Tinkering Hearts

Chapter Eleven

Zaelia

"This is all your fucking fault!" Zeke spats on my face. "Because of you, every girl will look at me differently now. How much ever I try to explain it."

"Hey! Weren't you the one who wanted a less hurting way of breaking up with someone?"

He opens his mouth to speak but I cut in. This time, he listens, and I speak. "Well, hear this asshole: There is no way to break up with someone without hurting them. What I told you to tell Leah was the closest to not getting hurt. But of course, it'll still eat her up somehow. 'Cuz you, Zeke Agenda, are a fucking asshole and a playboy, who goes around playing with hearts like lives are circuses! But no, Zeke. Your life's a circus. And now that your petty little life is on the bad end, you ask me again to get out—"

"I knew I shouldn't have asked you for help. Les was ten times better than you—"

I nod my head, again and again, my eyes a pool of tears. "It was always her for you."

I rub my face and storm out of there. That stung hard.

. * ● ¸ .

My head throbbed really bad for the rest of the day to the point that I had gone to the infirmary for some painkillers. I think I overreacted. I shouldn't have scolded him like that. My own fricking mouth now put me on bad terms with my own brother. But my actions were justified.

There's a tap on my cafeteria table. I look up to see Sicre who looked as if he'd seen a ghost (it was almost comical) holding two cups in his hands.

"Sleeping beauty didn't get enough sleep?"

"More like sleeping beauty loves fucking up her life all the time."

I haven't gotten much attention from people about the rumor, thankfully. But when someone caught my eye, they spoke shit. On my way to the cafeteria, I even smacked a guy who was calling me dirty names. Even then, most rumors were about Zeke. Some way or the other, he saved me from them.

"What about you? Aren't you supposed to be with Naureen?"

He pulls out a chair and sits at my table. He passes me a cup and I suddenly feel really grateful to see a latte. I smile at him and mutter a thanks.

"Naureen kicked me off of her table. She's not talking to me. Well you know, because of the rumor," he states. "But I'm not bothered. I have known her for too long knowing she'd come around within a day or two. Anyway, I just wanted to war—"

"Yo, bro! Why aren't we with the gals?" I see Kody making his way toward our table with his tray with another of Sicre's friends—I think, Reece Adams—trailing behind him.

"Heya. Sup?" They do their handshake thing. I feel out of place and get up to leave.

"Whoa, whoa. Zaelia, right? Where're you going?" Kody stops me.

"Uh, you guys can talk. I'll just head back to class first."

"What? Nooo, stay for a while. My dude here has been going on and on about you like you guys are getting married tomorrow." I put a hand on my mouth hiding my smirk. Sicre smacks Kody in the stomach, playfully.

"Ow! Don't shut me up now. I might as well see how this chick caught your eye—"

I stab my fork on his tray. "Did you just say I'm not worth catching someone's attention?"