You stand with a hand on my waist line

Good to see that we’re out in plain sight

Jack puts his arm around me as we walk into school. With summer over, he’s convinced me we should be more public about our relationship. I’m not sure it’s a good thing, but I promised him I’d give it a chance. We’re already getting looks and I shift uncomfortably. Jack just smiles and nods to people.

I can hear them whisper as we pass by

It’s a bad sign, bad sign

Before we even get to my class the whispers have spread ahead of us like wildfire. Jack acts like nothing is wrong, but my insides are squirming and tying into knots. All this attention, all these looks, I feel like I’m even more of a freak than normal. I can only imagine what they’re thinking about me, wondering how I ended up with Jack, one of the most sought after boys in the school. We stop outside my class and he kisses the back of my covered hand.

Something happens when everybody finds out

See the vultures circling in dark cloud

“Here you are. Have fun with Mrs. Connie. She’s a good teacher.” He smiles that disarming smile and a tiny bit of my anxiety dissipates.

“Thanks.” I mutter, pulling my hand gently away, all too aware of people’s stares.

“See you after class.” He says.

I nod and duck into the room, quickly heading to the desk in the furthest corner from the door and anyone else. Without Jack, my classmates’ stares and whispers are more oppressive than ever. I sigh keep my eyes down. This is so much worse than last year.

Love’s a fragile little flame, it could burn out

It could burn out

Jack’s laugh draws my eyes up from my desk. One of the cheerleaders has stopped him in the hall outside of the classroom. Her cheery smile and big eyes are soaking him up while she says something that makes him smile. My gut clenches as I watch them talking. She’s so pretty, so perfect, so normal. He could hold her and kiss her. With all these normal girls around us now, I realize how stupid I am. I’m just going to end up a summer romance.

‘Cause they got the cages, they got the boxes

And guns, they are the hunters, we are the foxes

And we run

The whole day is the same thing. Whispers and stares follow us like smoke. Jack acts completely normal through the whole thing, talking and laughing with everyone while I stand by his side like a shadow, silent and ignored. Maybe they think if they don’t pay attention to me I’ll disappear. I wish I could. By the time the last bell rings, I’m on the verge of being physically ill. I just want to get out of the public eye and be somewhere quiet. Maybe I can go to the graveyard tonight and see Alex, but he’s been hard to find lately. I breathe a sigh of relief as I see Jack heading towards me down the hallway.

Baby I know places we won’t be found and they’ll be

Chasing their tails tryin’ to track us down

‘Cause I, I know places we can hide, I know places

I know places

Before he even has the chance to ask any questions I take his hand and head down the hall. “Let’s get out of here.” I say.

“Okay, calm down. It’s okay Zoey. Did someone say something?” He asks, concerned.

“No. Well, yes. They all were, all day. You’re not that oblivious. I just need to get out of here and away from them.” I sigh, picking up the pace as the doors come into sight.

Lights flash as we run for the fences

Let them say what they want, we won’t hear it

Lose lips sink ships all the damn time, not this time

As we get outside and start heading away from the school, Jack stop and turns me to him. “Zoey, it’s okay. Please, calm down. Don’t let them get to you like this. You didn’t let them get to you last year, why are you letting them do it to you this year?” He asks.

I sigh and look away. “It’s exhausting, Jack. I just want to be normal. I don’t want people to stare at me, I don’t want them to talk about me. I just want to blend into the crowd and be ignored. And I’m sure what they’re saying is right. You can have anyone in this school, Jack, yet for whatever reason, you picked me. We can’t kiss, we can’t hold hands unless I’m wearing gloves, we can’t be a normal couple because I will never be normal. You’re going to get tired of me, Jack. You’re going to get tired of this.”

Just grab my hand and don’t ever drop it

My love, they are the hunters, we are the foxes

And we run

“Hey, no.” He says sternly. “Don’t think like that. I want you and nothing and no one is going to change that. We’ll find a cure or a fix or something and we’ll make you normal. I’m not going to leave you. I will never leave you.”

I look at him, meeting his eyes. “Everyone always does eventually.”

He shakes his head and grabs my hand. “Come on, let’s walk to your house.”

Baby I know places we won’t be found and they’ll be

Chasing their tails tryin’ to track us down

I nod and walk next to him. He leaves me to my thoughts, thankfully. Everyone promises they’ll never leave but then they do. It’s not always their choice to leave, but they do. Alex was right. I shouldn’t have let this happen. Whether Jack wants it to happen or not, eventually he’ll leave me too.

‘Cause I, I know places we can hide, I know places

They are the hunters, we are the foxes

And we run

Just grab my hand and don’t ever drop it

My love

We reach the house and head up to my room. I shut the door behind us as Mogget stretches and greets us with a meow. I push him to the side and sit back against my headboard.

“Okay?” Jack asks.

I nod. “Okay.”

He smiles and sits on the bed next to me. “Good.”

Baby I know places we won’t be found and they’ll be

Chasing their tails tryin’ to track us down

‘Cause I, I know places we can hide, I know places

The silence stretches between us until he pulls me close, making sure any part of him touching me is covered by clothing. I breathe him in and close my eyes. I need to find a cure to whatever I have. I need to be able to touch him, to kiss him, to lay with him like this without worrying that I’m going to kill him.

They take their shots, we’re bulletproof

I know places

And you know for me it’s always you

I know places

“You don’t ever have to change. I want to be with you just the way you are. You’re perfect. I only want to help you find the cure because it’s what you want.” He whispers. “It’ll get better. People just have to get used to us, that’s all.”

I stay quiet against him, not replying. Something big is brewing. I can feel it in the air of both Life and Death. As I get further into that book and further into Death, something else is getting closer to Life. This will end eventually, one way or another, and I want to soak as much of him as I can in the time we have.

In the dead of night, you act so great

I know places

And I know for you it’s always me

I know places