How I Became the Strongest Sovereign

Chapter 17 - Change Of Plan

-Jace's pov-

I watched as Malia dragged me to the stairs and I couldn't help but feel the same feelings I felt in our first year. I hope she can't hear my heartbeat right now because I feel like it's going to rip out of my chest. I gulped as I looked at her hand wrapped around my wrist. Wait, this is wrong. She's Zeref's girlfriend. I removed my hand from hers in guilt. She stopped and looked at me in confusion.

"What's wrong?" she grabbed my wrist again more firmly this time and I didn't have the guts to pull away. How am I supposed to say this without being sus?

"Isn't Zeref going to get mad if you hold my wrist? He's my first friend and I wouldn't wanna upset him." I tried to sound nonchalant but my voice cracked near the end, leaving me red from embarrassment.

"Ha. Why would Zeref be mad?" she scoffed and continued to lead me to the nurse.

I shrugged, "Aren't you both dating?"

She stopped and stared at me, her cheeks blushing, "N-No. We are just friends." She laughed my question off and I felt relief wash over me. I have had a crush on Malia since the first year and have never had the guts to talk to her and here she is, helping me to the nurses office. I tried to calm my heart rate but my whole body felt alive and excited. I think I stared for too long because she looked back at me. I nearly jumped out of my skin in shock and instantly looked down, hearing a laugh from her.

"Why are you so nervous?" she pulled me forwards to walk next to her.

"I'm not nervous," I said nervously. I heard a hundred footsteps rushing towards us and I'm guessing Malia did too because she stopped and turned around. I watched her face twist into surprise and before I knew it, 100's of students were rushing past us and into the library. It was like a bunch of elephants running together in a crowd. We were being crushed. Malia was pushed into my chest and I wrapped my arms around her to shield her as we were pushed to the side. She let out a muffled yelp into my chest and I shut my eyes, resting my chin on her head until the students were all gone and the halls were left empty again. This is one of the things I hate most about this school. The students were crazy!!! Crowds of students storming down the halls like they were fighting in a war, was very normal and it happened often.

Gently, Malia untangled herself from my arms and brushed herself off. I laughed to see that someone ripped her sleeve off but stopped when she turned her arm around while brushing off her shirt, to see harsh cuts engraved into her skin. Her eyes followed mine as she realised her sleeve was gone. She quickly stuttered and mumbled but no words came out so instead she just hid her arm behind her like that was going to make me forget what I saw.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I said gently and she shook her head no, avoiding my eyes. I enlaced our fingers together and this time I was pulling her. "Don't cut yourself," I didn't look at her but I made sure she heard the worry in my tone.

"I'm not." For an odd reason, she sounded offended and angry and the two word came out snappy and hot. She kept her arms to her side to cover the cuts and we walked the rest of the way in silence, mostly because I could feel the anger radiating off of her in strong waves.

"Sorry," I whispered but she ignored me.

**

-Back to Zeref's POV-

As we walked home, I couldn't help but notice the tense atmosphere. What was wrong with these two?

"Did I miss something at the nurse's office? Why are you two so tense?" I asked, walking side by side in between the two.

"Uh-HUh, Zeref can we talk, like man to man," Jace replied nervously. Malia shot him a sharp gaze and he turned his eyes away.

"Mmh, Okay. Malia wait for us a bit."

I started walking a couple metres away from Malia, I looked back at her and she ended up sitting on a nearby bench. Jace followed me trailing behind.

"Okay now explain."

"Ma-Malia, she has some really bad bruises on her and I'm worried, I was thinking if you knew anything about this." Jace spoke in a quiet tone, looking at the ground. Immediately the picture of the purple marks around her neck popped up in my head. Is that what he was talking about?

"Do you mean those purple marks around her neck?" I asked, in thought.

"What purple marks, No. I'm talking about the cuts on her arm." he said back, " I think she may be cutting herself."

My blood boiled. Anger dissolved in my blood and I clenched my fists. I didn't believe she was cutting herself. She wasn't that type of person. Someone was hurting her for sure. I turned around and walked back to where Malia sat arms folded.

"Ze-Zeref wait-"Jace followed behind.

I sat next to her on the bench.

"Malia show me." I said sternly, she looked away from my direction.

"Show you what." She returned with an attitude. So this was what was bothering her.

"Don't play dumb with me!" I grabbed her arm and pulled back the sleeves to see the disgusting lines messily layed out all over her arm. The slashes on her arm seemed like a beast clawed it down. Large scabs had formed around the stitches that were on the cuts. It was as if her skin had been cut off and sewed back together. I grimaced at the horrifying sight. She covered her sleeve and snapped her arm away. Jace sat on the other side of her and stroked her back.

The atmosphere dropped to a different type of silence. Malia sighed into her hands and a small sniffle escaped her lips before a trail of muffled sobs. "Malia…" Jace stroked her hair to comfort her. I looked at Malia, contemplating on what to do.

After a couple seconds, she turned around and hugged me tightly; I could feel my shirt becoming wet with a warm liquid.

"Who did this to you?" I said in a cold voice, trying to control my anger. My chest reverberated out a snarled, bitter sight. The mana in the atmosphere vibrated with every syllable.

"You already know, who di- did this." she replied, choking on her words as she cried without stop, almost drenching my shirt. She was completely broken.

I pulled back and lifted her face up by her chin gently. Her puffy puppy eyes watered and her nose was red. I held both of my hands to the side of her cheeks, cupping her face while wiping her tears with my thumb. Dazed, she looked at my eyes while she stuttered on her breaths.

How could a parent be this cruel? Parental abuse. Disgusting! My blood boiled at the thought of her monster of a father. I wondered how much shit she must've had to go through. Evil like this will never be condoned. I leaned my chin on top of her head and rubbed her back to comfort her. When she stopped crying, she moved back and wiped her tears with her sleeves. I could tell this must have been devastating for her.

"I'm so sorry Malia," Jace looked at her as pity filled his eyes.

"Don't pity me." Malia bluntly said, holding onto my shirt. "I hate pity." she inhaled and tried to get her breathing back into its usual pace.

I grabbed her hand and started walking in the direction of her house.

"Where are we going Zeref?" Malia questioned, knowing well I wasn't going to ignore this matter. Jace followed behind us without saying a word.

"Change of plan. We have some business to attend to, and Jace thanks for telling me. You can go home now."

"What do you mean? I'm coming with you, I'm involved in this too." Jace shot back. I gave him a warning glare and he froze in his tracks.

[Congratulations!]

[You have unlocked a new skill: Bloodlust (level1)]

"Just go home. You need your rest. Did you forget the beating you took today?" I said averting my gaze, continuing to walk towards my destination. He kissed his teeth out of annoyance and crossed the road.

A wide bundle of emotions were running through me, but anger was the only one that was clear. When did I get like this? I was never like this in my old life. Was this a sign that I was changing?