Kill Joy

Part One: The Prelude

Present Day ...

Zara Turner

The feeling of wanting to help someone but knowing that you can't is killer. I was feeling that way. Instead of physically being able to help, I relied on my prayers as well as constant support and reassurance.

Even though I did these things, I wasn't sure if he found them to be helpful. He probably didn't. He had a knack for being negative. That was what made us so compatible in my opinion. We balanced each other out. We could never agree on anything. What I hated, he loved. What I loved, he hated. Somehow we still found ways to make our "thing" work.

I watched as he slept. He was starting to look like he felt and that really scared me. He had gotten a bit skinner than when I first met him. He always looked tired.

I found myself watching his chest to make sure he was breathing. Sometimes my mind would wonder off to thinking about how i'd react if it ever stopped rising...

But i'd quickly snap myself out of it.

In the midst of my staring, I didn't even notice that his eyes had fluttered open until he moved a bit. My eyes shot up to his face and met his. "Stop staring at me like that. I'm good" he grumbled.

I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't staring."

He chuckled. "I could feel you in my sleep Z."

"And it woke you up?"

"Probably."

Now I had to stare at him every time he closed his eyes. He coughed loudly, making me flinch a bit. It had scared me. "You okay? Need some water?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Nah, I told you i'm good. Stop worryin'."

I bit my lip and nodded. My eyes traveled to the tv on which a basketball game was playing. I wasn't a fan of sports but since I met Cam, I had gotten accustomed to watching the games with him while asking a million questions. He always got tired of me but I knew regardless he was happy to have someone to watch with.

"Come here" I heard him say.

I got up from my spot across the room and went over to lay next to him. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him, placing a kiss on my forehead. It made me smile.

He picked up my hand and examined it. "Why you chose yellow?" his face twisted up at the color of my nails. I had went to get them done a few hours ago but when I came back here to his place, he was asleep.

"I thought it was cute. You don't like it?" I tried to pull my hand back but he had too good of a grip on it.

"Its aight. Its just weird for you. You always get that glittery shit" he rubbed my hand and his finger grazed over my ring finger before he intertwined his with mine. My heart fluttered but I tried to ignore it.

He kissed the back of my hand and went back to watching the game. I looked at the tv. "Who's he?" I pointed to one of the players. I knew it was Steph Curry but I just wanted to bother Cam.

Cam sucked his teeth in annoyance. "Don't start."

I cackled at the fact that I had managed to get on his nerves that quickly. "You're so easy to annoy. It's funny." He ignored me on purpose. "You're rude Cam." He just kept ignoring me. I frowned and removed my hand from his.