Chapter 34 Scars
Phoebe
I covered my mouth, trying to suppress the disbelief at the sight before me. Finley’s body was covered in scars, some faint and barely visible, while others were harsh and unmistakably real. My gaze was frozen, my chest tight, and my brain struggled to process what I was seeing.
“What really happened to you?” I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I couldn’t hide my shock.
Adonis stood near the door, arms crossed over his chest, a faint smirk playing on his lips, which only fueled my frustration. “Why don’t you let Finley explain? You’ll probably think I’m the bad guy if it comes from me.”
“You are the bad guy,” I snapped, making his smirk widen.
But my eyes quickly returned to Finley. He said nothing, his head lowered, his fists clenched tightly. His face flushed, his jaw tensed, and then he moved. He grabbed his bag of books from the table roughly and shoved past Adonis without a word.
I tried to go after him.
Adonis let out a small laugh, the kind that oozed amusement, which only stoked the fire of my anger. But I chose not to waste my energy on him. Instead, I ran after Finley, spotting him turning a corner down the hallway. My legs moved fast, and eventually, I caught up with him.
“Finley, wait! We need to talk!” My voice was urgent, pleading even. But he didn’t stop. His steps carried him straight to the biology classroom.
When we arrived, the quiet atmosphere of the room greeted us. A few students were already inside, including Tyra, who immediately noticed our arrival. Her brows lifted in curiosity, especially when she saw the tension written all over my face.
“What’s going on?” Tyra asked, raising an eyebrow. “You two look like you’ve just run a marathon.”
Finley didn’t answer. He simply sat at his desk, staring straight ahead, ignoring both me and Tyra. I stood beside him, unsure of what to do. My heart was pounding, my chest felt tight, and for some reason, I couldn’t shake this unease.
What’s really going on with Finley? Why won’t he talk to me?
Tyra tilted her head, studying me with confusion. “Phoebe, are you okay? You look... off.”
“I’m fine,” I said shortly, trying to sound calm, even though my emotions were far from it. I took a seat next to Tyra, attempting to focus on the lesson. But my thoughts kept circling back to Finley, to those scars, to his silence.
It all bothered me.
By the time the lesson ended, my unease had only grown worse. The feeling stayed with me through the afternoon, even during practice with Hayden and the others. Normally, practice was something I looked forward to, something that energized me. But today was different. My hands felt clumsy, my mind scattered, and my performance was clearly off.
“Phoebe, are you okay?” Hayden asked during a break. His gaze was concerned. “You’re not your usual self. Is something bothering you?”
Before I could answer, Finley suddenly interjected. “She’s just tired from our biology project. We’ve been working on something complicated.” His voice was flat but firm, enough to stop Hayden from pressing further.
Hayden nodded. “Oh, alright. Just don’t overwork yourself, Phoebe.” He gave a small smile before walking off.
I turned to Finley, wanting to protest, but he avoided my gaze entirely. I bit my lip, holding back the frustration bubbling inside me.
Why does he keep doing this? Why won’t he talk to me?
When practice ended and everyone began packing up, I headed toward the door. But I stopped in my tracks when I saw Adonis standing there. His face, usually full of mischievous cheer, looked different; more serious and... hesitant?
“Phoebe, wait a second,” he said quietly, adjusting his glasses nervously. “I need to talk to you.”
I frowned, confused by his sudden change in demeanor. “What now, Adonis?”
He scratched the back of his head, clearly unsure of himself. “I know I usually piss you off, but I think you need to know something about Finley. About... his past.”
His words made me freeze. I stared at him, waiting for him to explain.
“Those scars,” he began, his voice barely above a whisper. “They’re not something Finley talks about easily. He has his reasons for keeping quiet, but I think you should know-because you’re his mate, aren’t you?”
My heart raced. “What do you mean? What happened to him?”
Adonis looked at me, his expression full of hesitation. “I can’t tell you everything. It’s not my place to explain. But what I can tell you is that Finley’s been through something really hard. And... I played a part in it.”
I blinked, stunned. “What?”
“My other side... he always used Finley as an outlet for his madness,” Adonis admitted, his head lowering. “I made a huge mistake with him. I’ve tried to make amends, but I know it’s not enough.”
I stared at him, a mix of anger and confusion swirling inside me. “Adonis, what did you do? What happened to Finley?”
He shook his head, refusing to elaborate further. “I can only talk about this because he’s not in control right now. If I say too much, he’ll react immediately.”
I stood there in silence, unsure of what to say. When Adonis finally left, I remained rooted in place, trying to process everything he’d just revealed. My emotions were a chaotic mess: anger, confusion, sadness.
I knew I had to talk to Finley. No matter how difficult it was going to be, I needed to find out the truth. I needed to know how to help someone who clearly needed it, even if he kept shutting me out.