Back To You

Pizza

Hiraeth Davenport

I quickly walked through the, thankfully, empty hallway, trying to walk faster than Malakai. But of course, she was right on my tail. She was always faster than me and was bound to catch up to me eventually.

"Malakai, can you just leave me the hell alone?" I grumbled. I wasn't in the mood to speak with her.

"I don't understand, usually you like spending lunch with me." Malakai grabbed my arm and forced me to stop walking away. I didn't even try to fight her grasp.

"Well, today I'm not in the mood to talk to you." I stated. Malakai started walking pulling me behind her. "What are you doing?"

Malakai pulled me into the nearest bathroom. I felt a bit scared as she pushed me against the wall. She stood in between me and the door. "Just tell me what I did wrong, so I can apologize."

The problem was on the tip of my tongue but I didn't want to just say it flat out. I was definitely overreacting, but I couldn't stop the jealousy and anger I felt. Jamie assured me that she didn't do anything with Malakai in the bathroom. However, part of me just didn't believe her. She gave me some bullshit ass excuse for why Malakai ended up with her shirt.

I didn't understand how Jamie could betray me like that. Unfortunately, Jamie was my sister so I couldn't just lash out on her like I was doing to Malakai. To be fair, I was upset with Malakai too. Sure, she didn't owe me anything.

But Malakai just moved on as if her tongue wasn't in my mouth a few days ago. She moved on like it was nothing to her.

It wasn't nothing.

It was everything to me.

Even if I was unable to admit it to her.

I swallowed back the complaints I had and put a small smile on my face. "You didn't do anything wrong, I'm just dramatic."

"Well, can I know what you're being dramatic about?" Malakai raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing." I scratched my arm. "I got pizza delivered for lunch, we're hanging out with Wynn and Jamie today."

"No," Malakai said.

"No?" I asked in surprise.

"Tell me what I did wrong," Malakai demanded. "We aren't leaving this bathroom until you admit what's bothering you."

"I can't," I mumbled.

Malakai shrugged. "No one comes in this bathroom anyways, so no one's around to hear you."

"Oh, so no one can hear my screams when you murder me." I said playfully. Malakai just blinked expectantly, she wasn't in the mood for humor. "You and Jamie."

"Me and Jamie?" Malakai said as if she didn't understand what I was talking about.

"Had sex at the party." I reminded her.

Malakai raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to the side. "Is that what Jamie told you?" She seemed a little uncomfortable.

"No, she said you guys talked about her ex or someone she used to be with. And that she gave you her shirt because she spilled her drink on you." I recited the lie.

"She told you the truth," Malakai confirmed. I analyzed her face for any sign of a lie or deceit.

I couldn't find any. The only thing I realized was that I was a complete asshole for not believing Jamie. "Okay fine. Let's go get the pizza."

She didn't budge. "Why?" She asked suspiciously.

"Because I'm hungry?" I snorted. "I know you're not a fan of pizza but you tend to change your mind when it's in front of you."

"No why would you care about what Jamie and I do?" Malakai rephrased.

I didn't want to answer that question. "Can we get the pizza?"

"You're not homophobic right?" She asked.

"What? No!" I wasn't homophobic. I couldn't have been, if anything I was pro-gay when it came to me and Malakai, not Malakai and anyone else. "I just don't like the idea of you being with my step-sister."

"Why not?" Malakai asked. "Am I not good enough for her or something?" Of course, Malakai would assume something like that. And she would believe it unless I told her the truth. The truth that I had been avoiding saying out loud.

"No, that's not the issue." I scratched my arm.

She narrowed her eyes. "Then what is it? Do you think that I'll play with her feelings-"

"Because you fucking kissed me! Twice! And clearly it means more to me than it does to you." I confessed.

"Oh." Malakai said, simply. There wasn't disgust or satisfaction in her tone. Her eyes dropped from mine and stuck to the wall behind me.

My heart dropped, and I had never craved being farther from her. "Yeah. Can we go get the pizza now?" I mumbled.

Malakai crossed her arms and looked at me again. She looked very confused. "I thought you wanted to practice for Jason?"

"No, Malakai. I couldn't give two flying shits about that boy. I just wanted to kiss you." I admitted, with a sigh. "I never did. Can-"

"Forget that nasty ass pizza. And if you ask if we can go fetch it one more time, I'm shoving the whole thing down Wynn's throat." Malakai threatened.

"Okay rude, I paid twenty dollars for that!" I crossed my arms. "And it's clear that I'm making an ass out of myself right now. You kissed me the first time, as a gift. And the second time it was because you were trying to teach me. You didn't feel anything about it. So let's drop it."

"Does that mean you have some kind of crush on me?" Malakai asked, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"Jesus Christ, Malakai I said drop it!" I yelled.

"Well, I don't want to stop talking about this. Not yet." I didn't get a chance to ask why. "Because... I liked kissing you too."

"I'm sure you like kissing anyone." I scratched my arm. I was positive that I was nothing special, she was just trying to cushion my feelings.

"What?" Malakai asked, clearly offended by my words.

I elaborated before she assumed that I was slutshaming her. "You don't like me and we both know that you don't."

Malakai sighed loudly. "Hiraeth, can you stop assuming shit and just talk to me?"

"Jamie said I should do the same thing," I mumbled. Maybe Jamie had a point.

"That's why she's my new best friend." Malakai said teasingly. "We became friends in the bathroom, not lesbian lovers."

"Why can't I be your best friend again?" I pouted.

"Because you like it when my tongue is down your throat." Malakai shrugged. I could feel my cheeks heat up. "So, I think we're stepping outside of the boundaries of friends."

"Oh," I whispered. My heart started to race and my palms started to shake so I placed them behind my back.

"Is that a bad 'oh'?" Malakai asked.

I shook my head. It definitely wasn't. If anything no emotion was attached to my 'oh'. "Well, I never really thought about if I wanted anything serious with you yet... I just... I don't know."

A kind, gentle, beautiful, and kissable smile overtook Malakai's face. "Well, when you know what you want we can have this conversation again. Okay?" I nodded, unable to speak.

"Can I... I want to kiss you again." I announced dumbly. Malakai laughed and pressed me against the wall. I absolutely melted when our lips met.

I couldn't relish in it for too long before she pulled away. "Now let's go get that nasty ass pizza."