𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐤; 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐚

chapter eight

AMARA ROSE
chapter eight

Six in the morning is when I woke up this morning. I had taken a hot shower, brushed my teeth, gotten dressed into one of Edwin's hoodies I had stolen, then headed down the stairs.

Nick is seated at the island. His hair is sticking out every which way. A cup of steaming black coffee is in his hand.

Nick is the second friend I had made in my freshman year of college, Caleb, or Zion, being the first. He had looked a lot less chiseled as he did back then, his jawline less prominent and body less built. He hadn't grown much height wise.

He was the first one to invite me to my first party my sophomore year. Of course, I was going to turn it down before Zion forced me into attending.

Thus being where I met not only Edwin but Brandon as well. All it took was a good fourty-five minutes of his smooth talking and two tequila shots for us to move things upstairs. That night's chaos was enough for me to put my foot down on parties.

"Good morning." I say, giving the boy a small smile as I pass by him. I ruffle up his hair a bit as I do so.

He hums in response as he lifts the lip of the coffee mug up to his mouth, downing the remnants of the highly caffeinated beverage into his mouth.

"You're going to get all fidgety now." I retort as I pull open the fridge.

"Don't care."

I smile to myself. He hates the mornings. I knew this. Everyone knows this. But I don't care.

"What'd you get Zion? You know for his birthday?" He speaks up.

After all my store visits for decorations, all the days I have spent counting down until this moment, and all the food prep I've done - I haven't once thought of picking up a damn birthday gift for Zion's stupid ass.

Ω

I know everything Zion likes. His music taste was no mystery to me. His favorite clothing brands were all imprinted in the back of my mind. His taste in woman- well, that too.

There are often times where I find myself full on checking out girls in public. It isn't because I wanted them for myself, but I knew if Zion were standing right next to me, he'd be making comments left and right. Comments ranging from how her baby hairs had been laid flawlessy or that the way her dress was clinging to her figure was moments away from giving him a raging boner.

The thing about the boy is that he never could muster up enough courage to you know, actually follow through and make any form of interaction with any of them. I can't discredit him that much though. He did wave at one once. She didn't wave back.

I was mindlessly sorting through a clothing rack when my eyes shift and they land on a girl. If I nearly got a boner myself just looking at her, I couldn't imagine how Zion would react.

An insane idea passes through my mind as I look between the hoodie I had my eyes on and the girl.

Ω

I sit on the porch, a beer bottle in hand. Everyone is running around in the sand, the world lit up by the blazing fire in the firepit, and the several twinkling stars overhead were some sight.

Nick and Edwin are both busy taking part in a smores eating contest. Austin had happily volunteered to be the score keeper, tallying up each boy's share of smores eaten.

Caleb is far from being interested in anything other than the girl seated across from him. I had found out her name was Coraline on the drive home from the mall. How exactly I managed to get her to agree to this was a surprise to me as much as it was to Caleb himself.

Neither I, her, or Zion, especially Zion seemed to be complaining however.

"Want to make a bet that they will end up together by the final term?"

"Haven't you learned your lesson about placing bets?"

I look back at him. He has a beer of his own, only a quarter of his is remaining. He sets it aside and digs through his back pocket. He pulls out a twenty and hands it to me.

"Happy?" He asks as he sits down next to me.

"No. Now I feel kinda like a prostitute."

He laughs. "It was only a kiss."

"I showed you my boobs too."

"Oh right, how could I forget about that?" He smiles. "Well that just means it's money well earned."

I smile. He smiles too. He then wraps his arm around me, pulling me into him. The simple act alone is enough to make my insides feel hollow and as if the lining of my stomach is made entirely of jello.

"So I'm assuming you liked the show?"

"If anyone asks then no but between you and I, my knees get weak at the sight of you or just by the sound of your voice. Whether you are topless or not."

I shake my head, smiling just a little too hard.

He points at me. "See right there! That smile, that cute ass smile! That's enough to send a man into a state of shock."

My smile only grows wider but then it falls as we, for a few moments, sit in an eerie silence, just staring at one another.

Though, it isn't long before the two of us were leaning forward, closing the space between us. It felt like the only right thing to do in the moment, with the oranges and reds of the fire casting onto his skin and the stars above making his eyes glisten. The feelings. I got from it was indescribable and was enough to make his white linen shirt get balled up in my fist as I unintentionally clenched it closed.