♔Zac's P.O.V♔

YOU KNOW how one says that Monday mornings are always the worst. This Monday morning was a nightmare for me. From the time I entered Hartford High, everyone looked my way, almost like I'd worn a 'Kick me' sign on my back. Some didn't even hesitate to throw their snarky remarks at me. But that was the least of my problems.

Last night's events were played like a broken record in my head. One thing I was dancing with the woman of my dreams and the next thing my dreams are crushed in front of me.

Jimmy and Roger even realised how withdrawn I was after everything that happened. They offered that I skip class and maybe have some band practise together. But I refused their offer. I knew that the music would help me relax and take my mind off things a bit. But that seemed like a mission impossible at the moment.

My mind seemed to be wandering back to Lindsey more than I wanted it too. I was hard to get her out of my system. Whenever I thought of her, I would see her hurt, her pain, her tears and it would always remind me that I had caused all those three things.

I guess I just spiralled out of control. I couldn't believe that she was actually the girl I was speaking to all this time. My anger just blew up when I saw her. I still can't tell why I did what I did, but I do know that I regret every single thing I did to her last night.

I was selfish. She was right about the fact that I was just like them. I broke my promise to her. I promised that oir differences wouldn't tear us apart; that no one would change my mind about her being the one. But I was wrong. Every single word that escaped my lips that night was I lie. She has the right to be angry. I wasn't her knight in shining armor when she needed me to be. Heck, I feel disgusted at how I treated her. I don't deserve someone like her in my life.

I walk down the hallway, making my way to my locker. I could feel many eyes on me. Turning back, I glared at those who couldn't seem to keep their noses out of other people's business'. They flinched and sauntered away from me. Seriously, these people had nothing to do with their lives.

Having reached my locker, I opened it and took out some books for my last three classes. I was in no mood to learn anything today. Going to class would be a bad idea, because I wouldn't concentrate. Plus, I needed to clear my mind a bit and think things through. So instead of heading to Mr Smith's class, since he was my first class of the day, I turned the corner and began to climb the stairs, making my way to the roof.

As soon as I reach the top, I walk over to the edge of the building and take a seat, my feet dangling off the building. I bent forward slightly and placed both my arms on my lap as I looked into the distance.

I released a sigh and took in the beautiful scenery before me. The wind blew at me, softly caressing my skin. The clouds floated in the air, all too slowly, causing me to wonder if the ever moved at all. Everything out here was so gentle, almost as gentle as Lindsey.

"Fuck, what have I done?" I murmured to myself, running a hand through my hair in frustration.

I ruined my chances with her.

I drift off to the day we were supposed to meet on this roof. After everything she still came to see me. But I was blinded, unable to see that she was the one I was desperately waiting. Maybe that's why she kept her identity hidden. She didn't want to ruin what we had between us. She didn't want to see my reaction. I just proved to her that I couldn't accept her and just for a petty reason. Because she was a janitor.

I'm a horrible person. I couldn't let this argument get in the way of what we have. I need to see her and I'll make sure I do it. No matter what. Lindsey was worth fighting for.

I ran down the stairs, almost tripping in the process. As soon as I reach the hallway, I begin to sprint, knocking down a few people on the way. I round a corner, but stop when I nearly run into Mr Woods. Great, he was the person I was looking for.

"Watch out, young man. You wouldn't want to run over an old man like me." He pats my shoulder slightly and tightens his grip on the mop he was holding and starts to walk away.

"Mr Woods, wait up. I need your help." I rushed over to him. He stopped halfway and turned to look at me with wooden eyes.

"What do favour do you need from an old man like me?" His confused eyes stared at me in caution.

"Do you happen to know a female janitor by the name of Lindsey?"

"Lindsey?" He asked confused. "Who's Lindsey?"

"She works in your department. You know, brown hair, dark brown eyes, slightly fair skin with a really sweet smile." I began describing her to him.

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion before realization dawned upon him. "Oh, you speak of the fair lady, Lindsey. Of course I know her, but why do you ask?"

"I just need to know where she lives. Do you perhaps know her address? I need to see her urgently." I pleaded with him.

He didn't seem convinced of my reasons, because it took him a good whole ten minutes before he agreed to give me her address. The old man had trust issues. Not that I blame him. You don't go around asking for people's address like I was doing.

"Head over to Ms Baker and tell her that I have given you the permission, young man."

I thank him and he simply pats my right shoulder.

Before I could head over to Ms Baker, Mr Woods calls out to me.

"Young man, go get her." He grinned and I was basically speechless. What he said caught me off guard, so I simply nodded my head and quickly headed to Ms Baker.

I reached the admin office and quickly explain the situation to Ms Baker. With a nod, she heads back inside and quickly looks for Lindsey's data files. After a few minutes of waiting she returns with the files in hand.

"Here you go, Mr Parker." She hands me Lindsey's form. I quickly scurry through it, until I spot her address. Looking over it twice and making sure I memorized it, I hand the file back to her.

"Thanks, Ms Baker," I say. She just nods at me and diverts her eyes back to the computer screen that lay infront of her.

I ran out of the admin office full of hope that perhaps Lindsey might hear me out and that we could put this fight behind us and move on.

♔

Much more bad luck for me I guess. A few hours back, I thought I could sneak out of the school and head to Lindsey's home, but was I damn wrong. The security had decided it would be a great idea to shut the school gates and open it up once all the classes were over. Now I was stuck in the last period of the day, doodling on the margins of my book as I awaited for the darn bell to go off already.

Five more minutes and you're out of here. The words played in my head like a broken record. Clearly unaware of my boredom and urgent need to leave, the teacher continued teaching and babbling many things that I did not understand at this point.

I look at the door like it was some sort of magic portal. Damn, what would it take me to just step out of here...?

"Is the door of much importance than this lecture, Mr Parker?" Mr Johnson asked, his glasses placed on the bridge of his nose as he examined me under his hooded eyes.

"No sir. Not at all."

"Then pay attention." He turned back to the black board and begins to scribble more notes that I probably hadn't written out at all.

Like a saviour, the bell rings at the last moment. With my backpack slinged behind my back, I'm out the door before anyone else is. With my fast speed, I reach my car, open the door on the driver's side and step in. I quickly pull out my phone and punch in the address on Google Maps. In seconds, I'm on the road, following the directions given by the app.

After a short drive of about fifteen minutes, my car stops near a small cottage. A tall steel gate divided the roads from the porch. I check my phone. Yep, this was the place. I took in the surrounding of the area. It was in poor condition. Is this the reason why Lindsey didn't want me to pick her up for the party?

Stepping out of the car, I close the door shut and press the lock button the the remote. I made my way the the gate and opened it up. I walked along the porch, noticing several amount of cars parked alongside it. I think someone works as a mechanic here.

Reaching the front door, I press the bell and await for someone to open, hoping that maybe it would be Lindsey. To my surprise Lindsey doesn't open up, but rather an old man, that looked like he was in his late forties, opened up instead.

"Do I know you, kid?"

Wait, kid? I'm eighteen, man.

I master all the courage left in me and open up my mouth to speak, "Not at all sir. I'm Zac, and I just wanted to know if Lindsey perhaps lives here?"

"She sure does. But why are you looking for my niece? What for, kiddo?"

"Thank goodness. I was hoping I could talk to her few minutes. It's really important that I see her." I pleaded with him.

He looks at me rather suspiciously until his eyebrows rise in realization. "So it's you, huh? The damn boy who broke my niece's heart."

"Sir, you---" I do not finish off my sentence as the old man sends a hard fist to my jaw. I stumble back slightly; shocked, as I held my now painful jaw in place. I could feel the warmth from the blood that oozed from my cut lip, making its way on my chin.

I stand upright from my crouched position and look the old man in the eyes. He was angry and his anger was justified. No one would tolerate any guy trying to ruin their daughter's life like I did with Lindsey's.

I held my painful jaw between my two fingers and spoke once again, "Sir, I won't touch you since you're Lindsey's uncle. I won't hurt you either, 'cause it would be similar to hurting Lindsey if I did. All I need is one chance to talk to her. I promise to never return after I have talked to her. Please, I just need to see her this once."

"Get out of my house before I break your bones, kid."

"I'm not leaving until I talk to her."

"Fine by me." He grabbed me by the collar and violently pulls me towards the gate.

"Uncle!" A feminine voice shouts out. Lindsey.

We both turned back to see Lindsey standing on the porch, looking like she was on the vurge of tears. It's been a few hours since I last saw her, and I regret ever hurting her now. I was responsible of her fragile being, her hurt whenever she saw me and the dark circles under her eyes that developed due to lack of sleep. I was to blame for all this.

"Uncle, let him go. And please leave us alone." The old man released me. He heads over to Lindsey and whispers something in her ear before heading back inside.

I quickly close the distance between Lindsey and I, only leaving a few inches between us. I looked down at her and she looked back at me. I could see the hurt and pain in her eyes. The swarmed in her like a beast, tearing through her and all I wanted to do was hold her in my arms and protect her.

Instead, I reach out for her tender cheek that I loved to caress. But before I could touch her, she backs away from me, almost like I was poisonous. My heart breaks at the sight. I couldn't even hold her, I couldn't do anything.

"Lindsey..." I start off, but she raises her hand immediately and stops me from saying anything further.

"Zac, it would be best that you leave. I don't want to see you nor do I ever want to talk to you again. Just leave me alone."

"Is that what you really want?" I ask her, just to be sure she was certain.

She doesn't meet my eyes. Instead she looks at the ground. "Yes, this is what I want."

I step a few inches closer and gently cup her face, making her face me. "Look at me when you say it. Tell me that you want me to leave. Tell me that you don't want to talk to me."

Deep down, I was hoping that she would said no.

"Yes. I want you to leave me alone and never talk to me again" she said, her tone hard and determined. That came like a hard blow, as I let go of her cheek and stumbled back a bit.

I search her eyes, hoping that perhaps whatever she was telling me to do was a lie. That perhaps she wanted me to stay so that we could work out our differences. But her eyes held indifference. No emotions conveyed the love I saw from Lindsey at the party. That Lindsey was gone. This Lindsey wanted nothing to do with me.

I try to reach out to her, but she only says one word to me, "Leave."

Without another word, I walk out of the house and make my way to my car. I open my door and close it shut. The pain was unbearable, so I took the time out and placed my head against my steering wheel. The tears were close, but I refused to cry, even if I wanted to.

So instead, I started my car and drove down the road, my speed accelerating every second. Maybe there would be something out there that would relieve me from all this pain.

♔___♔___♔

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