Zoe, Her Father, and The Guys, chapter 11

We entered the kitchen, to see Mike, Billie, and Tre standing around the table. "Tre, where were you? I thought something might have happened," I said, thankful to see he was okay.
"I was at your school. First day of school and you get in a fight," he said, come over to me.
I turned to look at the guys and then back to Tre. "Dad..." I started but someone cut me off.
"Tre, it was our fault. This guy named Kyle had two burly dudes pinning her up to the lockers. I saw him slap her and then he had his friends hand her off to him. He held her tightly. She was clenching in pain. Aaron told us to go around to the gym but that meant for us to come up behind Kyle and knock him down. Zoe got loose and we ran back into the lunch room. That is why Zoe didn't eat lunch. That is why she has a bruise on her face and bruises on her arms," Pete explained. He came up and put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to his side. I looked up at him and smiled. He returned the look and the smile.
"Aaron handled it, with help from the guys. Dad, Kyle started the whole thing. They were just helping me. I just don't see how Billie didn't see them when he came over earlier. And I don't see how you didn't realize them. I had to mention them for you to see them," I said before he could answer Pete.
"Zoe, I'm sorry. Are you okay? He slapped you?" Dad stammered through his questions.
"It's okay, yes, I'm okay, and yes, he slapped me," I answered him. Looking him in the eye, he was sorry.
"Zoe, I'm sorry as well. I just didn't really notice them," Billie apologized.
"It's okay," I replied, looking at him and then back to my dad.
"Okay then, if he does anything else, kick his ass," Dad agreed, standing back up to full height. "Okay, go and do whatever you were going to do," he said, shooing us out of the kitchen. I smiled before I left.

I sat on the couch and Pete came and sat right next to me. I was sitting on the small couch so it was only me and him. He had an arm around my waist and I had an arm around his. "Hey Pete, you know you didn't have to stand up for me. I could have handled it," I said, turning to look at his hazel colored eyes.
"I know, but, we all agreed that we would stand up for you. I did. Now we can get back to what we were going to do," he said, then kissing me on the cheek.
I smiled and looked to the rest of the group.
"So, what do we do now?" Andy said, slumping down in the lazyboy chair.
"I don't know. What do we talk about?" Zac pondered.
"Hey, did you know I play guitar, bass, and drums?" I asked, starting a conversation.
"Yeah. And what do you play or do or whatever?" Aaron questioned.
"We could start a band and I could teach one of you bass, one of you drums, and two of you guitar. I would be lead guitar and vocals," I solved.
"Cool, I call drums," Aaron claimed while raising his hand.
"Bass," Zac continued, also raising his hand.
"And Pete and I could learn guitar," Andy thought out loud.
"Okay," Pete concluded.
"Then we are all set. After school and homework, we can practice our first session tomorrow. Just let me asked Tre if we can go get my drums and bass tonight after you guys go home," I replied, planning everything in my head.
"Okay, why don't you give me a call later and we can set up everything?" Pete questioned, thinking ahead of time.
"Okay all organized one," I said, bowing my head as a joke.
"Ha ha. I'm dying of laughter. Call me," Pete said, not very excited. Then leaned in before he left, and kissed me on the cheek again.

The guys said their goodbyes and I went into the kitchen.