Whispers of Hope- Book # 3 (Mated Hearts Series) Complete

Chapter 9 (Marissa)

“Whispers of Hope”

Chapter 9 (Marissa)

   
Oh. No. He. Didn’t.  Zachary Martin did not just make his way over here and rudely interrupt our  peaceful lunch.  Has the boy lost his damn mind?

Standing back I looked on in utter disbelief as Zach took Jake by the cuffs of his shirt  and lifted him off the ground.  The fool has some nerve.  First he pulls me out of class unnecessarily, then he has the gall to bite me and now, now he is terrorizing my friend.

This is not happening.  I am done with Zachary Martin trying to control my life, especially when he has made it so crystal clear that he has no qualms with sharing himself with other women. 

Hell to the big fat no.  This isn‘t happening today, tomorrow or two weeks from now.  Zachary Martin has pushed my last button and it’s high time that I show him that I’m not taking it anymore.

I stood there patiently biding my time holding my fisted hand ready.  I was hedging my bets that all those Billy Blanks Tae Bo videos that I watched over the year that I was sick was about ready to make their first really big payoff.

Zach dropped Jake back on his feet and slowly turned in my direction.  I didn’t think.  I just reacted.  Lifting my fist I let it fly with every bit of strength that I could muster.  It all seemed to happen in slow motion, my fist going through the air finally connecting with Zach’s mouth, his head whipping to the left and the falter in his step.

Satisfaction.  That is what I felt when I saw the tiny droplets of blood spilling from his lip.  Pure, unadulterated satisfaction.

I couldn’t help myself, I stood there and smirked.  I finally got one up on the boy.

“Jake” I called out not daring to take my eyes off of Zach’s.  “Come on hun, I think it’s time to leave.” I told him.

Jake stepped to the side of Zach and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Um” he said looking a tad bit sheepish, “Why don’t you try and talk your problems out with Zach.  I need to go find my sister.”

I jerked my head back in shock and stared up at him.  “What?” I said incredulously.  “But, I thought, I thought we were going to have lunch together.”

Jake came forward and patted me on the shoulder. 

“Not today Marissa” he said and glanced back at Zach.  “You and Zach have some things to work out and I think now is the best time to do that.  He really is a good guy if you give him a chance” he added.

I was already shaking my head in denial.  What in the world is Jake thinking?  Is he seriously going to let Zach bully over him like that?  This can’t be happening.

“Jake?” I looked up at him questioningly.  “Please” I begged.  “He’s a prick” I told him and reached for his hands, “Just ignore him.”

Jake gently pulled his hands away from me and patted my shoulder instead.

“Talk to him” he said again and then started to walk away.  I stood there in the center of the school yard watching his retreating back trying to make some type of sense out of what the heck just happened.

“I’m sorry”

I turned back around at the sound of Zach’s voice.

“Your sorry” I repeated mockingly.  “Your sorry for what.  Because you ruined my chance at having a nice date with a decent guy.  Your sorry because you’re an egotistical jerk.  What Zach?  Exactly what are you so sorry for because I can make a list a mile long for things that you should be sorry about” I told him just barely holding on to my own anger.

Zach rubbed the back of his hand over his busted lip and took a step closer to me.

“I’m sorry” he said and took another step so that he was standing in front of me.

He looked down at me with such a tenderness that I could only remember from the Zach of old.  That one simple look almost suckered me in.  I had to advert my eyes in order to stop the powerful urge to stand on my tip toes and kiss his swollen lip.

“I’m sorry” Zach repeated and gently using his fingers he turned my head so that I was forced to look back up at him.  Those crystal blue eyes shimmered with sincerity and had me instantly turning into a puddle of mush. 

I sucked in a deep breath remembering the reason that we were standing out here facing each other in the first place.  Now fully irritated  because of all the crazy feelings that were raging through my system I huffed loudly at him.

“I’m sorry that I hurt you, Missy” he said looking down at me and so softly using his palm to cup my cheek.  “I want to make it up to you.” he whispered with his face just inches from mine.  I could feel my heart rate speed up in anticipation the same way it always did when Zach was this close to me.  “Will you let me make it up to you sweetie?” he asked searching my face for an answer.

Part of me wanted to scream yes and jump in his arms.  But the more sensible side of me was saying no and to run, run as fast and as far away as possible from Zachary Martin.    

Pulling back away from Zach,  I needed space.  I couldn’t think clearly when we were so close together.  I glanced to the ground before looking back up at Zach.  “I can’t” I told him taking another step back.  “Not right now, I just can’t” I repeated.

His normally bright blue eyes paled and I could see that my words hurt him but now was not the time.  There was two much high strung emotion between the two of us to make nice right now. 

“I need some time” I told him and without waiting for his answer I quickly turned and jogged away from him.

I half expected him to come chasing after me but all too soon it was clear that he wasn’t.  I didn’t know what to think of the boy anymore.  The signals he sent me were always mixed.  One moment he wants me, the next he is sucking face with scantily dressed red heads.  The only thing that I was certain of anymore was that if I let myself get involved with Zachary Martin then I would be sacrificing my heart because there was no other way that I could lend my self to him other than offering him my body, heart and soul unequivocally.  And I knew that I was in no way ready for that.

_________________________________________________________________

It was Friday night.  I was laying on my bed flipping through my treasured photo album that held the memories of Zach and my freshman year.  It all seemed so long ago I thought to myself as I traced a picture of Zach building me a sand castle that I took at the beach one fourth of July. 

Closing the book I looked up at the ceiling and my thoughts flitted to how Jakes party was going.  All day long that is all everyone talked about.  How awesome it was supposed to me.  It was like the premier event of the year. 

I had no intentions of showing my face there after the altercation the other day with Zach.  He had since given me the space that I requested, but I had come to accept the fact  that I would  be risking too much of myself by opening up to him.  It was just too much of a price that I wasn’t willing to pay.  

To top it off my stomach had been giving me fits in the last two days.  It wasn’t as bad as before, but enough for me to worry.  I hadn’t mentioned anything to mom knowing exactly how frantic she can get.  Hopefully, it was nothing more than a silly bug that will eventually go away.  That is what I was praying for anyway.

A sharp knock on my door startled me from my thoughts.

“Go away Cara” I yelled out knowing that it had to be her wanting to aggravate the piss out of me again.

The door opened and I sat up ready to tell Cara off when low and behold, Amy, Liza and Tabby walked in my room.

Jumping off the bed I stared at the three girls curiously, “What are you guys doing here?” I asked dumbly.

They all looked beautifully done up in their exquisite party dresses and hair twisted in extravagant evening styles. 

Amy smiled back at me, “We come to take you to a party” she answered in a very matter of fact tone.

I started shaking my head, “No, I can’t go” I told her determinedly.  “I’m sorry that you guys wasted your time in coming by here but I don’t even have a dress.” I said thinking that was the easiest way of sending the girls on their merry way.

“Not a problem” Tabby said pulling out a black bag from her back.  She unzipped it revealing a very sexy blue dress trimmed in black lace.  My eyes bugged out at the sight of it. 

Then Liza pulled out a pink suitcase and laid it on the bed.  Opening it she revealed enough make up to do makeovers on twenty homeless women.  “And I” she said waving her hand over the suitcase as if she was modeling a new prize “am going to turn you into Cinderella” she said smiling brightly.

“No, no, no” I said backing up slowly.  “I’m good you guys, really” I added.  “Ya’ll can go on and have your fun without me” I finished finding my back pressed up against the wall.

“Nope” Amy said grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the bed.  She pushed at my shoulders and sat me down.  Looking down she pointed her finger at me making me feel very much like a petulant child being chastised by a parent, “We don’t go unless you come with us.” she finished leaving nor room for any further argument.

Forty five minutes later I was in the back seat of Amy’s car heading towards Jake’s party.  I felt absolutely gorgeous.  The dress was a perfect fit and Liza really did work some of her incredible magic making me feel like a true Cinderella. 

However, I couldn’t help but to have this nagging feeling that going to this party was a very bad idea.  Slight pains started knotting my stomach once again and I had to breathe deeply through them.  By the time the car came to a stop the pain had subsided and I had to brace myself for a new problem.  Facing Zach Martin.

“You ready to have some fun” Liza said coming around the car to my side.

“Fun” I said nervously looking up at the house.  “Yea, lets have some fun” I replied sarcastically.  Hesitantly I looped my arm through Liza’s and let her uncermoniously lead me along feeling much like a lamb being led to her own slaughter.  

We walked in the door and wow, that was the only way to describe everything that I was seeing.  Bright lights were flashing in sporadic colors, music was bumping loudly around us and bodies were grinding against each other everywhere.  These people really did know how to party it up right didn’t they, I thought to myself.  Liza and Tabby immediately melted back into the crowd leaving me alone with Amy.

Soon after we entered the house the dark haired gentleman that had introduced himself as Steven on my first day of school came up behind Amy and wrapped his arms around her placing a trail of kisses along her neck.  I looked over in the other direction feeling like I was intruding on a private moment of theirs.

“Marissa” the deep voice called out causing me to turn back in the lovey dovey couples direction.

I smiled back at the two of them and inclined my head.  Steven, still standing behind Amy, held out his hand to me in greeting.  I accepted it without hesitation and flinched at the sensitivity of my hands to his touch.  It was like a burning feeling that I had never experienced before.

“Are you okay?” Steven asked looking at me with nothing more than concern.

I held up my hand and examined it.  “I’m fine…..I think” I told him staring hard at my hand as the burning feeling receded.

“Why don’t we get you something to drink” Amy spoke up already pulling away from Steven.  She turned and pecked him on the lips before grabbing my hand and pulling me away. 

As soon as she touched my hand that burning feeling returned.  I snatched my hand back and sucked in deep breaths until it receded once again.

Amy stopped and turned back to me.  “Marissa are you really okay?  You're not looking so good.”

Again, I stared down at my hand trying to figure out what the heck was happening to me. 

“Marissa” Amy called out again, “Maybe I should get Zach” she said seemingly worried.

“No” I quipped and reached out for her before she could take off looking for him.  Amy halted in her steps and placed her hand on my shoulder.  Pain struck me where she was touching my shoulder causing sweat to bead on my brow.

Amy started shaking her head.  “Marissa, I really think that you need something …”

“NO!” I cut her off not feeling like I was in any kind of shape for a Zach encounter at the moment.

She frowned at me and let out a long sigh.  “You sure?” she asked clearly doubting me.

I nodded my head too scared to speak, afraid that I would betray how I was truly feeling.  My whole body was now extremely sensitive and burning all over.  I could feel the sweat starting to drip down the center of my back.

Taking a deep breath willing the horrible pains to go away I gritted my teeth and said  “Let’s just get me something to dink and I’ll, I’ll be fine” I told her.

“I really think we need to get Zach” Amy said again.

“No, please” I begged her.  “Just, just water” I said to her now feeling the familiar painful knot in my gut.  Amy stood there for a moment watching me and I started to pant in earnest.

“Hey, is everything okay?” I heard Stevens voice ask from somewhere behind me.

The room started to spin and the pain on my skin began to grow stronger and more intense by the second.  I felt like I was on fire, burning alive.  “Help…  Help me” I muttered as black spots dotted my vision.

“Zach, get Zach” Amy yelled to the person standing behind me.

Fire, hot, my skin was burning, I felt like I was literally burning in hell. 

“Agghhhhhh” a horrid scream ripped through the air.  The sound was so awful that at first it didn’t register that it came from my own mouth.

“Marissa….Marissa” I heard the familiar voice calling my name. 

“Zach?” I answered with a scratchy voice.  My vision was blurred and I couldn’t make out whether or not that he was the one beside me. 

“Sshh, I’m here baby.” he whispered from somewhere near my head.

“It burns, make…make it stop” I pleaded feeling the hot tears running down my cheeks.

The burning intensified completely stealing my breath.  Another scream reverberated from my chest.

“Holy shit” Zach said aloud.  I felt the ground disappear from underneath me as he lifted me in his arms.

“Door, Amy, open the damn door now” he shouted already moving with me tucked against his chest.  My last coherent thoughts being how good Zach smelled before I let the pain completely take me away.