Chapter 9- Downfall

"Where is it?!" I had screamed scrambling around for one of my most prized possestions.

"Seriously who has it, I can't let anyone read it especially..." My thoughts by an eeire whistling and laughter in the background. I turned hoping not to see that specific person with it, but alas it was. Mal was leaning against a wall holding my journal with a malicous grin on his face.

"Uh, t..thanks I guess." I said hoping he didn't take a peek at it.

"I guess? You should be more appreciative peon, I even decided to give it back" He had said grabing my shirt and placing the book in my hands.

"Well thanks again." I said trying to hide the fear and fake smile in front of my co-workers. When everyone went on with thier schedule Mal pulled me in to the break room and started to "conversate" with me.

"So, pretty messed up life you got there Mikey. It's good thing you put it all in the little diary of yours for me to read." He said.

"It's a journal asshole." I had backlashed at him taking his bluff that he had skimmed through it.

"Especially, that lonely lonely little girlfriend of yours, you'd think she'd enjoy my company or maybe the Sheriffs would want to enjoy some coffee with her while they ship her away to a redneck no named little town where no one will ever hear from her again." He had threatened. My feeling were conflicted, but all my face could show was my jaw wide opened shocked on how he knows. I stood there pulling off a suprised patrick face before finally snapping out of it and being able to reply.

"I...I swear if you do anything funny..."

"You swear what Mikey? Huh? I think we all know who's gonna win this fight."

"What...what do you want from me?"

Well, let's see... your paycheck for the next six months."

"That's it?"

"Well now that you mention your happiness is really distracting my work ethics...so you gotta you." Mal had said makinghis hands into the shape of a heart and began to tear it and make a snapping noise. He couldn't be talking about?

"Ugh, do I have to make it clearer. Break that little loner's heart. You sacrifice your love to protect her and shit." He had said shaking me making his point clear. I looked at him in anger.

"No, I won't. You can't make me." I told him.

"Well, then better say your goodbye's then cause the police department is a good couple blocks away and i'll be sure to stop by after work and fill an intresting little report." He said snickering to himself. I wanted to cry right there, but i knew I couldn't give him the satisfaction of letting him see.

"F...fine, i'll do it...tonight." I said hoping to trick him into thinking I would do it.

"Woah, easy there. I gotta document this moment for myself. Now!" He said pulling my phone out of my pocket and placing it in my hands.

"Oh, and Speaker please. I wanna hear her heart shatter through the line. It's always the best part."

I held it in my hands hoping this wasn't real, but it was. Mal then dialed her number and placed the phone on the table and we both stood there and listened to the dial.

"Mike! I've been missing you lately. I'm really glad you called. It's always good to hear your comforting voice calm me down." Zoey had said from the other line. I choked and couldn't say a word. Mal began to make a hand gesture for me to continue, but I couldn't.

He grew angry and began to cough before talking again.

"Hey Zoey, I really need to talk to you like now!" Mal had said imitating my voice and doing a pretty good job at doing so.

"Sure, i'm sure whatever you say is extremly important for the both of us." She had said.

"Lets just..."

"No." I stopped him before he could continue.

"I have to do this not you." I told Mal, who grinned evily and let me go on.

"Mike, you want us to do what?" Zoey had asked confused at what was going on. I took in a deep breath and think about what I was gonna say.

"Zoey...I think we need...some..." I couldn't continue tears were already pouring down my face and voice cracked alot.

"No...no Mike please don't say what I think your gonna say." Zoey had said, I can already hear her crying on the other line, which broke my heart anymore.

"I...I don't wanna do this." I whimpered out.

"Then don't please. Your the only person I have left. You can't leave me. Not now please." I heard her pleed from the other line as she whimpered out that sentence.

"Goodbye, Zoey" Were my last words as I completly broke down and balled my eyes out on the floor.

"Mike, please. Please" She said balling her eyes out as well. That's when Mal made it worse.

"Don't you see I felt bad for you, no wait I pittied you. You were nothing but a pawn. Plus, you weren't even my first girlfriend. I still can't believe you fell for that. I just found someone better than you in every possible way. Sooo... see ya later loser." Mla had preached using my voice and listening to her cries as if it was music to his ears. He hung up when he had enough.

"Man, I can't believe you actually did it. Haha, man you were cruel. But, whatever she's safe, for now at least. Looks like you need some time to grieve i'm just gonna go enjoy the rest of my day." Mal had said skipping and whistling a toon like a giddy school girl.

I sat there and couldn't stop thinking at what I had just done. My eyes were heavy and my tears had dried up so I sat there with the saddest look on my face. My heart was heavy as well, no more like shattered beyond repair. Just hearing her cry made me sorrow, but the fact that I was the cause, made me depressed beyond belief. I spent the rest of my work time sitting thinking, motionless. I wanted to kill Mal for making give up the best thing I had in the world. The drove home wasn't any better. I passed by the park, yes the famous park, and I swear I could see silloutees of us on our first date. It made my eyes watery again and filled my heart with a deep blackness. When I got home I ignored evrything and walked slowly into my room qnd lqyed there staring at the ceiling. Why? This is all my fault! If wasn't such an idiot and careless everything would have been fine. But, no. Mal had to find it and ruin everything. I just wish he disappeared. Poof! Just like that. My thoughts were cut off by a load knocking at the door, i figured it was just one of my mom's friends coming over for her book club or something. Until...

"Mike, Zoey's here!" My mom called it to me. What? I...I can't, but she has to hate me. She probably just wants to spit in my face or kick my in the privates or something for doing this to her. I cleared my face from my dried up tears and made my way to the front door. I approched it and reached for the door knob. My hands were sweaty and my heart was racing knowing how dissapointed and heartbroken she would look. I opened the door to see her. Her eyes look tire and red, probabaly crying more than I was. She looked like she wanted to just die right then in there and that broke my heart the most.

"Just, tell me. I just want to hear you say it in person. Then, i'll leave, and you can continue your affairs with other women." She told me straight not even wanting to talk about anything else. I stood there motionless and not saying a word but just staring at her.

"Just say it! I know you want to." She then said growing angry and starting to tear up at the same time. I had to try and make this right again like before. I went in and grabbed her face and began to kiss her hoping to see if she would take me back. She pulled away quickly and slapped me and grew angry.

"You think that's gonna change anything. You think that i'm just some back up who will do anything for you. I thought you were different, but I was wrong. You're just like the rest of the guys." She said looking at me with disgust in her face.

"Zoey, I messed up big time. It wasn't me who said those things, and it's my fault it happened."

"Pfft. You expect me to believe you. For all I know you have been feeding me lies all this time." She had said. This was hopeless she wanted to leave so bad, but I wouldn't let her. I had to show her I much I really cared. I realised my phone had feature built into it to where everytime you called it would record through the front view camera. This feature was meant for anti-theft reasons. I checked the storage for the phone and let alone there it was. The whole thing recorded. I pulled her and faced my phone to her face and showed her everything. She was baffled at what she has just saw.

"Zoey, this is all my fault. I left my jkurnal behind and Mal found it and now he threatened me to do this so you can be safe, and I just couldn't stand to ruin your life, because of my mistakes. It's my fault and I know you won't take me ba..." My constant rambling was cut off by soft tender lips pressing up against mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I placed my hands on her waist. I felt as if I could stay in this position forever, but realising that we were bothing lacking air, we pulled away and both embraced each other.

"You can't ruin my life. You only make it better. You're the one thing I look forward to seeing everyday and without you. I wouldn't know what i'd do." She told me holding me tight.

"As much as I hate to say this. We need to keep distant for awhile, atleast u til Mal can forget about this whole fiasco. It's dangerous." I explained to her.

"So this never happened then?" She questioned.

"I'm sure if it did it would have been magical." I joked with her. She got the hint and simply winked at me. She then had to take to make sure no one saw us. I returned to my bed and had to realise how this was gonna work out.

*Mal's Perspective*

I just saw that little red head leave Mikey's place with a giant smile on her face. Oh Mikey Mikey, what have you done. You had one simple rule, but then again teens always try to violate the rules don't they. I gave you chance to save her, guess you just didn't care about her after all. Harsh man, I thought you were better than that. Now how can I get to that police station from here?