“Nothing to talk about,” I whisper, looking down at the textbook once more, not able to look at the serious expression on his face. I’m worried he’ll see just how much I’m lying because the truth couldn’t be any farther from the words I just muttered.
“Riiight.” He reaches out again, his knuckles brushing down my upper arm.
My eyes close as the sensation washes through me but I refuse to react. I know what he’s trying to do. He’s trying to manipulate me just like he did New Year’s Eve so that he can get what he wants.
“I’ve spoken to him.” His admission makes me forget all about my reaction to his touch and my eyes fly to his once more.
“You what?”
“I spoke to—”
“Yeah,” I interrupt. “I’m not fucking deaf. Why would you do that? This has nothing to do with you.”
“He hurt you, Poppy.” His brows pull together in concern.
“He didn’t. I told you, he doesn’t have the power.”
“Which is why you ran to the bathroom crying?”
“I wasn’t… that wasn’t…” I straighten my back, hating how vulnerable I sound right now. “This has nothing to do with you. I need you to back off.”
“No.”
“No?” I ask, my brows almost hitting my hairline.
“No,” he enunciates slowly. “I’m going to find out what you’re hiding,” he warns, making my stomach turn over with dread.
“Just stop, Zayn.” Stupidly, I reach out and rest my hand on his forearm. Electric bolts shoot up my arm at the contact and I quickly pull it away again. I shouldn’t react like this to the guy who continually hurts me. “You have no business diving into my life. You’re worried about him hurting me, then maybe you’d be better off looking in a mirror and thinking about how you’ve done the exact thing.”
I drop to my feet, pushing the stool out behind me but unfortunately, he does the exact same thing and we end up almost chest to chest. The heat of his skin burns mine as his scent only gets stronger, although I can’t deny it’s a relief from the dead animal smell that’s still coating my senses.
“I’m sorry, Pops.”
“No,” I say, holding my hands up in defeat. “I’m not even going there. It’s done, it’s in the past. You mean nothing to me, Zayn. Nothing.”
I take a step back, clumsily tripping over the stool in my need to get away from him.
“You don’t mean that,” he warns, the edge of hurt in his voice making my steps falter.
“Don’t I?”
“Not that there was anything there in the first place, but we’re done, Zayn. Stay out of my life and my business.” I storm from the room and almost collide with Harley, who’s leaving Jada’s office.
“Whoa, is there a fire in the kitchen?”
“No, just your brother. Grab your stuff, we’re continuing in your room.”
“What did he do?”
“Nothing worth talking about.”
I spin on my heels and race up the stairs while Harley grabs her things.
“I’m done with homework,” she announces, dropping the pile of books on her desk, flopping back onto her bed beside me and grabbing the TV remote. She turns it on and starts channel surfing.
“That’s due tomorrow.”
She sighs. “Why can’t I be smart like you, Zayn, and Letty?”
“You are smart, Har. You just keep running straight into a brick wall and shutting down. You need to look at it from a different angle.”
“I am, I’m not doing it.” I glare at her. “Don’t give me that look. I can’t do it.”
I hate that she’s struggling with this. “Why don’t you speak to Mrs. Harrington tomorrow before class, see if she can help before you miss this deadline?” I suggest, hoping our teacher will be able to show her a different trick that might make it all align in her head.
“Maybe I just… I want to be like you, you just get all this stuff.”
“Trust me, Har, you really don’t,” I mutter sadly.
“How are things with your parents?”
At her reminder, I pull my cell from my pocket and check the time. Austin and Sofia will be back from their after-school club soon, I really should get going.
“They’re… their usual disaster.”
“You know the offer still stands if you need it. There’s always a place for you here.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate it. But I need to be there.”
“They’re not your responsibility, Pop.”
The weight I’m all too familiar with presses down on my shoulders as she talks. She knows I do more than I should for my family, but she doesn’t know the depth of it. Since Mom took a nosedive a few months ago, I haven’t even invited anyone back to the house for fear of what they might witness.
“I know, but they need me. At least until Mom sorts herself out.” I know I’m only lying to myself. If she was going to do anything, she’d have done it by now. “I should go.”
“I’m sorry, I just—”
“Trying to help, I know. I really appreciate it,” I repeat. “But Austin and Sofia will be back soon. I’d like to be home.”
She nods sadly. “Can I drive you?”
“Nah, it’s okay. I need the walk.”
Before I climb from the bed, both mine and Harley’s cell phone beeps simultaneously. It can only be one person.
“It’s Ruby,” I say when Harley doesn’t instantly reach for hers, probably thinking the same as me. “Wants to know if we’re up for a trip to the mall this weekend?”
“Ugh, I wish. We’re at Dad’s this weekend.”
“Can’t you cancel?”
“Nope. We did that the last two times and we barely saw him over the holidays.”
“Fair enough. I’ll tell her we can’t.” I start typing, but Harley stops me.
“You should go.”
I let out a sigh. I want to, but while Ruby might have Christmas money to blow, as usual, I have nothing.
“Yeah, maybe.”
I tap out a response that I’ll let her know, leaving Harley to reply with her own excuse later.
Pushing from the bed, I grab my bag that I dropped on the end and swing it over my shoulder.
“See you in the morning?”
“You got it. We’ve got double practice after school though, so you might need to find another way home.”
“Okay, will do.” I open the door but look back before stepping through. “Har?”
“Yeah,” she asks, dragging her eyes from the TV.
“Have another go at that homework, yeah. Maybe ask Zayn for help?” I suggest, much to her annoyance.
“We’ll see.”
It’s not until I shut the door behind me that I discover that we have an audience.
“Ask Zayn what?”
I don’t bother looking at where his deep voice comes from, instead I take a step toward the stairs.
“Poppy, don’t do this.”
“She needs help with her math homework, okay?” I snap, needing him to get off my case.