After a year and a half of trying to move on from the what-ifs, the tides have pulled Alexandra Rivera and Zachariah Kim back together again.
*****
In the h...
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"It's honestly just rude that you're showing me this right now when you know damn well I have no food in my house."
He flips the phone around and gives me a blank stare. "You just asked me to show you my food."
"You should know better than to give in!" I accuse. "As a friend, it's your duty to know when to tell me no for my own sake."
"You're ridiculous."
He lowers the flame and moves through his apartment, back into the living room where he first was when I called. On his way over, I manage to catch a glimpse of rain pouring outside.
"If this heat doesn't let up soon, I might say fuck it and come over there." I pout.
"You always say that," he denotes, dropping down onto his sofa. "And then you never do."
A head of red hair flashes by in the background, heading out of the front door. Pablo briefly turns his head and listens for something before imparting his goodbyes to the disappearing figure.
"Is he working late again?"
"No, he joined a book club so he's going over to meet up with them."
I raise a brow. "And you didn't join him?"
"Well, they usually meet in the morning before work. Like, at an absurdly early time." Pablo shivers. "You know me. The only things I like more than books are my cat and sleep."
"That's fair."
Turning to the side, I glance at the clock underneath the TV and a feeling of deja vu washes over me. Except I know what's going to happen. It strangely feels equally comforting and terrifying at the same time, and I have a hard time reconciling it.
"When is he coming again?"
Pablo jolts me out of my thoughts and I force myself to look normal again, though, judging by the amused smile on his face, I've already shown my hand—a blazing red heart flush.
"In an hour."
He nods slowly. "And what was he coming over for again? Remind me."
I know what he's playing at, but I follow along anyway. "Calum is having some friends over and he needs to study for his exam to get his contractor license."
"So, he asked to study at your place?"
I nod, feeling a bit like a bobblehead.
Zachariah texted me sometime before midnight. When I first saw his name on the screen, I almost turned off my phone because of sheer instinct to run away. But when I put on a brave face and read his text, I found myself agreeing to let him come over to shelter in place while his house was being used to host a get-together.
I'd texted Emmie first thing this morning to let her know what happened and she wished me luck. I thanked her profusely for it because I knew I needed as much luck as I could get. She also volunteered to call and save me from the ordeal if I needed to, but I assured her I could survive the night.
