Chapter 45: 'He's trouble'-1

"Fucking give it to me!" Zeke holds Isaac by the collar as he shouts in his face. I was getting my chemistry books from my locker when I heard him shouting round the corner. So now i'm eavesdropping. I hate doing that and I want to shout at Zeke for holding Isaac the way he is, but if they see me he won't tell me whatever it is he wants. I wish he'd get help with his temper. He never handles things the right way, like right now, for example. It's a good thing though that Isaac and Cole know that he doesn't mean any harm, it's just who he is. "No, man, you'll regret it." Isaac tries to take Zeke's hands off him but fails. Some other people are watching, wondering what's going on. "I don't care. I need it." "Fuck off," Isaac again tries to push Zeke away, which only results in Zeke slamming Isaac's back against the wall. "You want me to beat you until you give me it?" Oh God. He wouldn't do that? Would he? "Go ahead." Zeke just looks at him before pressing his lips together and letting him go. "Fuck you." He takes off walking down the corridor towards where I'm standing, taking his phone out. As soon as he comes around the corner, I walk straight into him. Accidentally. Kind of. His phone drops from his hands from the impact. Crap. I lean down to pick it up. It's not smashed, thankfully, but I notice on his screen are texts messages. From Aubrey. "What was that all about?" I ask, pretending not to have seen the messages as I hand him his phone. "What?" "I heard you yelling at Isaac." "Oh," he looks away. "It's nothing." I don't push it because I know he won't tell me. "You excited for chemistry?" "I am buzzing with anticipation," he says sarcastically. The bell rings and I take a step, ready to go to class but notice Zeke is still in his spot. "You coming?" He glances behind him in the direction he was headed before I ran into him. "I, um. In a minute." "You'll be late," I frown. For a moment he just looks at me, contemplating whether or not to go. "Fine," he sighs. We walk into class together and I follow Zeke to the back, but stop in my tracks at the sight of Mason. Sitting in the second row, he's looking right back at me as I stare at him, my jaw dropped. His jaw is covered in bruises, his lip swollen and cuts on his nose and forehead. Zeke has stopped too, watching me. Mason's eyes avert to him and I immediately know why. "What. The. Fuck," I hiss at him. Without responding, he takes my arm and pulls me to the back row and we both take our seats. "It's not that bad." "It's not that bad? Really? When did you do that?" "Doesn't matter," he looks away. "Yes it does," I grab his face and pull it to look at me. He looks shocked and a little pissed off. He doesn't let many people treat him like that. "It was at the party, alright? After you fell asleep." He rolls his eyes and turns away again. "Everyone quiet," Mr. Kennedy walks into the class. "Turn to page twenty-eight in your books and continue with the questions." "Why would you do that?" I ask quietly as I'm opening my book. "He's a dick. That's why." "I told you not to do this. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me." "It wasn't for you," he snaps. "Zeke. Marnie; quiet please," Mr. Kennedy says and I ignore the hurt I feel from what Zeke said. I didn't want him to do it for me, but he did anyway but it wasn't because Mason cheated on me. It was just because Zeke doesn't like him. I don't say anything else to him because i'm scared Mr. Kennedy will get mad. I notice Zeke is shaking is leg. I still haven't figured out why he does that. "If it pains you so much to see your precious Mason like that, then why don't you just sit with him? You can sit right in front of me and let him purposely touch you up just to piss me off," he mumbles the last part. "I don't like him that way anymore. How could you even say that?" "Quiet," Mr. Kennedy calls. "You obviously do. Enough to use me and almost fucking have sex with me just to get over him," his voice his loud and Mason could probably hear what he just said. My cheeks heat up and people look at us. The thing is though, I kissed Zeke because I knew Mason was watching, but I didn't do what happened after that because of Mason. It was because I got a taste of Zeke, and I liked it. I liked it a lot. "Zeke," Mr. Kennedy shouts. "Stand outside. Now." "It was her," he scoffs. Gee, thanks. "Marnie, you can join him then. I will talk to you both in a moment." "It wasn't me," I argue. "He just likes to act like everything's my fault." "And she likes to use people but never sees what's wrong with it." "And he's an emotionless idiot who beats up people when he's bored," I glare at him. Our conversation is going on loudly as the entire class watches. I don't even care because he's annoying me so much. "Only people who deserve it." "Your friend doesn't deserve it when he's always the one there for you." "You think he's there for me? Not when i'm going fucking insane from cigarette cravings and he takes them all every time-" "Enough!" Mr. Kennedy interrupts. "Both of you get out now!" Zeke never told me he was having problems with stopping smoking. He stands up and walks out of the class and I follow, meeting Mason's eye on the way out. I close the door behind me and stare at Zeke as he leans against the wall and takes his phone from his pocket. "You said you weren't addicted," I say in a calm voice. He looks up from his phone and looks at me with an unreadable expression. "I'm not, it's just hard adjusting to not doing it." "Why didn't you tell me you were struggling?" "Why would I? Just so you can think I am pathetic and call me a druggy along with your shithead boyfriend?" He snaps and starts walking down the corridor. "He's not my boyfriend," I say harshly. "Stop fricking acting like i'm fricking in love with him or something!" I feel like kicking the lockers or something. He makes me so mad. He stops and turns around, shouting at me from a few metres away. "You obviously are – or at least you're stupid enough to think you are." "I am not," I stomp my foot like a little kid. How could he say things like this after what Mason did? "That's what I thought at first after what he said. But after what you did – using me and shit, it must be fucking true." "What do you mean? What did he say?" Zeke scowls, "It doesn't matter. I don't fucking care about any of this," he spins and walks away again. I want you to care. "Where are you going?" I call after him. "Away from here."