CHAPTER 41: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND I

Most students had taken shelter under the small building or under the shade of the Ashwood trees provided. Many were still having their fun, playing games and laughing recklessly.

Even though it was an hour to curfew, they barely moved.

Zeke stood alone, backing a large tree trunk. One leg braced against the bark and the other pressed against the grass. Some part of the drizzle had caught the ends of his hair, making it even more curly, and some of it stuck to his face.

Smoke curled from between his fingers, carried away by the wind instantly. He looked good standing there - a kind of chaos that suited just him. There was a perpetual scowl on his face that said try me even though he didn’t speak a word.

He noticed the aggressive footsteps heading his way, but ignored them till the person was standing right in front of him. Seems like someone did want to try him tonight.

"Little brother," Zeke said, puffing smoke and sparing Eric a glance, "What do you want?"

"Are you happy now, huh?" Eric almost screamed, his body language oozing with suppressed rage, "You’ve finally succeeded in ruining my friendship with Thaddeus. You must be glad out of your mind!"

Zeke chuckled, "Friendship...," He whispered, "Was that what was going on between you two?"

"Don’t start pretending now, Zeke. It’s too late for that. You saw me and Thaddeus moving together, noticed how close we were and decided to steal him for yourself. You’re still stuck in the past, still seeking that bloody revenge and doing everything you can to break me,"

Zeke tilted his head with a cocky smile, "Did I succeed?"

Eric almost punched him, "You must be so happy right now. Why couldn’t you leave him out of your greedy paws? Why?"

Zeke paused, and the amusement vanished. "I’m the one who is greedy now?" His eyes flicked.

"You know what you are, Hezekiah. That’s why you’re this way. You see me smile for one second and you decide to break things apart from me. You’re so hellbent on--"

"It’s funny how you always act like the victim," Zeke stated.

"What?"

"Like you’re the innocent one in the story, like you have never committed a crime, which has karma catching up to you now? Or have you already forgotten everything that happened between us years ago?!"

"Things that you should have gotten over by now!" Eric roared back angrily, "Instead you chose to make my life a living hell. You interfere with whatever makes me happy and you call that your own satisfaction,"

Zeke felt the anger and memories swelling in his chest, and his darkened. He’s always hated how Eric pretended that what he did, or what he was doing, wasn’t a big deal.

"It’s not my fault Cain chose you after that incident and I had to protect myself, so you need to get over every and--"

Zeke’s dark energy suddenly flared, and Eric’s remaining words got stuck in his throat, and he stiffened like a board.

"Say another word, Little brother, and that so-called friendship of yours wouldn’t be the only thing broken tonight,"

Zeke took out the cigarette and let it fall, crushing it under his feet. His aura became almost destructive, and he stepped closer to Eric his voice low and dangerous, "Protect yourself?" he repeated, tone cutting like broken glass, "That’s what you’re calling it now?"

Eric’s throat bobbed, but he didn’t move back, "I did what I had to do—"

"For yourself," Zeke interrupted, stepping even closer until their faces were inches apart, his voice almost a growl, "You didn’t do it for justice. You didn’t do it because it was right. You did it because you were scared. You sold me out!"

The rain hit harder now, too much for the tree to hold back and soaking both of them. Zeke’s hair turned into curls under the wetness,

Eric clenched his fists, "You think you’re the only one who suffered?"

Zeke let out a bitter laugh, "I didn’t think. I knew. I was there. I lived it,"

They stood in silence for a

moment, thunder cracking far off in the distance.

Then, Eric broke it again, his voice trembling just a little, "You don’t get it, Zeke. You destroy everything you touch. And now you’re doing it again. Thaddeus doesn’t deserve to be caught in your spiral,"

That word again. Thaddeus.

Zeke tilted his head, watching Eric carefully like a predator that had finally found the weak spot of its prey, "My spiral?" he repeated, "Funny, coming from the guy who’s been stringing him along,"

Eric stiffened, "Don’t start—"

"Oh, I’ll start," Zeke hissed, "You think I don’t see it? You think nobody does? You’ve been feeding off that boy’s devotion, and I’m guessing it’s since the day he met you. You know he’d do anything for you, and you use it. You keep him close enough to hope, but far enough to suffer,"

"Stop talking like you know what’s between us," Eric snapped, "She-He’s my friend!"

"Is that what you call it?" Zeke asked quietly. His tone was calm now, laced with anger, "You like being loved, don’t you, Eric? You like knowing someone would burn for you. It feeds you. Makes you feel safe. But you’ll never love him back. Not the way he wishes,"

"Shut up—"

"You’ll keep him waiting," Zeke went on, his voice tightening with disgust, "because you like the way his eyes follow you. You’ll keep him in your orbit even while you are dating Finn, pretending it’s love, pretending it’s stability, pretending it doesn’t rip him apart every damn day!"

Eric finally snapped.

He grabbed Zeke by the shirt, yanking him forward. The movement was violent and desperate, like he wanted to hit him but didn’t trust what would happen if he did.

"You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!" he growled, but his voice betrayed him and cracked.

Zeke didn’t fight back. He didn’t have to, "I know exactly what I’m talking about. I see it every time Thaddeus looks at you and you pretend not to notice. You think I’m the one ruining your friendship?" Zeke said, voice dropping low and dangerous again, "No, Eric. You’re the one breaking him. You just don’t have the guts to admit it,"

"I’m not—"

"Yes, you are," Zeke cut him off sharply, "Because you can’t stand the idea of losing him, but you also can’t love him the way he needs you to. So you keep him hanging there, half-loved, half-destroyed. And you tell yourself you’re protecting him,"

The words hit harder than any blow could have. Eric’s grip slowly loosened, his eyes darting away like he couldn’t bear to see himself reflected in what Zeke was saying.

Zeke smirked faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes, "You know what’s funny?" he murmured. "You’re angry at me because I see him. Because you’re afraid his feelings are gonna change when you’re the one who’s been ignoring it all this while,"

Eric’s breath rose and fell quickly, fists by his sides, "You’re not better than me, Zeke. You’ll never be better than me! You’ll remain the way you’re, rotting from within till you’re nothing but dust,"

Zeke laughed again, shaking his head with mock pity in his eyes, "And then there is you. The little brother who’ll end up rotting behind excuses. How disgusting,"

Zeke brushed past Eric, the smell of smoke and rain clinging to him like something alive. He stopped right beside Eric and turned to add one final thing, "Here’s the difference between us, little brother. You hurt people by pretending you don’t mean to. I hurt people because I know I do and I don’t hide it,"