The Party Scene Saga: Stories Yet To Unfold

Part 22

"Zack knows."

Lisa's words echoed through my mind as we waited for everyone to arrive. For once, I wasn't sat drumming my frustrations away because I knew this time that nothing would work to get rid of this anger. Someone betrayed my trust, that had to be the only explanation. How else would he have found out? It had to be Lisa or Rian; Kara wouldn't pull something like this and Jack was too scared to tell anyone, even Alex! Jack was pacing around the basement, just as scared as I was if not more. His eyes looked as if they were going to spill out tears any second, and just the thought of Jack crying made me want to cry. I was interrupted from my thoughts by footsteps thudding down the stairs. I closed my eyes tightly, wrapped my arms around my legs and hoped it wouldn't be Zack. I was over the moon when I heard Alex's voice.

"Where is she?" I heard him say breathlessly.

"Over there." Lisa sighed.

Light came shining through as the boxes were moved away, exposing Alex's face staring down at me. He held out a hand and pulled me out of the corner. Yeah, I like to hide behind things and cry now. It's how I roll. He sat me down on the floor next to Lisa, then sat in front of me himself and kept a tight grip on my hands.

"So...you and Jack." he mumbled, not looking at me. "How long?"

"Few months, I guess." I shrugged.

Right now I didn't want to explain to Alex, only Zack. The fact he wasn't here was scaring the shit outta me; why wasn't he here?! He knew the band had practice! Alex must've known I wasn't going to tell him anything else, so he went over to Jack. They talked quietly for about 5 minutes and everyone waited a further 10 to see if Zack would turn up. As predicted, he was a no show.

"Looks like he's not coming..." sighed Rian.

"I'll play bass." I offered, getting up.

"Lily are you su-"

"Yes Lisa I'm sure." I snapped, glaring at her.

Right now she was my main suspect. Of course, everyone else was still under suspicion too, but mainly Lisa. Even though Lisa's my best friend, she just seemed like the kind of person who'd do something like this because she can be a total bitch when she wants to be. I grabbed the bass and slung the strap around my neck, still scowling slightly, whilst Jack fiddled with tuning his guitar. It was perfectly in tune; he was just trying to waste time. The boys ploughed through all the songs, with me not looking up from the ground once in all that time. I only wanted Zack. I had to explain everything to him. Practice was soon over and the boys all went upstairs, leaving me and Lisa alone. She was pretending to look for something she'd 'lost', when I knew she'd start interrogating me if I didn't leave soon. In total silence, I snuck up the basement stairs and out into the kitchen where they were all talking with Joe.

"Hey, Jack?"

"Yes m'lady?" he answered in a really posh English accent, making Alex glare at him.

I chuckled as he walked over to me; he really knows how to make me smile...and also how to annoy Alex, which still made me smile. "I'm uh...gonna head home." I mumbled, pointing out to the front door.

"Want me to walk with you?" he offered quietly.

"No, I'll be fine." I smiled. "Honest." I added, noticing he slight glare he was giving me.

"Oh, okay then." mumbled Jack. "Call me if you need me. I love you."

"I-I love you too." I smiled.

I left the house and embarked on the walk home. The fact Zack didn't turn up really scared me; he was always there, on-time if not slightly early. He loved practice, he loved seeing the guys. Something really bad had to have happened for him not to come. I finally reached the house and went inside as fast as I could. It was oddly silent, for a Saturday.

"Mom? Dad?" I called out.

Nothing. Not even the floorboards upstairs made a sound - they usually randomly move back into place because it's an old house and they're just...weird. There was no noise coming from the basement, so dad obviously wasn't here. I slowly walked down the hallway and into the kitchen, where I was met with more nothingness and silence. A note on the counter caught my eye, with dad's handwriting scrawled across it.

Gone out, not sure when we'll be back. Don't wait up.

Parents x

"Dad you're adorable." I smirked as I read the note.

Suddenly I heard a loud thud from upstairs. My heart felt as if it had jumped into my throat and it started to race as I walked out of the kitchen again. I stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring up them in silent hope the sound would come again.

"Zack? Zacky is that you?" I called out.

Nothing again.

"Don't fuck with me. This isn't funny!" I shouted, walking up the stairs.

I was at the top now, staring at his bedroom door. All the other doors were wide open, with the last bit of daylight spilling across the floor, but Zack's was tightly shut. I'd be lying if I said was scared as to what lay on the other side; I was petrified. My body felt paralysed, like I couldn't move a muscle. Eventually I managed to actually move, and walked over to Zack's bedroom door. I stood there for a moment, listening for sound or signs of movement.

"Zack? Zack, are you in there?"

I just about heard a groan coming from inside the room, and that's when I sprang into action. I shoved the door open and burst into the room. Everything seemed perfectly normal at first, until I saw the figure lay facing the wall on the bed. I ran to Zack's side and collapsed next to the bed as I rolled him over, tears rolling down my cheeks. He looked so peaceful, as if he were simply sleeping, but the lack of snoring told me otherwise.

"Zacky wak-"

I cut myself off with a gasp when I caught sight of his hands. His right hand was wrapped around his left wrist as if he'd been applying pressure to it, and both of them were hidden by the long sleeves of the black shirt he was wearing. My hand brushed against his sleeve; it was slightly wet. I could've sworn my heart skipped a beat.

"No Zacky no..." I murmured. "Please tell me you didn't..."

Shaking like a leaf, I reached out slowly and gently pulled the sleeves back. Just as I suspected, he'd cut. The gash on his left wrist went all the way across and was pretty deep.

"You idiot..." I breathed, closing my eyes tightly as more tears flowed. "You fucking idiot. I told you I'd drag you down."

More tears rolled down my face as I pulled his sleeve further; Zack's left arm was littered with cuts. None of them were half as bad as mine, but the point is they were there. I'd dragged my brother down just like I'd dragged myself down. That thought and that thought alone drove me to my next action. The blade Zack had used was still in his hand, so I pulled it out of his grip and rolled up my right sleeve. I braced myself for a moment.

"For Zack." I murmured as I dragged it across the old scar on my wrist, making it burst open again.