Chapter 10 CJ & Zoey

It had been ages since CJ had been here, the front porch was the same, the lawn was slowly getting overgrown with grass meaning Zoey's dad was out of town for work stuff, that's right after days of contemplating and hesitating and banging his head on the wall trying to forget everything Zander said (which by the way didn't work), CJ found himself on that Friday afternoon throwing on his jacket, telling his mom he was going out and walking to Zoey's house, now he stood admiring the doorbell like it was a fascinating object.

"What am I doing?, I should just push the fucking doorbell, it's not my first time"

CJ reached his hand out, his finger was an inch away from the button, shaking as if the button was a bomb detonator.

The door opened revealing Zoey's mom humming sweetly to herself, CJ thought if he stood in the position he was she wouldn't see him, he was wrong though.

"Oh CJ, you gave me a fright, what are you doing standing there like some statue"

"Good afternoon Mrs C, I was just about to ring the doorbell, is Zoey at home?"

"Why yes, you know she doesn't go out much these days, I was starting to think you guys had a fight and when I ask her about you, she doesn't tell us all the usual stories about you, you know that girl adores you, a love like that, it doesn't just die, it's like an evergreen tree that just keeps growing even in the harshest condition's, you know what I mean"

CJ was holding back tears now.

"I believe I do Mrs C"

"Ugh, look at me boring you with old people talk, you should get on inside"

"Thank you, Mrs C"

CJ let her pass and looked at her retreating figure going to her car.

"Hey Mrs C !"

She turned her head.

"That was beautiful"

She smiled, winked, got into her car and drove off.

CJ sighed and walked through the door awaiting a long, gruesome talk.

.....

Zoey heard the door downstairs open and after a while close.

Finally her mom was gone, she had the house to herself, pretending she'd been fine has been killing her these past few months, she needed someone to talk to, she'd occasionally talk to Zander but she knew her heart, she knew what she really needed.... her best friend.

Zoey was brought back from her reverie when she heard a knock on her bedroom door, she jumped from her bed and went to the closet to get her old baseball bat, the knock came again, she clenched the bat more tightly, had her mom forgotten to close the door on her way out, but she wouldn't be so careless. The knock came again.

Zoey took a deep breathe, opened the door and swung the bat.

"Hey Zo, we need to...woah"

CJ ducked before the bat could connect with his face.

"First you broke my heart, now you wanna smash my head"

Zoey looked in astonishment, was this CJ, her CJ, she felt like she was in a dream and as if to confirm if it was real, she dropped the bat and crashed into CJ holding him tight to preserve this moment, he felt different, he felt taller and meatier.

"Have you been working out" said Zoey in his shirt.

"Yeah, you're looking at Cross Fit's number one member"

They both laughed and CJ wrapped his arm around her, and Zoey knew at that moment, that this was real.

....

CJ was holding a book, a pink book with glitter cover.

"What's this"asked CJ.

Zoey sighed.

"It's a book filled with everything I wanted to say to you, these past few months"

"Looks like you had a lot to say" said CJ with a chuckle.

Zoey smiled.

"It's mostly apologies and memories that I assumed you'd forgotten"

CJ creased his brows.

"Why would you assume that"

"I don't know because I broke your heart, I broke your trust, and I just felt like everything that we'd done together as friends didn't matter anymore"

"Just because I got a little upset"

"A little !"

"Okay I get it but you gotta know this, we've been best friends since day 1, a love like that doesn't just die, it's like an evergreen tree that just keeps growing even in the harshest conditions"

"Are you quoting Shakespeare or something"

"Actually, I'm quoting your mom, and she had a lot to say, why didn't you tell her"

"Because I didn't want to jeopardize your secret, besides it's not like you told your parents"

"Zoey, I'm really sorry, Zander told me everything, I feel so stupid for making you suffer like this, I was blinded by rage and betrayal that I didn't...I couldn't see the bigger picture, I couldn't see that you and me are supposed to be an unstoppable force"

"Stop apologizing, it was my fault, I made the mistake, I crossed the line..."

"No you didn't, because for you and me, there is no line, there is no boundary, we are one, one force, one soul, one everything, I'm sorry it took me so long to realize"

CJ pulled Zoey into a hug and they stayed like that, just savoring the moment, healing the wounds that had hurt for so long and sealing the bonds of their friendship.

"I answered your question" said Zoey, into CJ's hair.

"What question ?"

"The one you asked the day I came to your house, I answered it and...."

"I don't care"

"What ?"

"I don't care anymore, I don't need an answer, I see now that no matter what your answer is, it was for my benefit, I know that you would never hurt me, it's just not your style"

"That's sweet CJ"

CJ lay on her bed and began to make an angel.

"You'll never grow up" laughed Zoey.

Zoey lay beside him and they both looked at the ceiling like they did when they were younger.

"So aside from your CrossFit accomplishment

anything new happen while I was gone"

"Well Hilda and Michael are getting very serious"

"Good for them"

"Zander's sister, Skyler's going out with Matthew, so he follows us around now"

"I see you've made yourself a little crew"

"Yeah but it's not complete, that is until now"

Zoey smiled, the realest she had smiled in a long time.

"So what about our other issue"

"It's progressing"

"C'mon CJ, that's all you're giving me"

"I know, I know but it becomes harder and harder for me to talk to them"

"That's just fear talking, your parents are pretty chill, they'll understand"

"Are you kidding?, my dad has been all about me finding the perfect wife and my mom's always talking about going on shopping sprees with her daughter-in-law, how am I supposed to tell them that they will have no daughter-in-law"

"It's easy, you just do it"

They were silent for a while before CJ spoke up again.

"I think I'm falling in like"

"What ?"

"I'm serious"

"With who"

"I don't want to jinx it, besides I don't know what he feels about me"

"So you're not telling me"

"No, not yet"

"Okay"

Zoey nuzzled herself in CJ's arms and CJ held her close.

"I love you CJ"

"I love you too, Zoey".