Quarantined with Love and Evidence - (Book One) COMPLETED

Chapter Two

February 2020 - Nautica Teils P.O.V.

Worldwide pandemic is happening. People are going absolute crazy. It is said to stay inside ad social distance, but my friends and I are far from that. My name is Nautica Teils and I'm going to tell you a story about how I was affected by COVID-19. Since everyone is insisting on staying home I did just that. I invited all three of my best friends into my house where we lived together for the months carrying out this disease. I'll start with my guy best friend. His name is Anchor Postel. I know what you're thinking and no it's not a coincidence. Our moms were best friends their entire lives up into the day they died. They conceived around the same time and pick our names to match each other. Anchor has been my best friend since birth. We've never had a falling out. He is my rock. This wasn't much of a change for me and Anchor since he stayed four nights a week at my place anyway. I'll move on to my best girlfriend. Her name is Zuri Forbess. She is the definition of beauty. Long luxurious curls in her hair like no other. She is tall and strong. Everything about her vibe is amazing and well putting. She is bubbly and vibrant in her attitude. I couldn't ask for a better person by my side. Lastly, Zuri's boyfriend who I have come to like (after being jealous for the first few months of course). His name is Arslan Bahri. He is very down to earth guy. He loves Zuri very much. The only thing he ever dreams of putting before Zuri is his Muslim faith. Zuri does not share the same religious beliefs as Arslan but fully supports him as me and Anchor do too. Now you've met the gang and see how lucky anyone is to get into this circle of friends. 

The first week of the Stay at Home executive order from our government. I have to say we have had nothing but fun. Every morning we wake up and cook breakfast together. We watch movies and play card/board games all day. Best friend circles of gossips and laughs consistently. It is never a boring moment around these guys. Eventually we want to change things up a little. So tonight, we decide to play truth or dare. We are all enjoying ourselves. I've dared Zuri to run down the road and back while the cops are patrolling for people going outside. Anchor made Arslan tell the truth about his virginity. It seems all fun and games until Arslan dares Anchor to kiss me. Which isn't the biggest deal ever. Me and Anchor have kissed before, but it was in a more delicate time. As you know our moms passed away. It was about six years ago. Anchor and I were only fifteen years old when they were on the way to pick us up from school and never showed up. Later that night we found out they had been in a hit and run car accident and the paramedics tried to relieve both but failed in the attempts. Anchor and I went through a lot of grief together. Spent weeks with each other not leaving one another's side. We made a pack during that time that it would always be us against anyone and that we would never leave each other. We found our emotions high during this time and we would kiss occasionally as we grieved. The closeness we had lasted for about a year. We never spoke about the relationship that could have been present because we both knew deep down that it was only the grieving of our mothers that was doing the excessive affection. Soon after we stopped kissing but remained best friends. It seemed like once we hit 17, we just never spoke about the affection incidents again. So, it's been years since Anchor, and I have kissed. I also worry that it will bring up memories of our deepest darkest place. I am nervous and hoping that Anchor is feeling okay after this dare. "I dare you to kiss Nautica!" Arslan says. My mind is still racing with all the things that this kiss could bring up when Anchor laughs and says, "It's not a dare when you've done it a thousand times before". He leans right over and peck kisses me on the lips. I'm somewhat in shock that it didn't even phase him at all. Like I was freaking out and worried about him and he just seemed like it was nothing. I told them I think I'm ready for bed now. Zuri is now death staring Arslan. I head upstairs for my room. I'm going to close the curtains in the window and see and U-Haul next door. The next-door house has been emptied for months now. I admit that I am nosey. So, I catch myself watching the movers moving furniture inside the house. I can't help but wonder how someone was able to move in the middle of this COVID-19 situation. Finally, a young guy gets out of the U-Haul and is paying the movers. He looks directly up at my window and we a solid minute of direct eye contact. No breaking. He looks similar to a teenage Anthony DiNozzo on NCIS. I can't say that I didn't find myself a little mesmerized by him. He smiles at me and then goes inside his new home. I find myself curious about him. I go to bed still with him on my mind. 

Anchor P.O.V.

This quarantine has been the best thing that has happened to me. The thought that I can live with Nautica every day of the week instead of just a few is amazing. She is my best friend and I am happiest when she is near. This week has been great. I've enjoyed the morning breakfasts with my group of friends. Honestly all was well until Arslan wanted to dare me to kiss Nautica. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against kissing her. She is a great kisser, but Nautica brings up memories of my mom. I have a lot of guilt about the way I leaned on Nautica when our parents died. I used her for my comfort. I would ignore that she was grieving as well. Sometimes I would have to remember that she lost both parents in one night. While I didn't have a dad to lose, I still only lost my mom that night compared to Nautica. I took advantage of her strength for almost a year. I was weak and I led her on. I made her believe I wanted more than friends. When I think about things in the past it reminds me of what a great person Nautica is. Quite frankly if I spent a year leading someone on and then they just stopped doing it and never mentioned it again I would never speak to them again. But not Nautica. She accepted my decision and didn't request an explanation. I guess you can understand why kissing her now on this dare could mess things up for me, but I don't want to be a punk. So, I laugh it off and tell Arslan "It's not a dare when you've done it a thousand times before". I lean in a kiss Nautica and it was peaceful just like the last time we kissed. She fills the void in my soul, but not in the way everyone always thinks. I sincerely enjoyed the kiss and would have liked it to be longer, but I can't help but think about how broken I was when my mom died afterwards.