Chapter 51: Death Wish-1

Cole: Isaac stop fuckin maggers upstairs "I really need to leave this group," I tell Zoey, sighing at my screen, and remembering Zeke's in it too. "Then leave?" "I've already tried. Cole just keeps adding me back." I sit my phone down on the couch armrest and look back at the TV screen, where Clueless is currently playing. It has to be my favourite movie of all time, after X-Men, Avengers, Divergent, The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner... Okay I have a lot of favourite movies of all time. My phone starts buzzing again. Isaac: we're not fuckig Asshole: I am going to kill you Cole: fuckig Cole changed the group name to fuckig. My eyes focus on Zeke's contact name on my phone. Asshole. He's such an asshole. He's an asshole for making me like him. He's just messing with my head. I'm not even mad about everything he said to me today – I'm hurt. I just want to believe that it wasn't true, or that it was just a nightmare – that he still wants me in his life. I decide to leave the group – or try to. Me staring at the word asshole for five minutes straight probably isn't a good thing. As soon as my phone hits the couch, it buzzes again. Cole added you to the group: fuckig. I groan and throw my phone down again. "I'll tell him to stop," Zoey says and picks up her phone. After she clicks Cole's contact, she calls his number and puts it on speakerphone. "Wassup, baby," Cole's voice comes through the receiver. "Stop adding Marnie back to that stupid group," she says back, sternly. "Why? It's lit." "Cole," she says slowly, the way a mother would when scolding her child. "But Zoeeeee," he whines. "You better stop." "Wanna know something funny?" He says, changing the subject. "No." "Isaac and Maggie are fucking and the whole house is 'bouta fall apart." "And why hasn't Zeke ripped his dick off yet?" "I'm sitting on him," he explains. My cheeks feel hot at the mention of him. He's there, on the other side of the call. I could easily just ask about what he said today, and ask for an explanation. But my brain runs over the million reasons why I shouldn't. "What part of him?" Zoey narrows her eyes although he can't see her. "His stomach. Don't worry, baby, our relationship isn't that sexual yet." Zeke's voice is quiet when I hear it come through the phone. "It almost is, dude. Seriously, you better move up." "Don't pretend you ain't loving this," Cole replies. "I ain't pretending," he emphasises the word 'ain't'. The faint sound of walls creaking comes through the receiver. "Oh my fucking- ISAAC," Zeke shouts so loud that i'm tempted to cover my ears. "Get off of me," he tells Cole. "Nope, dude you don't wanna walk in on lil Mags all naked and shit." "Shut up and get off. I could easily make you." "Then make me." "That would require hurting you, and I am feeling nice today." Nice? Please. "Awww, Zoe are you hearing this? Look at us bonding." Cole's voice is high pitched. "You know what, I don't care because Zeke's a dickhead," Zoey says. "I'm gonna go, but seriously Cole, leave Marnie alone." "Get your woman under control," Zeke mumbles. "Shut up, cunt," Zoey snaps back. "Babe, don't use such language!" Cole says. "I'm hanging up." "Good for you," Zeke says, followed by a slapping sound and an "Ouch," from Zeke. Zoey hangs up the phone and rolls her eyes. "I don't understand how you can like him." "Neither do I." +++ Zeke isn't at school for the next three days. On the first day, I asked Isaac and Cole if they knew why. They both claimed not to know then changed the subject. I don't think any of them have any idea what Zeke said to me, although I was convinced by Cole's expression when he saw me crying that he knew exactly what had just happened. When I see him at school again, he's sitting in the cafeteria with Isaac at his old table. The one him and his friends sat at before we became friends. Something about seeing him as I walked into the cafeteria drained me. I felt like I was weak, and a stupid little girl who was obsessed with him. The moment our eyes lock as he drinks from a can of Dr. Pepper, I feel the air being sucked out of me. He slowly takes the can from his pink lips and sits it down, holding my gaze. I can't read his eyes, but I sense a glimpse of a sign of regret. Does he regret making me cry? Does he regret saying those things? Did he mean them? Just a second later the regret is gone, and I get no answers from his eyes, as he's too good at hiding his emotions.