The Want of the Heart - R. G. (#Wattys2017)

14: The Boy That Got What He Wanted

a/n: Another short chapter, but that's all for today! :/

==>

Days pass with no more than a few text messages from Roman. I kept asking why he wasn't at school, and he kept referring to whatever it was that he needed to do. Any time I asked him about it, it seemed like he would quickly change the subject.

More people have been killed, including the sherrif's daughters. Then, this morning, I head out to the front porch to get my dad's newspaper when the headline catches my eye. I instantly feel sick to my stomach.

"No," I whisper. This headline can't be right. Shelley isn't dead. Shelley wasn't to blame for all of this. What's happening? What's going on?

I bring the paper in and give it to my father, and then head for my room. I dial Roman's number, but to my dismay, he doesn't pick up. I try a few more times, and there's still no answer.

Roman, are you okay?

I wait a few minutes, and I get no response. That's when I start to panic. I dial his number again, and there is still no answer.

Roman, please be okay.

Tears flow from my eyes, and my chest heaves up and down as I struggle to catch my breath. I take a seat on my bed, and lean over, supporting myself with my hands on my knees. I gasp and let out a sob. Just then, my phone lights up.

I reach for it, my hands trembling. Roman's name shows up on the screen, but I try my best not to get my hopes up. I open the message, and I swear my heart stops.

Shelley is gone.

I reply back quickly.

Roman?

Moments later, I receive no response. I break down into tears again, holding my face in my hands. I sit up and take a deep breath, wiping the tears from my eyes and standing from my bed. I grab my car keys and head straight for my car.

As I pull into Roman's driveway, I see his car. I know I'm risking a lot by showing up here, considering the fact that Mrs. Godfrey threatened me within an inch of my life the last time I visited. I march my way up to his front door and knock, holding my breath as I wait for the door to open.

Instead of seeing Mrs. Godfrey, however, Roman peeks his head out to see me standing there. "Who is it?" Mrs. Godfrey asks her son.

He hangs his head down. "It's Zoe," he replies. Then he opens the door some more; so much so that I make eye contact with an agitated Mrs. Godfrey.

"I know I'm not supposed to be here," I start.

"Then why are you?" Roman asks, clearly worried for me.

"I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about Shelley," I reply, talking mostly to Mrs. Godfrey.

She sighs, and silence settles between the three of us for a moment. "Well, that's very nice of you, but you should be going now," she tells me in calm voice, but I can hear the sternness behind it.

"And I was also hoping that I could explain what happened the other day with Shelley," I continue. "If you could give me a chance to explain that, I would really appreciate it, but...I mean, if you don't...then, I swear, you will never see me again. But...Mrs. Godfrey, I want you to know that I cared about your daughter, and...and I'm in love with your son."

Roman looked up at me, a blank expression on his face.

"Tell her to leave or I'm calling the police on her," Mrs. Godfrey says, then I hear the sound of her heels clicking on the marble floor.

"You should probably go," Roman says softly.

My face falls, and I nod my head. "Oh, oh...o-okay," I stutter. "Well, I'll, um...I'll see you later right?"

Mrs. Godfrey says something that I can't hear, and I can hear Roman whispering harshly back to his mother. He turns back to me with a sad look in his eye. "I don't think we should see each other anymore," he says.

My mouth falls open, and I feel my heart shatter. "Wh-what?" I stammer.

Roman sighs and hangs his head for a moment, then finally looks back up at me, that same sad look still in his eye. "I don't want to see you anymore," he repeats himself.

I feel the hot, angry tears building. My face turns down in a frown, lines forming in my forehead. "Fuck you," I growl at him. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it?"

He stands up straight and then leans against the door. "Maybe there was some sex involved, but you've already got feelings for me, which is a disappointment on my part, but to be honest with you, you should have seen this coming." He takes a deep breath. "Seems you were right, Zoe. I guess all I want is sex."

"Fuck you," I growl again.

He smirks now. "I'm sure you would like to," he says smugly. Then, he slams the door in my face. I can't believe it.

He got what he wanted.