chapter 9
722 Words
texts: Luke and Harper - early morning
L: Harper Zeke stopped by yesterday
H: he what.
L: yeah, he and Nick are going to have a long talk over lunch apparently.
H: please tell me how it goes. i don't want to be the controlling type of boyfriend but i do care about his safety. and Zeke isn't safe. he's got a bad reputation.
L: don't worry, i'll keep an eye on him. you just get that record deal
Harper
Zeke was not going to get away with this. The minute I get home I'm punching his nose way out of place.
letter
Nick,
Hey baby, we've probably Skyped once or twice since I sent this, but I wanted to surprise you.
God, it's been awhile since we've done this, hasn't it?
Love, Harper
Nick
The letter brought my spirits through the roof. Luke came in my room at noon with an envelope scribbled on with Harper's messy penmanship and I was overjoyed.
Luke and I sat in my room watching She's All That when the doorbell rang.
Zeke was here.
I grabbed my notebook and ripped out a piece of paper, wanting to at least get a letter done. Luke offered to get the door and I let him, grabbing a pencil and an envelope.
I rolled up my (Harper's) sweater sleeves as I began to happily write a reply.
letter
Harper,
I remember when I was sat in my room, worried like hell if you were going to reply.
Now look where we are.
But anyway, how's the record deal coming along, anything good?
Love, Nick
Nick
Lunch with Zeke was everything but normal. It was so weird, having the guy that punched me in the face and kicked me in the gut paying for our lunch date.
It's not a date Nick. And it never will be. You have a letter at home you're supposed to be sending to your boyfriend.
"So," Zeke said, placing his credit card in the check book, "you haven't really said--sorry, stated anything."
I nodded, avoiding eye contact.
"Nick how many times do I have to say sorry? I'm really trying here, I've always liked you, I just let jealousy and anger get the best of me."
I opened my notes on my iPhone and began to type.
It's not you, it's me. It's going to take me not even a month, probably a year or more, to get used to having you near me without a hurtful insult coming out of your mouth. This is new and weird for me. With Harper away I'm not even comfortable walking out of the house.
"Why?" Zeke asked after reading my long paragraph, "Why are you so uncomfortable with Harper."
Okay first off, both Harper and Luke have told me about your angle with me. It's not going to work. We can build a somewhat friendship, but we will never date Zeke, okay? I've been in f*****g love with Harper since I was seven, unsure of how to even pronounce the word love. Even if things were different between us or it was some other guy, I wouldn't drop Harper for someone else like that. I love him, so please don't get yourself hurt.
Zeke nodded throughout and grinned at me.
"You're stronger than I thought."
Yeah, me too. I thought.
"C'mon, I'll take you home then. Maybe we can do this another time."
I'd like that. I wrote down. Maybe we can move past this.
Luke
"He loves him."
This is the diet thing Zeke said to me and I am beyond happy that Nick protected his relationship,
"It's alright."
"I want to be friends though, I feel horrible for what I've done to you both."
Something in my heart decided to forgive Zeke.
"Come by later, we're making homemade ice cream sundaes and watching chick flicks."
"Why?"
"We do whatever Nick wants, it's his boyfriend he misses."
I suddenly realized who I was talking to.
"I-If you don't want to--"
"Luke I'm gay. Remember? It may not sink in soon, but I am."
Okay, good.
"Alright," I grinned, "that's good because if this friendship thing works out, I don't want us to all move in together and you bringing in vagina."
Zeke and I both shivered and I realize that maybe he was changing.
- Writer
