(✔) 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙗𝙤𝙮 ↳ (𝔃.𝓭.𝓱)

thirty !

Everly lay on her couch, her headphones pulled down over her ears. The Herron family had left the house, so she was all by herself. The thing that worried her, however, was the fact that it was already eight in the evening, and Zach hadn't returned from school yet.

She had waited outside the school building for him for an hour, and he didn't show up. She had texted him numerous times, but to no response. She huffed worriedly, sitting up with her back against the wall.

What was he doing? Was he on a date with Lavender? For some reason, a pang of jealousy shot through her and she quickly shook the thought away. No, that couldn't be. They weren't even dating, and even if they were going on a date, Zach would've told Everly. He would, wouldn't he?

Her thoughts were interrupted when the bedroom door swung open, slamming against the wall. Everly jumped, pulling her headphones down around her neck and shutting off her music.

Standing in the doorway was Zach. His head was tilted down to face the floor as he dragged his feet towards his bed. He sat gingerly down on the edge of the mattress, his back turned towards Everly. "Finally! Where have you been?" Everly sighed in relief.

Zach didn't reply, just sat still as a statue, facing the wall. Everly immediately sensed that something was up. "Hey, what's wrong?" She questioned softly, getting up to sit beside Zach. She gently touched him on the arm and he jerked away from her hand. "Zach..?" Everly whispered.

Zach turned his head to face her and he looked up, earning a sharp gasp from Everly. Bruises littered his face. There was a large bluish-purple one against his jawline, and dried blood on his nose. He had a black eye that was swollen shut and a cut on his lip.

"Zach, what the hell happened to you?!" Everly shrieked in horror.

He smiled humourlessly at her. "Aaron Whitby," He told her in a raspy voice.

For a moment, nothing registered. Then it clicked, and Everly's stomach dropped. It was the guy who had harassed her earlier.

"Do you...know? About earlier? Me and him?" Everly asked hesitantly.

Zach nodded. "How?" Everly continued.

He rolled his eyes but winced immediately after. "News travels fast in this school. Thought you would've realised that by now," He said dryly.

"And what? You beat him up?" Everly demanded, her voice rising slightly. Zach nodded, looking bored.

"Because of me?!" She cried out, absolutely horror-struck. Zach nodded again, examining his nails.

"Why did you do that? Beating someone up isn't a goddamn solution!" Everly yelled. Zach curled his lip up at her. "Look who's talking. You fucking slapped him. And apparently beating someone up isn't a solution," He mocked her.

Everly flushed bright pink. He was right, but she wouldn't let him know that. "Yeah, I may have slapped him but that was it! You look so fucked up! You got into a whole fist fight with him!" She cried out.

Zach looked irate, his eyes piercing into her. "And what about it? Let me do whatever I fucking want!" He bellowed.

Everly was seething with rage. "Zach, you're being an assh—"

Zach's eyes were burning with a furious flame. "I'm an asshole? You're the one who's being unappreciative! I fucking got into all this damn trouble because of you!"

"Me?! I didn't tell you to beat him up and get into a fucking fight!" Everly shouted, completely enraged.

"Yeah, no shit! I was protecting you—!" Zach retorted bitterly. A vein was throbbing in his right temple.

"I didn't need protection, Zach! I handled myself perfectly fine! And you went and hurt yourself because of me!" She screamed. She didn't mean to sound like a bitch, not at all. She just didn't want Zach to get hurt, and now he was bloody and bruised and it was on her conscience.

Zach slammed his hand against the wall ferociously, the sound startling Everly into silence. "I didn't want to beat up Whitby, okay?" He said in a dangerously low voice.

"Why? That's all you do isn't it? You just pick fights for fun, don't you? What changed?" Everly snapped.

And so did Zach.

"I fucking beat him up because of you, okay? I shouldn't have fucking done that, I know, but I didn't want you to get hurt! He could hurt you, and I didn't want that to fucking happen!" Zach bellowed.

Tears pressed against Everly's eyes. "Why would you do that?" She whispered, but she already knew the answer.

Zach's jaw clenched and he took a deep breath. "Because I fucking care for you! So damn much. But you clearly don't feel the same."

Everly's heart plummeted into her stomach. "Zach—" She began, but he was already halfway out of the door.

He shook his head resolutely. "Save it for later."

"Zach, you're injured!" Everly argued, fighting to keep the tremble out of her voice.

"I can take care of it myself," He said flatly, not turning around to look at Everly. And with that, he slammed the door behind him.

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tea? ALSO, this book is nearly coming to an end and I'm kind of shook about it lmao. stay tuned for more love y'all

~k