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

•twenty•

a/n: sorry for any errors. i really wanted to publish this one. happy holidays!

"Amari," Nick sighed as she sat down next to him with hesitation and a underlying side eye. He feels now that she doesn't want to be there, for some reason. It could be all the people, it could be him. Whatever it was, it would have to hold for just a minute.

His presence just sitting there was off.  Almost like his body was slaved over the counter, his back a bit hunched and he looked as if he'd fall asleep from crying so hard. He was was moderately sad.

She looked around before replying. "Yea, that's my name. Don't overuse it. Now what is it that you couldn't tell me over the phone."

The bartender set a drink down for him and as well as her. She flinched at the sound of the glass hitting the bar counter. Nick noticed as she then took a moment to push the glass away.

"I'm good."

"Since when are you denying a drink?" He asked with a smirk. His eyes were saying something different.

She snapped twice. "Hey. Hey. Can we pick this up? What am I here for?"

His smirk faded as he suddenly got nervous about the questions he'd been itching to ask her. He pushed his hand through his hair.

"How are you and Z doing?" He rested his hand near his glass, tapping on it. He watched as her lip twitched at the question, her finger going up to scratch her scalp for just a brief moment.

It almost seemed as if the bar had gotten a bit quieter. She looked down, before looking back up. "Good now, actually. Why do you ask??"

Nick's eyebrow rose. "Really? He got over it?"

"Got over it is a strong use. He's learning to forget about or at least live to deal with it. I was pretty gone," Mari shrugs.

"Oh.  You know, Amari, I'm always here. Like, for you. I'm always here for you." The hand that she was currently resting on the counter before it was gently grabbed by his. She furrowed her eyebrows, now a bit confused. "If you need anything."

Sliding her hand back, she scoffed. It felt like physically she'd gotten hot, but not in a good way. It was almost as if at any second she'd burst into flames. "Now you better hope what you're talking about isn't what I'm thinking 'cause I wouldn't choose you as a rebound."

"You'd choose Ed though?"

"Nick."

He was taking a heaping gulp of whatever had been served to him in that glass. His swallow was loud and harsh, even letting out an ahh sound. Seemed like he couldn't help but smile at her.

"Amari.  Am I wrong?" There was a slight bite to his tone.

"Y-Yes," She fiddled with her top, pulling it up no more than it could go. Her mind was running now. Does he know? Did he hear the two of them talking? She felt dumb.

"Since when do you stutter, baby? I'm right, right? Mar tell me if I'm hot or cold. You like Edwin! Possibly as much as your little boyfriend, hm? That's why when you went over there, instead to Austin's."

"No, Nick."

"Yes, Amari."

"Eddy is my best friend."

"Best fuck, too?" His voice cracked.

Her face fell. She grew silent. He was really trying to into her head. He, in reality, knew little to nothing at all about her and Edwin's dynamic. It wasn't exactly the healthiest thing, but all the time she's been with Zion, it's never gotten that far. She has some form of respect.

"I'm right. You're such a tease. Zion, Brandon, and now Edwin? I'm waiting on my turn. Austin maybe? Even though he's with that chick Ansley, you wouldn't care. So again, I'll make it known: I'm available cause I feel like I'm next. But I care, I can change your ways."

Amari couldn't control herself at this point during this meet-up. Her hand slowly rose, as she held it back, it smacked him across his face, making it red even under the poor lighting you could see the shade.

The people surrounding them had stopped in their tracks  and grew as silent as Mari once was. There were soft yet rigid murmurs surfing through the groups of people that were around them. Even a small gasp.

"Listen here, you fuck. You don't know shit. I've wasted my time, coming here because I honestly thought you had something reasonable to talk about. Fuck you.  Telling yourself these lies so that I could what.. be with you? I'd rather go to hell." Pushing her chair back with her foot, she grabbed his glass which was empty and chucked on the floor shattering it.

"Bitch." Without regards to whether the glass had harmed anyone around it, she walked right out.

Nick's stare was blank. In that moment, it was certain that he'd sobered up one way or another. Maybe it was from being hit, or from his actions. He realizes what he'd just done but the way that he did it ruined his whole purpose of conversing with her.

He looked around, ashamed at how much attention had been brought to the both of them because of his intoxicated behavior. He wanted to crawl in a hole. He was more angry than he'd ever been at himself. Everything he could've done wrong, had been set in stone.

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