Office Hours

44 | the s i l v e r l i n i n g

| Z O Y A |

     SHE STOOD ROOTED until Caden's six-foot figure disappeared into the darkness.

She knew she should've chased and begged him to believe she had a good reason for not coming clean. . . but she didn't.

For this was Caden.

Caden who was the most independent person she knew despite his young age. . .

Caden who'd be ashamed of her if he knew she was fucking her teacher for a grade. . .

Zoya swallowed her tears, pretending more didn't replace them. She didn't know if it was better for him to hate her because he thought she'd been cheating, or if it was better to come clean and live with him being permanently disappointed in her.

Wiping away more tears, she called an Uber then went to Malique's apartment. She saw Gio entering his room that was a few doors down from Malique's, but she didn't greet him. She wasn't in the mood for small talk.

She opened the door, found Malique in the bedroom and laid beside him.

"Wa do you?" Malique asked.

Zoya sighed. "You know."

"The post?" he asked and she nodded. "Who is it?"

"I can't tell you," Zoya answered. "I don't want to talk about that. I think Caden broke up with me."

Malique's jaw clenched.

"I know that look. No badda get cross on him. It's my fault. All of this is my fault."

"You know my biggest secret and though I didn't plan on telling you, I really don't trust anyone else with it," Malique said. "We've always got each other's back, so tell me what happened."

Zoya sighed, knowing it was true. "Promise you won't judge me?"

"I promise," Malique said with a small grin. "It can't be worse than my girl giving me chlamydia, right?"

"Your girl," Zoya repeated, smiling.

Malique frowned. "I miss her but. . . we need space right now. Anyways, this isn't about me."

"Look how me did waa distract yu."

Malique chuckled. "Cya trick me, youth. Talk."

With a deep sigh, she did.

By the time she was done, it felt like a weight lift off her shoulder.

Malique's jaw hit the floor. "Yu life festive nuh rass."

"A festive shithouse but yea."

"Jah jah, mi cousin. I don't even know what to say. I mean, thank God nun didn't happen to you. You really need to be more careful."

Zoya nodded. "I understand that now."

"Stop being afraid to tell people no. Fuck people, they don't care about consequences once it benefits them. If you're scared to say no, call me and I'll gladly send dem under dem madda."