Kismet

Seventeen - Zeke

"Why're you kids out here anyway? Wouldn't it be easier to find an Uber?" The man asks, and the younger individuals share confused looks.
"What's an Uber?" Kory asks, but Konrad gives him a harsh nudge, signaling him to shut his mouth. The man raised a brow.
"Someone who drives you to where you request to go," Raymond replies with slight envy towards the man in the metal, poorly painted box with rubber wheels underneath each corner.
"Why would they do that? Don't they have better things to do?" Konrad scoffed, almost not believing the idea of an 'Uber'.
"They do it to get paid, me, however: I drive for free, for my fun." The man said.
"What's fun about driving a . . . a box around?" Konrad quizzed.
"Nothing really, but there's always some adventure."
"Like?"
Silence must have cursed the man because he hadn't exactly replied to Konrad's strange question. He let out a small sigh, as he decided to ignore the young man's question. "So, Raymond. Are you sure this kiddie club doesn't wanna get a ride? I don't charge, man. I know the struggle." The man gave a weak, yet fake smile.
Kory looked up at Raymond, who seemed to just be blankly staring at the friendly man. "What's your name?" Raymond asked, not bothering to correct the man that he was an adult, and not a 'kid'.
"Dalton Lawrence, a pleasure to meet you," Dalton said.
"Okay, Dalton. Why are you so adamant about driving us?" Raymond's stare turned into a vague glare at Dalton.
"I just want to help out a family of," Dalton paused, counting how many people were behind Raymond, including him. "Family of six. Walking around the woods ain't exactly safe. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
"You barely know us. Why would you help us in the first place?" Zeke asked, his tone a bit curious. Kory tensed at the sound of his voice.
"I'm a good civilian. You kids will be soon, too." Dalton gave a smile.
"I doubt you're a good civilian," Konrad murmured, clearing his throat to conceal his words.
"What was that?" Dalton's friendly expression turned a little firm. Konrad fakely smiled, gifting a glance at Ophelia before turning his gaze to him.
"Nothing." He simply said, but Kory knew what he said. It wasn't amusing, but it didn't exactly feel 'wrong' to insult the man. Dalton's expression softened, looking back at Raymond.
"Control your kids, mate," Dalton said. Raymond tensed up a little bit. He was about to correct him, but he decided against it. Then again, who would confess to a stranger that they're walking around with a bunch of kids? That didn't seem exactly a part of Raymond's plan. His plan was to 'lay low,' whatever that meant. Kory and the others didn't exactly understand the point of saying 'lay low.' It would make more sense to just say 'Stay hidden.' Raymond cleared his throat, swallowing a lump in his throat before forcing himself to loosen up.
"Got it." He murmured, his tone unenthusiastic.
Raymond and Dalton kept going back and forth, and the group decided to murmur to each other.
Kory gifted Zeke a glance, hoping he would feel his gaze, and he did. Zeke looked back at him, an almost resentful-laced gaze poisoning his stare towards Kory. But his gaze had softened out of what seemed to be guilt. He mouthed to Zeke, 'Please talk to me.'
Zeke reluctantly nodded, walking closer to Kory to have a real conversation with him. It would be the first, real conversation they have had in days. As he walked towards Kory, he put his hands in his pockets to hide the fact he was clenching his fists. Not out of anger, it was stress. Trepidation. Kory spoke the first word. "Why do you hate me?" He asks, his words catching Zeke off guard.
"What?"
"Do you hate me or not? I need to know." Kory huffed.
Zeke quickly shakes his head. "No, of course not," he worriedly said. "Why would you ever think that? I don't hate you, I swear." Zeke's breath almost trembled, but he stopped himself.
"You haven't talked to me in days, and you said you couldn't be friends with a sinner."
Zeke didn't know what to say. On one hand, he would give anything to be Kory's friend. But on the other, what would God think? Isn't it a sin to love someone who you're supposed to be friends with? Especially if he's a he.
Boys are supposed to like girls, that was what they were taught. That is what Zeke was taught. Why can't he be like everyone else? Why can't he be normal?
"I do want to be your friend, " he said, his voice a little hushed, as if embarrassed of the fact he honestly longed to be Kory's friend. "I—"
"Then why won't you say it? I promise not to like to anymore," Kory quietly pleaded, "just please stop ignoring me. I don't want you to hate me." His voice almost sounded frustrated. Frustrated at the simple thought of Zeke not liking him. Zeke wondered why it was such a big deal to Kory, although he already knew the reason why.
"I don't want to go to hell." Zeke blurted out, guilt laced deep in his forced-out words.
Kory was disconcerted. He looked disconcerted. "What do you mean?" His voice started to shake, and Aaliyah noticed the two's conversation, but she tried to conceal her realization of why the two were on such poor terms.
"I wish you were normal. I wish I was normal, so we could be friends. I don't want to like you. I don't want to need you. I just want you as a friend, not... more than a friend. I wish I didn't like you." Zeke clenched his teeth afterward to prevent the word vomit from coming out anymore. He hated himself for loving Kory. It was a sin, wasn't it? To love someone who you knew you weren't supposed to love?
Otherwise, his fear would be for nothing. All of his words would be nothing but heartbreak for Kory.
He loves Kory, he would never want to hurt him, but he couldn't help it right now.
His heart pounded, a large lump was stuck in his throat, and his lungs ached, desperate for the air they begged for.
Zeke only begged to be normal.