Chapter 22: We Two Are Friends Till The End (1/2)

Zinnia was beyond pumped. After months of madness and stress, the school was over for another year. She wouldn't wait around. The moment the bell rang, she was gone, the first one out. With her school bag dragging behind, she dashed Alton's house to start her crazed summer of streaming and being a hero. The summer's heat was starting to get to her as she made it to the foot of Alton's apartment stretch. Sweating, she gulped down the last of her fruit juice storming into his apartment and up the serval flight of stairs to her goal. Walking around the corner, she was startled finding Alton sitting at the foot of his door with a large bag. He turned to her sighing. ”Oh, hey, Zin. Finished school, yeah? So… Turns out I'm homeless. Funny right?”

Zinnia glimpsed at the door seeing an eviction notice. She frowned, rubbing the back of her neck, knowing what she had to do. ”Come on, you have crashed at my place…”

”Huh? No, I couldn't do that. I wouldn't want to bother your parents… I'll just, well.”

Zinnia ran her hands over her face shaking her head frustrated. ”No, No. I still owe you for everything. This is my fault, after all. Rebecca will need a lot of convincing. This is going to be a real pain…”

Alton stood up throwing his bag full of clothes over his shoulder all while carrying the rolled-up poster of his friend in his other hand. ”Rebecca?”

”Please, just. Come on.”

Alton reluctantly agreed following a tired Zinnia. The two left the apartment complex as Alton stopped giving another look back. The glazing sun lingered over as he adjusted his collar grumbling. ”So how was school Zin?”

Zinnia began shaking her fingers, wandering, trying her best to think of a good excuse. ”When we get to my place, just let me do the talking. I haven't exactly been honest with you… truth be told I was hoping you wouldn't find out. But… damn it. I was hoping to get my place with money earned, and this could all be put in the past.”

”What do you… oh.” He muttered as Zinnia stopped turning the corner on Rhinefield all-girl orphanage. Feeling uncomfortable, he began fidgeting around, looking like he needed to use the bathroom. ”Zinnia, ugh. This doesn't seem. Appropriate…”

”Just… come on.” Zinnia whispered bright red as she slowly dragged herself through the front doors. ”I'm back…”

Rebecca walked by looking somewhat surprised, seeing Zinnia so early. ”Oh, did you not have anyone to hang out with today?” She stopped seeing Alton hiding his face looking embarrassed. ”Zinnia?”

Zinnia began fidgeting with her skirt grumbling. ”Please hear me out… you remember the boy I got in trouble with… well because of me he lost his home… Alton has nowhere to go, and it's all my fault. Please. Can he…”

”Zinnia you know this is an all-girl orphanage, this goes against everything that stands for… if the state found out.”

Alton tried leaving only to be pulled back by Zinnia as she bowed speaking up. ”I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart. I swear I'll be good. I won't sneak off late at night playing a hero. I'll help out around the house and, and. I'll be willing to go through with the adoption idea… please. Don't let my friend live on the streets!”

”Zinnia.”

”No, please! We'll ask the others; they'll be fine with it!”

”Zinnia.”

”If the whole sleeping ordeal is a problem we can, we can… I'll take a room with Alton. He won't be anywhere the others so you won't have to worry.”

”Zinnia…”

”He's got nowhere to go, no family. He's like me… his parents are gone. We can't turn our back on him!”

”Zinnia. Listen. We can't allow him to live here. I could get into a lot of trouble if I do… But. He could technically work here. I could always use someone to go shopping for me or cook when I'm busy. If we did that, then he could live here in the spare room in the back.”

”Really?! No way?! You hear that Alton!”

Alton gripped the bag tighter smirking. ”I sure did Zin. I cannot thank you enough.”

Rebecca tutted, shaking her head. ”How about you go get the room ready for our new employee then Zinnia? It's still a mess.” Zinnia nodded gleefully rushing ahead into the back room at the end of the hallway. Rebecca turned to Alton, smiling. ”Haven't seen her this excited for quite a while… so you like her boyfriend?”