The Stadium's Star [COMPLETE]

Chapter 63

Nothing is different about Zack and Marcus's dorm when I enter it.

The beds still have matching navy sheets, their desks are covered in textbooks, and their bags sit by the beds. Just by the appearance of the room, nothing has changed.

Zack returns from the bathroom. Most of the blood is rinsed off his face, making his bruises and cuts more prominent. I stand up to let him sit on the bed.

Grabbing the first aid kit I gave him in the beginning of the year from his desk drawer, I bring the chair over to sit in front of him. He doesn't say anything as I pull out the antibiotic ointment and some band-aids.

My hands are borderline shaking as I start to dab the ointment into his skin. He stares down at the floor so we don't make eye contact as I aid his forehead then his cheek. His skin is soft against my fingertips and tinged slightly pink against the dark fringe of his lashes.

"You don't have to do this," he says, breaking me out of my staring.

"I know," I reply.

He looks up at me and our eyes match. They're electric, rendering me speechless. His gaze flickers to my lips.

"You should go to the hospital," he says, blinking away.

"I will," I say. "I think you got most of it. It feels okay now."

He inhales. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I sit back, closing the cap of the ointment and pulling out band-aids.

"Because of this," I say. "I never wanted you to fight him."

"So you broke up with me to stop me from fighting?" he asks, staring at the floor.

"He's your cousin," I say. "He's your family and things were finally working out for you. I didn't want to come between that."

"You didn't," he says, looking up at me. "He did."

I finish applying the last band-aid quietly. My fingers linger on his face before moving away.

"Please try to understand," I say.

"You think I wouldn't have if you told me?"

My eyes find the floor. "I thought it would be better if you never found out."

He closes his eyes, holding his face in his hands. Maybe he wants to be alone.

I start to stand up. "I'm gonna call Mia."

"Wait," he says. "Can you just... stay here for a second?"

I blink down at him. "Yeah," I say softly. "I can stay."

Sitting next to him, I pat his back softly and we just sit without saying another word.