Searchin' | Shuri

Part Twenty Three

"You can't just leave and not say anything!"

"Mom it's seriously not even that serious. I was with Neicey." I sighed, throwing myself onto the couch.

"Hazel, you left for several days! and didn't tell anyone! It is that serious." She yelled, beginning to pace back and forth.

"Mom, everything was just becoming too much for me."

"And you didn't even think to tell me?"

I laughed to myself thinking about how dramatic this felt.

"Oh, it's funny?" She asked rhetorically.

The sound of the front door opening and closing made me refocus my attention.

I sighed at the sight of Riri and Shuri walking into the living room.

"You called them?"

"They called me! To tell me that you were "missing"" She said, throwing air quotes around the word missing. "I don't know what it is that you guys have going on and I don't really care why it's going on, but figure it out. Now. Since it's obviously making Hazel feel like she needs to run away." She demanded before storming out of the room.

Riri looked over at Shuri, who nodded before exiting the room and going out of the back door.

She slowly walked over, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch while we sat awkwardly in silence.

"Talk!" My mom yelled from the other room, making us both let out a small laugh.

"What's going on?" She asked, turning to face me.

"These past few months have just been a lot. With the whole Andre thing, then the Bria thing, then me trying to figure out how I feel about Shuri, then finding out you've been lying to me about you and her. I was trying to convince myself that I was okay, but everything just felt so heavy."

"I know I've said it like a thousand times, but I'm sorry for being such a terrible best friend and I'm sorry that you felt like you had to leave to feel relief."

"It's fine. I'm tired of being angry, it requires too much energy. I just want things to go back to normal and just put everything behind us."

A small smile spread across her face.

"There's nothing I would want more." She pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. "I love you."

"I love you more."

I felt a sense of calmness take over after patching things up with Riri. I didn't notice how much our situation was taking control of me mentally until it was finally over.

Whatever her and Shuri had going on is in the past. As long as she doesn't lie to me anymore, we should be fine..

"I should probably talk to Shuri.." I sighed, earning a nod from her.

"I'll leave you to it." She smiled, getting up and walking out of the room.

I walked into the backyard taking a seat in the chair beside Shuri.

"Hi"

"Hi" She responded, looking up at me. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Thanks" I mumbled.

We sat in silence as I tried to figure out what I even wanted to say to her.

"Hey.." We both said at the same time, breaking the silence.

"You go first." I chuckled.

She hesitated, taking a deep breath. "You leaving made me realize that I had no control over the one thing that I was most afraid of. Falling for you. I know there's a risk in giving someone your heart, but I'm okay with taking that risk if it's with you. I want to be with you Hazel. I want to be more than just friends."

My heart fluttered as she stared into my eyes. A part of me had been waiting so long to hear those words from her, but the other part of me knew it probably wasn't what I needed right now.

I sighed deeply, knowing what I was about to say was going to hurt me just as much as it would her.

"Shuri, as much as that means to me.. I think we're just better as friends." The smile on her face fell when she heard those words. "For some reason we just can't seem to get it right. I just don't think we're meant to be more."

She sat in silence for a moment, taking in what I had just told her.

"I understand" She finally said with a small smile.

"Okay.."

"But I just want you to understand, I'm not giving up on us that easily."