Clash (Our Story)

Chapter 13

Zack's POV:

Love doesn't discriminate between good and bad. A prime example for that would be me falling for Rachel.

She had left.

I stood stagnant as the waves were crashing onto the shore as fiercely as ever.

Why did it have to end up like that?

I don't know when it was that I started feeling an invisible wall between us, but what I knew is that she never intended to take it down. I had brushed it off, but when she looks as pale as she did earlier, I can't help but feel hurt. She felt like her only choice was to run. She didn't consider tearing down the wall and opening up to me. That's what hurt.

When I think about it, she never talked about herself. The only time I was close enough to getting anything out of her was when she cried in my arms the other day. She felt tiny and fragile like she would break if I held her too tight. It broke my heart to hear her sob the way she did.

She had mentioned her dad. What was the deal between them that made her cry that hard?

Not that it mattered. Not anymore. She chose to leave and I couldn't keep expecting and getting disappointed.

I felt anger and regret: I was angry at myself for believing there could be anything more between us and regretted trying at all just to get my heart shattered at the end. She may not have rejected me verbally, but her actions showed otherwise. She was never honest enough with me. She led me on with half-hearted feelings.

Was I the problem?

Was I not trustworthy?

She made me doubt myself.

My eyes watered and I started hating it; hating my feelings for her. I was trying to fill a bottomless well and it ends here.

Goodbye, Rachel.

I was at the passenger seat of my car with Liam driving. I had called him because I felt like it wasn't safe driving in the state I was in. Maybe I have had a couple of drinks too, having bought beer from a grocery store nearby.

Thoughts about what could have been had repeated in my head as I envisioned a perfect future with Rachel in it. What drove me crazy was that I realized how much she meant to me in a fleeting amount of time. We had spent not more than two months together, but she became my everything. She had left and took my smile away with her. Despite being in front of a content view, I felt empty. So, I chose to drink my misery away.

I was tipsy enough to tell Liam everything about my feelings for Rachel and how it had started. He was shocked to say the least.

'I am sorry, Zack. For everything.', he said, a hint of guilt to his voice.

He was referring to his relationship with Rachel.

'It's okay, you didn't know.', I responded.

'And it's not like we had anything going on then.'

'Not that we do now.', I continued, my voice discouraged.

Liam patted me on the shoulder, comforting me while keeping his other hand on the wheel.

Rachel kept popping up in my head throughout the ride back. The way the sunlight caught her silky black hair and her joyous demeanor when she found herself at the beach were all too precious. And, most of all was her warmth when she held my hand.

Days had passed.

Rachel had called once and when I didn't answer, she never did again.

I wasn't ready to talk. Not yet.

I would see her in the passing at college and my body would ache to approach her. She seemed happy, walking with her friends and laughing audibly. I hated it.

How could she be okay?

Did I really mean that less to her?

Rachel, I miss you.

'Zack!', Noah called out as his eyebrows drew together in frustration.

I must have zoned out again. That happened frequently these days.

'Dude, what's wrong with you?', he asked.

'Nothing. I am fine.', I said as I let out an exhausted sigh.

He raised his eyebrow in suspicion as I waved dismissively saying,

'I am okay. Really.'

'If you say so.', he said.

'I'm throwing a party. My parents are going out of town Sunday.', he said in enthusiasm.

Noah loves throwing parties. He likes a crowd since he's easily bored.

'Can you make it?', Noah asked, his ocean blue eyes gleaming.

I didn't want to let him down and I needed a distraction from my distraught self.

'Sure.', I replied, plastering a smile.

The day came eventually.

As soon as I was through Noah's door, I went straight to the drinks.

I grabbed a can of beer, downing it.

I was about to move on to my third can when I saw Rachel. She was with her friends from the other day, a girl with pastel blue hair and kind eyes and a guy with ashy hair and a crooked smile.

I hated to admit how beautiful Rachel looked. She had her silky long, black hair down in waves and wore a tight fitted black, glamorous dress, emphasizing her hourglass figure. Her features remained soft despite her heavy makeup.

Seeing her felt like a rub of salt to my wound. I wanted to hear her gentle voice and to touch her smooth skin all over again.

Our eyes then met.

My heart stopped beating momentarily in surprise.

She broke our eye contact first by averting her gaze.

My head dropped in disappointment.

When I looked up again, she was getting near.

Was she coming to me?

No way, right?

She really was.

She stood in front me, her eyes looking at the ground. When I looked at her more closely, she seemed exhausted; her foundation not sufficient to cover the dark circles under her eyes and her face half of what it was.

She then came closer, wrapping her arms around my neck as her body pressed against mine.

'I miss you.', she said, letting out a sob.

'I am sorry. I need you.', she continued.

My heart sank. She was crying for me.

But, I couldn't be weak again. She hurt me before and she can do it again.

'I can't be someone you need for your convenience, Rachel.', I said, but hugged her back anyways.

I was too deprived of her touch to reject her.

-----End Of Chapter 13-----

Hope you guys liked this chapter! What do you think will happen next? Don't forget to vote and comment! Thank you for reading and have a great day/night!!♡♡