Torn 🤎 (Completed)

Chapter 35: Uncertainty

Zane ♠️

It had been a week since the altercation with Jared and Mia and I've decided to give Mia some space.

I laid my entire heart out on my sleeves, and at this point, what more could I do. I'd made up my mind that she was the woman I wanted, the woman I needed. But every time I thought I was making progress with her, there was always some sort of obstacle presented in front of us.

There was no doubt in my mind that I loved Mia. So every time I saw her with Jared, knowing damn well that he was the wrong guy for her, it tore my insides to shreds.

The other day at school, when I caught Jared's tongue shoved down Mia's throat, it took everything inside of me not to tear Jared's big head off of his thick necked body.  I was so close to saying some reckless shit and revealing to Jared everything that had transpired between Mia and I. But, after hearing the pain and frustration in Mia's voice, I stopped myself. It was the ONLY reason why I'd held myself back.

Knowing that Mia wouldn't be able to forgive me if I couldn't control my temper did not sit well with me. I would be devastated.

Once Mia flipped us both her middle fingers and stomped away from our altercation, Jared and I faced off with one another.

Jared stepped directly into my personal space. And at that point, I had every opportunity to take his head off his shoulders and end this shit right now but again, as my mind flashed to Mia, I kept my temper at bay. 

I sighed heavily as my mind flashed back to the conversation Jared and I had after Mia marched away angrily.

Jared began to speak through clenched teeth.

"Listen Miller, I don't care what you and Mia had going on in the past but get it through your thick skull that she's mine now..." Jared's sea-green eyes were trained, unblinkingly, on me.

If looks could kill, I would be dead.

Little did Jared know that what was between Mia and I wasn't some fling from the past. It was something that was happening now, in the present!

In that moment, I had the biggest opportunity to let everything off of my chest and crumble this mans world in just a quick, short sentence.

I also had the opportunity to knock his big head off of his thick neck for touching my woman the way he did. But as my nostrils flared and I sucked in a deep calming breath, I held back from all of the things I could've easily done. Instead, I took a step back from him, giving myself some more breathing room.

I eyed Jared up and down as I contemplated on what to say next. But realization dawned on me that, in the end, there was nothing I could say that would give me satisfaction in knowing I'd given him a reality check while also keeping Mia out of this.

If her flicking us off was any indicator, I already knew Mia was pissed. I didn't want to add insult to injury. So, instead of responding like I wanted too, I instead, sucked up my pride and shook my head with disdain.

I clasped onto the straps of my backpack for more self-control and stared Jared down for what felt like eternity. I wanted to let him know that he didn't scare me. Eventually, I peeled my eyes away from Jared's gaze and bumped roughly past him without another word.

Jared wasn't dumb. He probably knew that there was something going on in the present but I wasn't going to be the one to reveal that. Mia was already upset with me as it was.

Fast forward a week later and here I was, on a Saturday evening, trying not to make a fool of myself by contacting Mia first. She was a temperamental woman and I'd rather give her the space she needed, especially after all of the shit she's been through in the past month or so. I didn't want to be the person to add to her stress.