𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ~ 𝒛𝒅𝒉

Chapter Sixteen: Scars are meant to be healed

Let's talk tomorrow before school. There are a few things which need to be cleared up.

Those were the words I sent to Zach. Now I'm waiting for him to appear, so we can get this talk over with. I have to admit I'm scared, nerves are rushing through my body.

Then I see him, walking towards me. But what I notice most, is that he looks different. He looks restless, uneasy, and really tired. Am I the reason for that? Is this my fault?

"Hi." He softly smiles as he approaches me, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Thanks for agreeing to meet up," I state, nervously playing with my bracelet.

"It was necessary, right?" He shrugged.

"Yeah," I whisper. "It was necessary."

We both sit down at a bench, but leaving some space between us. "How are you doing?" Zach asked, sympathy in his eyes.

I sigh. "Alright, considering the events of yesterday." I pause for a moment, thinking. "You're probably wondering what happened."

"Kind of." He shrugged, with a soft smile. "I know you told me it was a panic attack, but the cause of it, and all the rest, is pretty unclear."

I take a deep breath. "Yeah, it was a panic attack. I've been having those regularly for about two years. The last year not that often anymore, but still."

"What's not that often?" He asked softly.

"Every other month, I think." I see Zach's eyes widening in disbelief. "And I know it sounds like a lot, but considering I used to have about four to five a day, it has progressed."

"Wow, that's.. intense," Zach whispered. "I can't even imagine what it feels like."

"It feels like.." I think for a moment, looking for the right words. "It feels like you're drowning. You're trying to find air, to find an escape, but you can't. Not until your head comes up again."

I sigh. "You're probably wondering why I have those panic attacks, or what triggered yesterday's one." I gather all my confidence together, ready to tell him everything. "The truth is.."

But then he interrupts me. "It's okay, Harley. I don't want you to tell me, because I can see talking about it is hard. I don't want you to pressure yourself, not for me."

Zach scoops closer, reducing the space between us. "Not when I made that mistake of pressuring you before." He softly smiles and rubs his thumb over my cheek.

My cheeks turn crimson, and I quickly look down. "Thank you," I whisper, his touch burning on my cheek.

"But there is one truth that needs to be told." He takes a deep breath, and just like me, he seems to be looking for confidence. "And that's mine."

"The same goes for you, Zach. If you don't want to tell it, then don't," I assure him.

"I have to, because you were right. I can't expect you to trust me if I keep hiding things." He smiled and shrugged.

Then he continues on a softer tone. "The reason I hate Jonah so much, and want to see him suffer, is because that's what he did to me. He made me suffer."

Zach sighed, running his hand through his hair. "In junior year, I started dating a girl. Her name was Kay, and she was everything to me. Absolutely everything." My heart flinches as I see the pain in his eyes.

"Everything was good, really good, until after a few months, she started acting aloof, out of the blue. I had no idea what was going on with her, and every time I asked her about it, she would shut down and get mad. She made me believe it was all in my head, like is was imagining things, but I wasn't."

"A few weeks later I  caught her kissing another guy at the mall, and that guy was Jonah. I had seen him around before, because we used to have mutual friends, and he knew Kay and I were dating, but he didn't care. He went behind my back, seduced my girl, who then cheated on me with him."

Anger wells up in my body. Just as I thought I couldn't despise Jonah more, more truth comes out. And how could that girl do that to him? It's a privilege to be loved by him, why would you ruin that?

"I was devastated. Kay was the first and only girl I ever loved, and he took her from me. He took the thing that meant most to me, and scarred me for life. My trust was ruined, no, it still is." He clenches his fists, but it's not anger I see in his eyes. It's pure heartbreak.

At that moment I realise we really aren't that different. No, we're the same. Heart broken, trust gone, and all that's left is pain. It's like we're holding a mirror in front of each other.

Slowly I take his hand in mine, to squeeze it a little. "Your trust isn't ruined. It's a little scarred, yeah, but that doesn't mean it can't heal. Scars are meant to be healed," I softly say.

He gives me a little smile, looking at our tangled hands. "Sounds like you know what you're talking about."

"Unfortunately, I do." I sigh. "But what I also know is that a lot can be fixed by the right people."

It's true. Because one of those people is sitting right in front of me.

"Yeah, I figured that. I think I met one of those." Zach smiled carefully, as my heart skips a beat. At this moment, all the doubts disappear. I trust Zach. I trust him more than anybody, because we're the same.

"Thank you for telling me. I know it probably wasn't easy," I whisper.

"No, but it was worth it, if it means earning your trust." He looked at me with eyes full of hope.

"Yeah, it did." I smile as I see him sigh relieved. "I trust you, Zach, and I'm sorry I doubted you before."

"I understand. But now, we have to come up with a plan for the phone. We still have some revenge to take." He grinned.

Oh damn right we do. Now that I know what Jonah did to Zach, all I want is to take him down. Completely.

An idea pops into my head. "Let's break into his house."

Zach's jaw dropped. "What?"

"You said we had to scare him, remember? Well, let's make him frightened. We break in, leave his phone and a little message at his place, and leave again." I sound determined.

"I guess.." Zach seemed to be doubting.

"Don't back out now, Zach. Remember the things he has done, to you, to me. He deserves this," I try persuading him.

"You're right. Let's do this."