Opposites Attract (On-Hold) - Chloe Knox (novels for students txt) 📗

“So, Zane, you have a family?” My father asked as he took a sip from his glass of bourbon, as if it were unbelievable that Zane actually had one.
“Um, yes. My mother, Jane, and my younger brother, Gage.”
I made sure to commit the names to memory.
“What bout your father? What’s he like?” My father asked, with a cocked eyebrow, looking like he was surprised that Zane hadn’t mentioned his father. I frowned. I didn’t know what the story was with Zane and his father, but his dad never showed up to school assemblies or games or anything. His father never even showed up to parent teacher conferences with him and his mother…it didn’t take long for the school to realize that Zane and his father, was a sore subject. But nope! My father just had to put his nose into other people’s business and make them feel uncomfortable!
I looked over at Zane, a little curious why he never talked about his dad, yet knowing, just by the soft look in his eyes, he’d rather not talk about it. He shifted in his seat on the couch next to my father’s recliner, and cleared his throat, “Well, um…my father, he left me and my mother shortly after I was born.”
I bit my lip to hold in a gasp when my heart sank.
The poor guy! His father had left him and his mother, all alone. And shortly after he was born? I mean, I’m sure that took some of the hurt away. His father left before he even had a chance to grow attached to the guy, but still…he had to feel a bit guilty. He probably felt like it was his fault, his father leaving…his mother probably felt the same way as well.
My father showed little sympathy, only nodded.
I scooted closer to Zane, and let my head rest on his warm shoulders. I could feel his slight tremor under my finger tips when I tried to show him I cared by rubbing his back—but I wasn’t even sure if he was shaking because he was nervous—and I’m sure the shot gun leaning against the coffee table closest to my father didn’t calm his nerves—or because he was upset at his own father for leaving him, or maybe just having to talk about the guy that left him in general.
My father flashed me a glare, signaling for me to back away from Zane, but I pretended I didn’t notice and he eventually let it go, “What did you say your brother’s name is? Gage? That’s odd!”
“Dad? That’s rather rude!” I yelped before I could even think of keeping my mouth shut. Zane gave my thigh a quick pat and rub, to show me that he was thankful for my understanding. My father shot another glare, this time it was directed toward Zane. I ignored it, but Zane didn’t. He quickly removed his hands from my leg and scooted a quick inch away from me. Zane cleared his throat for like the fifth time in the last ten minutes, and I rolled my eyes.
“Well, sir, my brother’s real name is Gavin, but he’s big on cars.”
“So that’s where the name Gage comes from?”
“Yeah, it’s just kinda stuck with him.”
“I see,” My father mumbled slowly as he gulped the rest of his bourbon. He looked Zane over from head to toe, making him fidget with extreme nervousness. Then his eyes flashed to me, and then to my thigh, where Zane had touched me. My father frowned, and licked the inside of his bottom lip with a loud sigh, “So, Ashley…what ever happened to that Josh boy? I liked him!”
My anger flared up so abruptly, that I couldn’t hide it. The attitude rolled off my tongue easily, “He cheated on me, dad!”
Who did he think he was, to judge Zane? Who did he think he was to intimidate him, he barely knew him?
“And what? Zane’s like your rebound?”
Zane’s eyes went wide, as if the possibility of me using him just dawned on him, and my anger grew even more. He was trying to ruin things for me! Why?
“Dad!”
“What? I’m just trying to understand what’s going on through your pretty little noggin.”
“Maybe if you’d just listen to me for once, you’d understand.”
“I have been listening. You broke up with Josh to date…him.” My father said ‘him’ and gestured to Zane with an obvious frown of what looked like…disgust? No! It couldn’t be!
“What’s so wrong with Zane?” I asked my body on edge and tingling with annoyance.
“I didn’t say there’s anything wrong with him,” my father said, his lips pulled into a flat line, looking innocent. That only made me even angrier.
“You didn’t have to say it!” I yelled, and Zane took in a quick breath, before standing, “Okay, um, I think I better go. I didn’t mean to cause a—“
“Oh no! Please! Sit down, have a beer! I’m sure you’ve had more than enough, judging by where you’re from.” My breath caught in the back of my throat, and tears threatened to sting my eyes.
“Excuse me, sir?” Zane asked, looking extremely hurt yet confused.
“Well…you live in a trailer park, do you not?” My father said, scowling from his recliner up at Zane.
Zane opened his mouth to speak, anger hardening his usually relaxed and sweet brown eyes. He was going to flip, and I didn’t blame him.
How dare my father even think of saying something like that, and to his face? What kind of a person says something like that?
Zane grabbed his jacket, from off the back of the couch. We locked eyes, and I tried to put as much feeling as I could into them, so he’d see that I didn’t want him to go, but he quickly turned away from me to look at my father.
Yell at him? I thought; show him you’re not afraid of him.
“Good day, sir.” Zane mumbled, before stomping out of the house, without looking back at me.

“Wait! Zane, wait!” I yelled as I ran out the front door after him, not caring that it was freezing outside, and that I wasn’t wearing shoes. I didn’t care that my father would probably chew my ass up afterward, and my mother would probably just watch and nod every now and then as if she really cared…but I didn’t care…at least about getting in trouble…I do, however, care about Zane, and about how he’s treated…
I ran as fast as I could, without over treading an ankle or hurting the pads of my bare feet to hard, as I ran on the stone road, that led away from my driveway and towards town.
Zane didn’t stop, or even look back. He just kept walking, with the hood of his sweatshirt, from under his leather jacket pulled up over his head. His baggy dark jeans, were snug against his hips, and shook the slightest bit as his long strides grew stronger, filled with anger. His boots kicked at the small stones, making them fly.
It only took a moment for him to reach his motorcycle.
He through his leg over the bodice and I began sprinting.
He couldn’t leave me. Not now! Not when I knew he was hurt and angry! I needed him! Needed to tell him how horribly sorry I was.
“Zane! Please!” I screamed, this time as loud as I could, not bothering to hide my tears.
Zane just continued to ignore me, and jump started the engine to his motorcycle.
Please, please, please stop! Don’t go! Wait!
I yelled to myself as I pushed myself harder and harder. I was only a bit aways, but it would only take him seconds to lift the kick stand and drive off.
“Stop! Zane!” I yelled as I ran in front of his motorcycles path just as he had started driving.
My heart leapt into my throat as I realized how incredibly dumb it was of me, to jump in front of a moving vehicle. I screamed, but I was still standing a few feet away, so it wasn’t that hard for Zane to stop the motorcycle before his handle bars came crashing into my gut.
“ARG!” Zane screamed as he hoped off his bike, not bothering to put down the kickstand. He pushed his bike, letting it fall onto the stone road, making me wince at the horrid and loud crashing sound.
“Are you crazy? I could have hit you! I could have killed you Ashley!” He yelled, baring his angry teeth.
I didn’t care, that he was angry, though. I was just glad I had stopped him before he drove off.
I quickly ran the few feet that separated us, and jumped, wrapping my arms around Zane’s neck and pulling him as close as humanly possible, “I’m sorry, Zane. I’m so so sorry. Please don’t be angry with me.”
Zane’s tense body slowly relaxed under my grasp. He sighed and pressed his forehead into my neck, wrapping his big arms around me. His warm breath and the slight dampness of his sweaty face tickled my neck, “I’m not angry with you. I’m just…Ashley, your father’s right.”
I didn’t want to, but I pulled away from Zane, to glare at him, “What? What are you talking about?”
“You deserve way better than me, Ashley.”
“What are you saying—“
“Ashley, I have nothing to offer you. NOTHING! I wish I could give you everything, but I can’t. I can barely provide for my own family, let alone myself or you.”
I laughed, “So what? I deserve a guy like Josh? Rich, handsome, self-centered, and unfaithful?”
Zane looked away from me, as if trying to come up with an excuse. I sighed and pulled him back against me, but Zane made sure to keep his eyes averted from mine.
“Zane, look at me. Look at me!”
He reluctantly did, revealing glassy eyes. Emotion filled brown eyes, which made me melt, “Zane, I don’t care about money, or jewelry. Yes, if you had it that would be great.” I mumbled making Zane smile with amusement, “But that’s nothing more than a bonus. Zane, you’re enough for me…so please,” I pressed my forehead, against his, “Don’t—don’t go just because my father is a complete ass.”
Zane smiled, and exhaled in relief, “I was more scared of the shot gun, than anything.”
I giggled, “Yeah, I was wondering if you saw that…”
We fell into silence, and stared into each other’s eyes.
Whenever I looked into Josh’s blue eyes, I’d feel awkward. Like an idiot. I’d find the stupidest reason to look away, but now? I didn’t want to stop!
In Zane’s presence with his eyes glued to mine, I felt happy, relaxed, relieved.
I closed my eyes and reveled in the feel of his hot, soft, and damp skin. I took in the faint smell of cinnamon and pumpkin. I listened to the shaky pattern of the breath that blew through his nostrils.
I leaned in, brushing my lips against his, “Ashley! Get your ass in side, right now!”