Chapter One
The walls were dark and loud music was playing in the bedroom of the depressed eighteen year old girl as she lied on her bed, wearing all black and staring up at the crack in the ceiling.
Her name was Tamara and she hardly came out of her room unless she was going to school...she never had a boyfriend and only a few friends because she was such an outcast.
One day, as she was walking down the hallway at school, a boy pushed her books out of her hands, laughed and walked away.
Tears could be seen in her eyes as she picked up her books from the floor.
Suddenly, another boy came over to help, but Tamara thought he was going to do the same thing, so she hurried and gathered her books into her arms.
"Hello. My name is Zeb." He introduced himself with a smile.
Tamara just stood there with a scared look on her face.
"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. Where's your next class?" He asked, still trying to get her to talk.
She handed him her schedule with a shaky hand.
"Oh, you're in my English class. I don't remember seeing you there." He noted, looking up at her.
She slightly smiled as she looked into his eyes...they were like an ocean of blue and she could see the care he had.
"I'm Tamara." She said quietly
"Well, Tamara, would you like to walk to class with me?" He questioned, handing the schedule back to her.
She just smiled and nodded.
When they arrived to class, they sat together.
"Today is report card day, so we won't be doing any work. You may talk amongst yourselves." The teacher informed
When Tamara looked at hers, she wasn't surprised to see an "A" beside English because she loved to write; although her other grades weren't very good.
"So, why do you wear all black?" Zeb asked, leaning over to Tamara.
"That's what people wear when they're depressed, isn't it?"
"Why are you depressed?"
"I don't have many friends; never really had a boyfriend and my parents don't care about me."
"Why don't your parents care?"
"They think I'm worthless and can't make anything out of myself."
"Well, that's stupid."
"Yea, tell me about it."
When the bell rang, the teacher called for Tamara.
"Yes?" Tamara questioned, concerned about what was going on.
"Your writings are great. Have you ever thought about publishing them?"
"I have, but I don't have the money."
"If you give me one you really like and let me edit it, I'll pay for it."
"Really? Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me." She said with a smile and walked out.
"So, what did she want?" Zeb asked, standing from leaning against the wall.
"She's going to publish a story for me."
"That's good. Well, we don't have any more classes together, so how about a ride after school?"
"Sure. Thank you."
After school, Zeb took Tamara home, but before he could say anything, she was walking up the sidewalk to the front door.
"I'm home." She stated, closing the door behind her.
"You're home early." Her mother noted, sitting in her chair.
"I got a ride home."
She grabbed an apple from the kitchen, went to her room and threw her book bag on the bed.
Tamara looked through her manuscripts, but didn't find anything she liked, so she decided to start a new story.
After working for a while, she stretched her arms over her head and turned off her computer.
Just then, her mother knocked on the door.
"There's someone here to see you." She informed, opening the door.
"Okay, just let them in." Tamara replied, with a smile.
When she looked up, Zeb was standing in the doorway.
"I thought you left." Tamara noted, standing from her chair.
"That was hours ago. Would you like to go out and get some ice cream?"
"That sounds great."
Tamara's mother was pleased to see her daughter with a friend instead of being alone in her room all day.
"So, why haven't you had a boyfriend?" He questioned, pulling into a parking lot.
"The truth is, you're the first person to really talk to me as a person and not a freak of nature, other than my best friend."
Zeb didn't say anything; he just opened the door and followed Tamara into the ice cream parlor.
"Would you consider having one?" He asked, sitting down at the booth in the corner.
"I've considered it, but guys just don't like me. They are more into blonde bimbos."
Zeb just smiled and started eating his ice cream.
After a long silence, Zeb questioned, "I'm getting a motorcycle tomorrow, would you like to go for a ride?"
"Um, sure." She hesitated.
That night, Tamara lied in her bed, thinking about Zeb.
"Is he interested in me? If not, why is he being so nice?" She asked herself.
She rolled over and tried to sleep, but couldn't because she was thinking about Zeb too much, so she went to her older sister's room.
"Tori, may I talk to you?" Tamara questioned, opening her sister's door.
"Sure. Come in." She replied, looking away from the book she was reading.
"Well, there's this guy." Tamara started, sitting on the bed.
"The one you been hanging out with?"
"Yes. Well, I can't understand why he's being so nice to me. Do you think he's interested in me?"
"He might. You have a good head on your shoulders and I don't see why he wouldn't. Do you like him?"
"I'm not sure, yet."
The girls talked, then Tamara went back to her room to try to sleep, but her mind was still racing.
***
The next morning, Tamara sat at the kitchen table to eat breakfast.
"You're actually eating in here?" Tamara's mother asked, walking in.
"I'm just waiting for Zeb to get here."
"I'm glad you finally have someone to hang out with."
"I hang out with Quinn all the time."
"You know what I mean."
Tamara looked out the window and seen Zeb pull into the driveway, so she grabbed her jacket and ran outside.
Zeb took off his helmet...his blonde hair falling into place...and he smiled when Tamara walked up to him.
He handed her a helmet and let her get on the motorcycle behind him. Her fingers slid under the strap on her seat and Zeb started it.
After pulling out of the driveway, Tamara started thinking about why this gorgeous guy would be so nice to her, but her thoughts broke off when they stopped at the lake.
"I thought it would be a nice day to have a picnic." He noted, taking off his helmet.
After helping Tamara off the motorcycle, Zeb grabbed a bag from the saddlebag and walked toward the waterside.
"I'm sorry it's fast food. I didn't have time to actually cook something."
"Oh, it's fine."
They sat in silence, taking in the scenery, until they crumpled up their sandwich papers and went to put them back into the bag where their hands touched.
Tamara looked into Zeb's eyes and blushed.
"How was your lunch?" He questioned, leaning back on his hands
"It was good. Thank you. Um..."
"What's wrong?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"I thought you could use a friend."
"You're not doing it because of a bet? Because it has happen to me before."
"I don't understand why people do that. It's so childish. I've had it done to me a few times."
He looked up and seen her smiling. She, again, looked into his eyes and locked his stare.
