TORN

Chapter 9

Zena sat on her bed staring at the wall. He wasn't thinking Z. He didn't mean it. He loves you. He's just blowing off steam. She stared at the wall, tears flowing freely down her face, for what seemed like hours before hearing a knock at the door. "Z. It's Thom, let me in." Not now.

"Go away."

"Please talk to me." After debating for a while, she decided to open the door. "Come with me." Although she was confused, she followed him to his favorite spot: the balcony. As they walk off the elevator, Zena noticed Malichai in the corner with a sketchpad and pencil drawing to his heart's content. He glanced at the two with a blank expression on his face before returning to his drawing. Zena caught a glimpse of the drawing and it was absolutely amazing. Who knew he could draw like that? The two made it to the balcony and Thompson hugged his sister tightly as she cried on his shoulder and he whispered his famous words: everything will be okay, it will be alright. After what seemed like hours of crying and soaking Thompson's sleeve, Zena finally stood tall and leaned over the balcony staring at the city of London at midnight emotionless. "Tell me what's going on."

"Chai was so sweet and caring tonight. He was a complete gentleman on our date, and you were right when you said he goes all out to impress a girl. When he kissed me on the cheek before he left, Jacob saw and anger flashed in his eyes before he went to his room and slammed the door. And speaking of Jacob, Chai and I came home from our date and the room was a wreck. Apparently, Mike decided to swing by again. Fast forward about an hour and I start cleaning Jacob's wound and he stops me. He said I don't need to clean his mess but I told him it was my mess, which it is because none of this would've happened if I never met Mike. Anyway, he stops me and slams the door in my face. I didn't know what was wrong so I was begging for him to talk to me. Then he opened the door and stared at me before saying the words I never want to hear. Jacob told me that he wished he never met me. That his life would be easier without me in it. I don't know what's gotten into him. He's jealous for no reason and gets angry whenever he sees me with any of you. That's why I didn't tell him that they were in the gym with me. He would flip if I told him." Don't turn. "I don't want to lose Jacob. I love him. I love him so much that I kept thinking about him during my date with Chai. He doesn't know how much he means to me, how much I love him. It hurts me to see him like this, but of course, I didn't show it. We're best friends and should be able to talk to each other about everything, and he said he wished he'd never met me. Thom, he broke me like you wouldn't believe. We've been here not even a month and our friendship is rockier than it's ever been. At this point, I just want to go home and forget about everything that happened here."

Thompson stared at the girl standing before him before resembling her position placing his arms over the balcony and clasping his hands. "I'm positive he only said that out of pure anger about the whole Mike situation. He didn't mean it. And you could never forget me, or any of the other boys, we're too unforgettable." He turned to her smiling before speaking again. "So you finally admit that you love Jacob, huh?" Zena looked at Thompson smiling before looking back at the skyline. "There's that amazing smile I've been waiting for," he said causing her to smile again. He took her chin turning her head back to him as the two locked eyes. "Jacob is in love with you and would die for you if he had to. Always remember that." Thompson hugged Zena once more before speaking again. "Always remember that," he repeated before winking at her and walking back down the stairs to the penthouse.

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"Jacob we need to talk about last night," Zena stated quietly as she and Jacob ate pizza. The two ordered room service for the first time since they'd been here.

"Can we talk later?" He just stared at his plate as the two ate in an awkward silence before Zena retreated to her room and slamming the door. Thirty minutes later, she heard a knock at the door as she sat on the bed staring at the wall. "Come on Z. Open up, I know you can hear me," Jacob said from the other side of the door. Don't do it. Let him sulk. Against her better judgment, she opened the door standing in the doorway. "Aren't you going to let me in?" he laughed. She stared at him emotionless not moving from her spot causing him to sigh. His smile dropped and he stared at the ground as he spoke. "You didn't deserve that. What I said. I didn't mean what I said. I guess my temper got the best of me." Of course, it did.

"If you didn't mean it then why did it come out of your mouth? It means you were thinking about it. That's the part that hurts. The fact that it even crossed your mind...you broke me with one sentence."

"I'm sorry Z. It was the first thing that came to my mind and I don't even why it crossed my mind. Please forgive me. Let me make it up to you."

"You get one chance," Zena simply stated after thinking long and hard about it.

"You still want to go out tonight? I'd like to stay true to our date," he said hopeful and Zena nodded bringing a smile to his face. "Great, I think you'll like what I have planned. We leave at 7:00." She knew he was happy because she could hear him singing to himself, which caused her to laugh as she laid back on the bed. Pulling out her phone, she noticed a text from Thompson: Have fun tonight. I know you will. And remember, he loves you. No matter what he says.