"Stop overreacting." I scoff as Zach walks out the door. I look around at everyone trying to figure out if he's being serious or not. All of us stand frozen, waiting for someone to say anything.
But, Zach is the first to break the silence. He yells from outside, "Are you coming Ira?" I sprint out to see him nod to his car, "Get in."
"Z, it's not that serious." I say, standing in front of the car. "You don't need to defend me, I'm fine. I already broke up with him."
He cannot be serious right now.
"I never asked if you were fine or not. Get in the car, Kira Jade. I'm not negating." He nods again, getting in the driver's seat.
"Zach-" I stand my ground, trying to convince him to hopefully just stay here.
"It wasn't a question." He replies, leaning over the console to open my door. I groan, getting in and shutting the door behind me.
"Do you even know where it is?" I ask, looking at him while he reverses out of their driveway. He stays silent, driving out onto the road. "HELLOOO??" I wave at him, trying to get his attention.
"Beautiful, yes, I know where he lives. I've had to take you and pick you up from his house multiple times. I didn't just forget." He says softly.
"Why do you feel the need to do this? We can just go to the house and talk instead of you decking him in the face." I ask.
He states calmly, "Not only is it something I've wanted to do since he's opened his mouth around me but also what shitty ass person decided to cheat on their girlfriend with their best friend?"
"For seven months too." I mumble, clicking the toes of my shoes together.
He pulls up to a red light and looks at me, "What did you just say?"
"Nothing." I say, looking out onto the road.
"Ira, just tell me."
My head drops, "7 and a half months. That's how long they've been seeing each other. I don't even know if seeing is the right word, but they've been having sex for 7 and a half months."
"Haven't you both only been dating 8? That means that..." He says, starting to drive again.
"Yeah." I say, disheartened. My eyes start to burn, and my vision goes blurry from tears. I dab underneath them lightly trying my best to avoid crying in front of him.
"So, you didn't want me to punch your dickwad ex boyfriend in the face after he cheated ON YOU for almost your entire relationship?" He says, grabbing my hand. I smile gently as I place as interlace our fingers. It's honestly just muscle memory at this point, for our hands to be one.
"Yeah, it hurts. But you can't help who you love, even if it is my best friend." I reply, tracing his fingers.
"But you can help who you love when it comes to me, huh?" He says, rubbing his thumb against my palm. "I know Nate is the reason you stopped talking to me. Em called me a few nights ago and said that I should know."
"It wasn't her place to say anything. It's none of her business anyway." I breathe out.
"You were just going to let me find out or just never know?" His voice picks up as pulling into a parking space.
I close my eyes in frustration, "Do we really-"
"We're here." He lets go of my hand, walking into the building.
I trail behind him as I feel his anger rise the closer we get to Nate. As we step into the elevator, he looks at me. "Floor?"
"We can go home. I already yelled at him and it's not that serious and-" I explain.
"What floor is he on?" He says suddenly, cutting me off.
"He's on 4." I squeaked as he pressed the button. We stand in silence, much like I did earlier this very morning. I lean against the back of the elevator. He stays in front of me, staring at the metal doors. "Zach, I really don't want to see him again."
"We won't be there for long. It's not like I'm going to fight him." Zach says over his shoulder, tense.
I raise my eyebrows. "Don't you hate elevators?"
"Yeah, I do." He says, not even looking at me.
I stand confounded, "Wait, then why are you-"
"Oh my god, Beautiful, stop with the questions." He says, annoyed.
"Now you know how I felt on that train ride." I joke, trying to play off the pit in my stomach that is returning. The door opens, and we walk out.
I guide him right outside of Nate's door, standing hesitantly behind him. He knocks on the door, rage filling his face as he balls his fists.
Nate opens the door, looking down. Isa is sitting behind him on the couch, "We aren't interested in whatever you're selling." He says until he looks up to see Zach standing at his front door.
"Good." Zach says. He takes one solid punch to Nate's face, knocking him straight down. Nate looks up at Zach, his hand holding where the impact was. He goes to stand up, but before he can, Zach stops him, "I wouldn't get up if I were you. I mean, unless you want me to rock your shit again." Nate wipes his lip, blood on his thumb. He looks at his finger, shocked at what just happened.
Zach's punch must have really knocked him.
"Both of you," Zach says. He points to Isa, who is gaped on the couch and Nate on the floor. "stay away from her. Not a text, a call or even an email. If you need to talk to her, you both go through me. Or so help me god, I will hit your little boyfriend even harder next time." He says, grabbing my hand and walking to the elevator.
"I knew I had a reason to hate him." Nate spits out as we are a few feet shy from the door. "He's always been jealous of me."
Zach turns around, letting go of my hand. He throws another punch at the now standing Nate, and this one gets a groan out of him. It knocks him down again, but this time he stays lying on the floor, trying to catch his breath; Zach squats down, looking over Nate, "Yeah, I was jealous of you. But, you didn't have one good reason to have a girl like her. She loved you so unconditionally that she would never see me that way when she's with you. I guess we can't say the same for you. You're an idiot for cheating on a girl like that, but especially that one." He points to me but then looks up at Isa, "You're even worse."
He stands up and walks over to me. He wraps his arm around my waist, grabbing my belt loop, and leads me to the elevator. "You didn't need to do that." I say, looking at him.
"I'm doing what friends do, right?" He replies with a smile. "His face really hurt my hand though, hard ass jaw," He winces, shaking his hand.
"Are you angry at me?" I ask with the intent of trying to take his mind off the pain, but I also desperately want to know.
"Would you ever drop me for a boyfriend again?" He asks, tugging at my ponytail.
"Probably not." I shrug, resting into his side.
He puts his chin on the top of my head, "Then no. I'm not, at least for now."
"You think they are waiting for us at the house? We kind of just left." I say, just enjoying the closeness between us.
"Yeah, I think so. Text Daniel and tell him we aren't coming." He says, pushing the loose strands behind my ear. "He's the only one that probably will respond right now."
I grab my phone out of my pocket, starting to type. Before I send the text, I look up at Zach, "Wait why are we not going over?"
"You're coming home with me."
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word count: 1384
i literally love the title <3; sorry for all the short chapter, i'm trying my best y'all
don't forget to like, comment and follow!
much love,
~ nish