𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞.

★★★★★★★★

Zoey hadn't spoken to Donte in over a week now, she hadn't even spoken to her mother either. She felt like her whole life had been a lie, 15 years of her life, 15 years of being in and out of her parents houses, and to find out on top of it she's now got a brother who's she's walked past every day for the past couple weeks? why her?

Zoey felt so weird being in school, her whole family was in the school! and now that Donte knew she was carrying his nephew or niece, she felt scared more than ever now. Donte had obviously tried to talk to Zoey but she seemed to have none of it, she hated him...and she especially hated her mum.

"Yo, yo, Zo!" Noel smirks as he walks over to a clearly stressed out Zoey. "What's occurring? You meditating or summat?" he asks as he sits down next to her, placing an arm around her shoulders.

Zoey chuckles slightly, placing her head on Noel's shoulders. "I'm fine, babe" she says in her usual soft tone, closing her eyes.

"You sure? Where's Samia and all that?" he suddenly questions, Zoey leant up and shrugged. "What does that mean? Like they've disappeared or they've fell out with you?" Zoey rolled her eyes before Noel suddenly went into his bag and took a can out of it, passing it to Zoey. "Look, right, try a sip of this. Perk you right up, free sample on the house" he says with a cheesy grin.

"You what?" Zoey looks at him puzzled before cracking open the can, she took one small sip before spitting it out. "Noel what the fuck is this?" she says as she feels herself gag slightly.

"Nah, I think they're decent" Noel protests, taking her can and placing it on an empty table behind them. "Are you all right, though?" Noel suddenly questions, turning to face Zoey. "Honestly, because you look like you've not slept for a week"

"Wow, thanks Noel" Zoey sighs, placing her head back onto the wall.

"Nah, I don't mean it in a bad way. I think what I'm trying to say is like, look, if you want to talk about it, yeah, then we can" Noel answers back. "A problem shared is a problem done with or whatever" he says as he looks all over the place.

"Love the advice Noel, but I'm good" she chuckles slightly, leaning her head back up.

"If it's something about Donte then I'm pretty sure I can help you out" Noel explains, giving her a comforting smile.

Zoey stares at him blankly. "Don't even talk about him, don't talk about my mum...please just don't" Zoey sighs, holding her head before getting up. "I just want to be left alone" she snapped before storming off.

Noel groans slightly and leans his head back in annoyance, what did he do so wrong?

★★★★★★★★

Donte quickly noticed Zoey stood at Chlo's wishing tree and made his way over, he noticed what she wrote on the paper before slipping it inside of the purple box next to it. "Zoey!" Donte spoke loudly as he jogged over, Zoey quickly began to make her way to her lesson before Donte yelled at her again. "Zoey, wait!"

"What?" Zoey snapped, looking up at him with a clearly pissed off face. "you and mum can't just drop a bombshell like that on me and fuck off!"

"Your mum told me you ain't been speaking to her, Zoey...look, we're sorry, yeah?" Donte sighed deeply before placing a hand on her shoulder. "We were gonna tell you, but because I never saw mum it just..."

"Got out of hand?" she scoffed before shaking her head. "No, Donte! You have had 15 years to tell me you were my brother, 15 years! And where were you? Where were you when mums drinking got so bad I had to drag her into the house at aged 11? Where were you when I was 8 and my dad twatted my mum so hard i was in care for 3 months? Matter of fact, where were you when I found out I was pregnant!" She screamed at him, the last few words in a quiet whisper as tears still poured down her face in anger. "I hate you Donte!" she screamed again before shoving him and running off.