"I don't wanna get up," Samara groused as she rolled over at the sound of her phone ringing. When it persisted she gave a soft huff. It was December 20th, the beginning of the holiday week. This meant that for the next five days Samara could expect her phone to be ringing off the hook, as her family located in different states, were sure to call. Samara groaned as she felt around the bed for it occasionally tapping the body next to her. When her hand found it, she held it up and peered at it with one eye open. She became more alert when she saw that she had just missed a call from her mom, but even more so when she saw the time. "Shit," she muttered to herself. She rolled over and looked at Zay.
"I missed my morning walk with Zen," she mumbled. "She's gonna kill me. You're a terrible influence."
"I told you to get up, but you didn't listen," he smiled. "Not my fault."
"It's definitely your fault," she chuckled. "You could've tried harder."
"No, you could've tried harder. Don't be blaming me for your lack of timeliness," he laughed.
"Please. If you didn't have me up late last night watching Christmas movies I would've been up on time for our walk."
"Was your alarm set?" Zay asked with a raised brow.
"Uh, yes," Samara said hesitantly.
"Why you lying," Zay laughed. "Hand me your phone," he said reaching for it.
"No. Why?" she said snatching it back from his reach.
"Cuz I wanna check to see if your alarms were on."
"I'm not giving you my phone," Samara smiled as she switched her phone into her other hand. Zay reached over and grabbed it from her before she had the chance to move her arm again. "You play too much Zay," she laughed, "Give me my phone," she said hitting his bare chest. He pretended not to hear her and started scrolling through her apps. Samara quickly got up and sat on top of Zay's lap in another attempt to get her phone back from him, but instead all she was able to grab was his attention. Samara stopped reaching for her phone when Zay stopped scrolling through it.
"What," she questioned. "Why you lookin at me like that?" Zay found himself getting lost in her eyes. With her hands planted on his chest Samara called him, but he didn't respond. He just let his eyes fall slowly down to her lips, the urge to kiss her growing stronger with each passing second. "Zay," Samara smiled down at him, "can I have my phone back?" Zay sat up and placed his hands at her hips.
"Mar, what are we doing?" he asked looking up at her. His eyes expressed desire and mild frustration.
"What do you mean?" Samara asked. His demeanor caught her off guard. Zay gently moved her out of his lap.
"Mar, we've been sleeping in the same bed for the past two months. We flirt with each other all the time. It's obvious that we feel something for each other, but we're too afraid to admit it. What's up Mar? I know you can't deny what's been happening between us for a while now." Samara did not see this coming and it was certainly not how she envisioned telling Zay about her feelings for him. She fiddled with the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing. "Why haven't we just given in? What are we afraid of?" Zay asked.
Samara looked over at him. "You're too good a friend to lose. Won't sex complicate our friendship?"
"Who's talking about sex?" Zay asked with a raised brow. "I'm talking about a relationship." Samara smiled away from him and hid her face in her hands.
Zay smiled and uncovered her face. "Mar, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Easy for you to say. You didn't just embarrass yourself," she laughed.
Zay smiled and slipped his arm around her lower back causing her to slide just a little closer to him. Zay had a look of want in his eyes that made Samara feel a little flush. "What?" she asked quietly.
"Nothing. I just like looking at you." Samara blushed and tried to hide her face. "Samara Valencia Hayes, are you blushing?" Zay grinned.
"No," she smiled as she looked away from him.
"Yes you are," he laughed as he tried to turn her face back to his. "Don't hide yourself from me. You're beautiful."
Samara sat up. "Okay. You're a lot to take in this morning," she said, making any excuse not to look him in the eye. "I don't think I can take too much more." She grabbed her phone from the bed. Zay chuckled and sat up as well. He didn't want to run her away already.
"Are you about to call your mom back?" he asked, switching gears.
"Yeah. How'd you—"
"When you woke up that was the second time she called. I answered the first time."
"You what?" Samara said with wide eyes. "What'd you tell her?"
"That you were still asleep and to call you back within the next hour. We had a nice little conversation too."
"Did she question why you were answering my phone?"
"Yeah. I told her I slept in your bed last night."
"Zay," Samara whined. "You are too honest with my mom. Lie to her sometimes. It's good for her. She'll be ar'ight."
"But that's why she love me though," he laughed. Samara playfully rolled her eyes at him and began to push the covers back.
"Okay. You need to go so I can shower and get dressed. I can't stay in bed with you all day."
"But would that be such a bad thing?" he grinned.
Samara hit him with a pillow. "Get out," she smiled. "Now."
"Dang. You really gon' kick me out?"
"Yes," she smiled.
"Ar'ight. Imma remember that," Zay said getting up.
"Boy, ain't nobody scared of you," Samara laughed.
"Whatever," he smiled as he headed for the door. "Oh. And Mar."
"Hm?" she said from the bed.
"Think about what I said too," he added on his way out. "I meant that."
..
After Samara showered and dressed she made her way downstairs for breakfast. The closer she got to the kitchen the louder Zay and Lovie's laughter became. "Mornin'," she said as she walked past them.
"Good morning," Lovie said, still in mid laugh from something Zay had just told her.
"G'mornin," Zay grinned, checking Samara out from the bottom on up as she breezed past him. Samara joined Zen over by the stove and grabbed herself a mug out of the cabinet.
"And where were you this morning," Zen asked as she poured herself some coffee.
"Sorry Z. I slept in a little late. I didn't mean to miss the morning walk you planned."
"No worries," she said, as she poured coffee into Samara's mug next. "Lovie filled in just fine, but to make it up to me you have to help me decorate tonight."
"I can do that," Samara agreed, as she reached for the cream and then the sugar.
"Ooh. You're decorating," Lovie said perking up. "I'm not doing anything tonight. I could come and pitch in too. Ya know, if you want the extra help."
"Sure! That would be nice. We could turn it into a girls night!" Zen cheesed.
"Oh. A girls night," Samara said unenthused. She could not have been less excited to be forced to share her night with Lovie. She took a quick sip from her mug. "How long is that gonna last?"
"Ooh. And it can be a sleepover," Lovie added. "It'd be just like when I used to stay over. Y'all remember all the fun we used to have?" she grinned.
"That wasn't what I asked," Samara responded.
"Well, since you'll already be here helping Zen decorate I think the time is irrelevant. Don't you?"
"Oh. So you did hear my question?" Samara chided in Lovie's direction. "You just chose to ignore it. Okay cool." Samara turned to Zen. "Zen, do you have anything that you wanna add?"
"I think a sleepover is a great idea," she shrugged. "I can invite a few more girls over."
"The thing is, Mar and I have plans later," Zay said chiming in. "I think she just wants to know if this girls night is gonna interfere with that."
Lovie quickly looked at Zay. "You don't have to come to Samara's defense. It's not that serious, plus this doesn't really concern you," she said matter-of-factly.
"Well, if it changes my plans with my best friend then it does concern me," he rebutted.
"I can assure you that hell will not freeze over if you miss a few hours with Samara." Lovie was starting to sound annoyed.
"What does it matter to you if I—"
"Okay. Oh-kay," Zen said butting in, "Enough! If Sam wants to hang out with Zay that is her choice. It's no biggie. Just save the petty drama for next week. Y'all know Christmas is my favorite holiday," she huffed.
"You're right Zen. I'm sorry. If you..." Samara looked at Zay, "...want me to stay for this sleepover thing I guess I can rearrange my plans."
"See," Lovie said turning to Zay with a hint of glee in her eyes. "Hell didn't freeze over."
...
