✨ A Little Bit of Magic || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

✨ Chapter Forty One

⚠️ VIOLENCE / GORE-ISH SCENES ⚠️

"If you're okay with it, Zack. Can we talk?"

I waited patiently for him while he finished up football practice. I watched him from my seat at the highest set of seats in the bleachers, pretending to look busy by flipping through some worksheets. I had a lot of questions. For him, for everyone. I brought my fingers to my ears, just tracing my cartilage gently. I had normal ears. Human ears. But inside, I was different. This all hurts my head. Sighing deeply, I pulled out my wand, the ruby still shaded that ominous obsidian. I wonder what it meant. Does it have something to do with that Promise? Maybe I should take a trip to Dragonspine, haha. I could ask the dwarves, if they don't kill me first.

I was awoken from my daydream by the shuffling of a large group of boys, jokingly punching each other's shoulders on the way out of the field. "Good work today, guys." The coach said, zipping up his black sweater. This was my first time seeing the football team's coach, since I'd never been to any events or games. The tall, muscular man noticed my gaze. He seemed a little irritated by my presence, but ignored me. "Thanks, coach Sonju." Zack said, eventually driving the man off. My heart skipped a beat when our gazes met. "So, y/n. What did you want to talk about?" I didn't want to play that game. "Is there a reason why you haven't been talking to me? Or really just hanging out with everyone like we used to?" I knew the reason. I just wanted to hear it from him. The black haired boy sighed deeply, slumping down into a seat a foot or two away from me. He pulled of his headband, twirling the fabric in his fingers. "Oliver must've told you. That glare you're giving me isn't a confused one." "I want to know what you think happened." He scoffed. "What I know happened happened. I'm not imagining things. I'm not imagining my own feelings or what people have done to me. Especially you." A wave of sadness washed over me after those words. "I can explain that." "I'm sure you can, y/n. You're good with your words. You're good with pretending." "I wasn't pretending!" I hissed, sounding a bit more aggravated than how I wanted to come off. "Oh?" He almost laughed, sounding unphased by my sudden burst. "So, go ahead, y/n. Please explain. Please explain how you just happen to weed your way into my life, mean something to me, and then betray me like that. How am I supposed to trust you?" "I was going to tell you that night. I'd been planning it for a while. You should know better than anyone how much an unrequited love hurts. You should know better than anyone how much you just want to say those three words- But you can't. For a reason that seems stupid, but actually just makes everything more difficult than it should be." "What are you trying to say, y/n?" I clenched my fists, a little upset, embarrassed and confused. It felt like the Zack I knew before had changed. He wasn't sympathetic, fun, or kind. But I think I could understand why. I have hurt him, badly. "What I'm trying to say is sorry. I've always wanted to tell you that I liked you. And I didn't know how to approach it when you said you loved Oliver. I was happy for you, really. But I was also selfish enough to use that situation to my advantage. I ruined your relationship with him, Emma, and Ray. And there's nothing I can do to fix that." He sighed for the hundredth time, as if contemplating what to do with me. "Actually, y/n, there is something you can do." "And what's that?" I asked, a sudden cold breeze making me shiver. The whole mood of the conversation had changed, a dark expression over Zack's face. His voice became low, whispering words that sent me into shock. "I need you to hurt me. Like- like cast a combustio on me. Now." I couldn't seem to process what he just said. His own hands were trembling, his right hand's glove still clenched tightly in his left. "W-What?" "y/n, do it now or I won't forgive you!" My head started to pound as I fumbled my wand in my hands. "You'll- You'll get hurt!" I cried, pointing the sharp end of the stick at his chest. "I can't- I can't hurt you! I can't lose you anymore than I already have!" He gave me a sad gaze, the thick leather fabric of his left hand grazing my wrist. That was the Zack I knew. "Do you trust me, y/n?" I tearfully nodded a "yes", as I gripped the iron clutch of my staff. He better have something planned, because I don't think I can live with myself if Zack ends up hurt. "Co- Combustio!"

I don't know why he would ask me to do such a thing. But Zack- He wasn't stupid. To be able to join a sports team, you'd need at least a B in all subjects to qualify. I know academics probably mean nothing when you're being shot at, but it's a nice thought to keep in mind. That he wouldn't end up hurt. I watched in horror as the beginnings of a crimson red fire sparked at the tip of my wand. For some reason, Zack had a slight look for relief, as he closed his eyes to accept the hit. You- You idiot! I clenched my teeth, trying my hardest to retract the fire, even if it meant burning myself. An intense heat grew in my hands, feeling starting to grow fainter and fainter. "Dispique! Reique! Hydrum!" None of my counter spells seemed to work. The seconds passed in slow motion as I cried for help, for the flame to "Stop! Just stop!"

And when I opened my eyes, Zack looked horrified. He was okay. He wasn't- He wasn't hurt anywhere. A group footsteps started grow louder and louder, familiar voices starting to distinguish themselves. Emma? The headmistress? Norman and Ray? The coach that had left the field was in the crowd too, holding a red box with a big white cross on the cover. If not Zack then who was injured? My head started to spin at the sight of the blood. My blood. My hands were charred to a crisp, melded into the base of my wand. I was frozen, the pain and shock of what I'd done finally seeping in. I successfully retracted the combustio. Onto myself, that is. My legs gave out as I fell to the ground, someone catching me in their arms. "y-y/n! You idiot! What the hell were you thinking!" Ah. Ray. His angry voice was right over my head. I could feel his heavy breaths as he carried me to wherever the headmistress was instructing him. Emma's agitated cries started to fade away, and so did my consciousness.