Zoey 101: You Must Of Had A Broken Heart ☑

Chapter 41

He gazed past me, extended onto his toes, to see into my room.

“What happened, Zoey?” he gasped at the devastating scene.

“You’re only going to make it worse. Please leave.” I tried to position my body between his eyes and my room.

“I’m picking you up Monday so that you can tell me what this is all about,” he insisted.

“Fine, just leave,” I begged.

Chase finally acknowledged the pleading in my eyes and the urgency in my voice and backed away from the window. He hesitated, but I closed the window and pulled down my shade before he could say anything else.

I turned back to my broken world and knelt amongst its remains. I heard Abby say she’d be back soon and knew I didn’t have time to mourn. I found a backpack in which to place the fragments of my pictures and letters from my mother, refusing to throw them away. I tossed the broken frames and sliced canvasses in a trash bag.

I mindlessly performed my list of chores. I was secured in this desolate state when I retreated to my room. I slid onto the floor with my back against my bed and stared at the blank wall across from me. The ache in my chest was curtained behind the numbness.

If I hadn’t been able to admit it before now, I knew in this moment that I hated Abby. I clenched my jaw, pushing away the destructive screams that raged in my head. My nails dug into the palms of my hands, wanting so much to release the emotion. Instead I gasped and collapsed into chest-heaving sobs.

Her malevolence threatened to penetrate the only sanctity I had left, and I moaned in pain at how close she had come to crushing me. Was I really strong enough to not let her break me? Six hundred and nine days suddenly felt like a life sentence. Would I be able to recognize myself when I was finally released?

I sat in the closet and dialed Lola’s number.

“Zo, are you okay?” Lola asked in a single breath.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I whispered.

“You sound so sad. What did she do?”

“I can’t talk about it right now. But I wanted you to hear from me like I promised.”

“Chase came over this morning.”

I didn’t say anything.

“He was really upset and wanted to know what was happening, and if you were being hurt. He was basically screaming at me to tell him. I didn’t, I swear, but he’s insisting on picking you up on Monday. I wanted to warn you. I can be there too, so you can go with me instead if you want.”

“No, it’s okay,” I mumbled. I knew I’d have to face him eventually.

“Zoey, whatever happened there this morning, I am so sorry,” she said softly.

“I’ll see you Monday,” I whispered and hung up the phone.

I didn’t leave my room except to sneak out to use the bathroom. I heard the murmur of voices and the glee of the kids in the dining room. Not too long after, singing carried through the wall from the television followed by a quick rap on my door.

“Your uncle and I would like to speak with you.” I watched her leave as I sat at the desk, hovering over my Chemistry book. I pushed the chair back and allowed my legs to carry my shell to the kitchen.

George and Abby stood on one side of the island, waiting for me. The remnants of grief remained in George’s eyes while the smirk of victory reflected in Abby’s.