Page 49 of Forever Cursed

I walk away and start to put my stuff on the conveyor belt.

Raina looks over her shoulder and mouths“Damn, girl!”—amazed that Malik has shut his mouth.

I’m quick to defend my friends, and I try to do the same for myself, but I’m not perfect. It takes a lot to get under my skin. Malik is gross, and I don’t trust his intentions. I’m glad Raina seems to have him under control. But if he does anything to upset her, I’ll be sure he pays for it twofold.

I’m proud that I did that for myself. I don’t aim to insult people on purpose, but Malik needed to be put in his place. Hopefully by the time Raina is done with him, he’ll be more self-aware and not a menace.

I smile to myself when I get home. I don’t care that I’m sweaty and sore from carrying four bags filled with things I don’t need. These things will make me happy, and today is allabout happiness. Spilling the items onto my bed, I grab my new pajamas and face mask. I haven’t checked my phone in two hours, and honestly, it’s freeing.

My feet lead me to the bathroom, where I remove my sweaty clothes, change into my new set of comfy clothes, and rinse my face. I apply the facemask and dance to the music in my head. Once I’ve coated on my face, I head back into my bedroom and plop on my bed. The jostle disturbs my phone, and it catches my attention. My heart skips a beat when I see his name, and when I read the message, any attempt at relaxation flies out the window.

Hey, bubbles, can you meet me at the football field tomorrow around 4:00 p.m.? There’s something I want to show you.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Rome

Do I want to do this? No. Do I want to continue trying to avoid my feelings for Chrissy in an attempt to protect my best friend’s feelings? Also no. It’s a double-edged sword. But it’s time I start considering my wants and what will make me happy. Fear can’t keep holding me back. I won’t allow it.

The way she looks at me sets my racing mind at ease. She wraps my heart in a warm blanket, melting the ice away. She laughs with me, not at me. She cares about me, and she enjoys being around me. She doesn’t care that I’m a football player, a good one at that. She couldn’t give two shits about it. I know she won’t care if I ditch my dream of playing for the Philadelphia Eagles and become a history teacher. She would jump for joy and erase all my worries.

Ash was right, per usual. Zack is an adult, and it’s time I start treating him as such. I pull out my phone and type out the message before second-guessing myself.

Hey man, what are you up to today?

My phone vibrates within seconds after hitting the send button. It surprises me because sometimes this guy can be a painto get a hold of. He must be holding it in his hand for some reason.

About to head over to Ash’s. Gwen promised to make me pizza if I stopped bothering Chrissy.

What kind of pizza?

No, wait, shit. That’s not the point.Focus, Rome!

Scratch that. Can I stop by for a few minutes? I have something to talk to you about.

Am I in trouble?

No, but I might be.

No, lol. It’s just not something I want to talk about over the phone. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.

Sounds good. I’ll ask Gwen to make enough for you too!

His last message makes me smile. It’s nice to have friends who think of you. Even small gestures, like having enough food, go a long way.

I don’t turn on any music during the drive. I’m trying to figure out the best way to approach this conversation. Numerous scenarios play in my head, but only a handful end in a way I’m happy with.

The majority of the scenarios don’t end well. I either lose Zack as my friend, or I lose the girl who is slowly capturing my heart. Neither instance is something I want. I hope Zackconsiders that I could have gone behind his back. I could have dated his sister without his knowledge, not caring about how he would feel about it. Chrissy and I didn’t do that, though, because we care about him.

I’ll keep it simple, not sugarcoat anything. I’ll be upfront and honest. I’ll explain that my feelings are genuine and that I won’t do anything to hurt Chrissy. He knows the kind of person I am, so he should trust that my intentions are genuine.

Without thinking, I turn the car’s engine off and play with my keys. I barely remember driving here... and that’s scary for two different reasons. Not only did I drive here without a coherent thought of my surroundings, but I’m now one step closer to confronting the sole reason why I’ve been an anxious mess.

With a shaky release of air, I get out of the car and head toward the front door. I don’t even get a second to prepare myself because the moment I approach, Zack opens the door and greets me with an innocent smile.

“What’s up, man?” He steps to the side so I can walk in.

The aroma of fresh dough fills the air. Gwen must be trying really hard to maintain Zack’s interest if she’s making pizza from scratch. It reminds me of Mom, and I’m thrown back to my childhood against my will. We used to paint the kitchen with flour, not caring about the mess we would have to clean afterward. I miss those moments until the heartache sets in.

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