Under The Stars

Chapter 14

KEITH’S POV

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. I stretched my arm to reach for it at the table. I looked at the caller’s id and I wasn’t shocked to see that it was Nicole. It was seven in the morning, who calls this early in the morning, I thought to myself. I decided to ignore the call. I didn’t want to talk her anymore, but knowing Nicole, I knew she would be stubborn.

I sat up and massaged my neck which really hurt from sleeping on the couch. I looked at Zia sleeping on the bed. God she was beautiful. Her long silk black hair which she had untied covered her perfect face.

I felt an urge to touch her but decided against it. Besides, she was mad at me the previous day I didn’t want to piss her off even more.

My phone rang again reviving me from my thoughts. I decided to pick it up this time.

“Hello Nicole, I thought I was clear I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”

“Hey baby. Is that how you speak to your girlfriend?” She spoke calmly.

“Please, cut it out. We broke up Nicole you are not my girlfriend anymore.” I told her wondering why she was putting up an act.

“No Keith, we did not break up. You broke up with me. I still love you.” She insisted.

“Okay Nicole. This is it. Iam tired of pretending. You know our relationship was far from perfect. Iam tired of dating you just for the show of it. Please, Iam not doing this anymore.”

“Do you think it is going to be that easy to get rid of me?” She laughed sarcastically.

“Are you really serious? I know you weren’t invested in this relationship anyway so why are you being difficult?” I asked, I was getting agitated now.

“Because no one dumps me Keith Johnson.” I could picture the smirk on her face as she said that.

“Get used to it then.” I said and hang up on her, immediately blocking her number.

She is crazy.

“Who is crazy?”

I turned and saw Zia seated on the bed staring at me .i didn’t realize I had thought that out loud.

“Ummh, no one. Good morning Miss Brown.” I greeted trying to change the topic.

“Good morning Keith Johnson.” She said smiling brightly. I couldn’t help but notice how pretty her face was when she smiled. I felt a surge of current rush through my blood. Except this time round it stopped at my manhood. Oh crap, Zia Brown what are you doing to me?

“So are you still mad at me?” I asked her.

“I don’t remember being mad at you.” She said tying her hair up in a bun. She got out of bed and started making it. I noticed how nice her legs looked from the tiny shorts she wore to sleep.

“Well I guess that is a no. so we are good, yeah?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off her. Something about her I felt was different. Unlike other girls, I did not only have the desire to get her to bed. I wanted to get to know her. I wanted to know her fears, dreams. I wanted to know it all.

“Yeah we good.” She said putting on a robe. “Shall we go get breakfast, Iam starving.”

We went down to the kitchen and no one was up. Considering how drunk they were the previous night, this was expected. I got Zia a glass of juice and some fruit and took a packet of milk for myself.

We sat out at the porch and ate silently as we watched the sun come up. For the first time in a long time, I loved this calmness. I enjoyed sitting here beside her drinking milk in silence.

Normally I would be drinking beer in the morning huddled in bed with a random girl I had met the previous night. But that was different now. So what exactly what happening to me? Did this mean that I liked her?

No other girl had made me sleep on the couch. I would never do that for any girl. But with Zia I was different. I was calm and kind, I was a different Keith. I was the young Keith that existed before my dad remarried and life changed.

“Hey man. You disappeared last night.” Jason called out disrupting me from my trail of thoughts.

“You look awful” I said, looking at his almost dehydrated face.

“I know, I feel awful too. I must have drunk too much yesterday.” He said sulking into the chair beside us.

Zia and I continued to eat in silence as Jason chattered on and on about how fun the night was and the crazy things that people did. This reminded me of how Zia reacted when Katie was told to kiss me. Could that mean that she liked me? Could that be the reason she was acting weird the previous night?

I felt my heart beat fast as I tried to process all the thoughts. I suddenly became nervous and couldn’t sit still. I had to know if she liked me. I had to be sure of how I was feeling. If all of it was real I had to make her mine.

I knew it all sounded insane. But deep down I knew I wanted her for myself. And there was only one way to know if she felt the same way. I had to ask her.

“Zia, I would like to talk to you tonight.” I said

“Talk about what?” She asked curiously.

“You’ll find that out later.” I winked at her.

“Iam not the most patient person.” She said trying to look serious as a smile escaped her lips.

“Today you’ll have to be”

“If you say so.” she answered, got up and walked into the cabin.

This girl was really something. I watched her walk until she disappeared behind the doors as the boys walked out to join Jason and I.