crocodile (BWWM)

16

Zachariah

"Dude I don't know. How do you think you would feel?" My brother asks as we continue up the hiking path. After seeing Reneé kiss Aaron last weekend, I've been avoiding her like the plague. I know she's my best friend, and she was shitface drank, but I just couldn't come to terms with what she had done with him of all people. 

"I don't know man, I mean like how would you feel? Cause like my friend doesn't know what to do and he asked me so," I lied, as we stopped to take a break from the constant elevation of our hike. Robert turned and laughed, shaking his head before tapping my shoulder, his dark blue eyes never leaving the waterfall beside us. 

"Zachary, I know you're talking about yourself. But since you're not that comfortable with me knowing about your love life, I'll let it go. If you really wanna know my advice, tell her you like her. And that she makes you nervous. And that she's constantly on your mind," he says, turning his focus back to me. Leaning on the tree bark I ponder on the thought. 

But that could make or break our relationship. I would rather stay friends than add in an equation that shifts everything around. 

After a few moments of silence, the water falling quickly down into the pool below us was the only sound we heard, mixed with the whistles of birds and the chirps of little crickets in the forest. I hummed and nodded my head as my brother picked up his stuff, signaling for us to continue the journey. 

"Also don't forget we have Thanksgiving with your favorite cousin in two weeks. We have to be there, Mum told me to tell you not to forget," he says before kicking a stone and huffing in disagreement with what he had just said. A smile cracked on my lips before I burst out in laughter.

"And you're the older one?" I screamed out, before running up the mountain as he chased me. 

-----------------------------------

"Okay but that doesn't count Zach, 'cause imagine we all just forget about an allergy you had and got it for your birthday," Imani laughs out, causing Stella to chuckle as well. We decided to go to the gym, and I thought they would have invited Re neé as well, but I guess not. 

"That's not what I'm saying, it's the thought that counts. I wouldn't care if you forgot one little thing," I say, finishing a rep of my benchpresses and wiping it down as Imani took off some of the weights and began her workout. 

As we continued to work out I asked about Reneé, which Imani quickly shut down, and said Reneé was too busy with class to even hang out with her anymore. As the first semester was closing in Reneé had started to distance herself from the girls. But I don't blame her, there were things she had disclosed with me that she hadn't with the girls concerning her family situation and just how hard it was for her to afford to come to school. 

"Give her some time, she will probably bounce back. Like she finally went out and got drunk, she was able to have fun and forget about classes for once," I say with a smile, before internally wincing as I remember the kiss she shared with Aaron that none of them I presume know about, and how she still hasn't talked to me about her feelings concerning Aaron. 

Aaron.

"You don't need to defend her Zach. It's more than just her being off in her own world every time. It just feels like she's distancing herself from me, and whenever I'm not with James and want to hang out with her she's off doing something nobody knows about or with Aaron. Like I thought we were friends," she sighs out, a look of defeat drawn on her features. 

Stella pauses and stares at me, shocked to hear the confession from Imani. She proceeds to grab the weight from Imani and sets it down, forcing Imani into an upright position. This wasn't the first time I had heard any of the girls talk about Reneé not taking time to hang out with them, Lori had told me she had hung with all the girls alone but Reneé, and that Reneé never made time for anyone but herself.

I'm not gonna lie and say I wasn't upset with what Lori said and how she had described Nae, but it wasn't my place to tell them what was happening in Reneé's head. I don't even know what's happening in her head. 

"I understand you feel like one of your closest friends is not talking to you as much or distancing herself, but don't draw conclusions just based on that Imani. Just talk to her and ask what's wrong. Maybe she also has something to tell you that she's scared of," I say staring at Imani and Stella. She shrugs before grunting and getting up.

"I really wish I cared enough Zach. Until she puts effort into trying to talk to me I'm just going to chill," she replies, before grabbing her stuff and leaving.

"Imani, what the fuck?" I whisper under my breath, as Stella runs her hands through her hair. 

"Zach. Reneé hasn't actively spoken to Imani in two weeks. The last time they were together was last Saturday and whenever she would try to talk to her before that, Reneé was so nonchalant. We thought she was going through something because she is pretty reserved, we texted her to meet us for lunch and she didn't respond. Then guess who we see her with, holding hands and laughing. Aaron. I know you guys are best friends or whatever rundown definition of a best friend she thinks you are but you need to let her know she hurting her other friends," Stella belabored, before leaving as well.

And as much as I wanted to understand their reasoning as to why they were upset at Renee I could only think of one thing. 

Why was she constantly with Aaron?

Not my fav characters beefing noo wtf. But guys, everyone has flaws I'm deciding to combat it in the next episodes. RENEE is not perfect.