Friend-Zoned (Friend-Zoned 1)

Me: I love you, Nik. Goodnight.

Nik: Love you more, Tina. Sweet dreams.

I smile and put my phone back on the side cabinet.

No denying it. I love Nik.

Seeing Jace tonight brought back the same old memories yet somehow they felt different. There isn’t as much pain associated with them anymore. Just a mild sting.

You’re healing.

The likelihood of a person finding true love is few and far between.

Who am I to deny it when I find it?

Tomorrow is a new day.

***

I wake with a spring in my step.

I get ready for work and am so excited about seeing Nik today.

Put the past where it belongs and move on is what my mom always told me. You see, when dad first met my mom they were just kids. My dad was a mean little sucker and called mom fat.

Yep.

Ever the charmer. So, dad meets mom for a second time later on in life and was floored because my mom was gorgeous. Dad shadowed her like a lost puppy, begging for a date. Mom refused. Dad followed her everywhere til she said yes. He would camp out in front of her work and walk her to her car when she came out. He would randomly show up with an umbrella when it was raining and leave sweet notes on her car window.

I call this stalking. Dad calls this romance.

The point of this story is my mom may never have fallen with my dad if she didn’t move on from the hurt he caused her as a young girl. So that’s what I’m doing. Moving on.

I drive to work with the intention of going straight to see Nik. I park my car and step out.

I’m caught off guard when hands grab at me. Someone strong has a hold on me with one hand tight around my mouth and another arm lifting me by the waist.

I shriek into his hand but it sounds small and muffled. I’m pulled back into a van. I lose a shoe on the street. The man holds me still as I screech and scratch at his hands. I can’t see him but he’s tall. I push my head forward a little and slam it back into his chin. He yells, “FUCK!”

I know that voice.

He covers my mouth with cloth. A huff and puff from exertion and I’m suddenly weaker.

So tired.

I feel sleepy.

Lights out.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The beginning of the end

The morning has been great so far.

I’m waiting on Tina to get into work so I can go squeeze her a little.

She told me she loved me last night and I gotta say it was the first goodnight sleep I’ve had since the misunderstanding about Omarr.