Zara's POV

I scurry past everyone in the hallway, my heart beating with adrenaline. I quickly open my locker and shove my books inside before grabbing the ones I need for next period. I close and lock my locker and turn around, but quickly gasp, backing myself up to the locker.

Parker flashed me his flirty smirk as I placed my hand over my chest, my breathing rapid.

"Hey babe." He said, placing his right hand against the set of lockers, only inches away from my head, ultimately trapping me. "Missed me last night?"

I stayed silent, my vision becoming slightly blurring from my racing heart, my head going dizzy.

"So I was thinking after school and grab a bite, then back to my house for some fun. Like old times." He smiled, using his free hand to mess with the collar of my leather jacket.

My stomach turned at the thought of being alone with him again.

"Hey, Parker." I felt my heart skip a beat at the sound of his voice.

Oh thank God.

Parker's smirk falls slightly and I saw his eyes roll in annoyance. He slowly turned around to face Finn, removing his hand from the locker.

"Hey, Finn." He replied.

There was obviously tension between them, more tension than yesterday.

"What do you think you're doing?" Finn asked with a fake smile. I noticed his hands were turned into fists but they stayed safely by his sides.

Parker smirked and slung his arm around my shoulders. I caught a whiff of his cologne and I felt my heart speed up as memories tried to come back up.

He smells like he did two years ago.

"Oh, I'm just making plans for after school with my girlfriend ." He told Finn, pulling my closer to his side. "Isn't that right, Zara?"

I remain silent and avoid making eye contact with Finn, though, I could feel his eyes looking through me.

"She isn't your girlfriend, Parker." Finn said, an obvious diction to his name.

I felt the vibration on Parker's body as he laughed.

"We'll see you around, Finn." Parker said before pulling me along down the hallway.

I attempt to turn around to get a glance of Finn, but Parker yanks me forward.

~~~

I click ignore on Finn's face once again, putting my phone down my my bed before going back to typing on my laptop.

A knock on my door made my heart jump out of my chest, but the voice behind it calmed me down.

"Zara baby," My mother said through the door. "Dinner's ready, come down."

"Oh um, I-I'm not really hungry. I-I have a lot of homework to do." I lied, biting my lip.

I heard a quiet sigh. "Alright, I'll put a plate in the microwave if you get hungry."

I wait until I heard the footsteps down the stair get quiet before I get up and lock the door.

I'm on my way to my bed when I hear rustling from outside, causing me to freeze in my tracks. I turn my head towards my window and see Finn crouching on the window sill so I run over and open it.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I yell-whisper as he climbs through, his feet making a thump sound on the hardwood floor.

"You weren't answering my calls, I wanted to make sure you were okay." He told me, turning around to close the window.

"I can take care of myself, Finn. Now go, Parker could come by any moment." I tell him, going to push him towards the window.

It wasn't until I noticed the way his features changed I realized what I said.

"Why are you so scared of him?" He asked.

He didn't sound curious or upset, he sounded concerned.

"W-Why would I be scared of him? I-I'm not scared of anything. H-He's my boyfriend, h-he loves me." I tell him, turning around to sit on my bed.

I keep my head low to avoid looking at him.

"What the hell are you talking about? He doesn't love you." He tells me and I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head.

"You don't know that, Finn. Just mind your own bus-"

"Stop." He said. I furrow my eyebrows and look up at him.

His bright blue eyes stared at me with something. I can't tell, but they were soft. He has never looked at me like that before.

"Just stop that. I do know. I know what kind of guy Parker is. He doesn't love you. He isn't capable of loving you. He's manipulative. He manipulates people to get what he wants-"

"Shut up!" I yell, pushing myself up from my bed.

I instantly regret it as pain shoots up from my wrist. I wince and reach to grab it as if holding it will stop the pain.

"Zara? Are you okay?" I heard Finn ask as he stood up from my bed.

I nod vigorously, taking a step back.

"I-I'm fine."

"What happened to your wrist?" He asks, his voice firm but soft at the same time.

"I-I fell on it, it's not a big deal." I told him.

"You're lying." He stated. "Take off your jacket."

I furrow my eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Take off your jacket." He commanded.

"No." I exclaim, taking another step back while holding my jacket closed.

"Zara." He said, his voice even softer than before. "Take off your jacket."

I clench my jaw as I finally look him in the eye and slowly slide my jacket off of my arms, exposing the large bruise on my forearm and currently forming bruise on my wrist.

From the corner of my eye, I notice Finn's muscles go rigid. The sounds of his breathing suddenly stop.

"Did he do that to you?" He asked.

I couldn't help my shock at how quiet his voice was. He sounded like a hurt little puppy.

I clench my jaw again and nod, squeezing my eyes shut.

This is exactly what I wanted to avoid.

I heard him take a deep breath as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Has he done this to you before." He asks after a good few minutes of silence.

I nod again, my throat suddenly dry. I thought that if I speak, I'll break.

Zara Thomas does not cry.

Before I realized what was happening, I felt Finn's arms wrap around my body. I don't know what came over me, but as soon as I smelt his cologne, I broke.

It started with a few tears, but soon I was sobbing into his shirt.

"I thought it was over." I started to sob, my voice slightly muffled by his shirt. "I thought when he went to juvy I'd never see him again."

Finn's arms grew tighter around my body, pulling me closer to him.

"It's over now. I will never let him touch you again." He whispered to me.

And I believed him.

~~~

A.N~

Chapter 25 is written and published. Hope you all enjoyed! <3

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