A Twist Of Fate

Chapter 2 - The Monday After...

Zeke’s P.O.V

I made the only real thing in my life an unpredictable mess. I might’ve even destroyed it. All I knew was that things won’t be the same.

I had that feeling as soon as I entered the student-filled halls of Crystal Bay High. Naturally, everyone was discussing Courtney something’s party; the hook-ups, the break ups and the bad music. But, all I could remember that night was Natasha’s face when she saw the bruises and the kiss, I couldn’t forget the kiss.

Waking up on Sunday with a killer-headache and an unbelievably time-consuming hangover didn’t help me get my head around the events of the previous night; instead they just caused me to remember everything in a more stressful way.

About how we said our goodbyes and Tasha left, and how I kept drinking. How the juices jumbled up every single thought racing through my mind. I don’t even remember getting home.

I woke up on Monday morning feeling better, not totally healed, but better. I debated with myself about whether going to school was the smart thing to do; in the end I decided I needed to face the music.

So there I was, feeling like an idiot standing in the busy halls.

“Hey Z,” an all-too familiar voice called out. I turned around to find Chace, staring at me, looking as spaced out as possible.

“Hi Chace,” I nodded in reply.

He gave a full surveillance around the hall. Then, he motioned for me to go outside with him, “we’ll be out the back.”

“Okay.” I said, watching as he strutted outside, shoulders low and all.

I didn’t have a choice but to go after him and meet at the back, it was just done that way. Walking slowly, I passed majority of the lockers, I quickly glanced at Tash’s. She wasn’t there.

I cringed as I felt the cool breeze slap my face when I stepped foot out the doors and into the back-yards of the school. I knew where the other boys were, they were sitting at the back, leaning against some tree, probably smoking.

It didn’t take long for the smell to guide me to them.

“Zeke, want a light?” A dark-haired, spaced Carlos asked.

I looked at the cigarette, like really looked at it.

I never usually smoked, only occasionally. Ending up like Dominic, half-passed out and stinking of cigarette, wasn’t how I wanted to spend my time.  But today was different.

“Light me.” I told Carlos before taking a seat next to Nate.

Out of all the boys: Nate, Chace, Carlos and Dom, I was closest to Nate. He understood better than the others did and sometimes, that was all I needed.

Carlos gave me a sleep smile before handing me a lit cigarette. Nate shot me a look of concern, or maybe it was confusion, I hardly ever smoked. Only during a handful of occasions did I actually do it.

The others didn’t really seem to notice though, they never did.

I remember first meeting Chace, it was 2 weeks into my freshman year and he was smashed. I did a little bit of covering up for him, and he initiated me into the group. Soon later, Nate was accepted too. Chace, Dom and Carlos were one year older than us, so it was quite a privilege to be accepted. Although a few weeks later I regretted ever setting eyes on them, it was the scandal that gave me a rep.

The first puff of the cigarette stick always led to a few issues with my chest. I coughed it out and took inhaled and exhaled ‘till I felt sure my mind was craving nothing but nicotine.