woke up to feel a heavy weight on my chest, I cracked my eyes open and found I had my nose buried in Darcy’s hair, she had her arm wrapped around my waist and our legs were tangled together, so much so that it would probably take us a while to get untangle.

She was breathing slowly and evenly, I sighed and shifted a little to get a bit more comfortable but when I shut my eyes and was asleep again in ten minutes, I didn’t get woken up again until somebody crashing into the room almost sent the door flying off of its hinges. I woke up with a start to see Jimmy sprawled on the floor, Johnny following him closely behind.

“Hi guys” Jimmy said from the floor, sitting up straight.

“Yeah… hi guys” Johnny said a little slower, the fact Darcy was in my bed evidently confusing the poor kid.

“Hi” Darcy and I both said at the same time.

“I don’t mean to sound rude or forward Darcy but why are you in Zack’s bed?”

“I don’t like thunder” She stated

“Alright let me rephrase that, why are you like… here in his house?”

“It’s a long story that doesn’t particularly concern anyone here” I said squeezing her hand gently.

“Okay… so anyway are you coming to Matts?”

“Why are we going to Matts?”

“Free house all weekend, having a house party to end all house parties”

“Sounds good, I need a shower though” I said

“Yeah, bet he’s all sweaty from last night”

“Oh shut up, nothing happened last night” I said

“Riigght” He grinned I rolled my eyes, it then came to my attention to the fact that Darcy was still in my bed and I also had some serious morning wood. “Well are you coming then?” He asked

“Yeah I’ll uh… catch up with you guys” I said

“Why don’t you come now?”

“Got stuff to do” I said trying to make it I the least bit obvious that I had a stalk on.

“More like people” He snickered. I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever, get the fuck out of my room Sullivan” I said he laughed and grabbed Johnny, throwing him over his shoulder and leaving the room with him.

“Good morning” Darcy said turning to me, she smiled.

“Morning” I returned the smile, butting her cheek with my nose.

“How’d you sleep?” She asked me.

“Better when you joined me” She sighed and leaned against me, shaking her head a little bit.

“Please don’t Zack, just… don’t”

“Okay… Darcy you said last night that Connor hit you”

“Well he slapped me…”

“It doesn’t matter; he shouldn’t ever raise his hand to you”

“I was asking for it”

“What could you possibly have done that would have made him hit you?”

“Well he found out that… that we kissed and he thought that… that I kissed you”

“Did you tell him it was the other way around?”

“I tried to, but he got mad”

“I’m sorry” I said pulling her against my chest again “You’ve got no idea how angry this makes me though Darce, no man should ever hit a woman, and it makes him scum for even thinking of raising his hand to you”

“It was my fault” She said

“No it was my fault” I kissed the top of her head. She sighed and buried her face in my chest.

X-X-X

I stormed through the halls of the school, I was going to find Connor and kick his ass, no one hits my Darcy and gets away with it, no one fucking hits a woman and gets away with it, period. At least not in my book.

I found him, leaning against the lockers talking to a blonde; I walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and I grabbed the front of his shirt, slamming him into the locker.

“If you ever so much as think about laying a hand on her again I will kill you” I growled, getting up in his face.

“I don’t fucking see what fucking business it is of yours Baker”

“Since I care about her and if you hurt her then it makes me very fucking upset” I dug my knuckles in harder, he winced but tried not to show it.

“Might wanna be careful Baker, people might start to talk” He said looking around the halls at people who were staring. I growled and then did something that I hadn’t done since the third grade. I head butted him. He groaned and his hand flew to his nose that was now bleeding profusely. I let go of his shirt and let him fall to his knees.

“Watch yourself Webster, and I hope I made myself very clear”