Up to No Goode

Chapter Sixteen

(Short chapter, but I hope you like it :D Zach's pretty vulnerable in this one. Triple update today :0)

I'm not proud of what I did next, but to my defense I didn't know what to say. I walked around the mansion as if in a blur. I hardly ate, I didn't sleep. I couldn't bring myself to look at her. She deserved better than me, to be touched by my dirty, bloodstained hands. She deserved a person with a better past, who could give her a better future.

Grant and Jonas continually asked me what was wrong, but I couldn't bring myself to tell them. They deserved better too.

"Zach, you need to eat." Said Jonas

"I'm not hungry"

"You haven't touched your food in three days"

I glared at him. I shook my head, pushing my plate away from myself and start to head out from the Great Hall.

And I run face to face with Joe Solomon.

I start to make my way past him, but he holds my shoulder tight and drags me into a corridor that I'd never seen anyone go down.

"Zachary Goode" He said, and I knew I was in trouble. We were in full-name territory now. I looked at him. "You're going to tell me whats wrong with you."

I looked at him surprised. I didn't think he noticed.

"Nothings wrong with me" I lie

"Bullshit" Said Joe. "And trust me, you can't bullshit a bullshitter. Did something happen?"

I looked at him for a long time, our eyes locked onto each other. I looked away first. "I- I realized who Cammie's dad was. He was in Rome, wasn't he?"

All of the color drained from Joe's face. His hands start to shake. "Zach-"

"It's my fault." I say to him, my anger rising. "Her dad is dead, and I killed him."

"No, you didn't" Says Joe. "Your mother killed him, but you had no part in it. You were just a kid, you weren't even at Blackthorne yet."

"I'm the one who found him! I told my mom where he was! If it wasn't for me, Cammie would still have her dad!"

"ZACH LISTEN TO ME." Joe bellows. He takes a deep breath and looks towards the hallway to make sure no one was going to come into the corridor. "When I was sixteen I joined the circle, and I've spent my whole life trying to right those wrongs. You're the circles next generation, but you can choose your path. You don't have to be evil. You can use your life to take down the circle." For the first time in years, Joe hugged me. Tears flooded both of our eyes, and I wiped them away.

"Zach." He says "You should make up with Ms. Morgan. I hear we're going into town this Friday. Perhaps then?"

He walks off, but I stay in the hallway for a long time, thinking of my mother.

Suddenly I get up, and grab my bag. I take out a piece of evapopaper and scribbled a note.

So I hear we get to go into town this weekend. Wanna catch a movie or something?

-Z

P.S That is, if Jimmy doesn't mind.

I walked back toward the Great Hall, and lunch is just getting out. I walked straight into her. "Sorry" I say, dropping the note into her pocket. I watch as she walks outside, into the rain and I can't help but hope that it was washing away some of the pain.