Beneath His Cold Charm

04

The Weight of Silence

★★★

The next few days at school were a blur for Zoey. The tension with Matt had only intensified, and it felt like every time they crossed paths, something set them off. His arrogance had reached new heights, and no matter how hard Zoey tried to avoid him, he seemed determined to make her life more difficult.

Today was no different.

Zoey had just finished grabbing her books from her locker when she felt a shadow looming over her. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Matt. His presence was suffocating, the air around him always thick with an air of superiority.

"What?" Zoey muttered, not even bothering to look up as she slammed her locker shut.

"You're blocking my locker." Matt replied, his voice as cold as ever. 

Zoey rolled her eyes, stepping aside dramatically. "There. Your royal highness has all the space he needs."

Matt narrowed his eyes at her, clearly not amused by her sarcasm. "You're always so extra, you know that?"

Zoey's patience was wearing thin. Between the stress at home and Matt's constant condescending tone, she was about ready to explode. "And you're always so rude, Matt. It's like you think the world revolves around you."

Matt's jaw tightened, and for a split second, Zoey thought she saw something flicker in his eyes—something vulnerable. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"Maybe because it does," he shot back, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Zoey let out a frustrated laugh, unable to contain herself. "You are unbelievable. Do you ever stop to think that maybe other people have stuff going on in their lives that doesn't involve you?"

Matt's expression hardened. "You don't know anything about me, Zoey."

"And whose fault is that?" Zoey snapped, feeling her pulse quicken. "You keep everyone at arm's length, acting like you're too good for the rest of us. Newsflash, Matt: no one cares about your ego. We're all just trying to survive, and you make it so much harder for no reason."

Matt's eyes darkened, and for a moment, Zoey thought he might actually say something real—something that wasn't a snide remark or a dismissive comment. But instead, he just shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I don't care" he muttered under his breath, turning away.

Zoey clenched her fists, feeling a wave of frustration and confusion wash over her. Why was he like this? Why did every interaction with Matt leave her feeling like she was missing some crucial piece of the puzzle? There was something he wasn't telling her, something hidden beneath that icy exterior, but he refused to let anyone in long enough to find out what it was.

---

Zoey's heart sank as soon as she walked through the front door. The familiar sound of raised voices echoed through the house, and she could feel the tension in the air before she even made it to the living room.

Her parents were fighting again.

This time, it was about money—again. Zoey hate when they fright over money, It always came back to money. Zoey's dad had been out of work for months, and the pressure of keeping up with bills and expenses was pushing everyone to their breaking point. Her mom was working two jobs, and it still wasn't enough for them. Zoey had been doing her best to stay out of it, but it was impossible to ignore the constant shouting, the slamming of doors, the way her mom would break down in tears after every argument.