“I’m fine,” I rasped.
“Are you dressed?” he asked.
I turned towards the wall. “Yes. Please go away.”
Zack barreled into my room. “I can’t hear you.” His face went white as I scrambled to sit up and wipe my cheeks. “Wh-what happened? Who did this to you?”
I curled my knees into my chest. “No one. I’m just tired.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“Get out, Zack.” I launched the pillow at him, my throat burning in protest.
He batted it to the floor. Now, my pillow was dirty. And I didn’t have time to wash it.
Covering my face, I suppressed a sob, which turned into a coughing fit. Was it hormones? Stress? I couldn’t stop. I could barely breathe.
Zack shoved my pillow back on the bed and pounded on my back. “What the hell? Do you need some water?”
I half-heartedly pushed him away. “Just go.”
“I can’t leave you like this,” he said firmly.
I rubbed my eyes. “Why? Because your mom will be mad?”
“Because you’re upset. I’m not going to leave my cousin crying in her bed.” Huffing, he sat by my feet and glared at the floor until my sobs subsided to sniffles. “So, what is it?”
“I can’t talk about it,” I whispered, hugging the pillow. Maybe I overreacted.
Zack clapped his knees, then stood. “Well, I want you to know I think of you like my sister.”
“Yourannoyingsister,” I mumbled.
His gaze swept back to me. “And if you tell me anything in confidence, I will take it to the grave. I will also kick ass.”
“I bet.” I chuckled, blowing my nose.
A few beats later, Zack was still standing there, an awkward, angry box-man. Did he actually care?
Chewing my lip, I glanced at my rumpled uniform. I couldn’t tell him about Harvey. Or my job.
Zack’s hands twitched towards his ear. “I have to do something to make you feel better. What do you want? Toast? A…a hug?”
“Waddles,” I blurted out.Oh, nutcracker.
Zack leaned back on his feet, his gaze shifting about the room. “You want me to waddle?”
As hilarious as that would be, it wasn’t what I needed.
I rubbed my arms. “My penguin plush, Mr. Waddles. He’s in the back seat of my car. I hid him there so Mom won’t give him away.” The rest of my stash was concealed enough he wouldn’t find it unless he went digging.
Zack nodded, somber. “Leave it to me.” He sped off, doors clattering and shoes shuffling. A few minutes later, he returned.
“What’s that in your arm?” Aunt Coral asked.
“Shelby needed something from her car. I’ll take her a plate. She needs to focus on something. Don’t worry about it.” More clattering, more chatter. Then, he made his way to my room with Mr. Waddles in a plastic grocery bag and a plate of cold leftovers and fruit in his other hand. He held everything out to me, his expression blank yet fierce. “I’ll eat it if you don’t want to.”
“No one is going to eat my penguin.” I hugged my round, lovely friend. The vice around my lungs loosened just a bit as Zack rolled his eyes, restoring my sense of normalcy.
