Chapter 5: Nowhere Near
The week passed slowly for most the students. Zoe was no different from them. Friday night meant Karaoke and she would be able to see her friends. She was lying on the hood of her car just waiting for something to happen, anything to happen. She didn't know how to explain what made her stay so late when she had somewhere to be, but her body wouldn't let her leave the school yard so early. Her gaze met the clouds drifting off into the sunset above her. Slowly she dozed off only to be woken up by Terry. "Zoe? Are you alright?"
Blinking her eyes she realized that she wasn't with Tom or any of her old friends but left in reality with Terry. "Oh," she paused. "I'm fine I guess I just dozed off." She shook the memory from her eyes and looked at her watch. 5:00.
Slowly Terry stepped in front of her to look her in the eyes. "Zoe, tell me the truth, are you ok? You've been acting really down all week, 'cept the day you arrived. You danced when you walked the day you arrived."
"Wait, you saw how I acted that day? I danced?"
"Yeah, gracefully might I add. Anyway, It takes major balls to stand up to me, Joe and Andy like that. And to do it during lunch, after calling me a loser isn't something that goes unnoticed."
"So you heard that eh?" Terry nodded.
"Do you wanna tell me what's wrong?"
"Not really." Zoe turned to look away looking off into the sunset. Oranges seemed to fade into purple so beautifully over a football field and an empty parking lot.
Terry turned Zoe's head to look at him. Terry cupped Zoe's face in his hand. Terry exhaled and then sucked in a sharp breath. "I know I'm nowhere near, What you want, what you want. What you're looking for?" Terry recited. He could see a small smile crawling across Zoe's face. She pulled herself out of Terry's hold but he continued to recite. Terry moved his hands down to her shoulders. "I don't want to make you smile, Only to see it all turn around. When you decide that I've just, let you down."
"How do you know that song?" She finally interrupted.
"Its basic Summer Camp."
"Terry, I'll tell you if you answer some of my questions?" She finally asked. Terry nodded to Zoe. She exhaled and looked back to Terry. "When I left my old town all I wanted was to find a friend who was even close to how my old friends were." She paused wiping her eyes. "The way you acted on the first day I met you reminded me of them. Cool cut and kind of scary and this hidden craziness in your eyes. You had the same look in your eye as Tom did when I met him. Guess it didn't help that you both have blue eyes, eh?" She paused and slightly smiled at the memory of Tom's blue eyes. "I wanted to be your friend for that reason. After I drove you home I just started driving, listening to that mix and it took me home. But as I was driving back here it came to me that I don't have a home anymore. Just an empty house." Terry leaned in next to her and placed his arm around her.
"Its alright Zoe, I'm here for you." He held her as she tried not to cry.
"I don't belong here. My father isn't even mine. And my mother lied to me about everything and I don't have any friends here. Their all off the turnpike. I don't even know which exit I'm at any more. Guess it doesn't help that now I'm off the fucking parkway." She held onto Terry as she cried. After a few minuets she pulled herself together.
"You have friends, Zoe. At least I hope I'm some kind of friend. I know I've been a jackass but really, I'll be your friend, if you're mine."
"Tell me who that Jessica girl is that people keep talking about. I keep hearing them saying I'm like her. Its driving me crazy cause no one is telling me who she is."
Terry shook his head. "She was my girlfriend before you came, last year. There was an accident that killed her. She was wild and loved music. Not to mention, she fought."
"Fought?"
His hands fell to his side before he leaned against the hood of the car. "Like you do. She had two battle fields. Physical and philological. She was amazing."
"Lemme guess, quick with a joke or to light up your smoke."
A wisp of blond hair fell in front of Terry's eyes as he laughed slightly. "Zoe, you can quote old songs from Billy Joel like she can too. Its like the two of you are just different versions of the same person." Terry explained. "She was a year older then me and I'm guessing you too."
"Depends, you a Junior?" Zoe asked leaning back on her windshield.
"Nope Senior. I guess she was two years older then you." Terry slightly laughed. "You just needed to get that off ya didn't ya?" Her gaze met Terry's back as he slowly turned to face her. He saw the confusion in her gaze. "Your normal again. You just needed to talk to someone and share your guilt. Your relaxed."
Gliding off the hood of the car, Zoe landed on the pavement with her black Swede boots hitting the ground with a light thud. "By the way Ter, that was cute how you dressed up like some creepy spy guy crossed with Agent Smith and handed the teach a suit case with the file in it. It was creative."
Terry laughed. "I looked like a creepy spy version of Agent Smith? Which movie?"
"I don't know you were missing the little wire thing so I guess second movie cause it was better then the third." She walked over to the car door. "You going anywhere?" Terry shook his head and shrugged. "I have to go pick up two friends from back home for tonight. Think it would confuse them to be picked up by a big blond guy?"
"You want to scare them?" Terry looked over at her.
"Yep."
"Why don't we do this right then. Lets go drop your car off at your place and lets get my 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertable." Terry took pride in his car.
Zoe's eye's rolled. "Great another rich boy."
"Wait till you see her. I restored her myself."
"Get in." Zoe climbed in and opened the door for Terry. Terry climbed in and grabbed the CD case. "Hey Mr. DJ put a record on."
"Got it Madonna." He pulled out a burned CD that read 'Me First and the Gimme Gimmies Mix. Cover Songs.' They drove to Terry's house to updated punk versions of all the songs their parents listened to when they were teenagers.
"Next stop Terry's House. Please keep all body parts inside their cloths at all time." Zoe joked as she pulled in front of the house making sure not to block the driveway or mailbox.
"Very funny. Anyway, I wouldn't try anything on you. My brother's home."
"Oh," her voice seemed dulled with the mention of his brother being home but the dullness only lasted till she spoke again. "How is Andy?"
"He's good but he's not the brother I was talking about. Andy's hanging out with Joe at the arcade or something." Terry stepped out of the car. Zoe followed his lead and didn't ask more questions. All it took to open the door was a slight push on the wooden door. Zoe slightly giggled realizing that that happened in more places then her old town. "What?"
"Nothing."
"Come on Zo, spill."
"First don't call me Zo its Zoe. Second, my old door was just like that one only metal." The two laughed as they took off their light jackets. Terry helped Zoe out of her jacket before hanging it up.
"Got cha Zoe." They walked into the living room. "Welcome to the Banks house. It's just like every other house on the block, nothing different besides the colors." The two laughed at Terry's sarcasm.
"Terry is that you?" a voice screamed from somewhere else in the house.
"Crap he's here." Terry walked closer to the door leading somewhere else in the house. "Yeah its me."
"I need to talk to you." The voice sounded again. A few seconds later a man walked into the room with dirty blond hair hanging free to his chin. His blue eyes were much lighter and had more gray to them than Terry and Andy's eyes. He was wearing jeans with holes in the knees. The first thing that Zoe saw was his shirtless body. A yawn escaped from her mouth. Terry shot her the death glare. "Who's she?"
"You don't have to talk as if I'm not in the room. If you want to know who I am ask me not Terry." Ran out of her mouth at warped speed. Before Zoe realized what she said it was out in the open.
"Fine since you want it that way." The man looked her over. "Who are you?"
"Zoe." Her voice rang out clean and clear. Her eyes blinked at him chanting, 'you don't know what your up against.'
"So Terry, where'd you drag her from?"
"Again you're doing it. Who do you think you are for talking as if I'm not even close to a real person?" Zoe exclaimed.
"Doesn't she remind you of Jessica?" Terry said leaning against the wall. "Zoe, I'd like you to meet my older brother and resident bastard, Jeff. Jeff, meet the new girl."
Batting her eyes Zoe looked over at Jeff, "Shocked?"
He stepped back. "And history repeats."
"I don't think so Jeffy, why don't you go put a shirt on while I talk to your brother for a second." Jeff stumbled back out of the room in pure shock. "You're going to kill me aren't you?"
"Not for that." Terry smiled at her. "He had it coming. He pissed off a lot of people when he was where me and Andy are." Zoe walked over to stand closer to Terry. "He could get any girl he wanted in the back of his car. He's the reason she's gone." She stood close to him and put a finger over Terry's mouth.
"Terry, don't tell me. Something's are best left to rest. What does he mean repeat history?" The two of them were close enough to feel the others breath on their own neck.
"He's going to try something to get you away from me."
"Can't let that happen." They leaned closer towards each other. Terry placed his hands on the small of her back while she lifted her arms over his shoulders. They were an inch away from the each others face.
"TERRY! I need to talk to you." Jeff screamed from the other room. The two looked up and realized how close they were. Zoe pushed herself away quickly and sat down on the couch.
"What?" Terry called.
"Come in here!" they heard Jeff scream.
"Go talk to him."
Nodding he left Zoe in the living room alone while he went and talked to his unforgivable brother. Terry entered to see Jeff was sitting at the kitchen table. He was starring at the morning sugar bowl. "She's going to be the end of you."
"At least its not the other way around."
"Terry, do you have a clue what the fuck you're doing?" Jeff looked up at Terry. Jeff watched a look of pure fear run across his little brother's face, the look quickly turned back to a cool stare.
"Jeff, there's a snowballs chance in hell that I'm going to do something to her. There's NO way I'm not going to hurt her like you did to my Jessica." He stressed. "History isn't going to repeat and I'll make sure of it."
"Your still unstable."
"Am I? Maybe the more unstable you are, the more you need the living memory."
"Fuck Terry, you sound like some weird after school special."
"After school special? I like that. But tell me big brother, is that the best you've got?" Terry questioned. He stood there for a second waiting for a response before walking out to see Zoe sitting on the couch looking a picture frame that held ten pictures that were about 2 inches by 3 inches. The frame was shaped like a Farris wheel.
"You and your brother's look like a family in most these pictures."
"We were." Terry sat down next to her on the couch and looked at the pictures. Zoe's hand's were holding a picture of the three brothers still. Andy and Terry looked to be around seven or so years old and were standing on each side of a nine year old Jeff who had his arms around his two kid brothers. Each brother held tightly to a well rusted railroad spike while standing in front of the main wheels of a freshly restored Steam Engine. Terry and Andy looked almost identical in the pictures if it wasn't for the fact that they were each wearing a different color scarf, hat and mitten sets they would have been the same.
"You're twins."
"Guess which one's me." Zoe studied the picture. Her hand traced the face of the twin on the left and then she traced the curve of Terry's face with her hand.
"You're the one on the right. The curves different." A slight laugh escaped Terry's mouth before he walked over to the coat rack and grabbed his jacket and held Zoe's out for her. Zoe placed the picture frame back down on the table before she got off the couch.
"Am I going to need a hair thingy so my hair doesn't get totally messed up?" She asked as Terry grabbed his keys.
"Don't need it."
"Follow me to my house so I can drop off my car and tell mom." The two walked out side. Zoe walked down to her car while Terry went into the garage. The door slowly opened to show a red and white 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. Zoe climbed in her car and started it and waited for the Bel Air to roll out of the garage. Once it was in the street Zoe started driving to her house. Her house looked the same as Terry's on the outside except that the house was naked of flowers and trees in the front yard. There was a single rose bush near the steps leading onto the porch. There was a 98 dark blue Ford sitting in her driveway. 'I know that's not moms.' Zoe thought as she pulled next to the curb on the street. Terry pulled up behind her. He sat in his car and watched her pull herself from the car. She walked over to Terry and opened Terry's door. "I'll just be a second. No need to come into the house. It's a mess."
"You just moved in how is it a mess?"
"I'm not that neat of a person. Mom hates people from coming in when the house is a mess." Zoe flashed a reassuring smile.
"Okay, but next time clean up for me." He laughed as Zoe let the door close on him. She ran up the lawn and took the steps two at a time. He watched her disappear into her house and close the door behind her.
There were five steps leading up to the porch. It seemed all to easy for her to jump half the steps. As she ran into the house she heard her mother having an argument with someone in the kitchen. "Mom?" She called from the front door taking off her shoes.
"Jennifer, come in here. I'm in the kitchen I have someone I want you to meet." She heard her mother's voice call to her.
"Mom, you know I go by my middle name." Zoe walked into the kitchen to see her mother standing there with a man who was about six and a half feet tall with a scar cutting his left eye brow in half. He had slightly shaggy brown hair that came to the top of his ears. Peaking out from behind thin oval shaped wire framed glasses were marine eyes. "Who's he?" She asked from the door.
"Jennifer Zoe, meet your real father."
"Hi, umm�." She paused trying to figure out what to say.
"Hi, I'm Michael Waters. Its nice to finally meet you." He offered out his hand to her.
"I've gotta go. Terry and I are picking up some of the girls for Karaoke tonight and� umm� we've gotta leave soon to get there on time. Don't want to keep the girls waiting."
"Jennifer, who's Terry?" Michael asked.
"First of all, call me Zoe, and second, he's this guy from school who was an asshole but isn't an asshole anymore."
"Zoe, don't use that kind of language around your father and I!" Her mother scolded.
"I'm sorry for calling you Jennifer, it is a nice name."
"So is Zoe, there are millions of Jennifer's and only a handful of Zoe's." She started backing up. "I've gotta go, I don't want to keep Terry waiting." Ignoring her mothers scold.
Her mother spoke up. "Why don't you bring him inside so we can meet this Terry boy?"
"Maybe later. I'm having two of the old group over tonight they're crashing in my room. We'll be back some time early this morning or late tonight how ever you want to say it. I'll see you."
"Bring him inside, you know the rule."
"Fuck the rule mom. I've gotta go."
"Don't you want to get to know your father?"
"As far as I'm concerned, you maybe my biological father, but your not my dad, but it was nice meeting you Mr. Gordon." She walked out the front door taking her keys and wallet with her.
Terry watched her walk down the steps and towards the car. She opened the door and climbed in. "Drive."
"Tell me that you didn't just run out on your mom?"
"Fine I won't. Drive." She turned on the radio.
After searching for a station that came in clear the two of them heard the voice of the lead singer of A Simple Plan. "Sometimes this house feels like a prison, That I just can't leave behind. There's so many rules I gotta follow. Cause you can't let go. I don't wanna hear it, And I just can't believe it. All the stupid things you say,"
Zoe's hand flew at the radio and turned it off. "Even music's against me tonight. I don't want to know what's going to happen at Karaoke!"
Terry glanced over and laughed as Zoe sat back all huffy. "What happened?"
A sigh ran from Zoe's mouth. "My mom and I don't see eye to eye, you know that one. I don't know what she was thinking bringing my real father here but it just got bad and I left. I just ran out on them." Zoe's cell phone started ringing to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Zoe answered it. "I'm in the car. Don't worry Janet I'll get there soon." Sounds of someone talking could be heard as Zoe starred out the window with the cell phone to her ear. "Oh, remember north Jersey's full of blonde guys who eat ivy. " She paused again. "Don't worry. I'll be there soon." Zoe hung up and put her phone back in her pocket. "They're wondering where we are."
"I see you left them hanging that I'm coming."
"Don't see why they didn't pick up on that. Their normally smarter then that." She laughed. "You think my friends had some brains. Get on the turnpike. Exit 8A."
"You're paying."
"Some gent you are."
"I don't know about you, new girl, but I'm only human!"
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