Friendzoned

Call Out My Name

I spent so much time hopping between the Matheson's and James' houses over the last three years that I had become family by default to both. The minute we stepped through the front door of Owen's house, his parents poked their heads out from the kitchen, his mother beaming as she wiped her hands on a dishrag and crossed the room to us.

"Hailey!" she exclaimed, though her eyes shot to her so to my right with a confused look. He must not have mentioned I'd be coming over tonight. "Hi, sweetheart. It's been a while. How are you doing?"

The question may have sounded like Mrs. Matheson trying to make small talk to the average person, but this family had been my backbone after Dad's accident a couple years ago. While Mom was nose deep in casework to distract herself from her grief, I'd been bouncing between Nathan's bed and Owen's mancave down in the basement. Mrs. Matheson had tucked me securely under her wing when I needed her most and as she eyed me down in her doorway, it was apparent her maternal instincts were still kicking into gear anytime I was around.

"I'm okay." I lied, having no desire to try and explain my internal confliction over my mother's choices. "Just tired. Nathan had a game tonight."

Owen laughed quietly, throwing a confused look my way, "You're tired from sitting for three and a half hours?"

He retreated to the kitchen the second I shot him a dark look, shaking his head to himself. Mrs. Matheson waited until he'd set down the few bags he'd carried in to speak to him directly. "Your brother is flying in tomorrow with Lucy. I'm not sure what your arrangements for the night were but be sure to pull out the sofa bed in the basement for me, please."

Owen nodded. "Sure."

"I'll get out of your guys' hair." she said, squeezing my shoulder on her way back to the kitchen. "Pie will be done in twenty minutes if either of you want any."

"Alright, thanks Mom."

Owen threw the door to the basement open, hit the light switch, then stepped aside to allow me to go in before him. I didn't hesitate, feeling all weight and pressure temporary leaving me the more we descended. This place had become my safe haven-somewhere far from all the expectations. Most nights it was the two of us here, but on occasion we'd been joined by a few of Owen's track friends and Missy.

As I crossed the dimly lit space to the beige sofa at the center of the room, opposite a plasma, Owen headed in the opposite direction to a black sofa-bed and started discarding cushions.

"How was the ride home with Nathan?" Owen's quiet inquiry pierced through my train of thought as I scrolled through movies. I tightened my grasp around the remote, refusing to respond right away in fear that the wavering in my voice may give away how deep Nathan's words had cut.

Unfortunately, Owen had taken my silence as something have happened and the minute he flopped down on the couch beside me, he continued to pry. "What'd he do?"

I shrugged a shoulder carelessly, not oblivious to Owen throwing his head back and groaning when I started to flip through chick-flicks. "Nothing. We just kind of got into a little bit of an argument."

"About?"

"He was ignoring calls from his mom." I whispered, finally tearing my eyes from the screen and forcing myself to meet his. "I asked why and he got kind of defensive and snappy. He insinuated I'm too nosy and need to stop riding the two of you on your personal lives."