The Hollows Of Hiraeth (✔️) | 'Hollows' Book I

Chapter Eighty-Three

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T h e   H o l l o w s O f
H    I    R    A    E T H
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It was a shot in the dark, but some strange part of me urged me to find Toby. Maybe he could help me? What am I even talking about? I can't do this. But I deserve to, right? I mean, we'll only talk. I just have to get away from the stress of my relationships: the faux—well, faux for me—with Carter and my very hopeless infatuation with Jameson. You gotta love boys.

So, here enters my shot in the dark, my rebellious side, a demon not to be reckoned with. Overall, I'm living my own worst nightmare, letting myself grow weak and make foolish decisions because of this other side of me. Wait, where is Toby's room?

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when I nearly walk into someone, correction: I did walk into someone. I hit my face against the back of a boy and stumbled backwards at the impact. A string of apologies came to my lips, but were abruptly silenced when my collision boy turned around. Pretty face, alarm bells—Zack Espan. Well, at least I found Toby's room, and Zack Espan. I realised with a mental 'aw' that they most probably share rooms as I saw him locking up.

Alarm bells, pretty face, collision boy grinned at me. "It's fine." He told me, a slight smugness to his voice that told me he knew all too well the effect he was having on me. I then realised how stupid I must look: mouth hanging open as my jaw went slack, messy 'I just cried' hair and bloodshot eyes, of which were stinging since I had stopped blinking. I corrected my appearance quickly, hoping to show a picture of self-control.

Zack quirked an eyebrow up at me, glancing around him, "What are you doing here? You have a sex change?" He joked and I opened and closed my mouth like a fish. Laugh, Sky, what are you doing? I laughed—thank God—and soon spoke up.

"No," I told him with a smile, "I was actually.." I trailed off, what am I doing? By the time I had realised, way too late, that I was a distraught girl about to get to a base I don't think exists, Zack seemed to be engrossed by me.

Jerking his thumb into his room, he said, "You want to come in and wait for Toby?" Pausing, he added, "If that's who you came for?" He rose his eyebrow again, and I found myself nodding. Don't trust your mouth, Sky, you'll commit a verbal crime. Zack smiled, way too excited and creepy for my liking, but I went along with my first intuitive thoughts.

That's how I found myself, minutes later, sitting on the edge of a bed decorated with a cream duvet, Zack smirking at me as he stood across the room. I knew then that I was in trouble. Okay, Jameson doesn't want to guard me, so who the hell do I ask help from?

Everyone, I decided. Well, not everyone. The girls wouldn't be able to do much, not with how far away they are. That leaves me with two very complicated boys, causing me to have two very complicated relationships. I never did get Toby's number, so he's out of the picture.

My eyes met Zack's dark ones once more and he seemed to be moving closer, unless my eyes were tricking me. I hoped they were. Then, out of fear, I texted both boys.

'HELP'

Eh, that should do. Thinking again, I realised Jameson probably didn't have his phone with him. Damn boy. However, Carter certainly did.

'What's wrong?'

He replied with and I let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Who are you texting?" My lungs closed back up again and that sigh of relief felt farther away than I would've liked. Looking up, I could see that Zack had indeed got closer. He was about a metre away from me, but already too close. The feeling of danger pricked my skin and I tried so desperately to brush it off. But Zack noticed. He came closer.