Chapter 1912
Zoey was at a loss for words. While she found Fitch's personality grating at times, there was something about him that inexplicably tugged at her heartstrings. His fondness for her seemed to come out of nowhere, which unsettled her greatly. They had only known each other for less than a week, and now he was insisting on taking her to Greenfield. It was a lot for anyone to take in.
And talking to him was like talking to a wall. Sometimes, the way he looked at her felt like he was trying to devour her whole. The room was silent, neither of them speaking. After nearly an entire night of turmoil, Fitch was exhausted. He gently took her hand and kissed it. Zoey couldn't help but notice his stubble was a bit scratchy. She thought about just staying quiet, but then he asked, "Does your stomach still hurt?"
She was on her period, had been up all night, and it was raining outside. He was worried she might have gotten soaked. He had so many questions but knew she probably didn't want to hear them.
"A little," she admitted. Fitch climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms. Zoey tried to wriggle away uncomfortably, but he didn't hold her tighter. Instead, he lay down at the edge of the bed. "I'll warm up your feet. Try to sleep." Her feet ended up sandwiched between his legs. It was odd, but she didn't protest and eventually fell asleep.Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.
Once she was asleep, Fitch's eyes slowly opened. His mind had been racing with what-ifs. Zoey wasn't from around here. She had taken a risky cab ride. What if she had encountered trouble? What if someone had tried to deceive or bully her? His mind was a mess, filled with regret. If only he had listened to her more. If only they had properly discussed things, she wouldn't be trying to escape so desperately.
Fitch had never been in a
relationship. Since that incident, he had kept women at arm's length. Zoey's forwardness had repulsed him, leading him to mistreat her in bed as a form of punishment. Despite this, she endured it all in silence. He didn't want to admit that he enjoyed being with her, convincing himself that she was just a fling. Regardless of what happened, he refused to take her side, haunted by the despair and resignation in her eyes whenever she looked at him.
Those eyes kept him up at night, causing him untold agony. The more he tried to forget, the more her gaze haunted his dreams. He couldn't understand why he felt this way. He never confessed his feelings for anyone, let alone Zoey. Yet, he couldn't bear the torment any longer and found himself driving near the prison, as if being closer to her eased his pain.
He struggled to define his feelings for Zoey. Then there was Nolan, who reminded him so much of Zoey. Nolan, too, kept his grievances to himself, perhaps influenced by Zoey's resentment towards the Haskins family. Nolan was different from other kids, and Fitch often found himself lost in thought, missing Zoey more with each passing day.
The intensity of his longing reached a peak when he recalled asking her at the police station if she would take the blame. The thought was excruciating. He never knew what liking someone felt like until it was too late.
For four years, Zoey's eyes haunted his dreams every night. The worst was when she said she'd had enough and wouldn't visit him anymore. Waking up from that nightmare, Fitch realized that her absence in his dreams was far more torturous than her presence had ever been.