THIRTY-FOUR
bleeding dawn
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I swallow the lump in my throat with great difficulty and try to breathe, not knowing where this was headed. Zeke cracks his frosty knuckles, limping forward till he is at an arm's length from me.
"Remember second grade? When we had dreamt of going to school together everyday and eat popsickles from the vendor behind the back gate at lunch? And when we promised each other that no matter what, we would stick together --- where did those promises sink to, Vanessa Davenport? Or did you not mean them at all? I was foolish to think you were a person of words" He snickers and I gasp at his unbelievable audacity.
"Oh wait, before you call me out for being a hypocrite --- let me just complete."
Ian clenches his fists, looking like he could kill any moment.
"What are you even saying? I really can't process your words ---" I choke and Ezekiel let's out a chuckle.
"Trust me, you will."
"Trust you? Such a lunatic!!!" Ian barks, throwing a punch again and Ezekiel hits his back to the wall.
"Ian, I told you to stop doing that!" Audrey gives him a stern look and he seethes.
"Your boyfriend is quite protective, I must say Vanessa." Zeke scowls, still panting for breath.
"Don't try to dodge the point." I state.
"I ain't... It's not me who overlooks, it's you..."
Before I could even respond, he continues, his hands clutching to his pained stomach.
"You got into Winston High plainly because your parents donated money to the trust, Vanessa. You didn't even deserve to be there. And guess what? There was a poor little boy, eight years old back then...who got his name on the selection list of merit. But your bloody money just kicked him out of there as if he was an insect --- his dreams were crushed...and he was forced by necessity to attend a school as charity case when he was clearly not. It was all because of your obnoxious parents, Vanessa Davenport. They would do anything to get you in there...." he laughs bitterly, his eyes glistening.
"And that poor little boy is you? That's what you're saying right?" Audrey asks, pinching her eyebrows in frustration.
"No doubt you're smart." He claps his hands dramatically, sarcasm dripping from his mouth.
"Is that all you had to say?" I whisper, I've lost my voice long ago and the minimal strength that I had was ready to leave.
How could I never know? All these years, I had been thinking I deserved all the attention I received at Winston but now, I felt like I was not worth a glance.
"Ah, no... You wanted me to say why I did all that I did?" he looks up at the ceiling, "Promises are meant to be broken Vanessa...but there's a price to be paid for everything you do..." he draws in a breath, "And there was no way letting you go just like that."
"That doesn't justify harming Connor! What did he do to you? And what harm did Iris do? You motherfucker!" Ian was furious, his glare throwing daggers .
"Nothing at all. It was part of the vengeance. Starting from the day Jae-Hwa couldn't make it as the Lead Vocalist to the day Audrey lost her badge... And Connor? He was the last victim I guess. I just needed to remove everyone dear to Vanessa from being in power. After all that's what has gotten y'all to that damned school where people understand nothing but dollars....and power." Ezekiel spits out the words and they burn on my skin like acid.
"Wait a minute, how are you supposed to control everything happening inside Winston Preparatory? You are not even a student!" Audrey gives him a bewildered look.
"Thanks for reminding me that, miss smartypants!" He mocks and then turns his gaze towards me again, "You know practically everything about me Vanessa, yet know nothing at all."
"Stop speaking in riddles Cleveland, just say it." I flare my nostrils, teartaps heavy and threatening to spill.
"News flash then --- I'm Principal Seinfeld's only nephew, her right hand and she trusts me even more than her own son." The sudden revelation comes off as a blow. He continues, a smirk plastered on his injured lips.
"Sure, I couldn't get into Winston Prep ten years ago because, my aunt was nothing but a Mathematics teacher but now? How could I even lose the chance? And when Ian Eastwood came here, I couldn't have found a better pawn to beat Audrey Greer. As for Connor, I already had my cousin --- Wesley. And Hannah Jenkins had her own wet dreams of attention which included kicking out Jae-Hwa. I guess y'all are not dumb enough to not figure it out now. I have given enough clues." Ezekiel laughs bitterly, stopping only to wipe a tear slipping from the corner of his eyes.
"You've spoken enough Cleveland. Now it's just me who will speak and you will listen." I hiss, taking a step forward.
"I've been doing that all my life Vanessa, won't mind doing it again." Ezekiel says, his voice soft as if he had nothing to lose.
"You have been saying a lot about how nothing matters in Winston accept money eh? Do you have the faintest idea of how Audrey had gotten in? She was an immigrant --- striving so hard to support her family...what she is today is because of every drop of sweat she has shed, from working part-time to cramming all night... from winning swimming championships to tutoring her siblings." I inhale and after a pregnant pause, continue, "And about Jae-Hwa? I am certain you've never heard her sing. And neither have you seen the entire soccer team relying on Connor for every single match." I cry out, my head feels like its about to burst open and the pressure in my lungs grows rapidly.
"Do you even know Iris is in the hospital right now? She's fucking traumatized. Why did you have to make her a prey to your insanity? What did she have to do with all this?" Ian bawls and in an instant, the rage in Ezekiel's eyes melts down to water.
"Wh---where is she? I--I need to go." He staggers towards the door but Ian holds him by the collar of his shirt.
"Just let me see her....you win....either way I'm going behind the bars right? So just let me see her angelic face for one last time."
At this moment, I could see nothing but a Ezekiel who's drowning in guilt...and love. I could see it in his eyes. The desperation to see Iris Eastwood but it was all in vain.
"In this lifetime, forget that someone called Iris existed in your story, jerk! Don't you dare lay your venomous hands on my sister again." Ian yells and Zeke flinches, unable to say anything more.
"Ian, please let him----"
"Shut the fuck up Vanessa!"
He cuts me off, eyes stormy and I shiver. Audrey had been standing idle, too shocked to speak. Now she walks up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Ian, she's right, it's the last time---"
"There's no last time Audrey. I can't make the same mistake again. I can't let him see Iris... You---where is he?"
Ezekiel had left the room. In fact, we hadn't even noticed when he disappeared. And the panic inside me was expanding.
Without a word we run outside, the lunar eclipse has given way to a bleeding dawn and it was not more than three minutes when we find him.
His lifeless body lying overturned, blood pouring out of his stomach and soaking the grey asphalt crimson. Sure he had nothing more to lose. But us? We had lost every ounce of spirit to fight back.
And then it comes. The acid in my stomach regurgitates --- the last thing I remember is that I'm falling into Ian's arms, the ever-so-quick decision maker Audrey Greer not knowing what to do...and then it's black.
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A/N : It is just me who knows how I managed to write this. *sigh*
Thanks for the patience. I shall update soon. Please don't forget to vote and comment. :)
-Mia.