The Shadows Of Yesterday

The Shadows Of Yesterday {6}

"Jeremy!"

I looked over at Ziv as he waved to me from one of the tables outside. Seth grabbed my arm before I could wave back.

"No," he said sternly. "We're meeting Brynn and Vin for lunch."

"I told you, I'm not hungry," I said. "I got a snack in the Cantina."

I'd told Seth I'd gone to the library while he was in class, and that I'd eaten in the Cantina shortly before he called me back to the dorm. He seemed to buy it, especially since it was common for me to spend time in the library when he wasn't around.

"So? You're still sitting with us," he said. "We're your friends."

"So is Ziv," I said. "Besides, this is perfect. I wanted to talk to him about a piece I'm writing for my column."

"No," he repeated.

"I- Alright, fine, I'll sit with you guys," I said, shoulders slumping a little. He had his mind made up, and nothing could change it once he got like this.

"Hey," Vin said, catching up to us. "Where's Brynn?"

"She's already got us a table up there," Seth said, dragging me along.

"Vin," Ziv said, coming over to our group. "You and Seth go on. I need to talk to Jeremy."

"I told Seth I wanted to pick your brain on a piece I'm writing," I said.

Ziv instantly picked up on the lie. "I want to get that out of the way now so you can get writing. Come on."

"He's eating with us," Seth said, pulling me past Ziv.

Ziv surprised me by stepping in Seth's way. "He's doing whatever he wants to do. Let him choose."

Seth looked furious. "Out of my way."

"Ziv, it's fine," I said hastily. "I'll eat with them and then catch up with you later. It's okay."

Seth's fury turned to smugness. "See? He wants to hang out with his friends. Move."

"Hey, he didn't mean anything by it," Vin said, a little nervously. "Right, Ziv?"

"I most certainly did mean something by it," Ziv said, but stepped aside. "Still, I respect Jeremy's right to choose who he spends his time with, so I'll move. Take notes, Seth."

The anger was back on Seth's face, and I wanted to groan. Ziv just had to piss him off after I'd calmed him down.

"Let's not keep Brynn waiting," Vin said hastily. "Come on, Seth. Let's go."

Seth dragged me inside. I didn't even bother trying to pull my arm away, knowing by now it was best to just go with the flow when he got in one of his moods.

He threw me up against the wall under the stairs. "Vin, go."

Vin bit his lip, looking back towards Ziv before scurrying up the stairs. Seth clenched his fists, glaring at me.

"See why I don't like him?" he demanded. "He's trying to separate us, Jeremy. I don't know why you're too thick headed to see that. He's jealous of me because he wants you and Vin all to himself."

"That's not it, Seth," I insisted. "We're just friends. He's not trying to separate us."

He slammed his fist against the wall next to me, making me wince and trapping me between him and the wall. "Why do you never see the obvious, Jer? Ziv can't stand me. He's trying to turn you against me. I don't know if it's because he wants revenge because he thinks I stole his brother, or because he wants you and Vin for himself, but he's clearly doing it."