A/n: You asked for another chapter, so here it is! I woke up at 6:30 in the morning to write this. It's now 8:30am as I click publish and today is a Sunday. I hope y'all know I'm that happy to make you guys happy.
⢠⢠â¢
"Okay. This is getting all levels of ridiculous."
Yes, I know. "Nah, it's fine."
"What fine? What fine?! It's anything but fine!" Cass raises her voice at me but quickly mutters a sorry after realizing anybody in the cafeteria can hear us.
"In my opinion... I think it's messed up too." Ally says, placing her hand over mine.
I barely even have the mood to eat these days anymore. It's not as if anything bad really happened yet. Two weeks has passed since our supposed movie date. So far, Zac has only managed to send me home just... once.
And it isn't like he's really that busy, you know? Cass snooped around and managed to find one of her classmates who happened to be in the band. Her classmate claimed the band is on a break! They are taking a break! But just because the band is, doesn't mean the drumline is. Maybe he has something to do with the drumline. But what has a clarinet player got to do with it?
"He has his reasons..."
"That's what men always say. Fuck, Kelsey. If you don't start interrogating him about it, so help me god, I'll go grill him for you."
"Cass..." I trail off. It's not like I haven't tried to ask. I did. But all he supplied me with were vague answers.
"Tell me. Describe to me how he has been treating you like shit. Go on."
I remember him coming back on that Saturday. He entered my room when I was already drowsy and ready to sleep. I must've waited for him up till 2AM. That's how long he took to come back to me.
He spooned me, cuddled me and kissed the back of my neck. He apologized. But he didn't explain. He didn't tell me why he was gone for so long; leaving me alone in the cinema, letting our first movie date become my first solo movie date, not picking up my calls even though he said he'll pick me up if I need a ride, and eventually making me take a cab homeâsad and disappointed on my own. Nothing. He was just going to say a couple of 'sorry' and that was it. I forced myself not to sniffle, but that night, my pillow turned wet from all the tears I silently shed.
The following week, I began to realize his phone was getting so active. It was abnormal for him. He barely had one or two texts from his friends in the drumline, group chat conversations with us and just me. Sometimes, girls do text him and try to ask him out but it was never a daily occurrence. He never hid about it either. He always tried to make me answer his calls and texts for him, but I would tell him no anyway as I wasn't one who liked to pry. But this time? He had to walk away from me to take his calls. And they were happening more than once a day. It was all... Becca.
He also never managed to send me to and fro school anymore. I had to either wake up early or wait up for Wayne to catch his ride. I didn't know what he was so busy about, but sometimes, Zac would wake up as early as 8AM even on days he didn't have morning classes. He'd write me a note saying he had to go, asking me to get my brother to send me to school instead. Leaving no explanations behind.
It was the same week Friday when he finally texted me and told me to meet him at his car after my class. He still smiled brightly when he saw me and engulfed me in his hugs as usual. He smelled the same. Thank god. I was afraid to begin smelling another female on him.
"I'm sorry for neglecting you, baby. Can I make it up to you?" He grinned at me. "Sushi?"
I nodded cheerily. Of course I'd treasure every single minute he had with me now instead of trying to think about why it was that way. I kept reminding myself that if he wanted to tell me, he would.
But guess what? Just before we could reach the entrance of the mall nearest to our campus, his phone started to ring again! Oh for fuck's sake! She just couldn't leave him alone for a day!
Instead of getting tired of her, he rapidly answered her call in just two rings. "Bex... now?... didn't we agree to go tomorrow?... Can I at least come after I get my lunch?... but I promised to eat with- Fine, fine. I'm on my way."
Hearing that, I visibly sighed. It was as if he could never reject her. She suddenly became his world that he couldn't even spend his lunch with me anymore.
"Bab-"
I cut him off. I was getting frustrated, hell yeah. But I had to remain calm and composed. I barely knew anything. It was really time I at least ask him about it instead of allowing him to brush me off. "It's Becca again, isn't it?" I said, looking at the ground.
He let out a deep breath, lifting my chin up with his fingertips. "I won't lie to you, Kelsey. Yes, it is Becca."
"This was never about band matters, isn't it?" I dared him to look me in the eye.
"I..." he trailed off and looked away, like I expected. "Look, I swear I would tell you if I could. But I can't. I made a promise to her. And she's a good friend, Kelsey. I can't not live up to my words."
Didn't you promised me too?
"Alright. If you can't say it, then you can't. Go ahead, then. I'll just wait for Wayne at the gym."
We walked back in silence, the both of us lost in our own thoughts. He grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers, and I let him anyway. There was a reason why I hated prying, or finding out about things. Sometimes, the truth can really hurt. It was foolish but I kept telling myself I was better off not knowing.
We made it back to campus grounds in less than five minutes since the mall was only walking distance. He let go of my hand and kissed me on all of my favourite spots before I stayed behind and watched him as he went to his car. She was walking to him. They talked with their back facing me for a bit before the both of them eventually got into his car and he sped off. It really seemed like I was the one left behind now.
Every night, he would still come back to me and sleep with me in my bed. It didn't always take that long, sometimes he'd come back earlier, but his phone was 24/7 with him. He was always holding on to it and checking them once every few minutes. I couldn't say anything about it. I began to think whether I was the crazy one.
Even Wayne was catching on to us. He'd ask me why I wasn't taking rides with Zac anymore. I debated whether to tell him the truth, but decided against it in the end. He was still close friends with him and I didn't want to ruin their friendship in any way. That was the worst part about dating your brother's friend isn't it? So I faked a smile and told him Zac was just busy, and that he had already told me beforehand about it. Even though he really hadn't.
The next week was Valentines Day. Everyone else was walking around with flowers, gifts and cute dresses. I hadn't hear from Zac all morning. He went out early again and all I got from him was a text saying 'Happy Valentines Day, baby girl'.
Call it impulsive, but that day I decided I wanted to see him. I needed to see him. I was sick and tired of having him sleep with me at night only for him to go to another girl in the morning. I even brought him something. I made him a compilation of all the photos we took throughout the five months we knew each other and stored it in a digital photoframe. It wasn't anything much, but it was all our memories combined and he once said he didn't care about the value.
I waited for him by his car. I knew he ended class at 3, so I went there fifteen minutes earlier in order to catch him. Cass and Ally had asked me of how sweet my Valentines Day was happening. I hadn't tell any of them at that point yet, so I laughed it off and told them it was great.
I waited until 3:10PM when I finally heard chattering coming from behind. I stood up and spinned around, only to see Zac strolling alongside Becca. Looking at her in her crop top and skater skirt made me insecure. I was only in my sweater and a pair of high waist jeans. She wore high heels and I wore sneakers. I guess I could see why he preferred her now.
"Kelsey?" He finally saw me when he neared his R8. "Are you waiting for me?"
I glanced up to him and flickered my gaze between him and her. He seemed genuinely caught off-guard while she looked smug. She was smirking at me.
"Yeah. But I guess it wasn't a good time. I'm sorry. I'll go." I turned to leave. The exit was the way they came from but I realized I didn't feel like seeing and walking past them anymore. I'd just walk the opposite way and take a big detour round the loop.
"Wait!" He called out. "I have something for you." He informed me. He unlocked the boot of his car and brought out a beautiful bouquet of roses and a box of chocolate. "I'm sorry. I didn't have much time. I promise I'll make it up to you." He leaned down to kiss me.
You promise. I began to hate it when he said that. He never lived up to it. "It's okay. Here," I handed him the paper bag in my hand. "I got this for you too."
Even though he bought me gifts, he remembered me, but he still left with her that day. He didn't come back that night either. I hated to think that he was with her, that he spent the whole of his day with her. But right now, at this point, I guess the right thing to do was to stop deceiving myself.