We were well into the spring season, but the weather was not reflecting much of it. The sky was covered in a grey overcast. The dark clouds loomed over as delicate splatters of water fell down.

The wind was blowing, it almost had a wintry feel to it. Whilst treading around the puddles of the gloomy water below me, the wind blew my hair into artistic swirls. Not an ounce of sunshine was evident.

The strangeness of the weather was surrounding the entire town, for some reason there was a dread swirling around me, as if something pending was going to approach and catch me.

It had been a week since I revealed my true feelings, that were buried deep inside my brain. Although it felt good that it was finally aired out, I couldn't help but feel like I was walking on eggshells.

For my own sanity, I knew the best thing was to keep my distance from Zac. After pleading and begging Mr Johnson, he allowed me to revise from home and only come into school when it was needed.

This was a huge relief that washed over me, I was able to put all my focus on revising without the need of Zac appearing every two seconds. Today, my attendance was required, much to my annoyance, I dragged my feet to school.

After parting ways with Ava, I noticed Ruby in the distance. I raised my hand to wave her down, but her restless fidgeting caught my eye.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked approaching her.

Ruby stayed silent. Her eyes and brows were turned downwards, as if something was on her mind, but she was held back to say something.

"Am I missing something? I feel like I should just go back home," I joked, directing my thumb towards the gates.

"Not here, let's go to a study room." She clutched onto my arm and led the way to find an available room, away from the prying ears of all the students.

After finding a place, she slammed the door shut. My heart sank at the sudden change in atmosphere in the room. My heart was trembling at the anticipation of what she was going to say.

"Have you been on social media this past week?" She questioned.

I shook my head slowly in confusion. "I've been busy revising, I've barely been on my phone, why?"

"Go on Instagram," Ruby sighed with a slight tremble in her voice. "Check Melissa's latest post."

I tried to mumble out a response, but Ruby urged me to get my phone. Retrieving my phone, I get onto Melissa's profile. Her latest picture captured my eye, selecting to view it, I studied the picture.

"I don't get it, what is this?" I questioned. "It looks like a date night or something."

"Check who she tagged."

I followed Ruby's instructions, and my heart sank further to the pit of my stomach, to see who was tagged. The stark hues of my phone shone brightly, as my eyes struck wide open. Zac's name was tagged at what seemed like a candlelit dinner. As my eyes glided to read the caption, it felt like the words slapped me across the face.

Date night.

"Check Zac's profile." Ruby snapped me out of my stricken daze.

My shaky thumb goes onto his profile, and it felt like my throat had tightened, as if my body was threatening to release tears from my eyes.

A similar picture was displayed. Yet the caption had me feel like my heart had been squeezed to a pulp.

The start of something new.

A strange sensation of gloom came to me. I was lost for words, it was like my brain didn't know how to react to this piece of news.

"Word has been going around." Ruby filled the silence in the room. "They've been going out quite a lot this past week. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't want to distract you from revising."

"Don't be silly," I chuckled, fighting the urge not to let a sob escape my mouth. "You don't need to be sorry. He's free to date whoever he wants."

"But what about you, are you still going to tell him?"

"I'll see when the day come." I let out in a low voice, with a slight murmur.

"But-"

Ruby's response was cut short, as the bell interrupted her. She proceeded to make an exit, but my feet were stuck to the ground. The layers of unsettling emotions were piling down on me, not allowing me to move. Realising that I wasn't following, she turned around, waving for me to leave the room.

"You go, I just need a second," I trembled.

Just as Ruby was about to protest in staying with me, I abruptly shook my head and urged for her to leave. With slight hesitation, she dragged herself out of the room.

Now that I was on my own, a wave of sadness came crashing into me. I fought hard not to let tears escape my eyes, but a single tear ran down my check.

Why was I feeling like this? Zac was nothing to me, I shouldn't be feeling like this.

My eyes darted to the window, that displayed the doomed and gloomed weather. The grey clouds darkened, the slight spit of rain that hit the window, slowly fell down as if the droplets were racing each other. All of a sudden, the way I felt, mirrored the weather.

As a sob rose in my throat, it took all my energy to push the sadness away. I wiped away any evidence of tears. Peering through the window of the door, the hustle and bustle of the students had hushed down.

I slowly exhaled out, and made my way out of the study room. Just as I was about to turn the corner, a strong lean body bumped into me. It was the ever so familiar feel and scent that I had known and was accustomed to.

I arched my head upwards, to meet Zac's soulful face. It was like my breath was zapped out of me, I lost the ability to think straight. Zac was dragging me into his alluring gaze.

"Hey."

"Hey," I said back, in a low tone, feeling almost breathless.

"I haven't seen you since-"

"The party." I finished off his sentence.

The fresh memories of our kiss came flooding back into my brain. After blocking it out, it was now front and centre in my mind. The airy light feel in my stomach, enabled a fresh swell of heat to rise to the surface of my skin. For a moment we got lost, staring deep at each others eyes.

Just as Zac was about to cut the silence, a quick and sudden voice interrupted us.

"Hey babe," Melissa called out in a high-pitched tone.

She placed herself to the side of Zac, placing her witch-like fingers onto his arm. Zac took a few steps back, away from me. I clamped my mouth shut, gritting my teeth, annoyance was filling up inside me like water filled a bottle.

"Everything okay?" She asked, darting her vicious eyes between us.

"Yeah, just heading off to class." Zac pointed down the hallway. He took it as his chance to leave.

"See you later," Melissa called out. Zac didn't respond but waved back.

After Zac left, the tension between us was high, it could have easily been cut with a knife. Melissa turned her attention back to me, lifting the corner of her lips in disgust, smiling in a malicious way.

"With your disappearance from school, I didn't know if you knew-"

"I know. I'm happy for you guys," I butted in, forcing myself to say the words I didn't believe in.

Anger and irritation was spreading in me like a wildfire, like I was a volcano about to erupt. I had to keep my emotions in check, I knew I couldn't explode with steam.

"I didn't know you liked Zac in that way." I raised my eyebrows, making idle conversation with Melissa.

"Are you kidding?" She snickered. "I've fancied Zac for so long, I just needed a certain push to let him know how I felt."

The last few words that came out of Melissa's mouth, pinged and echoed into my ears. The way in which she vocalised her words, lifting her brows and eyeing me down. It was like my brain had unlocked something, something that I didn't want to know.

"It was you," I finally breathed out.

Melissa shrugged her shoulders, ignoring me. Just as she was about to go and leave me in the lurch, I grabbed on to her arm, stopping her.

"It was you who heard me in the bathroom the other week, wasn't it?" I questioned in a stern voice.

Melissa narrowed her eyes, as if she was undermining me. She scoffed under breath, yanking her arm out of my grasp.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she hissed.

She flicked her hair towards me and started to strut down the empty school hallway. Her shoes echoed, creating waves that deafened my ear. But, before she could go any further, she turned herself back towards me.

"I don't know what's going on between you and Zac," she said in a spiteful tone, taking a few steps closer. "But whatever it is, needs to stop. He's with me now, so it's best if you keep your distance."

I stood there wide eyed, not understanding her change of tone and stance. How did Melissa feel threatened? There was nothing between us, I thought to myself.

"You've got nothing to worry about. We hate each other remember." I shot her a sarcastic wide smile, in the hope she would turn and walk away. In which she did.

I carefully watched her get further away and when she was no longer seen, I let out the large sigh that was building up in me. Once again, tears prickled my eyes. My breathing changed into slight whimpers. I fought hard not to let myself go and bawl in tears.

After a few minutes of gathering myself, I corrected my posture and stood tall. I confidently walked to my class.

A great wrench of sadness was pushing me. I couldn't help but feel like my heart had been ripped from me, and stepped on.

Why did I feel like this?

I had to remind myself, Zac was nothing to me. Whatever feelings I had towards him had to be shut down, because I knew for a fact, he didn't feel the same.

The only thing I could hang on to, was the elegant moments we had spent together. The many times he helped me when I had my asthma and panic attacks.

And the kiss. It was nothing but a dare, but to me, it wasn't. It's what sealed my true feeling for him, the feelings that had been festering inside me for so long.

But now those same feelings, were crushed into a million pieces. I had to harbour everything I felt for Zac, somewhere deep where even my own brain couldn't find...

A/N

My heart was breaking as I wrote this chapter, it hurts me to hurt Hannah like this... but it's got to the done.

How do you think Hannah will deal with this, is everything over between her and Zac?

Let me know what you think and don't forget to share and vote!

Love _xxAMxx