Another Zombie Romance

The sun shines down on my hair. Lighting up the red and green streaks I freshly had inked my hair with. Feeling a little pang of regret for actually dying my hair. I had lost that bet though... Damn it. I tuck my hair up in a ball cap I stole from my big brother's room, before he came home. Ian's a soldier in the Canadian army. He's home on leave now. I wish I could be home spending time with him instead of being here in this stupid school, just waiting to be preyed upon by some upper class ass-hole.

Thank goodness I'm short, nobody even noticed me slip into the back of the room, still wearing the ball cap, and crouched down, scribbling something on a maybe important piece of writing/homework I'd done the night before.

“Late again...” Dirk says under his breath, leaning towards me. I purse my lips, and glance over at him from the corner of my eye. He's the only person to notice every single time... “What's with the hat?” He asks. I shake my head, trying to hide again.

I feel his hand on my head, trying to take off my ball cap. I grab it and hold on tight. My eyes grow wide. “Don't!” I grumble. He lets go of my hat.

“If you wont show me, tell me? Don't worry I can keep a secret.” He says, it sounds so true, so much that I want to believe him. I can't though. His kind isn't trust worthy. They only seem like it. I've trusted them before, and it only bit me in the ass then, no reason to think it wouldn't now.

“What does it matter?” I ask, frowning in his direction. Something about the popular crowd that always brings out the bitchiness in me. I'm usually nice, not nasty or snarky. He lets up, and leans back in his chair.

“Sorry to step on your toes.” He says, so quietly. Something about the comment really riles me up. I inhale a deep breath to say something when I hear this:

“Mr. Lloyd, isn't it against the rules to wear a hat in school, when it's not hat day OR school colours?” a snarky voice from the head of the room perks up.

Mr. Lloyd looks over his dark rimmed glasses, from the book he was reading out loud to the back of the room, where I sit. Dumbfounded and shocked. “You're right Miss. Kayle, D.D please remove your hat during class.” I blink a couple times, stuck there, unable to actually move. Why did I loose that damned bet? I should have practiced more in Dead space 3...

I see from the corner of my eye, Dirk turn sideways in his seat, and hear the Zeep of a book-bag zipper. 'Great...' I think 'probably digging something out to make the humiliation worse... like a camera!'

“Dawn.... Hat... please?” Mr. Lloyd splits up the words, I reach up with a shaky hand and take off the ball cap.

I feel something else cover my hair. “This one shouldn't be a problem.” Dirk says, I look over my shoulder at him, standing behind me. How did I not notice him get up? Reaching up to touch my head. Another ball cap. HIS ball cap. “Keep it” he whispers, sitting back down.

Some people gasp. Others chuckle, Lauren Kayle, the girl who first tattled, glares back furiously. I blush a shade of pinkish red.

“No I don't think so... it's not hat day... and rules are rules...” Mr. Lloyd shrugs.

“As Lauren said, wearing school colours shouldn't be a problem, as well as wearing a hat made by the school. Shouldn't be a problem, and the reason for the rule in the first place is that wearing a hat is showing disrespect. However the hat from the school shows school spirit.” Dirk takes out another hat and puts it on himself. Making a point... I don't know if I should take this as a good thing, or be pissed because he's drawing so much attention and I'm sure someone's bound to comment latter.

“Dirk, D.D, please remove the hats, I have not received an email stating that hats are aloud to be warn in class. I have not, nor will I, allow hats to be warn in my class when it is not hat day. If another teacher allows it than, that is in their room, and it is not mine. So I ask you nicely to please take off the hat.” He asks nicely, getting to his breaking point. You can tell because of how nice he's being.

Dirk holds up his index finger, stating 'one second'. He pulls out the school agenda. Flipping though the pages. People start to stir, whispering, giggling, looking back at us. I feel like a fool, and I feel like swatting him. He's drawing way too much attention. Great, if it wasn't bad enough with just a few people looking back, now it's everyone.

“Here it is” He says finally, Mr. Lloyd taps his foot impatiently. Dirk walks to the front of the class, with the book. He lay it down in front of the teacher. “Could you read this out loud to the class please?” Mr Lloyd squints his eyes at the question. None the less clears his throat and begins to read.

“Students are not aloud to wear hats, due to the disrespectful manner they are worn, and the symbols, Logos, Profanity, etc. On them.” He looks up at Dirk, like 'So? This just proves my point...' then looks back at the paper, taking in a breath to continue. “A hat that shows school spirit and is respectful to the school, is aloud to be warn as an every day item in the wardrobe. UNLESS otherwise instructed by the principal.” Mr. Lloyd looks up at the boy in front of him, who possess a triumphant smile on his face. I can't help but grin a little. I know that once I leave this class I'm going to have this cap stripped from my head once I leave this class. For now, this feels nice. I think I will just go along with it.... for now.

Mr. Lloyd clenches and unclenches his jaw a few times before making up his mind about what to do with the situation. After a few moments, he smiles and shrugs. “Okay... back to your seat, oh but before you do, would you mind passing out all this paperwork to the right people? You and miss. Douglas can share the task.

I stand up quickly, and walk towards the desk. Breathing a little heavily. I hate being in front of people... well when the attention's on me. Other wise this wouldn't be so bad. I usually pass out papers and such. Just it makes me queasy when the attention's all on me... like someone's squeezing my lungs and only letting me breath half way.

Half way though passing out papers, a black haired girl sticks her leg out, just as I start to leave her desk. Causing me to trip over it.

“Got 'cha!” Says Dirk, as he catches me from falling on my face... but it's already too late for my hair. Which falls all over my face. The ball cap, which had until now hid the streaks all too visible on my head. Had fallen off from the force of gravity pulling it to the ground.

“Whoops! Sorry... should watch wear you're going...” The girl says with a small grin, before seeing my hair. Which when she realizes she starts to chuckle. “Wow... who did you're hair?” All the popular girls laugh at me. My face flushes red.

“It's something different... it's cute.” He says with a smile, still holding my waist. “I wish you all could be more original” He directs the comment to the girls who are laughing.

“ooooohh Burn!” One of the boys from a few desks over pipes in. My face goes a few more shades of red, to the point where I'm sure I probably looks like I'm a hot chilly pepper.

Micheal walks over.... wait... he's walking towards me? Oh god! I think I could die right now... Scratch that... I wish I where dead... it'd save me on the embarrassment. He leans down and picks up the ball cap. He pulls my hair up and puts the ball cap on. “Nothing to be embarrassed about” he says with a small smile. I smile back up at him, foolishly.

I feel Dirk let go of my waist, where he had been holding me up from. I look back at him. “Thank you” I say, taking off the hat, and offering back to him. Everybody's seen, no since of hiding now. Lauren laughs loudly again, and comments to the girl next to her that I'm just a poser and it looks stupid. Then she cracks this joke “Poser... Loser... haha guess it fits!” She laughs again. I try to ignore this, walking past her, and handing out more papers as if nothing happened.

Dirk leans on her desk. I wonder to myself if he's going to make out with her there in class, and by the way she's breathing, you can tell she's thinking the same. They're both extremely popular. Popular dates popular, it's like social status. “If anything's a poser...” rubs his thumb over her ear gently. “Those double piercings you have would take the cake.” He says.

Her face shows astonishment, he actually showed her up. The most popular girl in the entire school, and I couldn't help but smile, and do a little victory air pump under my desk. Which I just got to sit at when he said the last few words.

“Me? A poser?” She chuckles “at least my hair doesn't look like Avril Lavigne!” She says, looking back at me. “That was so like 2002!” Lauren glares.

Dirk points at me and says “At least she's not a two faced bitch, who'd bury her friends for popularity.” The entire class gasps, including me. My eyes widen. I hadn't expected one of them to turn on their own... and is it seriously over me? Or is it over popularity and Turf? God they're like a pack of wolves, always fighting for dominance.

“Sit down Mr. Ford, that's quite enough out of you!” Mr. Lloyd warns.

Dirk sits down and relaxes like hes won the world right now as he puts his hands behind his head in triumph.

The rest of the period goes by pretty ok. Nobody says much. Popular crowd's in too much disbelief to say boo. The rest of the class wont gossip because it'd be rude to do it in their faces. Hypocrites...

“Hey Dirk” I say once class is over.

“Yeah? Dawn.”

“Um, I go by D.D, and thank you... for sticking up for me...” I give a little smile.

“But your name is, Dawn, and no problem.” he says, with a smirk.

“Yeah... it is, however people call me D.D” I correct.

“Your name is Dawn. Dawn... the first thing in the morning, the light that shines in through the window. Creating streaks of gold and red. The sunlight that comes in and kisses you on the eyes, telling you it's time to get up.” He smiles at me. I get a strange since that he's flirting with me. But that would be impossible... I'm bottom of the food chain, and he's a fucking shark! I just smile widely at him.

“Ok...” I say rolling my eyes. Dirk cocks his head, giving a saddened look to his face. “What? Did I do something wrong?” I ask looking at him confused.

Dirk shakes his head. “No” he says quietly. His once triumphant stance turned to depressed, and I feel like it's my fault.

“What you said was real beautiful” I try.

Dirk grins “Thanks, it was only meant for you.”

My brow furrows. Only meant for me? Who else would it be meant for?

“Oh yeah, and your hair, it's nothing to worry about. It'll come out in time. And I also really like your ash blond hair, it really brings out that face of yours.” He says with a smile. My eyes slightly widen, I blush.

“Um... thanks, it was a bet... I lost...” Damn... perhaps he's circling me... looking for my week spots like any good shark would with it's prey.

“Well, I'm going to go, see ya.” Dirk says, with a little wave and a smile.

“Yeah... me too, I should probably pass in my project I did last night... teach's gonna love the drawings I did on it.” I joke, feeling tension.

We go separate ways. To class. Next class is worse than the one before. I'm teased, not only for my hair, but because he stood up for me too. It's one of those 'WTF' moments. Mostly I ignore the comments made. Instead I direct my attention to my friend, Brenda Churchill. The one who made me die my hair, and has a huge crush on Dirk Ford.

I tell her all about the first period. How he stood up for me, gave me his hat, then said that weird poetic thing about my name.

“Oh... my... God! Oh my God!” Brenda says, once we are out of class, and at the lockers. “Are you serious? Like this is a for reals and real life thing? He actually did that? For you?” She asks, completely convinced he's in love with me or something. Just because of what he said. I think he was flirting to try and find my week spot so he could rip it to shreds.

“You really don't like popular kids huh?” She says. I shake my head.

“No... not really. What have they ever done for me? Besides cause misery...” I say. Fixing my overly large hoody. We walk to the cafeteria. For an hour break.

“You should totally ask him out!” Brenda says, practically jumping up and down. I roll my eyes.

“Ask who out?” Dirk asks, coming from no wear. I jump around to see him with his small little smirk.

“No body” I huff.

“You!” Says Brenda at the same time. I elbow her in the side, which does nothing. I where too much padding to be a threat. She just smiles widely.

Dirk looks confused. What is he too high and mighty to accept that someone at the bottom of the food chain might be interested in him? “Me? So you where talking about asking me out?” He asks.

I bite my lip, and look away. Brenda looks like a bobble head doll. Nodding quickly and smiling a little. “Well... I was telling her that you probs like her cause of what she was telling me about first period an all...” She starts. I bop her in the ribs again trying to be more force full this time. She just glares over, bopping me back, and rubbing her rib area. I wince a little when her elbow contacts my ribs.

“It's good to have friends” Dirk smiles, watching us childishly hit each other.

I stop and straighten my sweater out. Allowing one of my shoulders to show. “Yeah I guess...” I glare over at her.

“She's going to your base ball game tonight, Dirk... of course you're going to be there right?” Brenda chuckles, not taking her eyes off him. I haven't a clue as to why she is trying to set us up so badly. She's the one in love with this boy. Not me.

“Yeah, I will be, I'm the captain after all.” He says with a small smile. The way he says it doesn't seem preppy, like other captains. His sounds like, he was gifted with it or something. He then turns attention to me, and says “Yes, to answer your question... but only if you ask me yourself.” Then he walks away.

I squint my eyes at him, glaring a little as he walks away. “Where does he get the nerve...” I say under my breath. Of course, Brenda on my right is jumping, well leaping for joy.

“He said he would! He said he would, he said he woooouuuld!” She says super happy. I roll my eyes at her. “Aw c'mon! Lighten up would ya? He's a nice guy... and he's supper fucking gorgeous, and he's popular!” She half sings at me. I sigh at her.

“No... if he's 'so into me' like you said, than maybe he'll have to come to me instead. Like a proper gentleman!” I shrug buying an apple juice from the vending machine, and walk away.

“C'mooooon, D.D! This is like a once in a life time thing! He's totally into you!...”

“Than he can ask ME out, not Me ask HIM out...” I say, drinking my juice quickly, and marching off to class.

Up until lunch everything went fine. Of course, leave it to high school and its students to start shit... or drama. From where I stood getting food, I could see Brenda, my supposed best friend, talking to both Micheal and Dirk. She looked as if she was having a very intense conversation with them. They all look in my direction. I wave, they wave. It all seems friendly and nice. I pay for the food, and then walk to my seat, next to Howard.