Zulema [h.s.] COMPLETED

Chapter 27

Almost a whole week had passed since that day in the library. Somehow the two had let it get this far without talking. Zulema was tired of trying to get him to forgive her so soon. Maybe he needed more time. She hadn't called him in two days, making him wonder if she'd stopped caring about him already. Maybe it was for the best.

Harry sat again at the lunch table with his friends. This time, he tried his best not to make it obvious that he was hating every second he thought of her. After seeing her in it twice, Harry decided to give her the library. She didn't have anyone else to sit with in the lunchroom so that was where she went.

But, today was different. Zulema was in the lunchroom today. She was sitting at a small table in the back, eating by her lonesome. She turned on her phone every little while, but only to check the time.

Harry would watch as she picked up her fork every so often, fingers trembling like her fork were to fall. But what really surprised him was when he saw someone sit across from her. It was Benny. He smiled at her as he sat and Zulema smiled back.

Harry wondered what they were talking about. Who knew what Benny would even say. Benny was usually closer to Harry than Antoine ever was. So when he noticed the couple stop talking he had to intervene, ask what really happened.

And so Harry told him. After days of contemplating, he decided to tell him. Benny was the only one he knew who wouldn't go around gossiping about what had happened. Mori didn't even gossip about what happened and that really surprised him.

Harry watched them talk for a few more minutes, remembering what it was like to talk to her. She always had something to talk about. She wasn't like every other person that simply went on their phone when things got awkward. She liked to engage in conversation with him. He missed it.

When Harry looked up, he saw Benny who seemed to be bidding her goodbye as he got up. Zulema smiled again and waved at him. As he walked toward the table, Zulema went back to her reading.

"What was that?" Harry asked coldly as soon as Benny sat down across from him.

"You can't ignore her for this long," Benny muttered with no shame. Harry looked up at his friend.

"I told you what happened and that's it. I didn't tell you to try to solve everything," Harry said flatly, not trying to draw attention as they spoke quietly. It wasn't like anyone was paying attention anyway. Everyone was crowded by Alisha as she told them about her first time doing it with Lisa. They were very open about everything.

"I didn't think it would be like this. I thought maybe you just didn't like her anymore and was using her," Benny explained.

"I don't care what you thought, stop prying," he clenched his jaw and drank from his can of soda.

"You aren't even considering everything, you know that? Have you even considered why she did what she did? You didn't right-"

"Stop, already," Harry looked up at him, trying to speak calmly, but it seemed like Harry was talking to himself.

He knew Benny. Benny was annoying and liked to talk a lot. He couldn't leave a subject alone until it was resolved, especially one like this one.

But, truth was, Harry didn't consider why she did what she did and that was Benny's point. He wanted to but he couldn't. Because if he did, then he'd realize how stupid he was really acting. He wasn't ready yet to come to terms with everything.

"I'm just trying to be on both sides here," Benny shrugged.

"Why, you barely met her," Harry scoffed quietly as they spoke in a discrete tone.