HIGH SCHOOL STORY

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ZOE'S P.O.V

Mason threw his left fist into a curved punch on Steve's pointed nose. Steve bought up his right forearm to dodge but he was late.
"I didn't do anything mason, you have no freaking rights",Steve said as he squatted to prevent himself from being a victim of mason's second punch. He again stood up.
Mason pinned Steve to the wall, his fingers choking him.
"Archie stop them",I cried. Archie was just standing there watching them as if their fight was a source of entertainment for him.
"Why should, let them fight a bit",He winked.
"Both do them deserve it anyways",He said.
"Mason stop it",Said Steve as now he had enough of it, he kicked mason without wasting another second and freed himself from mason's grip. Before mason could interpret the kick, Steve punched him in the temple.
"I m sorry for ruining your day mason, but I have had enough of you all. For The last time- I didn't kill Alice",Steve affirmed.
"But you are connected to it steve you told me yourself",Erica said. I wanted to ask Erica to stop pushing him into this matter more, but I didn't. Mason's teeth clenched.
"Tell me whatever you know steve",Mason ordered. But Steve kept quite.
"Please",Mason added with a Heavy heart. He had to keep aside his ego, for his sister he had to do it.
"I can't, if I tell you how I am involved everyone would assume I killed her",Steve said with a voice full of guilt.
"What did you do?",Erica asked.
"Nothing",Steve said and forced his eyes close.
"Tell me god dammit!",Mason vocalised.
"Fine ! It was me who gave her those blackmails texts",He gave in and regretted it the next moment.
"I never told you anything, we need to keep this amongst ourselves, I didn't kill her believe me I did not",Steve said. Many jaws dropped. And Steve just left from there. Erica followed him. Mason was shocked and made his way back to the funeral.
"I guess I should get going",Sofia departed followed by Robert.
And since the keys were with Erica I had no where to go. I stood there next to Archie.
"You are such a jerk, you didn't stop them",
"Now I am used to being called a jerk",He chuckled shamelessly.
I didn't add anything further.
"Let's go somewhere else",He suggested.
"No",I retorted without giving it a second thought.
"You will seriously get bored to your core, like the funeral is at the verge of getting over and then Erica ran behind her lover boy with your keys",
"I will get even more bored with you",
"Ok then, I m going",He said as he unlocked his car, and the car made a vroom sound.
I looked at him from the corner of my eye and he was literally leaving.
He opened the door and before he closed it.
"Ok i guess I will accompany you", I said demurely.
He wore his bark shades.
"Uh no miss Zoe I don't want to bore you to your core",He said a devilish smile across his face.
"No I won't be bored", I confessed grudgingly. I strolled towards his car.
"Where do you want to go?",He asked his attention in the road as he started the car.
I shrugged and frowned in confusion.
He waited for me to continue.
"I don't know?",
"Wow "I don't know" a beautiful place indeed",He spoke sarcasm.
I scowled.
He started driving.
"Where are we going?",I Interrogated . He didn't reply.
"Are you kidnapping me?",
"No would dare to-",he mocked.
I squinted not only because of Archie's comment but also because of the sun.
"Do you need sunglasses?",He asked, sparing me a glance.
"No it's fine", I lied using my hands to protect my form the rays.
"Open that",He said his finger pointing at the glove box of the car.
I opened it, and I closed it again as fast a possible.
"You have the gun in the car",I said, my eyes widened by surprise.
"No- uh it's byrna HD it's non-lethal",He explained but I didn't understand a thing.
"Ohh I get it",I lied. He nodded in agreement.
After few seconds I asked him.
"What's byrna HD and what's non-lethal",I smiled nervously.
He chortled.
"If you didn't understand why did you say u did?",He asked.
I didn't reply. I just didn't want to sound dumb but how would expect me to understand gun language.
"Byrna HD is a type of gun which doesn't kill anyone just harms you",He explained.
"Why do even have it in the first place, is it legal?", I found myself still panicking.
"I just have it for self defence and I don't think it's really legal",
"What the hell you don't need to carry a gun around! It's not like we have murderers in the street",
"I carry it just in case, you know I never use it",He said his concentration again on the road.
"Oh yeah- you can keep a gun for the sake of your safety and not wear a seat belt. That's kind of ironic",I said as soon as I noticed that he hasn't worn his seatbelt.
He wore his seatbelt.
"Ok sorry "He said guilt portrayed on his face as he hit his lower lip.
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"I didn't expect it to be a kid's playground",I laughed as I glanced around.
It had two swings a slide, see-saw and more two rides. But it looked like they hadn't been oiled or renovated in years. Rust had painted them. This place was engulfed by dense tree's on all four sides there was a narrow passage leading to the main road which was also covered with small bushes in middle.
"I love this place, right now it's pretty isolated it has not been used in year",He said.
" this place is really close to my heart, you know I spent most of my childhood playing here",he broke into a smile. I listened to him like a silent audience.
"Do you have a place where you spent your childhood?",He asked
"Yes, But not here in Mumbai. In New Delhi that's where I spent my childhood do, like there was this small lake few meters away from my house",I felt nostalgic.
"You are from Delhi?",He asked.
"Yeah, my parents used to always travel for their work. So Erica and me we lived with our grandparents",I explained.
We both made our way to the swing. He stood on the swing.
"It won't bare your weight Archie, get down",I said.
"Nothing will happen it's just a bit dusty but it's base it strong it won't break that easily",He said.
I dusted the swing next to him and sat.

Erica's P.O.V
"The f*ck is wrong you",I said
"Why would you blackmail her huh?",I added
He didn't reply. Silent.
"Why don't you god damn speak!",He was testing my patience. He acted as if I didn't exist.
He kept walking and didn't stop. I didn't stop following him either.
"Go!",He broke the silence.
"Your blackmailing for whatever reason doesn't prove anything", I just wanted to comfort him, with the lies.
"What the hell Erica were you born yesterday? My blackmailing proves everything. And blackmailing and accident can't be a mere coincidence- that's what everyone will think this is bullsh*t",
"No you didn't kill her right?",I was seeking confirmation.
"Of course I didn't",He was agitated.
He again started walking.
"Where the hell are you going",I had to again follow him.
"Just Stop",
"I need to hide, stop following me around Go mind your own god damn business I don't want you to be dragged into this",
"Yes So sure running away Thats such a brave thing of you to do. As if it will solve all your problems",Tears dwelled in my eyes.
"So what do you want me to do huh? Confess and get caught concerning a crime I never committed",With each second his temper was getting worse.
"Just tell them the truth",I shrugged.
"No one will believe me",
"I do"
He was quite. I moved closer he didn't move further away this time. I exhaled calmly.
"Why did you blackmail her?",
"Ok...I did it which Archie's spare phone, no one knows about it. I also didn't know until once I accidentally found it in his drawer where he Also keeps an illegal gun. He didn't know that I knew about that. I texted Alice from that spare phone and deleted all the message from the spare phone later",
"That's so messed up why would you do that?",
"Oh god i just wanted to do it to watch him get caught up in some trouble. If by any chance the number got revealed Archie would be caught not me and later on I would just confess like some stupid prank who would have thought it would have gone that far",
"Why you wanted to do that tho?",
"I hate Archie. He is a jerk. He makes me realise every god damn second that I m not a part of his family. He hates me and I hate him way more. I never wanted to frame him for a murder I just wanted to frame him for the blackmail part",
"Wait I don't understand are you adopted?",
"No. My dad, and Archie's of course. first married some other women and had Archie and then married my mom and had me",
"See I know what I did was shitty. But I never wanted to frame him murder it was just meant to be for fun. I didn't kill Alice",
"Then who did?",

Ok guys so firstly I know that I have not updated since long......but now I have updated all chapters together (including the epilogue) . Yep so the book is complete 💞

Like ofc this is not the last chap but there more chapter scroll lol