Infinity♾️

15🤎

Shuri

"Are you ready for your first Halloween on campus?" Rue asks me. We're laying in her bed talking. It's become one of my favorite things to do over the last month.

"Are you going to be there?" I ask. Simons frat is throwing a costume party tomorrow. He keeps insisting that I come. I'm tired of the same things every Saturday though. I'd much rather sit here and watch movies with Rue.

"No, I'm going to be here in bed. Most likely watching Disney channel." She giggles.

"Okay, well I'm going to be here with you then."

"No, it'll be boring. Plus Simon is just going to blow down your phone. He's going to drink like crazy tomorrow. I need you to be there to take care of him." She says.

I move a curl from her forehead. "Okay, but I'm coming back here at the end of the night."

"Okay, deal." She kisses me.

We cuddle and watch movies until she falls asleep. Since I still have homework due in a few hours I leave quietly. At least I thought.

"Shuri, come and sit." Lottie taps the spot next to her on her ottoman.

Shit.

"You know it hurts my feelings when you come over and not say a word to me. I only ever hear you sneaking out." She playfully frowns.

"I'm sorry, I truly wasn't trying to be rude." I sit next to her.

"I know you and Rue are trying to keep whatever you have going on discreet so I try and pretend I don't hear you two up talking at night. I can only pretend to a certain extent. You know Rue is really fragile. She used to be outgoing and strong. She didn't use to take shit from anyone, especially not Simon. She would've told him she can see whoever she wants and you two wouldn't have to hide." She stands and walks to her closet. I'm kind of scared right now. I don't know much about Lottie but I do know she's very over protective of Rue.

"I take it she's told you about Kamora." She comes out the closet with a little box.

I think back to the moment Rue and I shared that made us closer. Something shifted in our relationship that night.

"Yeah, she confided in me about her."

"Did she tell you their birthday is tomorrow?" She asks.

"No, I didn't know that." I can see why she didn't mention it. If something so horrific like that happened to me on my birthday I'd hate to celebrate it as well.

"She doesn't celebrate it, she tries to treat it as any old day. She's says she's healed but there is still so much she hasn't gotten through. I've been seeing glimpses of my best friend. Parts of her I haven't seen in years. I thought it was Kaleb bringing her back to life but it's you." She sits back beside me and opens a box. She pulls out a photo of two young women. One is Rue and the other is Kamora I'm assuming. She and Rue look so much alike. Lottie passes me the photo.

I notice the way they're dressed. "Was this-"

"The night of the accident. Everyone was suppose to meet back up at the Suttons house. All the guest made it back before them. When it had been an hour and a half and no one heard from them we all got concerned and called them both. No one got a response so Mr. Sutton tracked the location on their car. He and Simon left. Simon called me twenty minutes later, he'd told me to bring their mom to the hospital. When we got there Simon was so frantic and hysterical. That's when he finally told me what happened. My heart broke, not only was my best friend fighting for her life but her sister was gone. I was her best friend but Kamora was her other half. I don't think any two people could be closer. Rue didn't want to see anyone outside of her parents. So I went to their house everyday to make sure Simon was okay. It went on for weeks while Rue was in the hospital. I don't know if it was grief or actual feelings but Simon and I thought we were in love. We didn't tell anyone, Rue found out closer to her 17th birthday. She lost it, her and I didn't talk for weeks. I ran into her in the bathroom at school she was so upset. She finally shared some of how she was feeling. She'd been pushing everyone away and she just wanted to talk. Her and I never did talk about that night but we always talk about her feelings surrounding it. I made a vow to protect her no matter what. She'll probably never talk to me, but I'm glad she's talked about it with someone. She's coming back slowly but she's coming back. Thank you." She says.

"No, thank you for talking to me. I'm glad I can be here to help in any way I can. I won't tell her we had this talk. After the party tomorrow I'll be coming back here with her. I had already planned on coming here but she definitely doesn't need to be alone tomorrow."

"Thank you. And I'll keep my mouth shut about you two. Also, not only are you helping Rue but you're healing Simon. He tries to put on the front of being okay but he's barely hanging on some days. Be careful, being with Rue is beneficial to her but you could also lose your friendship with Simon. Breaking things off with Rue is not good for Rue but you'll keep Simon. It's not a good turn out either way." She says as I stand up.

"I know, but I have to try at least." I say before leaving.

On my short walk home I think about our conversation. I really want to tell everyone who I truly am. The king said if anyone found out I would have to return home. I don't want to leave, I love it here. It's the most fun I've had since losing my family. Plus, my feelings for Rue are unmatched. I want to tell her most of all. She's so vulnerable with me. All I can do is give her altered versions of me for now.

Some slight part of me wants to allow her to be with Kaleb because at least he's good and truthful. All I can bring her is hurt and pain. Especially since I'm destined to be married to someone from home. Another agreement I made with the king upon coming here.

Once I make it home I finish up my homework and call my best friend Riri.

"I'm surprised to be getting a call from you, Miss America." She jokes.

"Hello to you too. I've been busy, I tend to forget about you sometime." I laugh.

"Seriously, how's everything going at school?" She asks.

"Schooling is more than okay."

"Tell me about your friends, and that girl Aniyah I see you posted with on Instagram it's been almost two months and you haven't said a word about her." She cheeses in the camera.

"Aniyah is just a little fling. Nothing too ridiculous, she's cool though." I say.

"So who's got you glowing if it's not this "fling" you speak of."

"You know my friend Simon right?"

"The guy who's steadily trying to take my best friend. Yeah, I know him"

"He has a sister, her and I have been getting closer. He doesn't know though."

"What do you mean by getting closer?" She smirks at the camera.

"I have feelings for her, like I really like her." I smile.

"Okay what's so wrong with that, just tell him." She shrugs.

"The one thing he's asked of me was to stay away from her. He had good reason, well has good reason seeing as I'm just lying to everyone." I rub my temple.

"Are you doing more harm or good by being with her?" She asks.

I let my mind ponder our relationship. "I'm doing more good, she's able to talk to me about things she simply can't with others."

"Simon will probably be mad when you first tell him. Once he sees how you are with her he'll most likely change his stance. You two just need to tell him before he finds out."

"Easier said than done, but you're 100% right. And what of me deceiving them?"

"I think they'll understand. If I were in everyone's shoes I'd be hurt but I'd understand."

Her and I talk through the night until she's tired. I slept very little with all the advice on my mind.