The Zoey Chronicles: The Awakening (Vol. 1) Read Free Page B

Jessica and her friends have just left. You’ve been on the ground for about ten seconds.”
     
    I winced as pain ached throughout my body. It didn’t make sense. The dream had lasted for at least an hour. And what the hell was it about? Council of the Undead? I told Ben about it.
     
    “That is strange,” he said, scratching his head. His eyes were purple where he’d been beat, contrasting with his bright blue pupils. “I didn’t know you were into vampires.”
     
    I laughed, and immediately regretted it. Each chuckle sent shards of pain crawling all over my body. “I’m not,” I said.
     
    “Well, it seems that your subconscious disagrees with you!”
     
    “Yes,” I said. “It seems that way. Can you help me up?”
     
    He nodded and bent down, and I put my hand on his arm. He was weak, and strained as he took my weight. I felt bad, but I needed to clean myself up. “Are you okay?” I said.
     
    He was silent as he lifted me to my feet, veins bulging in his neck. Finally he responded. “Yeah,” he said, but his voice betrayed him. He sounded sad. I wanted to comfort him, but my shoulder was in so much agony that I couldn’t think about anything else. “I’m fine.”
     
    “Good,” I said, knowing that he was lying but not wanting to confront it. “I guess we better go home.”
     
    “Ha, at least one good thing came out of getting a beating.”
     
    “How do you mean?” I said
     
    “Well,” he said. “At least we don’t have to go to school.”
     
    I smiled but didn’t say anything. I found it hard to be happy. As much as I hated school, I didn’t relish the idea of returning home to my mother in such a state. She’d undoubtedly be furious, and there was no telling what she’d do. She had never hit me, but that didn’t mean that she never would. Ben looked at me. “Do you want to come to mine for a bit?” he said as if he’d read my mind.
     
    “What about . . .” I was about to ask, what about your father? But a fresh wave of pain washed over me, causing me to wince. I stumbled and had to dig my nails into Ben’s arm to stay upright. His face twisted in pain, but he held onto me tightly.
     
    After I’d recovered we continued hobbling out of the school. The day was bright and the streets were quiet, except for a few birds tweeting in the trees and the occasional car driving down the street. “Don’t worry,” Ben said. “My father is away for a few days on a business trip.”
     
    “Oh, okay then.”
     
    He smiled. “So you’ll come?”
     
    I nodded.
     
    “That’s absolutely fantastic!” he said. “Brilliant!”
     
    “Ben, calm down, I’ve been to your house before,” I said, and his face dropped. I smiled to take some of the sting out of my words. I don’t know why he was so excited. We were both in a state. We’d both just had the living hell beat out of us and he was getting excited over something as silly as me. I didn’t understand it. Why would he care that I was coming to his house? I’d been there hundreds of times.
     
    “I know,” he said. “I just think today will be extra fun.”
     
    I didn’t know what to say to that, so I didn’t say anything. The few people that were on the streets regarded us oddly as we walked past. I couldn’t blame them. We must’ve looked weird, two teenagers, holding onto each other for support and hobbling down the street. It was only when we got to Ben’s house that I realised that they must’ve thought we were drunk. I laughed to myself.
     
    “What’s funny?” Ben said as he opened his front door. I leaned on the wall outside his house, my breathing ragged. I clutched my shoulder and my eyes stung with tears. The pain was excruciating. It was probably the worst beating Jessica had ever given me, and she’d given me quite a few. One time she’d hit me so hard that one of my teeth fell out, and that hadn’t hurt as much as this.
     
    “Nothing,” I said, grabbing his arm and limping into the house.