The Real Me ☾| Zalfie |

Chapter 23.

Zoe://

"Thank you for the ride home Mrs sugg" Joe grinned at my mum.
"Your very welcome my love" she smiled back. He jumped out of the car and walked up his drive way, waving to me half way.
"Oh he's lovely zo!!" My mum nudged me. If only she knew. I fake smiled although I think she could tell...but anyway.

Alfie://

I watched out of Charlie's bedroom window at the car that was pulled up outside. Joe weller stepped out and waved to whoever was in it. I sighed. I knew that he was going to come and find me, and to be quite honest... I was terrified. My eyes followed the car as it travelled about a meter and pulled into Zoës driveway. What? I pierced my eyes as I saw Zoe and her mum jump out of it. Zoë was faking a smile but besides that she looked amazing. Why was she with Joe? I squeezed my eyes shut as I thought of all the reasons why they would be in the same car.
I felt a hand push on my shoulder.
"Awwh missing someone are you?" My mum spoke.
I let out a sigh of relief that it wasn't Joe.
"I urmm" I hadn't told my mum about Zoe yet.
"Tracey told me that you and Zoe have a bit of a 'thing'" she said winking at me.
I weakly smiled but she soon walked off.
"Hi Joe love, u alright? If your looking for alf then he's in Charlie's room!"
Oh brilliant thanks mum.
"Thank you!" He cheerily replyed. Maybe he was in a better mood now that he seemed to have been with Zoë behind my back.
"Ooooh alf" he mimicked.
"What do YOU want?"
"How come your in here? In MY brothers room"
"I was searching for the fridge... I'm looking out the bloody window Joe"
I sarcastically replied to him.
"Are you feeling down because I went to town with zo?"
He calls her zo?
"Maybe you need something to take your mind off it?"
"I'm fine"
*smackkk*
He punched my arm. Hard. Repeatedly and gaining more power each time. Tears pricked in my eyes, I love Zoe and she loves me but then she goes to town with my half brother to punches me until I bruise.
What was she thinking?
As tears sprung from my eyes, unable to cope with the pain any more he stopped but went on and shoved me against the wall.
"I know that ur mum would be so disappointed if she thought you were bullying me Alfie...better not tell her about this or you have this coming your way... Also Zoe is mine. You'll see" he winked then kneed me in the balls and walked off.
I collapsed to the floor in pain and agony.
"Why me?" I whispered to myself.
"Why is it ALWAYS me?" I cried once again.
Nobody could call me a man. I can't even stick up for my own girlfriend.

Zoe://
I watched out my window for Alfie to come into his. I thought he would already be there. I needed to see him. I'm not going to tell him about Joe Weller but I'm going to tell him that I saw him in town.
I waited for another 2 minutes or so but began getting impatient.
'To Alfie:
Hai, meet me at tree house in 10;)XX'
I just wanted to spend time with him. I put on a jumper and leggings with my white converse and my hair in a pony tail with minimal makeup.
"Ready" I breathed. I stared back out my window but he wasn't there. I clicked the lock button on my phone...nothing...what's he doing?
I walked out my room taking my phone with me and spraying a perfume. I ran round the side of the house and my face fell.
Where is he? I started to worry. Should I knock on his door?
"Yooooooo cal!" I heard someone call.
I moved my head to look round the corner and saw Joe yelling to some boy.
"Cuzzzz" oh. Cousins. "Coming yeah?" The guy replied in an American accent. Joe ran and got in the car. "Yessss" I whispered.
Once the car was out of sight I skipped round to his, attempting to build up enough confidence to actually knock on it.
I stood there leant against it for a moment. 'Come on Zoë, he's your boyfriend for gods sake' I thought to myself.
"ZOOOOOO!" I span around on my heel. "CONNORRR! KIANNN!" I yelled as I ran towards them and engulfed them in an almighty hug. "Zoëbo go and get Alfie" Connor laughed... "Oh no... Your too scared to knock on his door" Kian sarcastically replied.
I sheepishly grinned at them both. "Shut up you two" I muttered under my breath. "I'll knock then me and Kian will wait round the corner, you hug him and stuff and then we'll say hi" Connor grinned. They obviously had this all worked out.
"Fine" I muttered.
We mooched up to his door. Kian looking in the windows and admiring the stunning house. "Kian stop!" I giggled softly.
*knock knock knock knock*
They ran behind the wall laughing there heads off.
"Hi Zoë!" Phoebe answered the door. "Hi, is Alfie in?" I questioned.
"Yeah course, ALFFFFF" he came running down the stairs but soon stopped when he saw me. What? Phoebe took this as her que to leave. "Thanks" I whispered to her, she simply smiled back.
"You went to town with Joe, you lied to me zo" he whispered, his eyes pricked with tears and tear stained cheeks. How did he know? What have I done to him? What did Joe do to him?
"I saw him there with Marcus and Matt! My mum offered him a lift, I promise it was just that Alfie... I hate him" I said with all emotion but my voice faded at the end.
His face creased up as tears flew down this perfect face. "Don't cry" I whispered.
"He hurts me Zoë, I'm not a man for you, I love you but if he hurts me then I can't protect you" he cried.
"You can! I'm sorry baby" I spoke as I verged on the edge of tears too.
"He really hurt me"
"Where"
"Everywhere"
"I love you"
"I love you too"
"Come with me Connor and Kian?" I asked bravely.
"No, I can't, joes out so I'm gonna do everything I can do that I can't when he's here... I don't want to"
He slowly shut his door...
"But..."
"No"
I burst out crying as Connor and Kian ran and hugged me. They held my hands and wiped my tears.
"Come on, let's go to the bridge den" they smiled.
"Oh...okay" I forced a smile back.
I turned my head round and saw Alfie in the window. I dropped both boys hands and made a heart shape with mine, I held it up to him and he did one back.
As he held his arms up to do it his sleeve fell down. I gasped, he had black and blue bruises all the way down his arm and a lump.
No.
I love him.
He keeps me safe.
I HATE Joe.
He ruined everything.