The Real Ram

Chapter 44

 I don't know why I want to leave the hallway when he walks into it. I just want to be alone right now, and he's ruining it. "Hey Zoe, may I speak with you?" He asks when he finally gets to me.

"Why do you want to speak to me?"

"Because I care about you."

"You only care about yourself," I say to him, looking away. I know it's not true, but I just want him to leave me alone like he always does.

"Can I prove to you that you're wrong?"

"Can you?"

I hear him laugh, and he walks over sitting where Marcus sat. His hair seems brighter than it usually is. His shirt sleeves are rolled up, showing his bandages, yet it seems like he's been working on something. I hope not, personally I think he should still be resting.

"Zoe, I need to speak with you," he says in a serious tone I'm familiar with him using.

"Whatever you're going to say—"

"You saw him, didn't you?"

I hug my knees into my chest looking down on the floor. I won't make eye contact with him, because I know that if I do, something in me will break. His eyes always have unsettled me, and it's not because of their color or resemblance to fire.

"Zoey," he says my name just above a breath, like an all-knowing sibling I wish I had. Now I don't need his eye contact.

I break anyways.

I bury my eyes into my knees and suddenly I feel his body heat to the right of me, putting his arm around me. "Zoe, are you alright?" He pauses, not sure if he should continue but does anyway, "He didn't—"

"No," I reply quickly, wiping my eyes and finally giving in. I looking at him. "No he didn't hurt me. I just-I don't know anymore."

I lean into him and he lets me. It's strange, but I know he's aware it's what I need right now. "It's alright, don't worry. Did he say anything to hurt you?"

"He said a lot, without saying anything," I say. "Nothing hurtful, I'm just overwhelmed. I finally got rid of the past and then John shows up and I don't know what to do."

"Maybe your past wasn't as far gone as you thought it was." I look at him confused and he smiles, "See, I always thought I was able to bury my past, just like you think you can. Only, it doesn't happen that way. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that, but you helped me figure that out." He sighs, "Maybe your step father reappearing is a good thing."

"How? He wanted to take me away from here. Away from Beast and the others. Away from the place I finally established here and you're saying that's okay?"

"I'm saying, is that such a bad thing?"

I scoff, "He talked about a plan he's currently helping to make."

"What's this plan?" He seems interested, more than he usually would.

"He wouldn't tell me details, but I know it's going to happen. I have a feeling whatever John's involved in, well it's the start of something new."

"Like a reformation?"

"Weird that you'd use the same word he did."

"It's a common word," he says, but I sense hesitation in his voice.

"I guess so, but anyways, I'm thinking about joining them."

"What's their plan?"

"They are going to take over a lot of compounds," I say, falling into a whisper.