Intrigued•Paul Lahote

twenty two

ZURI AND PAUL HAD CALLED IT A NIGHT AND HEADED HOME.
As Zuri walked through the door Miranda was at the dining table. Zuri didn't want to acknowledge the woman. She was still pissed at her blaming her for everything.

"Z. Can we talk please?" Miranda had asked the girl.

Sean has watched the interaction from the couch. Zuri did not even look the Native women's way. She headed straight upstairs without a peep and plopped down on her bed. Zuri was confused. She had feelings of sadness, anger and the one that confused her the most was love. While Zac was out with Embry. Xavier knocked softly on his sister's door.

"Feel like talking?" He asked her.

She just shrugged and scootched over leaving a space for him to sit.

"Dad is worried about you. He does not blame you. He knows you cannot control it." Xavier elaborated. Zuri sighed not looking her brother in the face. She couldn't. She was ashamed and humiliated.

"What he's sleeping with one eye open and his door locked?" Zuri tried to joke but failed.

Xavier looked at his sister with sympathy. He felt bad. He could see in her eyes how hurt she was. How tired. What troubled him more is he couldn't do anything. He gave her sad smile and got up headed to the door but spoke before exiting.

"Don't shut us out. We're your support system. We could never hate you, turn our backs on you or shut you out. I'm sorry for how I've acted since you've been here. But Zuri, I've seen a difference in dad with just you being around. He's happier more active. Just something to think about" He stated before waking out the door and shutting it.

THE NEXT MORNING CAME, Zuri walked down the steps with her bag slugged over one shoulder. She grabbed a bottled iced coffee and a granola bar and an apple before heading out the door not speaking to anyone. Zac sighed in defeat, Xavier looked at his father while Miranda just continued cleaning the kitchen from breakfast. Sean walked out the door and stood next to his daughter who was waiting for her ride from Paul. 

"Zuri-Miranda-." Sean was cut off.

"I don't care how she feels, what she meant, or how it was meant to be perceived. She said what she said in desperation and meant every word. I just need time to process. Please do not rush this on me." Zuri stated not looking at father.

Sean respected her wishes and nodded before walking back into the house. Soon Paul has pulled up in his car with Jared and Quil along with him. Zuri climed in the back seat and was quiet as can be. Paul knew what was bothering her and felt bad that he could not fix it. Quit looked at his friend and tried coming up with ways to make her smile. 

"Z, I was thinking. We could bowling." Quit stated remembering the last time they went bowling.

Zuri was trying not to smile and laugh remembering Quil had never been bowling before and didn't know that past the line was a slippery floor. Zuri just remembered Quil hitting the lane floor hard and bowling was over. 

"As long as you don't fall on your ass that is fine with me." Zuri chuckled looking back out the window.

After the short car ride to school. Zuri headed to her first class. She was so out of it she couldn't focus on anything but  replaying the moment of almost killing her dad in her head. While remembering she started loosing control. The lights of the classroom began to flicker and the flask on the burners began to boil over without a flame underneath. The teacher and students looked confused on the phenomenon that was happening. In another class down the hall, Xavier had a feeling the lights was his sister. As the teachers began to dismiss the classroom for safety, Xavier rushed to his sister following her scent. When he found her, there she was crouched by the wall of her class with her hands covering her face. When Xavier stood in front of her, he pulled her hands down and saw her purple eyes. He knew she was losing control.