Chapter Twenty-eight

I strongly believe history is overrated. Seriously, why did it matter how long you knew a person? Just because you have it, doesn't mean you'll have a future. My eyes slowly narrowed as I watched Ebony touch Zane's arm…laughing.

What the hell was so funny?

"Why are you gawking at Harris?"

Jumping, I spun on my heel to look at Blake. “I wasn't." Denial was way easier than fessing up to the truth.

"Sure, you weren't." Blake gave me a mocking expression.

"Thought you were meant to be ditching anyway?" I snapped, pulling my books from my locker.

I could feel Blake's eyes on me. "Why have you gone red?"

I gave him a sharp look. "I haven't." I denied it while feeling my cheeks heat up.

"You got a crush on him?" Blake nodded his head in Zane's direction.

Oh, for the love of God, why did I have to be caught gawking! "No!"

I would never admit to staring at Zane, checking him out, or stalking him between classes. Period.

Drinking a gallon of petrol sounded more appealing.

"You and he got something going on?" He continued to press.

"No."

"You sure about that?"

I slammed my locker door. "Yes! Would you drop it, Blake? I wasn't checking him out!"

Blake's eyebrows rose, and that perfect devil smirk of his spread across his face. His eyes shot over my shoulder.

"Hear that, Harris? She's not interested."

This couldn't be happening. I slowly turned around to be greeted by the one, the only, Zane Harris.

Why me?

"Hi." I shot an elbow back into Blake's chest, silencing his laughter. "So, um, nice morning, isn't it?"

"It's raining." Zane gave me a flat expression.

"Well yeah, for people that love the rain it's a great morning." I was digging a hole. "Like, um, me. I love the rain." And the hole got deeper.

"No, you don't." Blake once again decided to use his mouth.

"I do," I hissed over my shoulder at him.

"You're always bitching about it ruining your hair."

Gritting my teeth, I turned to face my soon-to-be-dead friend. "Blake, don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Nope."

"You have English." Could the guy not get a hint?

His lips twisted into a grin. "With you."

"Piss off, Falcon, she wants to speak to me alone," Zane interrupted and, unlike Blake, had managed to get the message I was sending.

The playfulness in Blake's eyes disappeared, and he focused a new unfriendly glare onto Zane.

"And why would she want to do that?"

Zane stepped forward, and I was sure he was about to say something I would regret.

I placed a hand on Zane's chest, squeezing myself between the two.

"Because he is helping me," I said to Blake. "With all that homework I got lumped with."

"Then talk away." Blake gave me a firm expression.

He wasn't going to back down. Sighing I turned back to face Zane.

“So…”

Zane cut me off, “You got your phone?”

I nodded my head.

“I’ll message ya.” He gave Blake a scowl and walked off, heading back in the direction of Ebony.

He’ll message me. God’s sake. I had been dying to speak to him. I didn’t care if the conversation we had was completely pointless. I just wanted to talk to him.

“Thanks for that,” I huffed, slamming my locker shut. I clenched my books at my side.

Blake was wearing his usual pissed off expression. “So, you’re lying to me now?” His hardened eyes locked on mine. “Glad to know you give more of a fuck about him than me.”

I opened my mouth to explain that it wasn’t like that, but Blake had already stormed off before I could get a chance.

I groaned, and the morning got better. I watched my only real friend storm off with the shits.

My eyes flicked back to Ebony and Zane, they were laughing again, what the hell was so funny?

And why the hell did she have to keep touching him?

Were they flirting?

Ebony’s wide polished smile broadened, while she continued to laugh.

I suppose it didn’t help Zane was fucking grinning down at her like she was the funniest woman on the planet.

My stomach twisted when I heard the school bell ring. Looks like I couldn’t prolong walking past them any longer.

Holding my head high, I headed for class. I can do this. I am doing this. Lucky for me the timing was perfect as the halls quickly filled with students. I managed to get past them without either of them glancing at me.

And that hurt.

It hurt a lot.

He knew I was Blake-free, but he didn’t bother to stop and talk to me. He didn’t do his normal cocky thing and stop me. Perhaps things weren’t going as well as I thought.

It felt like all the progress we had made had just been wiped, and it wasn’t me determining that. It was him.

It was Zane pulling away from me.

 

I wasn’t one for nerves as I rarely got them, but, lately, it was as if I was filled with nothing but nerves, and Zane did nothing but flame them.

The week had passed uneventfully. Zane was avoiding me. In fact, his behavior only got worse when the pack’s family run got postponed for a week due to Alpha Harris having to go out of town for business.

Seeing as Zane had mentioned he would call or message me, my phone had been glued to me ever since.

But he hadn’t called.

Or messaged.

In fact, he hadn’t even glanced in my direction for more than a second. I found myself hovering in common areas around the house, in case I ran into him.

But still, that hadn’t happened.

Blake still wasn’t speaking to me so it wasn’t like I could go and see him. So here I was, alone, at the pack house with not one friend.

Not even Ryder was around anymore. I had called him a few times, and he had yet to return any of my calls.

I fiddled with the strap of my dress while waiting outside. Still can’t believe I had agreed to this.

The front door opened, and I turned to see who it was.

What were the chances? I hadn’t seen him all week, and now, while I was waiting out front for Chase, he showed his face?

“Hi.” Zane’s eyes ran up and down me. “Heading out?”

I snapped my head back and looked away from him. No way in hell was I giving him an answer.

“So, not speaking to me?”

Against my choice, I looked back at him. “Surprised you’re speaking to me.” I crossed my arms. “Am I no longer invisible?”

There wasn’t one trace of warmth or kindness in his eyes. “Been busy.”

“Right.” If he wanted to be cold, I could be colder.

Just in time, Chase’s headlights headed towards us. Looks like I was saved by Chase. I owed him one.

“You going on a date?”

I paused on the steps. “Is that really any of your business?” I turned to look back at him. “Really, Zane? You freeze me out of your life, and think you can ask questions now?”

He had his chance and he blew it. Fuck, he exploded it into pieces.

I swear I saw regret in his eyes for a moment before it disappeared. “Like I said. I’ve been busy.”

Chase’s horn blew.

“You know what, Zane?” Anger filled my voice. “So have I.” It was a lie, but in some ways not.

Zane freezing me out made me realize how sheltered I was. It was time for me to spread my wings, I guess, and meet new people.

“Have a good night, Zane,” I muttered, heading to Chase’s car.

I didn’t know what had made Zane block me out of his life. I also didn’t know if I ever wanted to know.