Rivals

The truth?

Pin sat in his room looking at his phone. He sighed heavily, staring at the text from Zoe again, probably for the 100th time. He lay the phone on the table and put his head in his hands. It had been three weeks, since he had told her off, and he had hoped his feelings for her would start to fade. However it seemed like he longed for her more with each passing second.

Even though he still was incredibly mad, he also missed her. He missed their talks, their hacks and most of all her beautiful bright spirit. He shook his head of the image of her. He had to be back at Holloway later that afternoon. Ever since the argument with Zoe, he had mostly come home to sleep. He needed some space and some privacy, something that wasn't easy to obtain at the school.

Gaby had also been more clingy than usual. Pin knew that she was pleased that it didn't work out with Zoe, and Gaby had tried her best to spend every waking moment with him. It was too much, which is why he often came home.

Exhaling loudly he stood up looking at his phone, then started to pace the floor, as he read the text again:

//Hi Pin.

I don't know what just happened today.

I am both shocked and confused.

Let's get one thing straight:

I'm not together with Marcus, nor have I ever been.

And I have no idea, how you could ever think that.

Especially not after everything we talked about.

I wish you would talk to me, so I could explain how I feel.

Please

-Zoe-//

He had wanted to write her back so many times, but then decided against it. He didn't want to seem weak, and he was still furious. Why couldn't she just admit, that she had been seeing Marcus?! Then at least she was honest and maybe he could learn to trust her again. He gritted his teeth and threw the phone across the floor. Taking a few breaths to calm himself, he retrieved the phone, pleased that it was still intact. Then he started to write...

//Hi Zoe...

He almost dropped the mobile, as it started to ring, making him jolt. He didn't recognize the number, and it took him a couple of seconds to decide whether he should pick it up or not. In the end he finally answered.

"Hello..." he started but was met with silence on the other end. He repeated the greeting, and was almost ready to hang up, when a voice cleared its throat. "Hawthorne?" Pin clenched his jaw, as he recognized Marcus' voice. "What do you want?" Pin asked annoyed, not in the mood to talk to his biggest rival. They had always been rivals, but now it wasn't only in the arena, but also in their personal life.

"Can I talk to you?" Marcus asked, and Pin nodded, then realized that Marcus couldn't see him. "Sure go on", Pin said exhausted, and once again there was silence for a few seconds. "Not like this... Meet me at the beach in one hour", Marcus finished then hung up. Pin stared at his phone for a minute, not sure as to what had just happened. He sat down in his chair and started drumming his fingers on the table.

Should he go meet Marcus, or was it all just another trick? Maybe Zoe was in on it too. Pin shook his head, not liking all of the troubled thoughts he suddenly started to have. And he sighed tiredly, looking at the clock. He sat for ten minutes contemplating whether or not to go, then finally stood up and headed downstairs.

As he reached the beach he stopped Elvis and dismounted, tying him to a log. He took off his helmet and lay it in the sand, looking around for any sign of Monty, Marcus' horse. However the black gelding was nowhere to be seen.

"You made it". Pin whirled around startled and looked directly at Marcus, who was on foot. "Yeah... So start talking", Pin told him harshly, not in the mood to stay any longer than completely necessary. Marcus avoided his gaze and put his hands in his pockets, obviously nervous.

"I know you are angry about the whole Zoe incident", he started, and Pin already felt his fists tighten. "That is one way of putting it", he answered clenching his jaw. "I just want you to know, that there is nothing going on between me and Zoe. And there never has been", Marcus told him finally looking Pin in the eye.

Pin scoffed and grinned sarcastically. "Funny you say that, because from what I saw... You two were awefully close", Pin said bitterly and already regretted showing up. Marcus shook his head. "We... I was just playing a prank. She rejected me", he murmured and cast his eyes downward, while Pin felt a sharp twinge in his heart. For a second he felt hopeful, but didn't dare to let himself believe what he had just heard.

"Did Zoe put you up to this?" he asked skeptically, and Marcus looked at him shocked. "What? No! Look you can either believe it or not. Your choice. But at least I have told you the truth", he finished then turned, and left Pin on his own.

The wind was getting colder, and Pin crossed his arms in front of him, as he looked at Marcus walking away. He didn't know what to think. //Is Marcus actually telling the truth? Or is it just another trick?"// he thought, and his head was spinning with the million of thoughts that were entering his mind. Did Zoe really still want him? And had he made a mistake? It was almost too much for him, and as he walked back to Elvis, he felt tears threaten to spill.

Checking the time, he knew he should be getting back to Holloway. The Maid of the Island tournament was tomorrow, and they all had to get the horses ready. He sighed as he mounted the chestnut. He knew that all of Team Bright Fields would be attending the event, and that Zoe would definitely be there. It both scared and delighted him.

Marcus' words had filled him with doubt, and Pin was unsure of how to react, when he saw her. Was there a small chance that he had wrongly accused her, or had she asked Marcus to be her knight in shining armour. It frustrated Pin so much, and he knew that sleep wouldn't be an option this night.

**//Thank you so much for 500 reads. It means the world to me//**