The Calm

Chapter 8

= Zahara =

"Can I say something weird?"

"Sure." I blow at the dandelion in my hand.

"I think I knew you before I met you." My brow furrows and I look over at him.

"What? How?"

"In a dream." Hhhmmm, weird. "I know, weird right?" I throw the stem on the ground and stare up at the tree above us.

"Very." We sit in silence for a moment and I adjust my head on his stomach. "What was it about?"

"Well...it's almost like we are playing hide and seek." He proceeds to talk to me about it. This is such an awkward dream. Is this supposed to mean something. It is so random, and I sound so girlish. When he is done I just lay there and let the whole thing sink in for a minute.

"What do you think it means?"

"I have no idea to be honest." I lift up off his stomach and stand up. He lifts up too and looks at me. "You're leaving?"

"Yea, it's almost six. And you need to study. Plus I have to get Leslie home before dinner." He rolls his eyes and stands too. He follows me over to where Leslie and his brother are.

"C'mon Zahara, it's Friday. How about we go hang out for a little while. The four of us. They don't seem ready to go home." We both look over at Leslie and Kason and they are playing tag or something. I look over at Zymir who is giving me the puppy dog face now and I roll my eyes.

"Whatever Zymir."

"Yaayyy!" He squeezes me super tight and then leads us to his car. I hope he knows that I know what he is doing. I shake my head as I sit down in the front seat.

Apparently he had another argument with his stepmom and he refuses to go home until his dad gets off work. Which is okay I guess, but I would rather he go face the situation now instead of run away from it.

It's weird how close I've grown to him. I don't like growing close to people because it makes it hard to leave, but I feel that we connect in a way that's different than the way I connect with Chris. I just feel like he needs me and I need him, but not on that I feel like he is the love of my life type of situation but more like a close friend. He's like a brother. A very excited, protective, and annoying older brother who bugs the hell out of me but still confides in me when he needs to and let's me confide in him. I've been here for almost three months now and I can say we have grown closer everyday. It's scary.

"Heeyyyy.." I feel a finger poking my head. "No keeping deep thoughts to yourself. What you so caught up in your mind about?"

"Us."

"What about us?"

"How close we've grown in the past few of weeks. It's kind of scary." His brow furrows.

"How?"

"I don't make friends. And I've told you that, but besides Chris you are the first real friend that I have made. Ever."

"Well I think it's cool." I shake my head and look out the window. Of course he does. "I'm forreal. Like I have only two true best friends in this world and that's Arion and Sav. And even though I tell them almost everything, I just feel you get me more and you know how to help me cope with my life better." I nod my head in understanding. Yea, I get what he means. "I'm glad I get the chance to be considered your friend."

"Me too Zymir."

The rest of the ride is just them playing I Spy until we get to the mall. We walk in and head straight for the ice cream shop. Leslie and I go get a table while they get the ice cream.