caring isn't for everyone | z.k •PRETTYMUCH AU•

•sixteen•

"So?" Austin asked, looking at his face for some type of answer.

He didn't say anything as yet. Placing his face in his hands he groaned in regret. His head shook back and forth, mumbling profanities. It almost looked like he was going to start crying.

"Zion. Is she coming?"

He lifted his head. "I should've left her there."

"Make up your mind." He replied quickly. "Do you want to work this out or not? Realize that you sending her there was not going to make it any better."

"What if— What if I wanted to her to mess up?"

"Mess up?" Porter repeated.

He sighed, looking over at him. "To prove my doubts. I just let her go so I was so pissed just to see if she would do what I didn't want her to do. You know what?" Zion reaches for his phone before Austin rudely snatches it away.

He pushed into his pocket, watching him. "You don't know what you're doing. You are so insecure. Why are you trying to make it worse? This whole situation containing that stupid party is just adding onto it. She loves you, dude. The last thing Amari wants is for you to be mad at her for something she didn't purposely do!"

Zion sucked his teeth briefly. "I-"

"No. You're acting stupid as fuck. She wouldn't do anything to hurt you on purpose. Really?!"

His face was a bit red and slightly scrunched up, an expression people don't see from him often. It's just when things like this happen; things that are heavily dependent upon ignorance are forced to the front he can't take it.

It didn't make sense to Austin. "What do you want from her? Per-fucking-fection?"

"Austin. Chill."

He slowly nodded, almost as if he didn't understand the command that followed he call of his name. He stood, tossing Z's phone out his pocket and began walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. Ansley is waiting," He said with a bitter strike, before pulling the door open. Yet something—more like someone was stopping him from going through.

An eyebrow was raised. "You are not Amari."

"And you aren't Zion."

"Dude you came at the wrong time," Austin announced. But that was all before he saw Amari appearing behind Edwin, her eyes puffy as if she'd just finished a good cry. His expression softened.

"Oh. You came with her. Well we should leave them alone to talk." He moved himself to the side of the doorframe to let her in.

She smiled at Austin before brushing past him, her bag in hand with Zion's blue hoodie thrown over her shoulder as a souvenir almost. She looked back at the two boys who were now seen closing the front door, already engaging in an already serious conversation.

She dropped her bags near the wall before turning around to see Zion staring at her, almost as if he didn't actually expect her to come.

"Hey."

"Hi," She stared him for a quick second, not quite use to seeing his hair pulled out of his face. It wasn't perfect—small little red spots on his forehead from acne but yet all at once, just perfect for Amari. She tried not to drool.

"So. What's going on."

He licked his lips once, trying to form the right sentence. She walked over and sat down next to him, hesitating to sit too close. "Maybe not stay at Ed's."

"I was going to leave sooner or later." Her response was immediate. "Nick was pissing me off, but that's not for you to worry about right now."

"What do you mean it's not for me to worry about? What did he do, Mari?" With a snap of a finger he got heated.

"I'm serious. Don't worry about it. So what did you want to say?" She switched the subject.

She laid a hand on his, which grabbed his attention and distracted him from saying his piece. He took her hand and intertwined their fingers without hesitation. The satisfaction he got from that was simple yet so fulfilling. Dammit, he doesn't think he can send her away again.

He gulped. He glanced at the door. "I want you to just stay home. Please?"

Her hand loosened. "So you're just going to pretend you weren't shunning me and giving me shit for the past few days?"

"No. I'm not. I'm definitely not going to forget how I felt. I forgive you, I want you back home."

"Why is it you need me home?" She asked again, releasing her hand from his. "Scared I was going to do something stupid at Ed's house?"

He didn't want to lie. There was no reason to. "Yea."

All Amari could do was sigh. Not that she was perfect and that it didn't cross her mind, but that that was his first and ultimate result. Maybe he was right, but she wouldn't tell him why she kissed Edwin. For all he knew, she'd take it her grave.

"Well I didn't. So now what? You still going to kick me out?"

"A—"

"You gonna hold it against me forever?" She continued.

"No, but I want you to understand how much it hurt me."

"Show me then." She leaned forward. Zion examined her, watching her eye him as well. "You're not going to make me leave,"

His mouth suddenly felt dry as she began to make her way on top of him. It was amazing how easy it was for him to give in to her touch.

"We can't do this right now." A nervous breath is exhaled.

With a quickness, she gets up and prances to the door, opening it to peak her head out. The two boys turned to look at her, a bit confused.

Edwin's eyebrows raised. "Well?"

"You guys can leave."

Austin sucks his teeth. "Why so suddenly?"

"We'll talk about it later?" Her eyes moved back and forth in between them.

They looked at each other, suspecting something yet not saying it out loud. They nodded at her, to which she then closed the door, locking it then pushing her own back against it to see Zion, staring blankly at her.

"Let me prove to you how much I love you. Can I do that, Z? Without you thinking about it how I screwed up? Just think about what I'm doing to make it better," With every word she made her way back over to him, getting on top of him once more.

Out of habit, his hands rested upon her ass, gently caressing it. "I don't know if I'm ready to do this right now."

She froze. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to have sex, right now." He turned his head away like a puppy did from its medicine.

She climbed from off of him, making the situation a whole lot more awkward. Maybe it was because he'd masturbated, and didn't have the motivation. Or it simply could've been he wasn't feeling her right now. He wanted her here, but now that she is, it's just reminded him of all the wrong he constantly worries about.

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