Again «ZM» ✔️

Part Thirty Three

Isabelle

Back to the present

I make my way in the classroom where I immediately realize I want to go back home. I look at Harry for a second, but then my eyes stop at Zayn and Lilith. They're all looking at me. It's making me feel like an idiot. Well, maybe I am, but I never really thought that someone would hate me so much because I want to make sure my friend doesn't end up dead. I know I stepped over the line, I became too visibly obsessed with finding out the truth, but where did I really go wrong?

I sit in my seat and put on the headphones before anybody begins to talk to me. I only have this one last week to survive. Then I can think of something. Maybe I can go back to online studying. It'll be easier for me and for them. I won't ever bother them again and they won't have to put up with a crazy bitch that they think I am. It's pissing me off to even think about.

My eyes shut close when Lilith sits in front of me and turns to me. But then I open my eyes again soon enough. She's looking at me with her both eyebrows raised. She's curious, I can see that. I hesitate, but I take off my headphones. I'm quiet, I don't say a thing. Don't ask anything. She waves a hand in front of my eyes, so I simply pull my head a bit further so that she doesn't hit me.

"What the hell happened to your face? What did you do?" she questions me, "I know you got in an argument with Zayn, but I know he didn't hit you. He would never," she points at Zayn behind me. I don't know if I should even answer her. "Listen. As much as I hate to say this... You've become my friend too. And now that you two have had an argument, I can't choose just one," she tries to talk to me again. I shrug.

"I'll make it easy for you. Choose him," I decide to speak now. She frowns when she processes what I just told her. Then she shakes her head. "I'm not a friend, Lilith," I slowly say. It visibly affects her. I can see it in her eyes. She slowly shakes her head. I just... I can't hurt her more than I already have. And if I've hurt Zayn so much that he called me a psycho...

"What happened to being friends?" she quietly asks, "Because I began to trust you. And the fact that I was with you when you were down means absolutely nothing to you?" she almost whispers. It takes everything in me to not cry. I can't stop myself from tearing up though. But I take a deep breath. I have to do this or else I'll never be able to do it. I shake my head. She looks at Harry. "What the fuck did you do to her, you moron?" she shouts and gets up.

"Lilith, he did nothing, okay?" I defend Harry now. It doesn't matter what he did. I can't prove it unless he admits it himself and I record it. Or unless I find any other proof that is valid. She looks at me and scoffs. She doesn't believe that. Typical.

"Then you're fucking out of your mind, Isabelle," she says it too. Just like Zayn turned on me. So did she. This fast. I don't even look at her, I look straight at the wall in front of me as I put back on my headphones and turn on the music. Fuck. I hate myself. I should've gone to Bahamas instead of school.

My head spins as I think more of it. Harry's ex broke up with him. And she suddenly disappeared. In New York. Dean... His apparently best friend... Got in an argument and also disappeared. In New York. How do you disappear for so long? I'd understand his ex because she was one of the rich ones... She can afford, but not Dean. He couldn't afford to just disappear. And they're both reported missing. And their argument was filmed by someone and leaked. It was about his ex. They argued about his ex going missing and he wouldn't tell him where she disappeared or anything that could explain what really happened between them.

"Look, I know you're on a trail here, but don't bother," Harry interrupts my inner thoughts, "You don't have any proof for anything and you won't get any," he gives it to me. I look at him and just swallow. "You're only making yourself weaker. And you're breaking your friendships here," he comments with a grin. He then winks and picks up his pace so that I'd be left alone now. I knew it. I knew he's behind it all. Now it's just a matter of time before I or someone else finds something on him. And for that I text Vincent. I tell him I need more information on Harry. Maybe then I'll have something more to work with.

   Then, something snaps in my mind. I don't want to investigate anything anymore. I don't want to know the truth. I don't want any more drama in my life. I just want my friends to be with me. To be supportive. But right now I've lost quite a few of them. Mostly, I have only Louis left. That is if Harry hasn't brainwashed him yet. I once again tear up as I think about it. I won't let Harry take Louis as well.

   I sit on the windowsill and look out the window. It's always been the perfect view. No matter what time of the day it is, it's always very beautiful. I don't even notice when tears start to drown my own face. I try to not look at anyone or away from the window at least.

For quite some time the hallway is empty. The lesson is now in the middle, but I don't even think I'll be going. Nobody wants me there and I don't want to be there either. Not until I've made up with Zayn. So I take my phone and I send a text to Vincent to tell him I don't need any more information.

"What you doing, darling?" Harry asks from aside. I put my phone away to look at him. "You know some day it's going to get you killed," he tells me. I give him a fake smile.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not even digging any deeper. I don't care," I tell him defeated, "It wasn't worth losing Zayn, so fuck no. I'm not losing any other friend, including Louis," I look back outside the window. He chuckles.

"Clever girl," he slowly says in a low voice. I hear his steps getting further from me. For a moment it's quiet again. I relax just for a moment before he has to go back to the class.

"Did you mean it, Isa?" Lilith startles me. I quickly turn my head to her and frown. "When you told me you're no friend. Did you really mean it?" she quietly asks and comes closer. I shrug. My chest begins to hurt because I can't look at her without feeling like a failure. Like I failed her and Zayn.

"How much of our conversation did you hear?" I question her because it all depends on if she heard what he said or no. She drops her shoulders.

"Like... All of it," she mumbles, "I had to find out if it was him who hurt you and now I know it was," it takes me a lot to not lie to her again. So I just sigh and look at my hands in my lap. She didn't give up on me. It warms my heart a little.

"I don't know if I meant it. But I know that it meant everything that you were with me when I needed you most," I whisper. She pulls me in a hug and lets out a relieved sigh.

"You're a good friend, Isa. And I'm sure Zayn can understand why you did whatever that you did," she tells me, "He's pretty much all over you, so he'll forgive you whatever," she sounds way too confident about it. He wouldn't forgive me, not after he saw me talking with his ex. And as he said, the worst of them all.