hair red streaks and tips, a traditional "emo" as Wynter put it. My eye color was like hazel but bluer with a larger hint of brown in the center. My skin was pale but tanned with the sun. I always wore hoodies, Wynter wore oversized t-shirts. We both did wear skinny jeans usually, though.

The new kid was intriguing, I will admit. I found out his name was Axel and that he was from somewhere around Britain but he never specified where. Wynter and a few other kids kept making comments about him, I honestly felt kind of bad. I had been there, the new kid being commented on. I still was occasionally.

I had only recently moved here, to this tiny town, from my hometown which was a lot larger. Here, everyone knew each other and once you're the new kid everyone wants to know you and will befriend you. I liked Wynter the most, to be honest. He was a lot more interesting than anyone here and kinder too.

I minded the comments people made about me, Axel didn't really seem to. He seemed amused, actually. I didn't focus on it too much. Instead, I attempted to focus on the drag of a lesson that we had started over two weeks ago. It really only should've taken us a week to do but it was taking my class a lot longer. It was irritating.

Class passed quickly, mostly because I wasn't paying attention. I had been writing in my notebook. The next period was slow and seemed to drag on forever but thankfully it was the end of the day by then and I got to go home.

The bus was weird because Wynter had basketball tryouts, I was alone. The kids were exceedingly annoying today, which was a lot more than normal. I found an open seat in the cramped space and sat down, hugging the window. I placed my backpack beside me, signaling I did not want company. Well, sometimes we don't get what we want.

My bag was moved from beside me to on top of me before I could say or do anything. The new kid sat next to me. I shifted, giving him an annoyed look. He simply smiled an oddly charming smile that could win awards all on its own. His deep brown eyes closed when he smiled, it was childish but cute, nonetheless. I hugged my bag and watched out the window. We slowly began moving through the parking lot then into the road and the short journey home began.

"Excuse me?" Axel spoke, I hadn't expected to hear his voice again. It sounded stranger up close. I looked at him.

"What?" My tone was harsher than I had intended. I winced at the sound of my own voice. Axel seemed unfazed.

"What stop do you get off on?" He asked.

"The third," I responded, looking away. I sounded irritated. I guess I was actually irritated but I hadn't intended on sounding that way.

"Oh, yes, I remember seeing you this morning," Axel contemplated. "What's your name?" The subject quickly changed. "I am Axel, Axel Kai Knox," I glanced over to see his hand extended. I sighed. I fixed my arms so they were no longer crossed and faced him. I accepted his hand.

"Zino but everyone calls me Zi," I informed, attempting to sound cheerful.

"That's certainly an interesting name?" Axel intrigued.

"I could say the same for Axel," I was back to sitting with my legs and arms crossed but not as slouched now. He seemed puzzled by my comment. He blinked. Slowly, I saw a smile crawl back onto his face. He had dimples when he smiled.

The ride was quick and efficient, just as it always was. I was off the bus with Axel in less than ten minutes. Of course, that meant Kali was off the bus as well and she was the most irritating kid I knew. All she did was gossip or whine about her boyfriend, they were a very intense on again, off again type of couple. It was irritating. What was worse was the fact she chose me to complain to. I never said anything, though, I usually had an earbud in and was focused on the music scratching my ears. Today was different, though, with Axel being here and all. For once, I was actually enjoying a conversation. That was certainly rare. Unless it was a conversation with Wynter, of course.

"Oh my gosh, Zi, I had the worst day!" Kali whined in my ear. I withheld an annoyed sigh.

"Oh, really?" I asked through gritted teeth. I was grateful she lived so far up the street from me. Axel's voice silenced when Kali spoke.

"My boyfriend broke up with me, for the fourth time this month! He says I'm too 'needy' and he doesn't like the fact I kissed the quarterback yesterday!" Kali cried dramatically. She was a cheerleader, her boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend was a guitarist and soccer player.

"Then why'd you kiss the quarterback?" I huffed.

"I don't know, I just- oh, I'll tell you tomorrow..." Kali sighed as she walked across the street. "Later, Zi!" She hummed cheerfully as she bounced away. I sighed with relief.

"Sometimes, I swear she does this to bug me..." I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Why is she so upset over a boy?" Axel asked in a very innocent, clueless tone. I shrugged.

"I dunno, I don't really understand relationships," I informed. He simply nodded along casually. "So, where's your house?" I asked, finally looking up away from the concrete that was covered by leaves and pine from a recent wind storm.

"Oh, over there," Axel pointed. I followed his directions. He was in the biggest house in the neighborhood, the biggest one in town, actually. I gawked at the sight.

"Dude..." My voice dragged on quietly.

"I know it is kind of small. Where do you live?" Axel asked, looking at me. I pointed to the tiny house across from his. It paled in comparison to something so extravagant and large. He smiled curiously. "That house is a lot smaller, isn't it?" He chuckled as we approached the gate to his house. "Zion, it was a pleasure to meet you. For now, I must bid you adieu." Axel bowed to me. I smirked amusedly. I stepped back a few paces, towards my house.

"Later, Ax." I waved and winked, I turned and took long strides across the street. I held onto my backpack straps tightly.

"Ax?" Axel called back. I waved my hand above my head and went inside.

"I'm home!" I yelled as if I expected a response this soon in the day. I sighed. Dad didn't get home until nine and Pops didn't get back until ten. They both worked as emergency responders, Dad was an emergency response technician and Pops was a firefighter. They both worked late and left really early so I only really saw them on weekends if I was lucky.

I waltzed further into my house after slipping off my shoes. I dropped my school bag and instantly headed for the snacks. It was chow time.

After my "snack," which really had been a meal, as my parents would count it, I went to do my homework. First was my language homework, my first period on my 'B class period' day, my school transitioned between 'A' days and 'B' days for exceedingly long class periods. After language, I worked on my math, then history, and finally language arts so tomorrow I had no homework to do. By that time, it was already almost nine so I went to shower before Dad got home. When I got out, he still wasn't home so I made dinner. By the time that was cooked both he and Pops had made it back.

"You made dinner awfully late tonight?" Pops intrigued.

"I was doing homework," I responded rather casually as I ate another bite of my burger.

"Did you finish it all?" Dad asked between the bites he practically choked on. I nodded. The subject changed rather easily, Dad and Pops started telling stories of their day. I halfheartedly listened. I was mostly trying not to fall asleep at the table.

"Zion, why don't you go to bed?" Pops finally asked after I had laid my head on the table for the eighth time. I shrugged as my eyes drooped. I was too tired to lift my own body weight.

"Zi, go to bed." Dad sighed softly. Again, I shrugged. It took some convincing on my parent's part but I crawled from my seat and lazily went to brush my teeth. By then it was almost midnight and I barely had any energy left. I brushed my teeth and inched to bed. Once I was laying down, maybe even before then, I fell asleep.