First Fault

Chapter 10

I lied. It wasn't the first time I failed to comfort Zuri and it wouldn't be the last time either.
Some best friend I am...

                                 ~♡~

"How long have you been standing there?" I scratch the back of my head uncomfortably.

Everett pops his head out of the bathroom and smiles mischievously, "The entire time. I purposely took her wallet out of her pocket when I hugged her. Damn, I could be a pickpocket for a living if this sports thing doesn't work out." He chuckles proudly to himself.

"You belong in an office to keep you out of mischief." I glare at him. He brushes me off with his hand," Me? Office? You're funny, man. I will pursue my plans of pro football. Thank you." He huffs, rolling his eyes, annoyed at me. "Anyways, aren't you gonna smooch now?" He wiggles a finger between me and Zuri.

"That's it!" I march towards him, push his head through the bathroom door, and close it. He tries to break out, but I'm quick to grab the handle with the hand that isn't sore.

"Oh, you require some private time," I can hear the smirk and eyebrow waggling behind the door. I sigh and relax when he suddenly stops tugging at the door. But of course, he is just getting started!

"Let's get it on!" He starts singing along with Marvin Gaye, I think. Zuri giggles at this. See why I call him Everett the menace?

"Let's -" I opened the door, and he tumbled out and landed on the door he was leaning on. He lands gracefully, facing me, "Hey, sunshine." He offers me a playful wink while Marvin Gaye sings about getting it on.

"Wanna go for a walk?" I lift my eyes from Ev to Zuri. She offers me a stiff nod, which can't be a good sign, right?

"Sure." Everett hops up fast and dusts his jeans linking our hands together.

"Do you want another punch?" I shake my hand from his. He blows me a kiss and mouths, "Call me," and dives onto his bed. Zuri can't contain her laughter as I drag her out of the room. "You play too much," I yell before I shut the door.

"If I don't, who will?" I hear before the wood absorbs his voice.

"We can go talk in the park where Everett won't hear a thing. Too many of his flings hang out there, so we are safe from him." She doesn't meet my eyes but takes my offered hand as I guide her through the corridors, greeting a few of the guys on the way. Has her hand always been this soft? Has she always been this beautiful? Yes.

The air is a little warmer than when we went out for our jog. My body is on fire, and so is my hand. I keep trying to avoid clenching it into a fist.
The sky is clear out today. The outside is bright. The trees stand still as statues brightly green, probably sensing the tense air between me and Zuri. The footpath is clear, and no skateboarders or rollerbladers to compete with. Around us, the little islands of grass are occupied, groups of adults laying on the grass hand in hand or book in hand. It's a pretty day. I spot an empty piece of grass under a willow tree, and I guide us there. We take a seat quietly, and I ignore the protest of my legs as I fold them under me and turn to face Zuri.

"Hi." I don't know how best to start this conversation. Things were so cool between us, and now it's just awkward. Thank you so very much, Everett! Judging by her body language, I can tell that she is uncomfortable. So I do the first thing that comes to my mind.

"Look, don't listen to whatever Everett is insinuating. It's all a bunch of crap. Okay. Let's just forget it happened so we can go back to how we are." I ramble on, panicking.

"Wow, Kalem." Zuri gets up fast and begins to start her march away from me. I'm quick to catch her hand before she can even move a step. I twist her small frame to face me. Her eyes are welling up with tears, and I don't know what to do. She yanks her hand from my grasp and those short legs move faster than I've ever seen them move before.

"Zee?" My heart rate is increasing, and my skin prickles.

"You tell Ev not to play with my feelings, yet here you are doing exactly that!" She halts in her steps and snaps at me. Her eyes are wild, and they are glossy with unshed tears. For the first time in my life, I don't know how to comfort Zuri because I'm the one causing her pain. I'm like a fish out of water - my mouth opens and closes, but no words come out. Speak Kalem! Say anything! The longer I'm quiet, the more defeated she looks. Soft tears roll down her cheeks; I make a move to wipe at them, but she slaps my hand away and wipes at them furiously.

"When you are ready to say something, you will come find me." She storms off. I watch, slightly awe-struck, as her hair blows in the wind as she moves further and further away from me - my heart in her hand.

"I'm in love with you..." I say to the wind. I curse under my breath. Why couldn't I just say those simple words? I know the answer to that question already. I answered them years ago after we shared our first kiss. I'd concluded that night that this wasn't right. If we were to go further and date, we'd risk our friendship. I was fifteen, and so much happened that day. I sit here under the willow tree; she is long out of my sight. I think back to the night I felt her lips for the first time. It was a peck. We were each other's first kisses. Even now, I don't regret my choices. I was bound to mess things up with her back then. I was a stupid teenage boy. I'm a stupid adult man.