Belonging to Lust

As soon as Monday hit, Zaiyia found out just how urgent Alan was to take his first shot to apologize to Alice since he heartlessly dumped her so long ago. She had just stepped off her school bus with Miley Finley, Louise Leon, and Eiliesse Baldwin in tow, three of whom she had clashed with before in the past when she spotted Alan and Alice standing away from every other student flowing out of their buses. She almost didn’t believe it and had to do a double take to believe her own eyes.

“Oh my god, look!” Eiliesse gasped as she pointed a finger in that same direction.

“Will you at that…” Miley Finley whispered in awe, her big round eyes blinking at the reunion.

“This can’t be real…” Louise Leon stated with a stubborn shake of her head. Much like her other two friends, she stayed where she was, uncertain if she should march over there to retrieve Alice or not.

Surveying the scene much like the rest of the school was as they loitered around instead of starting their day, Zaiyia noticed that Alan was doing all the talking so far, his hands moving this way and that to articulate himself. She was too far away to catch on to what was being said, so all she could do was observe much like everyone else. Poor Alice seemed frozen in place as she gaped at Alan with blue eyes loaded with pain, and brows furrowed with emotions. Knowing the blonde, she was overwhelmed and confounded that her ex-boyfriend was ACTUALLY speaking to her for the first time since their tragic split. Zaiyia’s brown eyes lowered to where Alice’s arms were enveloped around her. To her, it looked like the girl was trying to physically protect herself from Alan, or she was trying to hold herself together so she wouldn’t shatter into pieces in front of him.

“What do think is going on?” Eiliesse whispered among them, leaning her head down since she was taller than the rest of them. Her eyes were locked on the former couple’s very public meeting, but her ears were perked up to any info her friends might know about this rendezvous. “What is he saying?”

“I don’t know, but it better be an apology for being the world’s biggest asshole!” Miley growled, crossing her arms over her flat chest as she openly glared at the prominent footballer.

“Apology or not, I don’t like that he’s even speaking to our girl!” Louise passionately opposed in a loud enough voice that others around them could hear and agree alongside her. After all that Alan put Alice through, he didn’t deserve to go to the same school as them much less live in the same town!

As the three continued to gossip over this startling reunion, Zaiyia had a dissimilar perspective on it. She was actually proud of Alan for having the balls to try and make things right on his own without her constant guidance. The only issue was, Zaiyia could tell that Alice wouldn’t accept his apology according to how skittish her body language was already looking from all the way across the school parking lot. Not yet at least. Hell, Zaiyia would be shocked if Alice even let Alan finish his apology! As if Alice somehow read Zaiyia’s mind from across the parking lot, the blonde suddenly held up a palm to cease Alan’s apology from proceeding any further then suddenly she took off dashing into the school building in a haste. Almost ALL of Alice's friends who witnessed the interaction immediately ran after their beloved friend, except for Zaiyia who was looking at Alan, analyzing how he’d bear this rejection. Remaining where he was, Alan dropped both hands limply to his side in defeat, his head hanging forward to stare down at his feet.

“That’s my girl!” Louise Leon cheered in triumph at the sight of a very defeated Alan. With a grin on her face, she nodded towards the glum footballer. “She knows she’s too good for him. I mean, c’mon, just look at that pitiful loser!”

With Alice out of his sight, Alan stared down at his shoes in self-loathing before eventually lifting his head and turning it to the right to spot Zaiyia there observing him among the rest of the school. He didn’t at all seem to notice, or care that he had an audience, all his focus was on Zaiyia. His eyes widened with the kind of hope she came to expect from him anytime she was within eyesight.

Alan was waiting for Zaiyia to DO something.

Yes, Zaiyia did promise Alan that she would put in a good word for him just so long as he conducted himself around her, and with Alice, that was true. But when she saw him take one single step towards her, she pinned in his place with a strong glare. Then, pretending that she was brushing her long braids behind her ear, she used that hand to sign 'phone' at him to remind him of the pact he had made with her. He wasn’t supposed to approach her in school, EVER!

Thank god, Alan comprehended immediately what she was trying to inconspicuously mime him. Nodding to her, he began to make his way towards another entrance into the school while reaching into his back pocket to retrieve his phone. Zaiyia knew what was coming next. As she waited outside with Miley, Louise, and Eiliesse for Chasity and the McCoy sisters to arrive, her phone dinged in her pocket. Aware that it was Alan, Zaiyia fabricated a lie when she noticed the three ladies eyeing her phone out of curiosity. “It’s probably Chasity.”

The three girls seem to accept that and went right back into gossiping about what just occurred between Alice and Alan. Zaiyia opened her phone up and then the message from the contact on her phone dubbed ‘Useless Idiot.’ It was indeed from Alan.

From Useless Idiot:
Alice walked away from me! She wouldn’t let me even finish my apology!

From Zaiyia:
Need I remind you that your breakup is still fresh for her? Trust me, it’s painful for her to talk about it even to this day! If you want her to hear you out, it might take a lot more effort than just today for her to listen.
And by the way, I’m really proud of you, dude! You never made a scene nor chased her off like a fucking weirdo! You did a fucking amazing job!

From Useless Idiot:
Thanks, but are you in a place where I can call you?

From Zaiyia:
Only if you answer me under a different name of my choosing.

From Useless Idiot:
Deal!

Alan’s call came just as the McCoy sisters arrived. Picking up the call, Zaiyia told her the three girls gossiping. “Oh, that’s my mom’s boyfriend’s little nephew calling now. Excuse me.”

Alan could hear when Zaiyia was alone and proceeded with what he had to say. “I’m pretty proud of myself too, Zaiyia. In fact, I feel pretty damn good that I went through with it even though I wasn't done. I was scared to death when I first saw her get off of her bus, but decided if it was you you’d tell me to see it through. The more I got to talking to her, the more committed I was to see it through and put everything out on the table for her. When she walked away, I did feel defeated at first, but also somehow even more determined than ever before to keep trying.”

Zaiyia walked into the school building with her friends who left her to her phone call. “I’m so happy to hear that, Jasiah! As long as you don’t become impatient and lose your temper, you will get there, little man. Your best friend will listen to you, and forgive you one day for demolishing his Lego skyscraper.”

Smiling in amusement at the identity Zaiyia gave him, Alan went on to give her his appreciation. “Thanks, Zaiyia. And also...thank you for having my back through all of this. Do you think…do you think you’ll be seeing Alice at all today?”

“Oh definitely!” Zaiyia strongly believed. There was no way she wasn’t gonna cross paths with the blonde today, especially after what happened between her and Alan. As emotional as it was for Alice she was gonna spill her heart out to Zaiyia before the day was out, mark her words. “As soon as I find your friend’s big sister I’ll say hi to her for you before my class starts.”

“Damn.” Alan sighed, hoping it would be much sooner than that. “I wish I could help you find her sooner rather than later. I gotta admit, staying away from Alice when I know she’s hurting isn’t easy. I’ve always been there to wipe her tears and chase her sadness away. Now I seem to be the cause of it these days.”

“Trust me, Jasiah, staying out of the drama between your little sisters is exactly how you can help.” Zaiyia told Alan, continuing to pretend he was Heath’s nephew. “Alright, Auntie Zai has to head to her locker now. I’ll talk to you later when I see you this weekend.”

“Talk to you later, Auntie Zai.” Alan jested, bidding her farewell before he too had to get to his locker.