Chapter 2: The Betrayal of Lily
Days bled into one another in a blur of monotony and misery. Zane moved through them like a ghost, trying to stay invisible, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't escape the cruelty of his classmates. They took pleasure in his suffering, their amusement like a constant reminder of his place in the social hierarchy. No one stepped in to stop it, and after a while, Zane stopped hoping they would. No one except Lily—or so he thought.
It was late afternoon, and the sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the nearly deserted school grounds. Zane had stayed behind after the final bell, his part-time job keeping him occupied in the gym. It wasn't much, just cleaning up after the sports teams, but it was enough to help out at home, to buy groceries, to pay the bills his mom couldn't cover with her two jobs. He worked in silence, his mind numb, his hands moving on autopilot as he swept the floors and locked the equipment away. It was routine, something he could lose himself in, something that distracted him from the gnawing emptiness inside.
As he locked the gym doors for the night, the sound of laughter pierced the quiet. His chest tightened. He recognized that laugh—the high-pitched, mocking cackle that could only belong to Greg. Zane's heart dropped into his stomach. He shouldn't have been surprised. Greg and his crew lingered at school far too often, especially when there was no supervision. He didn't have to look to know trouble was brewing.
But then he heard another voice. A familiar one.
Zane's pulse quickened as he turned his head toward the school gates. Lily stood there, arms wrapped around herself, looking small and out of place. Greg and his gang had surrounded her, their sneering faces illuminated by the fading sunlight.
"Come on, Lily," Greg was saying, his voice dripping with mockery. "You don't have to hang out with losers like Zane. You're better than that, aren't you?"
Lily stood with her back against the fence, her body tense, her eyes flicking between Greg and his goons. She didn't speak, didn't move, but Zane could see the fear in her face. His stomach twisted into knots. Why was she even talking to them? She shouldn't have been there. This wasn't her fight.
Before he could stop himself, Zane stepped forward, his voice unsteady but loud enough to carry across the lot. "Leave her alone."
Greg's head snapped up, his expression darkening for a split second before he grinned, that all-too-familiar cruel smirk spreading across his face. "Well, well, well," he drawled, taking a step forward. "If it isn't the knight in shining armor, come to save the damsel in distress."
Zane's heart pounded in his chest, but he didn't back down. His legs felt like jelly, and fear gnawed at his insides, but he forced himself to stand his ground. "I said, leave her alone."
Greg let out a bark of laughter, and the rest of his gang joined in, the sound grating against Zane's nerves. "Or what, Zane?" Greg sneered. "You gonna stop me?"
Zane swallowed hard, his throat dry. He wasn't stupid. He knew he couldn't take them on. Greg was bigger, stronger, and backed by his cronies. But Zane couldn't just stand by and watch them torment Lily. She was the only person who had ever shown him any kindness, the only person who even seemed to care, and now she was in Greg's crosshairs. He had to do something.
"I'm not afraid of you," Zane said, though his voice wavered.
Greg's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. He took another step forward, towering over Zane. "You should be." He grabbed Zane by the front of his shirt, his fist bunching the fabric as he yanked him closer. "You're a joke, Zane. Always have been. Always will be."
Zane's heart raced, his mind screaming at him to run, but his feet stayed rooted to the spot. He could feel Greg's breath hot against his face, could smell the stale scent of sweat and arrogance. His stomach churned, bile rising in his throat.
And then, a soft voice cut through the tension. "Zane, just go."
Zane blinked, turning toward Lily in confusion. "What?" His voice cracked, the disbelief clear in his tone.
"Just go," she repeated, her voice firmer this time, but still barely above a whisper. Her eyes were wide, pleading, but she wouldn't look directly at him. "You're making it worse."
Zane felt as if the ground had been ripped out from under him. He stared at her, trying to make sense of what she was saying. "Lily—"
"See?" Greg interrupted, his voice full of mocking amusement. "Even Lily doesn't want you here, Zane. You're just a burden." He let go of Zane's shirt with a shove, sending him stumbling back a few steps. "Why don't you do her a favor and disappear?"
Zane opened his mouth to protest, to say something—anything—but the words died in his throat. He looked at Lily, hoping for some sign that she didn't mean what she was saying, that this was all some kind of misunderstanding. But she wouldn't meet his eyes. She turned her back on him, slowly walking toward Greg's group.
Zane's world tilted, his chest tightening with a pain far worse than any punch Greg could throw. Lily, the one person who had ever shown him kindness, had chosen them. She had chosen him. Betrayal coursed through him like ice water, freezing him in place.
Greg clapped a heavy hand on Zane's shoulder, the touch a mockery of friendship. "Tough break, buddy," he said, his voice laced with insincerity. "Guess you're not even worth her time."
The laughter of Greg's gang echoed in Zane's ears as they turned and walked away, Lily with them. The last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, casting the parking lot in shadows as they disappeared into the distance. Zane stood frozen, the ache in his chest growing unbearable. He was truly alone now.
He had lost the one person he thought he could trust. And with her, he lost the last shred of hope he had left.
As the cold evening air settled in, Zane knew one thing for sure: he had to change. He couldn't stay at the bottom forever. Not after this.