AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Listen, Alex, I’m a big girl and I can handle this. Trust me. I have been researching it. I know it isn’t going to feel good, it’s going to hurt, and I’m going to probably bleed, but I’m prepared. I have a little bag.”
“Oh, okay, Cora. My bad- you have a little bag. What was I thinking? That fixes everything?” sarcasm and anger drip from my tongue like toxic waste. I love her and I just want what’s best for her. “I told you before, losing my virginity was the biggest mistake of my life. I thought it didn’t matter, it was just sex, and nothing would change. But it does change Cora, you will change. I don’t want you to regret this.”
“I won’t. I know you think you control everything and everyone, but I have decided, and you will just have to accept this.”
“Fine. Accepted,” I spit back as I turn to walk away. “When that fuckboy breaks your heart, I’m not even going to say I told you so. Because when he does, notifbutwhen, you are going to hear them echoing in your mind when you’re all alone and empty, and I won’t be there to pick up the fucking pieces of the mess he is guaranteed to leave behind.”
“Good, because I don’t want you there.” I know she is crying. I can hear it in her voice.
I slam my door, tears sliding down my cheeks. I don’t want to fight with her, and I’m already feeling guilty for being mean, but this is a mistake. I just know it. I take a few deep breaths and walk over to the window seat. I open one of the small windows on top to let some fresh air in and gather my thoughts. The front door slams and I see her walking over to the little bench under the trees in our small backyard.
I don’t want her to do this, but she is right, and it isn’t my choice. I suck it up and gather all the strength in the universe to go apologize. Cecille pops into my head and her words run through my head.
“Go apologize, Alex. She is softer than you, and you're coming at her hard. You have to remember that you catch more flies with honey. Just go say sorry.”
Cecille was always the voice of reason in our friendship. The balance between us. It’s funny that she became my own personal Jiminy Cricket.
We shouldn’t be arguing at all. Life is way too short, and friends are much too important.
Making my way downstairs as slow as possible so I don’t look like a little bitch, I catch a glimpse of a car that looks like Kohen’s parked outside. Sleek and black, that isn’t the type of car that sits in this neighborhood often. I tiptoe from the fourth step of the old creaky stairs out the little window at the top of our bright red door. It sits at the end of the stairway and if we stand on this step, we can see out of it and onto the street. The car is gone now so I chuck it up to my imagination. Cora is in the kitchen gulping down a bottle of water with tears in her eyes. I feel bad.
“I’m sorry, Cora. You’re right. I heard Cecille in my head telling me to chill the fuck out. I don’t run your life and I shouldn’t. I can’t protect you from everything. We need to live our lives, make mistakes, love, and lose love. We are young!”
“I forgive you. I heard Cecille tell me to remember that you just care so much about us and would do anything to keep us safe, even if it meant putting yourself in harm’s way.”
She walks up and pulls me into a hug. These quick little fights are a norm between us because we are so different. Love keeps us close, though. Love is a promise to never leave, never give up and never judge. And I need to do a better job of it.
“Okay now, let’s go prepare your vagina to get pounded!”
“Oh my gosh, you are relentless.”
“But you love me?”
“Yes, you little hussy. I love you.”
I hold my pinky out and she wraps hers around mine. “Promise, promise?”
“Promise, promise.”
We seal it with a kiss and rush upstairs to get ready for the night ahead.
17
ALEX
Waiting for Xzavien to pick me up, I figure I have thirty minutes before he gets here. Men are always late, so I do some last-minute touch-ups on my hair and lipstick, before popping a piece of gum in my mouth.
Lights flash into the living room and I rush to look through the fuzzy windows. He’s here. What the fuck? He’s early. Instead of being grateful that he's on time, my dumb ass is annoyed. This is why I never end up with the good ones. I roll my eyes as I see him walk up the sidewalk.
Knocks echo throughout the naked hallway. Cora and I haven’t had much time to buy furniture for the whole house, so we make do with what we have from our childhood bedrooms. Visiting the resale shops is on our to-do list. Taking one last look in the mirror, I fix the placement of my outfit, even though I’m sure I’ll have to fix it at least a hundred more times tonight since everything rides up, because of my body shape, thank you mother nature.
I yank open the old red door and he steps inside without invitation. More annoyance radiates through me. He shouldn’t have done that.
“Hey, gorgeous. Are you ready?”
“Yes, let’s go.” His hand wraps around my wrist, pulling me into him. This guy is relentless. When will he give it up? “What are you doing?”
“Just showing my gratitude for this date you agreed to go on.”
