Love is a Crime

I Am Not Alone

"Zoe! We need to talk!" I hear Ryan shout from behind Ava and I.

I panic and grab Ava's arm, pulling her into the girl's bathroom.

"What's wrong?" Ava asks me, a worried look on her face.

"The other day, when you ditched me, I invited Ryan to the movies with me. We were there and then the movie stopped and some guy proposed to his girlfriend. The girl came over to us and said we'd be the next ones married or something. Ryan basically told me it was never going to happen and I got really upset and implied that I liked him and have been ignoring him since," I rushed out, gasping for air when I was done.

"Holy crap, that was a lot," Ava said amused, "But that's why you ran?"

I nodded my head furiously and slumped against the wall.

"You need to talk to him," Ava said. My mouth dropped open at her.

"I don't need to do anything,"

"But if you pretend it never happened, maybe he won't realize you like him. By ignoring him, you're making it painfully obvious,"

For once, she was right. I burst out of the bathroom and barrelled straight into Ryan.

"Woah," he said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me back up.

"Ryan, we need to talk," I pant.

"Yeah, listen I'm sorry if I upset you at the movies but I was just speaking your thoughts," this catches me off guard.

"Wait what?"

"When the lady said we were a cute couple I thought you were disgusted by that so I was just, saying it..." He trailed off.

"But, I didn't think that,"

"You don't?"

"No,"

He just looks at me with this funny glint in his eyes, and I'm pretty sure I stop breathing.

"Okay," the glint vanishes and he walks away. Like the cliché idiot I am, I chase after him.

"Wait, Ryan. That's it?"

"You expected more?"

"Huh?"

"Oh Zoe. This happens to every girl. They fall for me and I don't return the feelings. You're just another girl who is going to pine after me,"

I can't believe those words just came out of his mouth.

"You're serious?"

"Duh,"

"Then I'm out,"

"Of what?"

"The band,"

"You can't do that!"

"Oh yeah, watch me,"

I march over to the Talent Show sign up list and I pick up the black marker. I find my name along with the other boys and I scribble it out until it can't be seen at all.

"Zoe, why would you do that?"

"You're a jerk, that's why!"

He brought his hands up and shoved me backwards, hard. I slam into the wall and fall to the floor, my back throbbing.

I look up at him and see his anger fade. His eyes go wide and he steps towards me.

"Get away from me," I struggle to stand up, but when I do, I dodge his grasp and walk away.