Beneath His Cold Charm

24

Wrestling with Worries

★★★

The air was thick with anticipation as Zoey walked into school on the day the exam results were to be announced. Students shuffled past her, some chatting animatedly while others looked anxious. She had spent the night tossing and turning, worrying about what her grades would be. Would all her studying pay off, or would she fall short again?

As she made her way to her locker, she spotted Nick, Chris and Emely waiting for her. They were both visibly excited, a stark contrast to the knot of anxiety in Zoey's stomach.

"Hey, Zoey! Are you ready to see your results?" Emely asked, her smile brightening the gloomy hallway.

"Not really," Zoey admitted, her heart pounding. "I'm nervous."

"Don't worry! You did your best. That's what matters," Nick reassured her, nudging her shoulder playfully.

As they walked toward the main office, the tension built. Zoey's palms felt clammy, and her mind raced through all the possible outcomes.

The Moment of Truth

When they reached the office, the atmosphere was electric. Students crowded around, eagerly scanning the bulletin board for their results. Zoey's heart raced as she joined the throng, her anxiety peaking.

"C'mon, let's check," Emely said, pushing closer to the front.

"Okay, okay!" Zoey replied, her voice barely audible over the chatter.

As she squinted at the board, her heart sank when she saw her name. There it was, stark and unforgiving: C,B,A,A,A,A,A,A.

A wave of disbelief washed over her. A C and...  A B? After all that studying?

"No way..." she whispered, feeling the ground shift beneath her. "This can't be happening."

Chris and Nick looked at her, confusion crossing their faces.

"Zoey, Are you serious? You are 7th in our whole grade," Chris said, trying to comfort her.

But Zoey felt like it was. "I'm dead when I get home," she muttered, the weight of her father's expectations crashing down on her.

When Zoey arrived home, her heart was racing, the anxiety gnawing at her insides. She took a deep breath before stepping through the door, trying to prepare herself for the confrontation she knew was coming.

As soon as she entered, she heard her father's voice booming from the living room. "Zoey! Is that you?"

"Yeah, Dad," she replied, her voice shaking slightly.

"Get in here!"

She walked into the room, her heart pounding in her chest. Her father was sitting on the couch, his expression a mixture of anger and disappointment.

"What did you get on the exam?" he demanded, cutting straight to the chase.

"I... got C and a B for science and math." she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

His face twisted in rage. "C and B? After all the time I've put into your studying? You think this is acceptable?"

"I only got a C and a B for science and math, and I received all As in my other subjects!
It was just two exams! I tried my best!" Zoey protested, feeling tears prick at her eyes.

"I need As for all! Clearly, your best isn't good enough!" he shouted, standing up from the couch.

Before she could react, he lunged at her, his hand connecting with her cheek. Pain exploded in her face, and she stumbled back, shocked. Blood dripped from her lip, and the taste of metal filled her mouth.

"Stop!" she cried, her heart racing.

"You will get your grades up, Zoey! Or you'll face the consequences!" he yelled, his face twisted in anger.

"Consequences? You mean like this?" Zoey shouted back, her voice rising. "You think hitting me is going to make me better? You're just making everything worse!"

In that moment, something inside Zoey snapped. She had always been afraid of her father, but anger surged through her. "I'm done with this! I can't take it anymore!"

Without thinking, she turned and bolted for the door, her heart racing.

"Zoey, where are you going?" her father shouted after her.

"Fuck everything!" she yelled, not caring if he could hear the tremor in her voice.

As she burst out of the house, the cool evening air hit her like a slap, but she didn't stop. She ran down the street, tears streaming down her face, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Where would she go? She didn't know. All she knew was that she couldn't stay there—not with the threat of her father looming over her, not with the suffocating weight of his expectations pressing down on her.

With nowhere else to turn, she headed toward the park where she and Nick often hung out. It was familiar and safe, a place where she could think without the chaos of her home life closing in on her.

When she reached the park, Zoey slowed down, gasping for breath. She sank onto a bench, clutching her bruised face and feeling the tears fall freely now. She could still hear her father's angry words echoing in her mind, but they were starting to fade away, replaced by a desperate sense of freedom.

As she sat there, she pulled out her phone, scrolling through her contacts. Her hands trembled as she hovered over Nick's name. She hesitated, uncertain if she should reach out, but the thought of being alone overwhelmed her.

Finally, she pressed the call button, and the phone rang. It felt like an eternity before Nick picked up.

"Zoey? Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"No...no, it's not," she said, her voice shaking. "I...I need help."

"Where are you? I'll come to get you," he replied immediately, his tone turning serious.

"I'm at the park," she said, the weight of her words crashing down on her.

"Stay there. I'll be right there," Nick promised before hanging up.

Zoey sat on the bench, shivering slightly in the cool air, her heart pounding as she waited. It felt like an eternity, but soon enough, she spotted Nick running toward her, his expression a mix of worry and determination.

"Zoey!" he called out, rushing to her side. "What happened?"

Zoey looked up at him, tears blurring her vision. "My dad...he hit me. I just couldn't take it anymore."

Nick's face fell, and anger flashed in his eyes. "What!"

she sigh, feeling the release of pent-up emotions. "I just ran away. I don't know what to do, Nick."

Nick crouched down in front of her, his expression softening. "You can stay with me for a while. We'll figure this out together."

"Really?" Zoey asked, her voice shaky.

"Of course! You don't have to go through this alone," he reassured her.

With Nick by her side, Zoey felt a flicker of hope. For the first time in a long while, she didn't feel entirely alone. They walked together to Nick's house, the weight of her father's anger slowly lifting as she focused on the support of her friend.

As they reached his home, Nick's mom greeted them with a warm smile. "Hello, sweetie" she asked, sensing the tension in the air.

"Hello..." Zoey replied, Forcing a smile.
Nick guiding Zoey into his room.

They settled on the bed, and Zoey felt a sense of safety wash over her. She leaned back, letting out a shaky breath. "Thank you."

"Always," Nick replied, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

As they sat together, Zoey felt a sense of calm beginning to settle within her. Maybe she didn't have all the answers, but with Nick by her side, she felt a little stronger, ready to face whatever came next.

★★★