At 10am the next day, Zoella was late for class, which didn't usually happen to her. She ran into the school, panting. Glancing at the clock posted above the huge staircase just opposite the building's entrance she realised that the first lesson would be over in a few minutes. So she didn't bother going into the classroom where most of her class was sitting, and headed outside, where tables with benches were set up, as well as side benches that resembled concrete stairs. Behind them was a playfield, surrounded by a high net. Despite all those benches, the girl approached the net and slid to the ground, crossing her legs. She presumably had about a minute left to catch her breath before the courtyard was flooded with annoying kids and grumpy teenagers.
What a disaster. — she thought. There really wasn't anything good about this crazy relationship she entangled herself in but she was still reluctant to leave Marvin. He was, actually, the very reason she was late today.
After finding him on the floor last night she tried to wake him up but it was in vain. His body just layed there motionless as she called her dads and tried to figure out how to act. They had to haul him to the car, make sure he didn't leave anything behind and try to get him home. And that's where the problem developed, because Zoella knew an address that turned out not to be his place of residence anymore. After about two hours of driving around the neighbourhood and asking strangers if they knew where Marvin Tembrooke lived, the boy opened his eyes. Disappointingly, all that came out of his mouth was gibberish and slurring that could not be deciphered. This was the first time something switched in Zoella's mind, and instead of earnestly defending him in front of everyone, she remained silent. Shame engulfed her body from feet to head and refused to leave for any reason. Obviously, Kevin and Mickey only knew he broke into their house and fell in her room, she never told them they were back together. That would absolutely cost her a proper grounding. They never used that punishment on any of their children but they did promise her to do it if she ever speaks to those punks again. That's why she responded to almost every question they asked that night with "I don't know." She was also very nervous that when Marvin woke up, he would say something obscene, something to suggest that they had some kind of contact. For the past two weeks, they had been seeing each other outside or late at night, when the boyfriend could silently make his way to her room through the sliding patio door when most were already asleep. They joked with each other that they were now like Romeo and Juliet, their love a forbidden fruit. Last night, however, she didn't find it so funny. It was beginning to occur to her that his condition had deteriorated considerably since she saw him three months ago. He was getting aggressive sometimes, when he felt stuck or confused. He would chuck stuff around him or yell swearing. The reasons for those outbursts were usually silly: the missed call, the disagreement in any topic, being too tired or most of the time the overpowering hunger for drugs. Zoella was never hurt physically, she always left as soon as things got heated. But there was always the uncertainty of "what if" that was unnerving to the girl. Because what if the sticks he threw hit her? What if she stayed during an argument? Would something bad happen to her then? Honestly, she didn't want to know the answer.
There was one good thing he brought to her life, though. Thanks to him, she could experience a junkie through sober eyes and notice how irrational he'd act and how much it was destroying him. This point of view was truthfully the best addiction antidote there ever was.
She was starting to wonder what her life would look like without him. What would she be doing if she wasn't secretly meeting him, would she finally make any new friends? Maybe she'd have the time to get to know herself on a deeper level or find a new hobby? On the addiction meetings it was suggested she develop a skill of some kind to distract her from the thoughts. Well, she did open an investigation, so her new hobby was definitely criminal cases. And even though her parents didn't love the idea of her ruminating about the weird rumour, they were still glad she did something for herself. Something that involved their family. That part should have been Mickey's favourite thing about the case, but confusing enough, he never expressed his joy about it. He seemed to be barely accepting it, frankly, always advising her to drop it or saying "just ask grandma, she'll tell you everything".
YOU ARE READING
Never doubt your loved ones
Romance"She stood still, listening to his sick theories about her family. She did not want to believe they were serial killers, they had denied it. Rosaline did, at least. And contrary to those promises, this stranger had the nerve to disagree, to tell her...
