So This Is Love?

CHAPTER 9 | Decisions

Song is "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson. Picture is of Brooke's dress. xx

CHAPTER 9 ~ Zach's POV

If only there was a Brooke decoder. You know, someone or something that could decode everything Brooke says or does. I really need one of those. Like we're friends then we aren't then we're kissing then she tells me to leave. Can she make up her mind? Because this is getting tiring.

Although the ball is in Brooke's court I still want to win her over. I intend on winning her over. No more of this space and time thing, that's clearly not working. The first thing I plan on doing when I walk into school this morning is to find Ella. For this plan to work I first need to speak with her.

Conveniently the first person I saw as I walked down the school corridor was none other than Ella, just the person I was looking for.

"Hey Ella, can I talk to you for a minute?" I ask her.

"No." she says forcefully and starts to walk away. Not on my watch.

"Ella. Please."

She stands still for a minute and then rushes as she says that I have one minute and I should use my time wisely.

"I'm sorry. I was rude when I first met you and that wasn't fair. I judged you straight away albeit you judged me before we met. But that's beside the point. I am sorry, Ella."

"I'm sorry too. What I said to you at Jack's was way uncalled for and was a low blow. I just think I was doing the best for Brooke. Although it was harsh and I didn't mean it to be so rude, I do stick by what I said. Maybe not the last thing I said but everything else. If you really love her like you claim then you will set her free because although it may be hard to hear, I think she likes Kai." Ella says but this just annoys me. I'm too selfish to let her go. Wow I sound like a jerk.

"Why are you so hell-bent on making sure I don't end up with Brooke, making sure she doesn't love me like I love her? Making sure that I know that she doesn't love me? Do you even realise how much it pains me inside every time you tell me she doesn't even like me?" I say, I don't think I have ever been this angry except for when we got the news about Em.

"You don't get it. You say you love her but do you really? If it was love it wouldn't be this hard, Zach. I just don't want Brooke hurt." She starts loudly and finishes quietly, but it doesn't shield me away from the pain of her words.

"You don't know the first thing about me so before you go assuming who I am and what I do and who I love, get to know me. You have no idea how much or how little I love Brooke. Do you seriously think I would ever want to hurt Brooke? She means the world to me but you think she means nothing to me and for that you're wrong. So very wrong." I say letting my anger take over.

"Zach, calm down. You're yelling and I can hear you from the parking lot." Hayden says trying to calm me down but it won't work. My heart is beating rapidly, my blood is boiling. I'm seeing red.

"I won't calm down. Do you know what she's been saying to me? Who does she think she is, telling me what I feel?" I retort.

"Zach, come on. Ignore what she said."

"Whatever." I follow Hayden away from Ella. That girl makes my blood boil. How can Brooke stand her?

"What the hell was that about?" Hayden fiercely asks. "Do you want the whole school to know about your infatuation with Brooke? Because the way you were shouting out that you love Brooke like it's everyone's business suggests so."

"I don't care if they know. I would scream it out louder if that meant Brooke would be mine. But I guess that's not happening so I don't care any more." I sigh in defeat. By the looks of it, she will never be mine. Maybe I should let her go. I mean it's only fair. I would much rather that she be in a relationship with someone else and be truly, genuinely, head over heels in love with them then be with me and be miserable. Time to let her go.