Against the Odds (Book 2)

♥ Chapter VIII ♥

♥Karissa♥

I wasn't being sarcastic. We both knew it and he took the bait anyway.

An hour later, the doorbell sounded throughout the house, making me hyperaware that while my mind had been nowhere else but on Zahair, somehow I forgot to tell Jada he was coming over. Better yet, ask her if he could come over since it's her house...

"So," I started, walking over to Jada as I dragged out the word, "I kind of called someone in... y'know, to take over for me for a little bit."

Jada had started packing her things today for shipping to make sure they got to their destination in time for her to move into her dorm at Oxford. She hadn't even planned that yet, just called me this morning and sprung the news on me.

I'm talking bookshelves—yes, plural—, books, clothes, shoes, etc. It was a lot and there were countless boxes and storage things all over the place.

Anyone would think she'd wait until she went to England to get some of the easier things but no. Not my Jada.

We were in the kitchen taking a break and she had an ice pack pressed to her damp forehead, eyeing me. "If you tell me it's Justus, I'm kicking you and him out on your asses."

Rolling my eyes at her dramatics, I said, "We both know you miss him." We hadn't seen the three musketeers since we came back. It's only been two weeks, but still. I kind of missed them. I was so used to seeing them and their antics every day, it was weird they weren't around as much anymore.

I had to get us together before the end of the week.

"But no," I continued, "It's not him. It's umm..." I trailed off, shrugging. "Well, he wasn't doing anything exactly, at the moment, so he offered to help for a few hours-"

I was well aware I was babbling but I couldn't stop myself. My fingers twirled the tip of my loose ponytail. Since Jada wasn't saying anything—able and willing to watch me dig my grave, lay in it, and bury myself—I kept going.

When I'd heard the swing door to the kitchen make that familiar heavy sound when in use, I didn't turn around. When I heard Nik and Roland, Jada's brothers, talking I hadn't turned around either. It's when I heard Zahair's voice that my body did a swift one-eighty—even my braid ended up smacking my cheek in the haste.

My eyes were solely on him at first until I realized he was talking animatedly to Roland. As if they knew each other.

"Ohh," Jada said behind me, dragging out the words as she finally understood. "Gotcha. You could've just said that."

All I could do was blink when Zahair looked up, saw me, and smiled.

"Red," he greeted as he came to a stop right in front of me. He was so close, his cologne was almost overwhelming—not in a bad way, though. It made me have to hold back from burying my face in his chest and inhale until my lungs burned.

I was stuttering out my words when I spoke. "H-Hi, what are you-" then I had to stop because I remembered I told him to come. Or challenged. Same thing.

He visibly held back a smile. "Were you about to ask me what I was doing here? Cause I got screenshots."

I laughed, feeling myself blush because he was too close to me smelling good and looking fresh while I was the opposite. "Yeah, I was just-" I raised my hands, wanting to touch him, or step away but not really knowing which one to do. "You guys know each other?" I asked.

Zahair, who'd noticed my indecisiveness took my hands gently and subtly pulled me closer. I went. Despite the sweat and my hair all over the place... I melted into him willingly.