Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THIRTY-FOUR
bleeding dawn
_____✵_____
I swallow the lump in my throat with great difficulty and try to breathe, not knowing where this was headed. Zeke cracks his frosty knuckles, limping forward till he is at an arm's length from me.
"Remember second grade? When we had dreamt of going to school together everyday and eat popsickles from the vendor behind the back gate at lunch? And when we promised each other that no matter what, we would stick together --- where did those promises sink to, Vanessa Davenport? Or did you not mean them at all? I was foolish to think you were a person of words" He snickers and I gasp at his unbelievable audacity.
"Oh wait, before you call me out for being a hypocrite --- let me just complete."
Ian clenches his fists, looking like he could kill any moment.
"What are you even saying? I really can't process your words ---" I choke and Ezekiel let's out a chuckle.
"Trust me, you will."
"Trust you? Such a lunatic!!!" Ian barks, throwing a punch again and Ezekiel hits his back to the wall.
"Ian, I told you to stop doing that!" Audrey gives him a stern look and he seethes.
"Your boyfriend is quite protective, I must say Vanessa." Zeke scowls, still panting for breath.
"Don't try to dodge the point." I state.
"I ain't... It's not me who overlooks, it's you..."
Before I could even respond, he continues, his hands clutching to his pained stomach.
"You got into Winston High plainly because your parents donated money to the trust, Vanessa. You didn't even deserve to be there. And guess what? There was a poor little boy, eight years old back then...who got his name on the selection list of merit. But your bloody money just kicked him out of there as if he was an insect --- his dreams were crushed...and he was forced by necessity to attend a school as charity case when he was clearly not. It was all because of your obnoxious parents, Vanessa Davenport. They would do anything to get you in there...." he laughs bitterly, his eyes glistening.
"And that poor little boy is you? That's what you're saying right?" Audrey asks, pinching her eyebrows in frustration.
"No doubt you're smart." He claps his hands dramatically, sarcasm dripping from his mouth.
"Is that all you had to say?" I whisper, I've lost my voice long ago and the minimal strength that I had was ready to leave.
How could I never know? All these years, I had been thinking I deserved all the attention I received at Winston but now, I felt like I was not worth a glance.
