Love Between Us

Chapter 20

"How could I have told her I was here when she wasn't talking to either of us?" I narrow my eyes at Brianna.

"Fair point. Maybe she just came to see me."

"Hello? Are you going to let me in or not?" Raven yells from the other side of the door. "I know you saw me, Brianna."

Brianna looks at me with conflicted eyes.

"Brianna, just open the door." I say, but she doesn't respond right away. So I take it upon myself to push past her frozen hand on the doorknob when she doesn't move and unlock the door myself. Brianna steps out of the way so that the door can open wide. The three of us stand still and we look at each other awkwardly.

"Hey." Raven breaks the silence.

"Hey." Brianna and I say in unison.

"Austin told me you were probably here, Zuri." Raven says.

"That's not surprising." I should have predicted that. I did text my brother that I was here and didn't know when I would be coming back home.

"I figured it would be best to talk to you while you were together."

"Come in." Brianna steps aside and I do the same so that Raven can enter the house.

As Brianna leads Raven to the kitchen, I close and lock the door before following behind them. As we enter the kitchen, I sit down at the island and sip on my juice. Raven sits down beside me and Brianna heads over to the stove to continue cooking.

"Do you want a grilled cheese?" Brianna asks her.

"No thanks. I ate before I came here."

"Okay. So what brings you here?" Brianna breaks the silence that has fallen between us. As she is grilling the first sandwich, she turns to look at us.

"Isn't it obvious?" Raven's eyes flash between the both of us.

"I mean there could be different reasons why you are here. Didn't want to be so quick to assume."

"We all know we haven't been speaking."

"Zuri and I have been speaking. You just decided not to talk to us."

"I know." Raven looks down. "I was just going through some things and I needed space."

"Needing space doesn't mean you treat your best friends that way, Raven."

"I know and that's why I came to apologize."

"Well...I do appreciate you coming by." Brianna places the cooked sandwich onto a plate and turns around to smile at Raven.

"I took my anger out on you both and it was wrong."

"Well I forgive you," Brianna brings the plate over and places it in front of me. "We all have our days."

"Thank you, Bri," Raven smiles at her before turning to look at me. "How about you, Zuri? You've been quiet this whole time."

I look away from my plate and at Raven who was watching me with cautious eyes.

"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive." I say. Her eyes grow sad and Brianna looks shocked by my words.

"But I—"

"Raven, I'm not really mad at you." I explain. "I was confused and maybe in that moment I may have been irritated but I gave you your space. Of course if you would've acted the same way tomorrow I may have gotten angry, but I'm not mad."