Act 2 | Chapter 23

"Miss Blackmar, can you please explain to me what you saw happen?" The school's nurse asked. I was sitting down on her table on the other side of the closed door. She had given me an ice pack to hold up to my eye while she bandaged one to my shoulder. Lilly had just left after giving her side to the altercation, and soon it would be my turn. A few tears ran down my cheek as I sniffled and looked down.

"I don't know. I just heard yelling and saw Zoey in a fight." I could hear Riley say on the other side of the door. It swung open slowly, and Riley stepped in to greet me. She immediately ran over and hugged me, whispering into my ear: "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'll be fine."

The nurse stepped in and crossed her arms, looking at the two of us. She was wearing the typical all-white coat, with tied-back hair. I knew our school nurse rather well. She was always very kind to me, but I never get to see her cause I never need to see her.

"Zoey," She started "I need you to give me your side to this story."

I looked up at her and nodded. Recalling the incident, I tried retelling it in detail, giving as much information as I could. It was hard to sound professional when I was in so much pain, but I tried my best.

"So she thinks you had something to do with Maria's disappearance?" The nurse asked, sounding a bit confused.

"Yeah. She blames me for Hannah disappearing too. I didn't even notice she was gone."

"Well, alright then. I'll tell it to the principle. Would you like me to call your parents to take you home?"

"N- No." I shook my head, "Please don't. I'm living with Riley right now."

She looked at the two of us, her eyes darting between the two girls before. Eventually, she sighed and nodded. "Alright then. I can write you a pass home to recover."

"Thank you," Riley said for me, helping me to my feet. She took the pass from the school nurse and started helping me out to the school parking lot. Riley put my arm around her shoulder and used it to help me stay up.

"Not feeling too good, I'm guessing?"

"What do you think?" I groaned, still a bit irritated.

Riley frowned and patted my back before saying: Don't let them get to you. You didn't do anything wrong."

I climbed into the passenger side seat. Riley closed the door for me and explained that she was going to run in and get me my homework for the rest of the classes that day, before taking off. I sat there, alone in the car. My whole body felt sore, and my eye was aching. It was like something was constantly pounding away at my phase, and it burned. I couldn't take it. "Is this what pain really feels like? It must have hurt a hell of a lot more for Maria and Hannah, huh?"

Riley returned and drove me back home. It was a long walk to the elevator and down the hall to the apartment. I had to move slowly to prevent any jarring pain from happening. My head was feeling light and my arm was starting to get tired from holding up the cold pack for so long. Riley put me down on the couch and stood up above me.

"You going to be okay?" She asked, looking concerned. I went quiet and thought about it. No. I wasn't. I shook my head slowly and started to tear up again. Riley frowned and sat down on the couch beside me. She pulled me into another hug and laid down next to me. My breathing became heavier and faster as I started to cry.

"Stay with me," I whispered, hugging Riley back with one arm.

"I don't plan on going anywhere." She replied, running her hand through my hair.

"It hurts... It hurts so much."

"It's okay, Zoe. I'm here for you." Riley said in a calming voice. I'm not going to lie, but as I laid there embraced in my girlfriend's arms, all I could think about was Lilly. She was next. I was going to kill her for this. But the thought of getting caught is what held me back. It was too soon. If I killed again, then their suspicions could be confirmed and I could get arrested. I had to stop killing. Put it behind me and move on. "There isn't a reason for me to kill again. Right?"

***

I didn't get much sleep last night. The pain kept me awake. It left me on high alert, filling my body with adrenaline like someone was going to jump out at any point and try to finish me off. It sounded crazy, but that's all I could think of, and it scared me. Riley had already left for school and told me that her mother would be staying with me today. While I waited for her to wake up, I laid down on the couch and watched some of Riley's saved horror movies. I was wearing my pajamas because they were infinitely more comfortable than my jeans and hoodie.

"Morning, Zoey." I heard her say. With my one good eye, I watched her step out from the hallway. Miss Blackmar was wearing her usual robe that she always slept in. Pitch black with hardly anything fancy on it. "How are you feeling?"

"Not much better." Was my only response. Miss Blackmar frowned a bit and approached me with a fresh ice pack. She gently pushed it up against my bruised and swollen black eye, causing me to flinch in pain.

"What happened, dear?" She asked.

"I don't know why they... they think that I killed Maria... they think I did something to her."

"If you think it's true, and they have no evidence that you did anything wrong at all then you have nothing to fear." She said, trying to reassure me

"But I didn't do anything... there isn't any evidence as to what happened to them whatsoever... but if they keep saying it around school people might start believing it."

"Well, they clearly have no evidence. Ask them what evidence they have. If they can't deliver evidence then they're clearly lying."

"I... guess... but they can still spread rumors... I can't prevent that."

"Well, you can only ignore that. That part isn't exactly the easiest. Kids will be kids, bullying is just something that happens. It's dumb but what can you do about it.

"Nothing, it seems like." I frowned "Sometimes I wish they could all disappear."

"Well, all have those ideas, Zoey. You'll just have to take a deep breath and push through."

"I'll try." I sighed, glancing out the window. Miss Blackmar took my arm and felt it's soreness and stiffness. She started rubbing it, trying to relieve some of the pressure. "Do you think they will ever find them. Maria and Hannah?" I asked

"Maybe... I think I said the same thing as before. I just hope they're alright."

"Debatable."

"Debatable?"She took a second ice pack and placed it on my arm.

"Y- Yeah... In a way, I don't want them to be okay." I explained.

"I know you don't like them but still."

"They've humiliated me for years. I guess this is karma?"

"I... I guess." There was a hint of worriedness I was able to pick up in Miss Blackmar's voice. We were quiet for some time before I tried changing the subject to talk about something a bit more light-hearted.

"Do you know what Riley's plans for college are?"

"She says psychology, but she's still a bit nervous about the whole thing." Miss Blackmar explained.

"She said the same thing. Didn't takes her for the kind of person to like that sort of thing."

"Well she doesn't exactly like phycology, but it's the only thing she's somewhat interested in, aside from those horror films." She chuckled.

"Yeah. She managed to get me into them." I let out a weak chuckle alongside Miss Blackmar.

"It's like I have two daughters now." Miss Blackmar jokes, letting go of my arm. I was able to move it around a bit more freely without the feeling of stiffness.

"Two daughters, who are in love with each other?" I asked her in a teasing voice.

"You know what I mean." she laughed. Just as Miss Blackmar stood up, my phone rang from the table beside me. I glanced over to it and slowly reached to pick it up. It was my mom. Miss Blackmar looked at it and told me she will give me some time alone, and stepped out of the room and back into her own. "Why does she have to call me now?" I asked myself and hit the green answer button. Taking a deep breath and holding the phone to my ear, I uttered the typical word used, and the conversation began.

"Hello?"

"Zoey!" My mother yelled on the other end, "Where are you."

I didn't respond, sitting there in silence and looking down.

"Zoey, Answer me!" She repeated herself.

"I'm gone." Was the only response I gave. I honestly don't know if I was ready to have this conversation with her. I knew she would be mad at me, but at the same time, I didn't care. This was going to happen at one point so might as well get it over with.

"I know you're gone, where are you!" She raised her voice.

"You don't need to know," I said back to her, speaking in a more firm and strict voice. It was hard to hide the pain in it from my sore body.

"I do need to know, I'm your mother."

"No, I don't need to stay with you anymore." There was silence on the other end.

"Excuse me?! Uh, yes you do!"

"Why? Why do I have to? I'm eighteen, I can live on my own now."

"Because I need you, Zoey. I need you for my body art."

"You're going to have to find someone else." I frowned, "I'm done being your canvas. I hate it, I fucking hate it!"

"I don't care, Zoey. I'm your mother, and you have to do what I say!"

"No, I don't!" I yelled, "I don't have to listen to you anymore! I'm not going to go back home just so you can strip me naked against my will and use me however you want! It took you days to realize I was gone. You don't give a shit about me!"

"Zoey, I need you fo-"

"For what!" I cut my mother off, "Why on earth do you need me? Me specifically for your fucking hobby!?"

"I can't tell you that Zoey."

"Yes you can, and you will!" There was silence on the other end again. "That's what I thought." I said, "Goodbye." I hung up the phone and placed it back onto the table. "I did it." I thought to myself.