Chapter 3: Zane's Love for Lily Deepens
Zane couldn't escape the haunting image of Lily turning her back on him that day in the parking lot. It played on a loop in his mind, her eyes avoiding his as she walked toward Greg's sneering face. Her betrayal had cut deeper than any of the insults Greg's gang had ever thrown at him. He had trusted her, believed she was different. But even as the pain gnawed at his chest, his heart stubbornly clung to her.
He tried to convince himself that she didn't mean it. Maybe Greg had forced her into that situation. Maybe she was afraid of what they would do to her if she stood up for him. He wanted to believe that the Lily who had smiled at him in the hallways and shared quiet conversations still existed beneath the surface, trapped by fear.
Each day, Zane watched her from afar, hoping for a sign, some small gesture that would tell him she hadn't completely turned against him. He longed for her to glance his way, to offer a small, apologetic smile—anything that would assure him their bond hadn't been shattered. But she never did. She was always with Greg now, laughing and talking with his friends, her lightheartedness seeming more forced with each passing day.
Zane's love for her deepened in the strangest way, becoming a painful, almost obsessive hope that she would come back to him, that she would eventually see Greg for who he really was and break free from his control. That hope was the only thing that kept him going during the long, exhausting hours of his part-time jobs.
After school, Zane swept floors in the gym, cleaned up in the cafeteria, and took whatever odd jobs he could find around town. It was barely enough to make a dent in the bills at home, but it helped keep the lights on and put food on the table. His mother was worn out from working two jobs, and Zane hated the thought of burdening her with more than she already carried. So, he worked late into the night, coming home sore and exhausted, collapsing onto his bed with only thoughts of Lily and his shattered friendship to keep him company.
One evening, after locking up the gym, Zane decided to take a different route home. The air was cool, and the streets were deserted, the only sounds the distant hum of traffic and the occasional rustling of leaves. His mind wandered, as it often did, back to Lily.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, interrupting his thoughts. He pulled it out, expecting another bill reminder or some generic text from his cell provider. Instead, what he saw made his blood run cold.
A message from Jess.
Jess had been one of the only people Zane had trusted, aside from Lily. He'd confided in Jess about everything—his struggles at home, his crush on Lily, and the constant torment from Greg and his gang. Jess had always been there to listen, to offer words of comfort. But now, staring at the screen, Zane felt the ground shift beneath him.
The message wasn't just from Jess—it was a screenshot of a conversation between Jess and Greg. His eyes darted across the text, his heart pounding in his chest.
Greg: "He doesn't know, does he?"
Jess: "Nah. Zane's clueless. He thinks we're still friends. Idiot."
Zane's stomach twisted in knots as he scrolled further, reading every painful word. Jess had been feeding Greg information about him for weeks. Every time Zane had confided in Jess, every personal detail he'd shared—about his crush on Lily, his struggles at home, even his job—had all been relayed back to Greg. The precise way Greg and his friends knew how to humiliate him, how to target his vulnerabilities, suddenly made sense. Jess had been the one orchestrating it, playing both sides while pretending to be Zane's friend.
Zane's hands trembled as he gripped the phone, his breath shallow and ragged. Jess had betrayed him, just like Lily. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from his lungs. How could Jess do this? How could someone he had trusted so completely turn on him so viciously?
His mind raced, a whirlwind of anger, hurt, and confusion. He wanted to confront Jess, to demand an explanation, but what would be the point? The betrayal was clear as day, laid out in front of him in cold, heartless text messages. Jess hadn't cared about him—not really. It had all been an act, a cruel game.
For a moment, Zane's fingers hovered over the screen, tempted to respond, to lash out and tell Jess exactly what he thought of him. But something stopped him. He couldn't afford to react impulsively, not yet. He needed to be smart about this, to figure out what his next move should be. The last thing he wanted was to give Greg and his gang more ammunition to use against him.
With a heavy sigh, Zane shoved the phone back into his pocket and continued walking. His steps were slower now, weighed down by the betrayal that clung to him like a dark cloud. First Lily, now Jess. The people he thought he could trust had turned their backs on him, leaving him alone to fend for himself in a world that seemed determined to break him.
As he made his way down the quiet street, Zane's thoughts grew darker. Was there anyone he could trust? Anyone at all? His mother was too busy working to notice what was going on, and he couldn't bring himself to burden her with his problems. Lily had chosen Greg over him, and Jess had sold him out for God knows what reason.
Zane clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He was done being the victim. He was done letting people walk all over him, use him, and discard him like he didn't matter. He didn't know how, but he was going to turn things around. Greg, Jess, Lily—they weren't going to get away with this.
His jaw tightened as he replayed the screenshot in his mind, Jess's smug words echoing in his ears. "Zane's clueless. Idiot."
A new resolve settled over Zane like a storm brewing on the horizon. They thought he was weak, that he would just roll over and take whatever abuse they threw his way. But they were wrong. He was going to make sure of it.
As he approached his house, Zane glanced up at the darkened windows. His mother was probably already asleep, exhausted from another long shift. He couldn't tell her what had happened. Not yet. But as he stood there, staring at the place he called home, he made a silent vow to himself.
He wasn't going to stay in the shadows any longer. He wasn't going to let them destroy him.
They had taken enough from him already. It was time to take something back.
And when he did, they wouldn't see it coming.