Touch of Darkness

Chapter 24: Confrontation

I felt like I was having an out of body experience the entire day at school. Zedd came to school, so did Alessia, but he did his best to avoid me. But now we came to our office hour and this was one class he could not avoid me in. I had already talked to our office secretary and told her Zedd and I had some projects for another class and needed to go to the library; she believed me easily.

Zedd approached and I grabbed his arm as he tried to enter the office whereI was standing guard at. I shook my head, "We need to talk."

He avoided my gaze but I saw him nod slightly. I practically dragged Zedd outside and towards the football field that was abandoned due to the dark clouds which almost seemed comical. I let go of his arm and he still avoided my eyes. After ensuring we were alone, I spoke, "You're not even going to look at me?"

I see him sigh softly and raise his gaze to meet mine. The same eyes from the dream, "I'm looking at you, Victoria."

"Zedd," I start, feeling a small break in my voice. I was fighting back tears, I wouldn't give him that satisfaction, "Please tell me that it's not true."

"What isn't true?"

"You aren't going to play dumb with me, are you?"

He stepped closer, "Victoria, if you're going to confront me, then have the guts to tell me what you're confronting me about."

I narrowed my eyes, "The night I was at your house, I saw a text from Alessia on your phone." At just that, Zedd froze in place and I continued, "I didn't want to believe it, but then there was then there was the dream last night. You know what I'm talking about I'm sure?" he only lowered his head without saying a word. "You've been terrorizing my dreams since even before you got here. You and Alessia are intent on making me something horrible and dark, I'm not sure why, but that's been your goal from the beginning." I tell him forcefully. His silence was almost deafening. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Victoria-" He starts and then stops, dropping his head while sighing, "Yes, it's true."

My heart sank, I knew it had to be true but it did not make it any easier, "Why?"

Zedd closed his eyes when speaking, "This isn't what was supposed to happen. If you ever found out, it wasn't supposed to be like this. Victoria, there's so much you don't know."

"So tell me," I say, feeling tears pricking my eyes, "Tell me so I know. I trusted you Zedd, I vouched for you when everyone told me that you weren't to be trusted, I told them that we could."

"I know," he says, almost a whisper, "But I can't tell you."

"If it has to deal with me, you need to."

"Victoria, just stop!" He says, more forcefully than anything else he has said this entire time, "I know I don't deserve your trust but right now you need to listen to me. It's better that you don't know. If I tell you anything now then I can't protect you from whatever happens."

He tries to take a step closer to me but I flinch.

"Trust you?" I said backing away from him, "How do I trust someone who lied to me from the very beginning? How do I trust someone who used me, who used my friends, who..." I turn my head away from him, "who I don't even feel safe with anymore."

"Please," he steps closer and there's a look of pain on his face but he quickly fixes it, "You need to know that no matter what my intentions were when I first came here, they have changed. I've changed, all because of you, Victoria. I won't hurt you. Please, let me protect you."

I scoffed, "Protect me? How are you going to protect me from yourself?"

"Believe me, I am not the one you need protecting from."

Is he talking about Alessia?

"Zedd," I say, taking a deep breath, "How am I supposed to believe you? Was everything a lie? Was it all part of some evil plan?" I bit my lip and forced myself to ask the next question, "This whole time, was I just some naive pawn to you?"

"Of course not," he says, "Our friendship wasn't a lie. Everything that happened between us was real. I wasn't expecting you to matter this much to me."

"If I matter that much then tell me why? You owe me an explanation"

"I can't tell you."

"Can't or won't?" His silence was his answer. "Then we're done here. I want you and Alessia out. Leave town and never come back."

"You can't mean that," he says, reaching out towards me. I back and turn away from him.

"Leave Zedd, or I'll never forgive you."

I can see his conflicted expression but eventually I see him bow his head and walk away. It almost seemed like a cosmic joke because at that exact moment it started raining and I couldn't move. I stood in the empty football field in the middle of the storm because I felt betrayed and heartbroken. I felt angry because I trusted him, I vouched for him when the others told me not to trust him, I let him become a big part of my life and he played me.

I feel an arm squeeze my shoulder and I see Alice. Her black mascara is running down her face and her blonde hair is sticking to her cheeks. Behind her are the others. I squeeze her hand and smile slightly. Chris said he saw me out on the field with Zedd and called the others to come. We got out of the rain and found shelter in one of the locker rooms. Since practice was canceled, it was deserted.

"So, do you want to tell us what that was all about?" Alice asks and I sigh. I tell them everything, starting with the text I read on Zedd's phone to the dream last night. They listen intently but I see their expressions tell me they aren't that surprised.

"Wow," Chris whistles, "I knew I had a bad feeling about him."

"Okay guys," Elijah speaks up, "No need to make Victoria feel bad."

"So what now?" Alice asks, crossing her arms. I think she's a little annoyed that Cain knew before anyone else.

I shrug, "I told him to leave town. If they're going to do that is a whole other story. I think we need to prepare for a fight just in case."

"Can't be too safe," Cain says, cracking his knuckles.

"Practice later tonight?" Chris asks and we nod. We break apart and I'm about to walk out when Alice grabs my arm and pulls me back. She turns to face me, I'm expecting her to be a little annoyed that she didn't find out immediately.

"Are you seriously okay?" She asks and I nod, "Victoria...you don't have to pretend with me. I'm a little annoyed you didn't tell me immediately but I understand. I know that Zedd meant a lot to you. You don't have to be so strong, you know?"

I'm not sure if it was her words or the events of these past few days but I felt the tears I've been holding back finally shed. Alice pulled me into a hug and stroked my back. She didn't say anything but her being here was enough. After a while I stopped crying and composed myself.

"Thank you," I tell her and she squeezes my hand with a smile.

"What are friends for?"

And I have the best ones.