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Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Song: Come Home by One Republic

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Thirty-eight days. That’s how many days it has been since I’d last seen Zayn. The number of days since the day Zayn took it upon himself to ‘protect’ me by leaving. I’d told myself I didn’t care that he left; that I could move on from him. I’d known him for how many months? Six? That wasn’t enough to ruin my life over him.

I was determined to forget him and carry on with my life. I would graduate high school then start fresh at college. Of course I wouldn’t go far, I couldn’t leave without Riley, but it was far enough to leave my past behind me. I could be a new person, without foster parents and rules.

But as time went by, days, weeks, a month… I knew I was kidding myself. The pain I felt inside was as excruciating as it was the day he left. It wasn’t getting better, and the nagging thought that it would never get better, no matter how hard I tried, stayed in the back of my head.

Sure, I could pretend to get passed him. I was already back to how things were before he ever showed up. Friendless. Hated. Alone. I could crawl back into the mental hole I lived in before, with the small hope that someday it could get better. But I knew that the pain wouldn’t go away. I loved him too much to let go.

And he left me. The more time I had to think about it, the angrier I got.

I understood that in his mind, he was making the ultimate sacrifice to save me. I got that.

But I could take care of myself.  

Angela has been working with me, teaching me how to control and use my powers. I’ve gotten frighteningly good at it. In a fraction of a second, I could pick up multiple items, no matter the size, and launch them with extraordinary force into the air. I was able to hold my dresser up for an hour and 23 minutes before having to drop it. She even taught me how to control people. I could move her arm, even when she tried to keep it still. I’d learned to lift her in the air and fly her around the room as if she were a bird. I could even jump where ever I pleased in an instant; my best accomplishment.

While I practiced, Angela read through old journals to look for information to create the elixir. She hadn’t found much, but was still very optimistic.

I spent most of my time at her place now. It helped distract myself and made me feel less alone. I’d been spoiled with Zayn around. Having somebody constantly around me who actually enjoyed my company. I wasn’t sure if Angela actually enjoyed my company, but she was nice to me, which wasn’t a common thing I got from people.

Thirty-eight days. I wasn’t sure how Zayn ever went eighteen years, I wasn’t sure I could make it six weeks. I sighed.

“Ronnie?” I feel a warm hand on my arm, shaking me slightly.

I freeze for a second before looking around anxiously. My wild eyes land on Angela standing over me, her hands held up with a worried expression on her face. “Hey, it’s just me. You need to get heading home.” She grins slightly, “Your stomachs been rumbling for the past hour.”

My eyes widen slightly, “Past hour? How long have I been out?”

Angela shrugs, moving to sit down on a couch she had in her living room. After a while she’d allowed me to start practicing at her actual house, instead of the uncomfortable surroundings of her empty office. “Three hours? Four?”

I gasp and jerk up from the chair I was slumped in. “Why didn’t you wake me? I should be practicing.” I clench my teeth together and shake my head.

She looks at me sympathetically, “You need to sleep, Ronnie, and eat. It’s unhealthy.”

I shrug, “I do eat… and sleep.”