The Wrong Address | COMPLETED

16. Thank You

Ashlin

Everything was happening so fast. From Zion reaching my side in seconds to the realization that his mom was standing before us. Not only that but the realization that this was the new family he spoke about in the letter. The one he felt his mom chose over him.

"I-Is thatttt y-you Ziiion?" his mom asked, her voice slurred as an effect of the alcohol she had consumed.

She was bat shit drunk but still able to recognize her son's voice.

"What are you doing here?" Zion's Stepfather asked not caring about Zion ignoring him earlier.

"Are you blind? Can't you see I came to the barbeque" Zion spat and I flinched at the coldness of his voice.

It was my first time experiencing this side of him and I was hoping it was the last. You could tell he had some resentment for Victor's Dad. Yet I didn't know why, he hadn't written about him in his letter.

"Zion, mind your tone" the man warned as he glanced around at the curious spectators.

"Oh shut up, all you care about is your image. You know what screw this shit!" Zion rebutted, deciding to withdraw from the scene.

Then he was off, walking briskly away while the on watchers broke out in whispers. Probably coming up with new rumors to publish. Yet I could care less about them, Zion was a danger to his own self when he was triggered. I had to go after him.

So I did just that and followed him. It took me a while to catch up to him. Yet I caught up to him nonetheless and took a few seconds to catch my breath before I spoke.

"I'm sorry your night got ruined" I started, being cautious as to not come off as meddling.

He took a deep sigh before turning to face me, his hazel eyes inspecting me carefully.

"It's good, I got to see you... it's not completely ruined" he replied, a playful smile on his lips.

"Zion Atkins are you flirting with me?" I asked, playing along although I knew he was still not ok.

"Maybe" he confessed and I laughed lightly at that.

"Do you want to see something cool?" I asked randomly and he raised his brows at my question.

"Hmm, I don't know...you could be leading me to my doom." He replied in a joking manner.

Then he got serious...

"Yet if that's the case it might be best" he spoke.

I was about to scold him for thinking like that, then I thought better. So I grabbed his hand and dragged him along as I made my way to the 'cool' location. He didn't say a word or complain as we walked the distance to my favorite place in the neighborhood and I got ready for his reaction.

"Wow" he commented, as he looked at the scenery, in awe of what he was seeing.

I had brought him to the massive field at the end of my neighborhood's road. It was by an abandoned post office and it looked beautiful in the moonlight. If someone needed somewhere to get away from everything, this was the place to be.

"Wanna go in?" I asked him, already knowing his answer but still waiting for his consent.

"Yeah" was his simple reply as he still stood captivated by the view.

I gave him the biggest smile before leading the way. The small thuds on the ground letting me know he was following closely behind. I lead him through the tall grass skillfully. As I knew which side of the field I wanted to show him.