The Last Chapter

Jealousy

Zephon woke up to the rising sun. He noticed Onika was still sleeping and for once she looked peaceful. He laid back down and opened his abandoned book. He got a chapter into the book before Onika sighed making him turn around. She was propped up on her elbows.

"I was just thinking of how Stephen doesn't like you." She laughed.

He raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest. She stopped laughing. "Why doesn't he like me?"

Onika chuckled and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Obviously because you're you." She cracked a smile at the expression on Zephon's face. "Fine. He doesn't like any boys that I hang out with except Johnny-" she was cut off by Zephon.

"Who's Johnny?"

Onika smirked at the ground. "Why do you care?"

He looked down bashfully. "I... I don't. I was ju-" Onika laughed as she watched him fumble over his words.

"Johnny is my best friend. We do crazy things like... this. Running away from my brother." She chuckled.

"Why does Stephen like Johnny but not anyone else?"

Onika frowned while she fingered the grass. "We've been best friends since we were five. Also because of Sammy."

Zephon exhaled nervously. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "He doesn't want me to get hurt. Look, can we stop talking about this?" Her eyes were pleading him.

"Why? It wasn't even Sammy's fault. Stephen should at least be nice to me."

Onika balled her fists and stood up. Zephon sprung to his feet as she marched out of the bushes. He grabbed her arm as she grit her teeth.

"Can you cut him some slack, Zephon? Cut me some too. Stephen lost his twin sister, the only best friend that he'd ever known, when he was fourteen and not to mention, I lost Willa too," she took a deep breath before going on, "He tried to save me from heart break from Sammy, not wanting me to get too close and lose someone as special as Willa was to him."

She swallowed hard and kicked the dirt. "Sammy didn't do anything to me except everything in the matter that it wasn't his fault!" Onika's harsh tone made him loosen his grip on her arm.

"Onika, I lost my baby sister. I lost Sara." His arm dropped to his side.

"Look, Zephon, I'm sorry. I think we should get back."

Zephon's eyes grazed over the grass and he nodded. They started walking in silence. He was still quiet, so she took his hand and squeezed it tightly. She embraced him, hoping to raise his spirits again. Zephon felt a surge of gratitude but it suddenly disappeared when he saw Onika look away at someone different.

He followed her gaze towards a slender boy not much younger than himself. When the boy saw Onika, he grinned goofily and her hand dropped to her side. She ran over to the boy, leaving Zephon dumbfounded. She embraced the boy as Zephon watched his arms tighten around her. His eyes hardened as jealousy crept in.

"Johnny, I missed you!" Onika beamed.

"It's only been a month. You look different..." Johnny's eyes wandered over to Zephon. "Maybe it's this lad." He came closer to him, coming out with a handshake. Zephon stared at Johnny's hand like it was an alien. "Come on, I'm a human." He glanced back at Onika as she giggled. Zephon felt insulted and he grabbed Johnny's hand, shaking it vigorously.
"Laddie, slow down."

Onika rolled her eyes. "Johnny."

Zephon relaxed a bit. "You're Johnny! The best friend that Onika only mentioned once. As a friend." He made sure that he emphasized the once and friend.

Johnny shook his head. "You're the lad, Onika-" he looked back at her, "never mentioned to me once." She slapped his shoulder. "Come on, Johnny, we only met a few days ago."

Johnny shook his head in disappointment. "Even worse."

Anger boiled inside of Zephon but he contained it. "I'm Zephon-"

Johnny's eyes twinkled. "Ooh... Zephon." He laughed as Onika slapped his arm again. "Johnny!"

"-Prince Zephonic."

Johnny's face flashed with different emotions. Surprise. Regret. Mischief. "Oh so you're Onika's knight and shining hero?" He chuckled.

"No!" Onika said at the same time that Zephon said, "Yes." She smirked at him as Johnny studied the two before stepping away and put a hand over her shoulder. "I'll see you later, Onika."
~
Zephon coughed when he saw his mother looking at a scroll. She turned around. "We missed you all day yesterday. Where have you been, mister?"

He sighed. "A place." He gestured to the scroll. "What's that?"

She smiled. "The ball planner."

Zephon's fake smile turned grim. "Already?"

She scuffed. "Well of course, Zephon, this is a huge thing for you."

He laughed cooly. "Or just for you, mom." He walked inside.

"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?" She yelled after him.

He stopped and turned around. "It means I'm not doing this for myself. You're putting the whole country of Toborika on my shoulders."
~
At dinner, Zephon watched his parents argue over the ball but it quickly subsided as his father started reading a book. "Whats that book about, dad?"

The king glanced up with a smile. "Ah, son, this book here... It's called The Loyal Affliction."

Zephon frowned. "What is it about?"

His father was already reading and the queen touched Zephon's arm. "You best get on upstairs, now."

Zephon's mouth hung open. "What? Why?"

She gave him a stern look. "For what you pulled on us yesterday and running away."

He sighed, getting up and put his dishes away before going to his room. He laid on his bed, picking up a book and started reading. After a while, he placed the book down on his dresser.

A/N: the picture above is of Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks and I imagine them as Zephon's parents :)