Blue Ribbon

Chapter 24 - I thought I was a bad boy

"Jealousy is just a lack of self-confidence."

****************

Lilly's POV

Nerves jack-hammered my heart and wrapped around my throat, the anxiety slipping all over my spine as I stood there waiting for his reaction. I felt him stiffen a bit, shock and pure confusion emanated from his eyes in waves.

"Zack?" He asked, like he couldn't comprehend the thought, "How is this Zack's fault? I don't get it."

I swallowed down the nervousness tightening my throat and explained, "On the game day, they were going to pick up the best player on the team for a full scholarship, and Zack wanted that scholarship so bad, so he exchanged Chase's medicine with something else," The thought alone had anger rushing back to my chest and my jaw tightened, "It triggered his attack, which had the coach discarding him from the game, which removed the actual best player from Zack's way."

With every word I said, the shock in his eyes doubled and for a moment I got scared he might not believe me. Zack is his nephew after all. If he went and asked him, Zack would definitely decline this, "He didn't exchange the medicine back, which is the reason why Chase's health hasn't been that well all this time."

I noticed how his hand tightened over the desk and his gaze drifted down, still thinking this through. At his lack of words, my fear doubled, and I sucked into a deep breath, "I know you might not believe me, but-"

"No, no," He shook his head, his gaze falling back on me, "I believe you, of course, I am just," His eyebrows pulled closer, "I am just not able to process this, I never would think...never that Zack would even remotely think about doing something like this," The muscles of his jaw tightened, the shock in his eyes got replaced by anger, "It makes sense actually, Chase was taking his medicine but it wasn't even helping," He shook his head as the truth finally made sense in his brain.

He sat down on the chair, the gravity of the news pulling him down as a defeated breath left his lungs. He rubbed a hand over his face before he raked it through his hair, his eyes so lost, trying to drink in the feedback of what I just dropped over him.

I walked closer to the desk and added, "I didn't want to tell Chase about this, because he still cares about Zack, this...this would break his heart," The important thing is for Zack to never think of doing something like this, "I felt like telling you would be the best option, an adult should handle this, not us, you can...you can make sure Zack doesn't repeat this."

He nodded, his tone grateful, "You thought well, I am really glad you told me first," He tapped his fingers over the desk, as if trying to control himself and stay patient, "I will deal this," He shook his head, "Zack was always a troubled boy, but," His jaw tightened, "I never thought he would cross a line like this."

"You won't tell Chase, right?" I asked, worried.

"No," He shook his head and strictly added, "But I will make sure Zack never comes near him again, that's for sure." He got to his feet, "I should also talk with Chase's doctor about this," Worry creased lines over his forehead, "Oh god, I hope this doesn't have a long-term effect or something."

I nodded, "Yeah, please, I am worried about that too." I said as I reached for my bag and fumbled through its content, "I already replaced the medicine with the real one," I pulled the bottle I took from Chase's room and extended my hand to show it to him, "This is probably the one Zack used, you can show it to the doctor to see what it is."

He walked closer to me and took the bottle, he opened the cap and looked at its inside. When his eyes flickered back to me, his eyebrows pulled together, "How did you figure all of this out?"