Love Between Us

Chapter 41

"You got a lot of nerve showing up at my house." I tell Malcolm as I make my way towards the stairs of my house where he was sitting.

"I needed to discuss something with you."

"Why couldn't you tell me this at school?"

"Would you have listened?"

"No," I answer, causing him to laugh and shake his head. "But I don't really want to listen now, either."

"Which is why I came here."

"Why should I even let you speak to me? My cousin is hurting because of you and you played her."

"I never played her."

"Really? You didn't?" I sound unconvinced.

"No," He shakes his head. "I just realized that we we're better off as friends."

"Why would she want to be friends with someone who broke her heart?"

"Come on; let's not act like Brianna is completely innocent in this."

"Bye, Malcolm." My voice is stern.

"Okay, I'm sorry. This is starting off on the wrong foot."

"Funny how you keep trying to talk to me when there is nothing to talk about!"

"Zuri, you have to help me."

"Help you what?"

"I met this woman yesterday who is very spiritual," He begins. I sigh and place my hand on my hips. I really do not have time for this. "She showed me things and I learned a lot about myself spiritually and what not."

"Okay?"

"Anyway, I wanted to work on my karma and stuff so I'm trying to make things right."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"Well in order to do that, I need to make all of my relationships with people positive ones. And truthfully at the moment there are only two negative relationships in my life. The one with you and your cousin."

I sigh. I am not interested in helping him earn good karma. No thanks. "Look, Malcolm. I have somewhere I need to be."

"Home? You're already home." He gives me an unconvinced look.

"No. I came here to pick something up and you're delaying me."

"I won't be long, then. Just hear me out."

"I don't want anything to do with you trying to get good karma. And I doubt Brianna does either."

"Zuri, come on. Just for once in your life can you just stop being rude to me and just listen?" He looks desperate and I bite my lip in contemplation.

"Fine, but make it quick. I have somewhere to be."

"I just want all of the bad blood between us to go away. I don't know what it is that you hate about me but—"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because you broke my cousin's heart with no remorse."

"No remorse? Are you serious? You don't even know that I'm in—" He stops himself when he realizes that he is getting angry. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths. I wait for him to continue. "Look I'm really not trying to be the bad guy here. I just want us to get to a mutual space where we can say hi and bye without you wanting to slice my neck open."

"But why?"

"I told you why. Besides, you are my lab partner in chemistry class. We have to reach some sort of mutual agreement."