FINE LINE - Zion Kuwonu

xxviii

//ZION\\

The days have been getting longer and the LA heat has been letting it be known summer is well and truly here. The boys somehow convinced Teddy to throw a party at her house, since it's nicer, their words not mine. I'm watching her laugh with Brandon and Maggie across the lawn and shit, yeah life is good right now. "Hey stranger" when i snap to the side at the voice I'm greeted by Sammi. I nod, "alright? Long time" she nods, surveying the party. "Yeah that's kind of on you" her tone is underlined with something but I don't care to ask. "Yeah..been busy" is all the response I lazily offer, finishing off what's in my cup before i gesture in the direction of the backdoor. "Look, I'm going to grab another one. Nice seeing you, enjoy the party' my words are as polite as can be as I turn away, that is until I feel her fucking claws dig into my arm. "Zion I wasn't finished." Her voice is whiny in protest. "What do you want Sammi?' The eye-roll is automatic, my patience running thin. "Why did you cut me off like that? I thought we..." her anger is interrupted in perfect timing as I feel a pair of arms around my shoulder. "Yo Z, your girl thinks you two can beat B and I in beer pong so you're on bro" Nick shouts in my ear. I laugh and nod, accepting his challenge. The hand previously wrapped around my wrist eases in its hold as the girl steps back, we make eye contact and nod in what I interpret as mutual understanding. I don't think much else of it, heading to the door where a certain brunette is waiting on me, two cups in her hands. She hands one over "saw you needed a refill" Teddy offers, I'm about to explain myself before she grabs my free hand. Her smile is relaxed and gentle when I look down at her face. "I trust you" it's a simple sentence, three words which settle my heart calmly in its place. We make our way inside at that, Nick and Brandon shouting in playful teasing from where they're waiting by the table. "Let smoke their asses" I whisper in T's ear, playfully biting at her neck as we head over.

The night carries on in similar tempo, up until I'm cornered in the kitchen while pouring myself another drink. "Yoooo Z, where you been?" both Jacks exclaim. I shrug "around." "He means on a leash," one of them mutters, they both snicker as my eyes narrow in annoyance. "The fuck is that suppose to mean?" they're pissing me off at this point, how did half these people even get in T's house in the first place. The blond of the pair puts his hands up in mock defence. "We're just saying..you haven't been your usual life of the party self lately" "hey, let's not blame the guy. He's locked down now, it's a different lifestyle" they continue to mock between each other as if I'm not standing right there. "Fuck outta here, you have no idea what you're talking about" my words sound defensive even to my own ears. "Prove it then" "Oh it's on" I might just regret this.

At some point, I lose sight of both the losers, busy shooting down drinks as if water in a crowd of familiar strangers. It's where Ed finds me, surrounded by equally drank partygoers as I lose count of the number of drinks consumed alongside my blurring vision. His bright hair and face is hazy when he's close enough to be heard, "Zion what the hell are you doing man". The comment is brushed off and I push past his and others, heading further into the house and onto the makeshift dancefloor. A pair of smaller hands grab me on the way and soon enough we're both dancing in between other sweaty bodies, their back pressed against me. My fun is rudely interrupted, I realise it's my same friend again, dragging me forcefully outside. "What the fuck? I was busy" the words are slurred when they leave my mouth in delay. "I could see that. You should be fucking glad Teddy, you know, your girlfriend didn't." Edwin exclaims, emphasising his anger. Fuck. I pause, my anger instantly fading. "How do you think she would feel seeing you all up on an ex fling like that man" he continues in his rant and I finally nod along, processing the words and my fucked up actions. We head back inside where my bandmate forces multiple cups of water down my throat before I've had enough and let him know my plans to find my girl. He nods, "I'll help you". We make our way back into the living room area of downstairs but she's nowhere to be seen. "C'mon let's check the backyard" Ed leads the way until I bump into his back by the patio door. "what the hell man" I mumble in protest. "Shit" at his words I finally look up to see fucking Sammi of all people talking to Teddy near the pool, my girl is nodding slowly, her hand evidently clutching the paper cup in her hand to ground herself. Shit alright. My feet move on their own accord in their direction, a certain dread building up inside me at the sight of those two so close and seemingly familiar with each other. "Hey peaches, I've been searching all over for you" my arms wrap around T from behind, my focus solely on her as the conversation pauses momentarily. "I was just telling your friend here about our road trip plans" She raises her head to look back at me, something unsettling in her eyes. Her words continue before I can question it, "and a few other things..you know, like transparency, just girly things" her words are light despite their underlined meaning. I can only nod dumbfounded. "I'm just going to grab us both a water real quick" Teddy continues on before she kisses my cheek and is on her way. My eyes trail after her in their usual need to until she's fully out of sight. "She's...something." Sammi's words interrupt my unabashed staring. "Yeah.." I trail off, shuffling awkwardly. "I'll suck it up and say it, she's nice. Probably too good for you, don't fuck it up Zion. Lord knows you always tend to" she rolls her eyes, gifts me with a small smile and leaves, nodding at my girlfriend as they pass by each other. "I'm so confused about what just happened" I declare, suddenly entirely all too sober, grabbing the water bottle from Teddy's outreaching hands. "I...was just honest with her and I guess she respected that" she shakes her head dismissively before expanding at that at the curious look I give her. "I just told her how I feel about you, how we feel about each other. The shortened impersonal version, of course," she laughs under her breath. I stare at her, trying to figure out this display of emotions. It's not just jealousy, nor is it possessiveness. I finally shrugged it off, whatever. It makes me love her more all the same.