The Friend Zone (The Relationship Quo Series Book 2)

by Nicole Strycharz

  Their dad shook his head slowly then settled his eyes on me, before bouncing them back to Moses, “you will get the store…seventy percent of it…”

  Moses frowned and Autumn raised a brow.

  Their dad’s eyes settled on me again, “Chloe gets the other thirty…”

  Autumn stood up in an outrage, “what? What?”

  Moses looked at me then back at his dad and I just sat with my mouth open.

  Autumn’s eyes filled with angry tears, “no! no! My mother’s store is not going to some fucking orphan stripper with no blood ties to this family! No! I won’t have it!”

  None of us can really recall a time Autumn used a bad word and I never knew she carried ill feelings toward me.

  Moses pushed my legs off and slowly approached his sister. I could feel him bristling from here as he stood nose to nose with his sister. “Take that back or I’ll level this damn house.” He said in a low and deep growl.

  She glared at him in silence and the two of them held eye contact for an eternity.

  Autumn started to speak and I winced, “you’ve always picked that little slut over me. I think the only reason you haven’t fucked her is because you’re not sure if she’s more your sister than I!” She picked up the remote and threw it into the wall where it smashed to pieces.

  “No,” Moses said, “I didn’t pick Chloe over you. You gave me Chloe over you. You pushed me away growing up, you weren’t there to mourn with over mom and you even took the girls from me. Chloe was the one holding me upright that day. You say it’s about mom or religion but it’s not about that. It’s about you. You don’t know how to love. You never have and you’re greedy! Don’t ever let me hear you talk about Chloe again sis, because it’s the last you’ll ever see me.”

  She still had a comeback. “Sure, turn it on me. That way you can justify taking something that should be mine like the shop.”

  Their dad came to touch Moses’ shoulder. To call him off saying, “That wasn’t plotted Autumn, we aren’t the ones that decided that.”

  She narrowed her eyes, “Then who did?”

  “You’re mother.”

  They all went silent again and I felt an expansion in my chest that brought real unchecked tears to my eyes. I stood up with them, “what?”

  He looked at me and took my hand in his aged one, “my wife loved you, Chloe. If the state had let us, we’d of adopted you in a blink. I just wasn’t making enough to pull it off in their eyes and I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry you were tossed around by the system and used. We wished with all our hearts we could’ve given you the things you deserved. But we didn’t keep you in our lives just for Moses, we did it out of our own individual love for you. My wife, Karen…she wanted you as sought after as these two, the store was her way to do it. You aren’t part of this family, you are this family. Forever.”

  I think the last time I truly cried was when I was seventeen and that last foster family forbid me from seeing Moses. I cried hard that night because I realized without him and his family I’m alone in this world.

  Tonight, I’m crying just as hard but happy tears. It’s bad. There’s water coming from my eyes and dripping everywhere. I’d forgotten how it felt to have tears. My face is wet and feels swollen and hot. Moses’ mother had always kept me close. She kept me loved, and safeguarded me like I was her own. Now she’d left me a parting gift and I couldn’t believe it.

  Moses’ dad pulled me into his arms and let me cry. I don’t want to hurt Autumn. I don’t want her to feel excluded, but I’m overwhelmed by the shock.

  Moses after it sank in, came up behind me so I turned into him for closeness.

  Autumn shook her head, “leave it to mom to screw me over from the grave.” She stormed out before anyone could stop her and I breathed deep.

  MOSES

  I’m so glad to be putting Autumn’s home in our rearview mirror so to speak. I love my sister in an obligated way, in a family requirement way. She’s blood so I’ll always love her and I’d kill for her but our love flourishes from afar not close.

  She knows the shop went to the right people but she’s too prideful to say. I heard her catch Chloe in the kitchen when we were loading the car and listened on the other side of the wall for a snide remark.

  “You have everything?” Autumn asked her.

  Chloe paused, “um, yeah, I think so.”

  “Good…” there was quiet then she continued, “listen…about the other night…”

  “oh, don’t worry about that.”

  Autumn pushed, “no, it was really uncalled for, what I said…and um… well, I still don’t agree with it, but I’m not mad at you I’m mad about the situation.”

  Chloe sounded like she moved closer to my sister. “They miss you. They won’t say it but, I think they wish you and the girls were closer.”

  My sister made a humming noise, “I know how ungrateful this is going to sound to someone like you, who grew up without a family, but, I’m not crazy about mine. I dealt with them when mom was here but, I’m probably closer to you than I am them. I do better on my own.”

  “Okay,” Chloe sounded accepting and then it sounded like they hugged. My sister’s robotic version.

  Autumn laughed a little, “take care of our guys okay?”

  “Definitely…”

  “Oh, and Chloe…”

  I really listened.

  Autumn sighed, “when are you and my brother going to get over the friend phase and transition to the marriage phase?”

  Chloe laughed, “guys and girls can be friends without potential love happening.”

  “I know for a fact that they can,” Autumn agreed. “I’ve seen it lots of times, boys and girls being best friends for life…but I think when two people are that invested they’ve either never thought about it, or they’ve tried it, and it didn’t work. You two never tried it and I’m deadly sure…you’ve both thought about it.”

  My sister’s words were ringing in my head like bells. Since Chloe told me the truth I can admit I’ve thought about it. I can vouch for the fact we’ve never tried, so what does that mean? And is Chloe wondering too?

  On the plane, she fell asleep with her head on my shoulder and Dad was behind us again.

  Now that the seat belt sign was off he came around and stood by my chair. “She’s out cold.” He laughed.

  I checked then nodded, “Yeah.”

  He watched her sleep and I had to ask. “Mom really left her thirty percent?”

  He nodded, “I was supposed to kick the bucket before telling you guys but I intend to live really long and I’m tired of running the store.”

  I smiled and shrugged my other shoulder, “should’ve known I guess. Mom loved her crazy.”

  Dad smiled but it was more of a smirk, “that’s not the only reason she wanted you two specifically to run it.”

  I frowned, “what does that mean?”

  He clapped my shoulder then left. I looked down at Chloe and after watching her a moment I set my cheek on her head. Not long after I fell asleep.

  New Year’s came and went and so did most the winter months. Jenzy wasn’t talking to Chris at all and Chris still hadn’t signed.

  On March 10th was Chloe’s audition and I made sure I was there. I wasn’t allowed into the room with her so I waited outside in the halls of Arts & Hope Tours’.

  They had paintings up from famed artists to local and photos of ballet dancers, musicians, and many others.

  The halls have a typical school smell, that fresh paint, lockers and sneakers smell, but this is no ordinary school. The further down the hall I go the more pictures there are.

  They have gifted kids and adults from all over the states doing music, art, dance… they have framed photos of shows, award shelves, banners, and class pictures. They even have a division devout toward Down Syndrome kids with a passion for some form of art or another.

  Chloe came out panting lightly with her bottled water and purse. She looked radiant with excitemen
t but nervous. “I did it.” She told me. “I did the whole routine and I didn’t screw up once.”

  I hugged her and squeezed. “It’s yours this time. I know it.”

  She hugged me tighter, “just waiting on the call now. They said up to a week wait.”

  I stepped back and we started out the door, “let’s go celebrate. Pick a place, any place, and we’ll go.”

  She grinned, “well, Elijah wants to take me to dinner tonight but we could go tomorrow night.”

  Elijah…his name makes me feel like my legs weigh hundreds of pounds. “Right, that’s cool. How are you guys doing?”

  She beamed, “guess what?”

  “What?”

  “We went out for the first time October 20th, and the 20th of this month makes...”

  I had to force my smile to stick, “five months…”

  She hopped, “yes! He’s almost broke the record! One more month and I’m golden! He’s shown no dickness and no asshole! He’s-.”

  “Sleep with him yet?”

  She looked at me like I’m a nut, “well don’t beat around the bush, jeez.”

  “I’m just curious.”

  “No,” she was blushing like crazy, “not yet, but we’ve-.”

  Someone please cut my ears off. I counted bricks in the street in my head while she talked.

  She hugged my arm and changed the subject, “if not tomorrow night we could go out Monday.”

  I smacked my lips, “that’s just the thing…I might be busy this weekend and early into next week.”

  “Working?” she guessed, “I can come help at the store.”

  “You put in mid-week and that’s more than enough since dad still wants to work, not manage. It’s not the store that will keep me busy…”

  I stopped walking and she hugged my arm tighter. “What’s up then?”

  “Jenzy is moving in this week.”

  I tried to interpret her reaction to that but she was a wall. Then she smiled and came off my arm, “that’s flipping awesome.”

  “You think so?”

  “Well yeah.” She looked into my eyes and I saw something.

  “We haven’t been…as close. You and me… that’s why I didn’t tell you yet. Since Christmas when you brought up boundaries…”

  She nodded, “I agree,” she smiled and took my hand, “I’m happy for you. This is great. Jenzy is amazing.”

  I opened the passenger side of my car. “I think I might tell her soon?” I told her but also asked.

  Chloe’s eyes widened, “that you love her?”

  I laughed, “yep. The idea of living with her is making me crazy. I’m ready to be infiltrated by female things.”

  We laughed and she stood on her toes, “then tell her. She deserves to know.”

  I sighed feeling good about her reaction.

  As the weekend approached and Jenzy’s move in along with it, I prepared my house for the takeover. I’d only lived with two other women.

  I went to the gym the day of her moving in to teach a class and felt so stoked my body was electric. I wanted to teach, and workout and anything physical.

  Until I saw Elijah as I approached my gym. He was kissing this blonde. With a frown and curse, I threw my gym bag back in the car and went his way in a sudden rage. Seeing him kiss this girl, and knowing what it would do to Chloe made my veins itch. He was kissing her with smiles and whispers.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  When he saw me he didn’t jump or act spooked, which he should because hitting him would feel fantastic. He just smiled as his lady friend got in her car and drove off.

  “Moses.” He waved, “I forgot you go to this gym.”

  “Who the fuck was that?” I asked.

  His brows went up, “that was Darleen. I met her a year ago but we started dating so…”

  “What about Chloe?”

  He looked at me funny. Like he was confused, “she didn’t tell you?” When I didn’t answer he went on, “Chloe broke it off with me not long after her audition. Early in the week.”

  I let that sink in but it wouldn’t. She was crazy about Elijah. They made it five months! She never goes that far with a good guy. Good guys make up to six dates maybe and bad guys make three or four months.

  Letting the previous wrath settle; I crossed my arms, “She broke up with you?”

  He took out his sunglasses, “she tells you everything, I figured you knew.”

  “Did she say why?”

  He did hold a hint of sadness talking about it, “uh…not really, she said she thought I was great, and that she really liked me…and that…we could stay friends…” He put on the sunglasses and smiled, “so in other words, she friend zoned me. No offense man but, I don’t think I can reside in Chloe’s friend zone. She’s too perfect and I’d have to not be straight. That’s kinda your turf, though I don’t get how you do it.”

  I smiled and shook his hand, “see ya around,” I said before going to get my bag.

  Elijah called back, “can I keep my legs now? I saw that look on your face coming over.”

  I laughed and waved goodbye.

  All through class, I tried to reason why the hell Chloe would break up with Elijah. He really is a great guy and she made it so close to her usual termination date. Why would she break it off? Why didn’t she tell me?

  When class ended I called Jenzy and my heart tripped. It does that every time, it never changes.

  “Hello?” she answered.

  “Hey, Sunshine I’m done with class. I’m heading to the locker room now then I’ll be coming your way.”

  “Excellent!” she squeaked, “I’m almost done boxing the little stuff.”

  “Perfect. Do you need anything?”

  “Just you and your man bod for lifting.” We laughed and then she said. “You’re still sure about this right? Moving in with a girlfriend is already daunting. You’re moving in with one, you have yet to test drive.”

  I smiled to myself. Yeah, I’m dying to have her, but it’s Jenzy. You wait for girls like Jenzy, they will be worth it.

  I said, “I still would’ve preferred you to be divorced in full first out of respect but I also don’t have much backbone with you.”

  “This might help him see it’s time to sign.”

  “Maybe. As long as you’re okay, I’m to the brim with happy.” I stopped in the locker room with a head tilt. “Weird.”

  “What?” she asked and I heard shipping tape in the background.

  “There’s a letter sticking out of my locker,” I said pulling it free and turning it over.

  “Who’s it from?”

  “Don’t know…no name. It only says Moses, on the front.”

  “Hmm, I’ll let you go so you can check it out and head here.”

  I started tearing it, “Okay, can’t wait.”

  “Me too.”

  We hung up and I dropped my phone in my bag before pulling the letter out. There were a few pages, all hand written, but the first line got me….

  Moses,

  This is the most important letter I think I’ll ever write. My handwriting might get sloppy and my grammar might suck but listen up because if I find out you didn’t read this I’ll shove it down your throat ‘hypothetically’.

  I knew right away it was Chris, Jenzy’s husband and I pressed my shoulder against the locker to read. The more I read, the more I felt the true domino effect of this divorce.

  I know about the move and I won’t say I’m happy for you, I’m not. I was you only a few years ago. I still remember the day Jenzy and I moved in together, it was the start of my life. So I know how you feel. But the fact is I fucked up, and the only reason you’re happy right now is because I made the biggest mistake of my life.

  Another hard fact is that I can’t change it. I tried, I gave it all I had but some things can’t be fixed. So in light of that if I’m going to let her go, if that’s my only option then I want to know I’m letting her go to better. I need to know she’s happy,
loved, worshiped. I need to know you’ll do a better job than me. She’s too special, too beautiful, too kind. She’s too good for any man on this planet but she’s picked you, so make yourself the best.

  Here it is. All I know about Jenzy that you need to know now.

  I read until my eyes hurt and then I turned page after page. The last page was the signed divorce document we’d been waiting for but it didn’t feel like a victory on my part, I didn’t feel like I won her. I felt like I was being given a notice from the library that I’d kept a book too long. A book that didn’t belong to me.

  Chloe is right, I suck at analogies but there it is.

  I drove slow to Jenzy’s and debated hard with myself. The end of the letter from Chris said not to show her the letter, only the divorce papers. He made it clear that the letter was only for me, but when his writing came to mind I felt a guilt so heavy.

  By the first stop light, I convinced myself she didn’t need to read it. If she read the honesty of Chris’ feelings I feel certain it would change things between us.

  By the second light, I knew without a doubt, that not showing her the letter would be a dishonesty I’d have to live with.

  By the fourth and third light, I imagined a life without Jenzy and it made me need to roll down the window for air. So I can’t show her the letter because what Chris said in that letter will turn her heart toward him and I’ll lose her.

  By the last light, I heard my father’s voice pretty clear. She’s not yours.

  By the time I pulled in front of her townhouse where the moving truck was I had to sit there with the envelope in my lap and a foreboding knowledge that what the letter held was going to be my ruin.

  I reasoned that she might read it and still feel the same for me, but it felt too unlikely.

  I got out of my car and talked to Todd a minute as he went by with a box then started to the house.

  “Hey there,” Jenzy was coming down the front steps as I was going up. She was carrying a box and looked like a ray of sunshine in overalls and sneakers. “What’s wrong?” she said seeing my face. “Cold feet?” she teased.