Page 24 of This is Me

Finding A Safe Zone

“It’s fucking freezing,” I murmured through clenched teeth just as I felt Blaire’s arms wrap around my waist. “Where are those assholes?”

“I know, it’s getting colder. Spring sucks. Not as bad as winter, though,” Blaire muttered back, doing her best not to chatter her teeth together.

We had been standing outside of Blaire’s house for almost half-an-hour after my family had left, and Andy and Leroy still hadn’t shown up yet.

“I love how you’re focusing on the weather and not the fact that I’m going to be late for my own birthday.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Blaire said with a small laugh. “I’m sure they’ll be here soon.”

Shaking my head, and silently cursing my friends who were supposed to have arrived almost an hour ago, I let Blaire snuggle in closer to me. I guess that’s what happens when you agree to meet people who have been friends since they could walk. They always got caught up hanging out with each other.

Andy and Leroy, from what I had been told, had known each other since they were babies. Their parents were family friends, and they’d been hanging out with each other since they could identify shapes. I had only been brought into the fold at the start of our primary school years when I’d met Andy. Blaire had been welcomed into the group with open arms at the beginning of our high school days. Even though we all considered each other best friends, Andy and Leroy were at the centre of that.

“They’d better be here soon,” I muttered, and I heard Blaire quietly hum beside me.

I didn’t want to be standing out in the cold for too much longer, and considering my birthday party was waiting for me back home, me standing here was not where I should be.

Thankfully, not five seconds after I had said something, I saw Leroy round the corner at the other end of the street. Andy closely followed Leroy, tapping him on the shoulder before suddenly breaking into a sprint down the road toward Blaire and me.

“Sorry we’re late!” He called over the sound of his feet slapping against the pavements, as he quickly looked behind him to see Leroy gaining on him. “Hide-and-seek tag got out of hand. Safe zone!” He added just as he reached us, and Leroy grabbed his shoulder.

“What? You can’t do that!” Leroy complained, looking at Blaire and me for backup, but we both raised our hands to distance ourselves from the game they were playing.

“I just did, Roy. We have to be civil now.”

Andy laughed and gave Leroy a little nudge, causing him to roll his eyes and, yet again, I saw the hint of a smile on his lips, and I mentally slapped myself to stop from smiling like an idiot at the sight.

“I knew I should have sprinted,” he muttered, and Andy widened his eyes slightly.

“You can run faster than that?”

“Yeah. That’s why I trailed for the football team,” Leroy stated with a chuckle.

“His only problem was that he couldn’t play football,” I chimed in and received a playful glare from Leroy. I felt a slight discomfort in my stomach but chose to ignore it. “Are we ready?” I asked and received nods from everyone.

“Let’s get moving. I’m gonna get frostbite if I stay out here any longer.” Blaire pulled away from my side and opened the back door to my car, slipping inside.

“I have so many questions,” Andy mumbled, looking over at Leroy who had his eyebrows raised.

“What?” I questioned, looking from Andy to Leroy.

“First, why not wait in the car? It’s freezing. Two, why didn’t Blaire try to get shotgun—”

“Shotgun!” Leroy yelled, cutting Andy off.

“I’m going to kill you,” Andy threatened, before focusing back on me. “But, what’s more important right now is you and Blaire getting all cosy.”

“What? We’re friends, and we were cold. I’d do the same with either of you,” I defended. However, just the thought of me and Leroy snuggling up in the cold warmed me up enough.

“That brings up the car question again. Why not wait in there?” Andy pressed. “Maybe it was all part of your plan.”

“Andy, there is no plan,” I retorted, my voice turning into a harsh whisper. “Now, get in the car.”

“You’d tell us if anything was going on between you two, wouldn’t you?” Andy asked, starting to move toward the car, his voice as low as mine.

“Of course, I would.”