CHAPTER 29- "When 'Later' Meant Never"
The final bell rang, but it didn't feel like a release. It felt like the start of a long, cold walk. As the classroom emptied, the silence between Zack and me became a physical weight. He began packing his bag, his movements stiff and mechanical, never once glancing in my direction.
I couldn't let him leave like this. Not with the "gray" feeling swallowing the space where his warmth used to be.
"Zack," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the chatter of students rushing into the hallway.
He stopped, his hand resting on the strap of his bag, but he didn't turn around.
"I'm sorry," I said, the words feeling small and inadequate. "I was rude to you earlier. I... I didn't mean the things I said. I was just stressed."
For a long moment, he didn't answer. I watched his shoulders rise and fall with a heavy breath. The "Prince" I knew—the one who always had a smirk or a protective comment ready—was nowhere to be found.
"Is that it?" he finally asked, his voice flat.
"No," I said, stepping closer, though the "canyon" Larry had joked about still felt miles wide. "Let's talk about it on the phone later, okay? Please. I can explain things better when we aren't... here."
I was thinking about Ashley watching. I was thinking about the lenses that might be hidden in the corners of the room. A phone call felt like the only safe bridge left.
Zack finally turned, but his green eyes were guarded, devoid of the spark I had grown to depend on. He looked at me for a beat, his expression unreadable, before he slung his bag over his shoulder.
"Whatever," he muttered.
He didn't wait for me to respond. He just turned and walked out the door, blending into the sea of students. "Whatever"—the most painful word he could have used. It wasn't a "no," but it wasn't the "I've got you" I was desperate to hear.
I stood by my desk, watching him disappear. I knew I had to call him, but I also knew that if Ashley was truly "V" or working with them, even a phone call wasn't a guarantee of safety.
he final bell echoed through the hallway, but to me, it sounded like a death toll. I watched the last of them shuffle out, their laughter fading into a silence so heavy it felt like it was pressing the air right out of my lungs.
"Back to square one, I guess," I whispered. My voice sounded small and hollow in the empty classroom. I leaned against my desk, my palms flat against the cold, scarred wood, trying to ground myself.
Then, a floorboard creaked behind me. My heart hammered against my ribs. I wasn't alone.
"Hello there, Jane."
The voice was like oil—smooth, dark, and suffocating. I felt a cold spike of adrenaline shoot through my chest. I turned slowly, my knees feeling like they might give way at any second. I tried to hide my hands behind my back, but I couldn't stop the trembling. It was a frantic, rhythmic shaking that betrayed everything I was trying to hide.
"What is it, Victor?" I managed to ask. My voice was thin, lacking the armor I usually wore around him.
Victor stepped into my personal space, his eyes tracking the movement of my throat as I swallowed hard. He didn't seem to care that I was terrified; in fact, he looked like he was enjoying the view.
"Is it true," he began, his tone almost casual, though his eyes never left mine, "that you and Zack stopped talking?"
The question hit me like a physical blow. The shock was so sharp it actually cut through the fear for a split second. "No," I blurted out, my brow furrowing in confusion. "Who told you that? Was it Ashley?"
Victor leaned back just an inch, a slow, knowing smirk spreading across his face. It was the look of someone who had just moved a pawn into the perfect position.
"Larry," he replied simply.
The name felt like a weight dropping into the pit of my stomach. Larry. My mind raced, trying to piece together a map of a betrayal I hadn't even seen coming.
"Larry," he replied simply.
The name hit me like a physical blow. Larry. My mind raced, trying to piece together a map of a betrayal I hadn't even seen coming. But I wouldn't let Victor see me crumble. I forced a dry, hollow laugh.
"Of course it's him," I said, my voice gaining a bit of steel. "Who else?"
I looked Victor straight in the eyes, trying to stop the quivering in my hands. "Don't worry, Victor. It's not the truth."
Victor tilted his head, his expression unreadable, like he was dissecting my response for any hint of a lie. "Then what is it?" he asked.
"It's nothing," I snapped.
Victor leaned against a nearby desk, his predatory stillness shifting into something more curious. "And what does Zack think about this? About the rumors?"
I thought of Zack—the way he handled the world like nothing could truly touch him, especially not the whispers of people like Luke or Ashley. "Well, he's fine with that rumor," I said. "You know him, Victor. He's the kind of person who doesn't give a shit about others' thinking of him."
Victor paused, a flicker of something crossing his face before he smoothed it back into a mask. "Oh, I see."
The tension in the room shifted. Looking at Victor now, I suddenly remembered something that had nothing to do with rumors or Zack. I remembered the unexpected sight of him at my front door just a few nights ago. I had left my book at school, certain I'd never see it again, but he had found it.
"Actually, Victor," I said, my voice softening as the memory surfaced. "Thank you for coming all the way to my home to return my book. I really thought I'd lost it."
The cold, oily edge of the conversation seemed to vanish for a moment. Victor gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
"No problem, Jane," he said simply.
Without another word, Victor turned and walked out of the classroom, his footsteps echoing down the hall until they vanished. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, but the relief lasted less than a second.
The door swung open again, and this time, the air in the room didn't just feel cold—it felt poisonous. Ashley strolled in, flanked by Berry and a small group of her underlings. They fanned out, surrounding me like wolves circling a wounded deer.
"Wow, Jane," Ashley began, clapping her hands slowly with mock admiration. "You should be awarded an Oscar for Best Acting."
I turned back to face her, my heart sinking. "What do you need, Ashley? I did what you asked."
Berry smirked, stepping forward with a look of pure disdain. "See? Looks like she's become a little arrogant."
"Yeah, Berry, I can see that," Ashley added, her eyes narrowing as she stepped into my personal space.
"What do you want, Ashley?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to keep it steady.
"Well, Jane Frost, you actually did do what I asked you," Ashley said, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper.
"Then what else do you need? Just fucking tell me!" I burst out.
One of the other girls laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. "Look, she's using big words now."
Ashley didn't laugh. She leaned in closer, her expensive perfume cloying and suffocating. "Well, Jane... I want you to leave Zack. Forever."
She looked at me like I was a particularly slow child. "Did you hear me clearly? Then let me say this again: I want you to leave Zack. Forever."
"You can't possibly ask me to do that," I stammered, my head spinning. "I mean—"
"You mean what?" Berry interrupted, her smirk widening into something cruel.
"You mean that you abused him in the car?" Ashley added, her thumb hovering over her phone as if reminding me of the footage she held.
"Stop with that nonsense!" I cried, my voice cracking. "I never abused him!"
Berry laughed, a cold, mocking sound that echoed off the classroom walls. "Kissing without his permission is abuse, Jane."
I went speechless. The words felt like physical weights, dragging me down into a dark place where my own memories were being rewritten into something ugly. I knew it wasn't true, but looking at their smug faces, I realized it didn't matter what the truth was. It only mattered what they could make people believe.
"Yes, that's the truth," Ashley said, satisfied by my silence. She reached up, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a sharp, dismissive motion. "So... see you later, Jane Frost."
I couldn't stay in that classroom anymore. I stood up, my legs feeling like lead, and made my way toward the cafe. I needed a moment of peace, but I should have known better.
As I entered, I saw them. Zack was sitting at a table, and standing right there beside him were Ashley and Berry. They were laughing, talking to him with bright, fake smiles as if nothing had happened—as if they hadn't just tried to destroy me minutes ago. The sight of their two-faced masks made my stomach churn.
I looked away, choosing a lonely table in the corner where I could disappear. I started to eat, my appetite gone, just going through the motions to keep my hands busy.
"Hey, Jane."
I looked up to see Ray standing there.
"Hey," I replied, trying to force a neutral expression.
Ray sat down across from me, his eyes full of concern. "So... what happened between you two?"
I let out a heavy sigh, looking at my tray. "Nothing. Why?"
"You can tell me the truth, you know," Ray said, leaning in. His voice was soft, but his gaze was searching.
I tried to answer him—I wanted to tell him everything, about the bathroom, the video, and the threat—but the words felt like they were glued to the back of my throat. The "Oxygen of Panic" was lurking just beneath the surface again. "I told you already, it's nothing," I managed to say.
I looked up, my eyes drifting toward Zack. For a split second, our gazes met. He was looking right at me, his green eyes unreadable. My heart jumped, waiting for him to do something—to wave, to stand up, to come over. But he didn't. He looked away and began talking to Ashley and Berry again, a small smile playing on his lips.
A wave of fury washed over me. How could he just sit there? How could he talk to them after everything? But even as the anger burned, I felt helpless. I couldn't do anything without risking that video getting out.
"Jane, you can be honest with me," Ray said again, pulling my attention back to him. "What happened?"
"Just leave it," I told him, my voice sharper than I intended.
"I can't do that, Jane," Ray countered, his brow furrowing. "I saw you two flirting with each other. I know something is up."
I stood up abruptly, my chair screeching against the floor. "It's none of your business!"
I stood up, my chair scraping the floor. "It's none of your business!"
I looked at Zack one last time. He was still watching me, his worry hidden behind a fake mask. "I'm sorry, Ray. I should go."
I went back to the classroom and sat alone. Why did I accept that dinner? I thought to myself. Maybe I should speak with Zack when I go home.
When school was finally over, I walked outside. Zack was waiting for me. He waved his hand. "Hey, Jane!"
I felt a surge of confusion. Why was he waving? Then, Ashley appeared right before him. She raised her eyebrows at me, her gaze a lethal warning.
I didn't wave back. I didn't say a word. I completely ignored Zack and walked away.
But I hadn't gone more than a few steps before I felt a firm grip on my arm. Zack had grabbed my hand.
"Wait, Jane! Jane!"
I hesitated, the "Oxygen of Panic" flooding my lungs until I felt lightheaded. I looked back. Zack was standing right there. The fake mask from the cafe was gone, replaced by a raw, bleeding honesty. His green eyes were filled with pain, wide and vulnerable, searching mine for an answer I wasn't allowed to give.
"Why are you ignoring me?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly.
"Then why did you call me?" Zack's voice grew louder, thick with a truth that cut through the school-gate noise. "Why did you talk with me so wholeheartedly? Everything you said, the way you sounded... that was real, wasn't it?"
I looked at him, my vision blurring. "You don't understand, Zack," I whispered.
I could see Ashley out of the corner of my eye. Her face was contorted with a deep, boiling fury. She was absolutely fuming that he was fighting for me, her knuckles white as she gripped her phone. She didn't move yet, but the threat was screaming at me.
"Then tell me the truth!" Zack pleaded, stepping closer. "Which one is real? Is it the you standing here right now, pretending I don't exist? Or was it the girl from the phone?"
The words sat at the edge of my lips, trembling. I could feel his hand still holding mine. Waiting. Hoping. And I—I was about to destroy that.
"Zack…" My voice came out weaker than I wanted. I forced myself to look at him, even though it hurt. "Just… leave me alone."
The moment the words left my mouth, something in his expression shifted. Not anger. Not yet. Something worse. I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. "I'll explain it to you later," I added quickly, almost desperately. "Just—not right now. Please."
For a second, he didn't move. Didn't speak. His grip on my hand slowly loosened.
"Later?" he repeated quietly. Like the word didn't mean anything anymore.
I nodded, even though I knew how empty it sounded. "Yeah… later."
Zack let out a short breath, looking away for a moment before turning back to me. "Funny," he muttered. My heart sank. "You said that before too."
That hit harder than anything. Because he was right.
"I'm serious this time," I said, but even I could hear the weakness in it.
Zack stared at me for a long second. Searching. Waiting. Hoping I'd take it back. I didn't. I couldn't. Finally, he let go of my hand completely. The warmth disappeared instantly.
"Yeah," he said flatly. "Sure."
That word again. Cold. Distant. Done. He stepped back, putting space between us—not because I pushed him this time, but because he chose to.
"Take your time," he added, his voice quieter now. "I guess I'm not going anywhere anyway, right?"
There was something bitter in that line. Something hurt. I opened my mouth to respond—but nothing came out. Behind him, Ashley's lips curved slightly. Satisfied. Zack didn't notice. Or maybe he just didn't care anymore.
He shook his head once, like he was trying to clear something away. Then he turned—and walked off. This time… he didn't look back.