Between Friends

CHAPTER 15

ZYLIAH'S POV

"Why is it so hard for you to do this for me?!" Natasha screamed, tears pouring down her face.

We were at Delia's place. We'd argued all the way from the station to here. Me giving her reasons why I couldn't do what she was asking of me and she trying to coerce me into doing it.

Delia had been mute ever since hearing the whole story. I could see she was sincerely sympathetic towards Natasha's plight, while also understanding my own point of view.

"Let's find another way to help Jordan, Nat. Not this way. You are well aware of my relationship with Fynn and how it ended." I argued back, hating that this was now causing an issue between me and my best friend.

"Jordan will go to jail if you don't do anything to help him."

"He committed the crime, Nat. Why do I have to sacrifice my pride, my dignity, for him?" I was beginning to get angry.

"Because I would have done it for you in a heartbeat, you selfish bitch!" she yelled in my face.

Stunned, I let my anger simmer. "You're the selfish one, Natasha. You know how bad Fynn treated me, yet you want me to be at his mercy so your boyfriend can be free?!"

"Well, no one asked you to be such a dumb, ass-licking girlfriend! Fynn was obviously tired of you because of how you were always following him around like a lost puppy dedicated to living its life at the mercy of its new owner!"

Without thinking, I slapped her across the face. "I hate you, Natasha Miller. You don't even deserve to be called my friend."

She held her cheek. The silence was deafening. Her eyes were filled with pain-and some other emotions I couldn't decipher.

I made to leave, tears already blurring my vision. Thankfully, my sons weren't around to witness this fight.

"Zee," Delia called softly, stopping me.

I didn't want to listen to her... or to whatever any one of them had to say.

"Please, Zee."

I had to. Delia deserved that much-she wasn't just a friend, she was family. I turned to face her. "What is it, Delia? I need to go clear my head."

"You will, but sit for a moment, please," she begged.

She was still in her wheelchair. The doctor said she would walk again, but they just didn't know when it would happen.

It made her sad. Leaving Waylen and Casper with her the one thing that still cheered her up. Although, she was determined to keep her fashion business running, no matter how hard it might be for her.

I sat on a couch, far from where Natasha was still standing, silent and wiping away tears.

"You too, Natasha. Please, sit."

She made herself comfortable on the floor, drawing her knees up and wrapping both arms around her legs. She looked as though she was cold.

"You guys are my best friends. I don't like seeing you both fight. Can we find a way to settle this? I mean there's three of us and we are smart, strong. We can definitely find a way out of this, if we just work as one," Delia said, looking between us.

I said nothing, as did Natasha.

Delia exhaled wearily. "I'll start with you, Natasha. I totally understand your pain and plight but you went too far, bringing Zee's past into it. You know how much she used to love Fynn and last I checked, that wasn't a crime. You love Jordan, and that's why you're fighting tooth and nail to save him, even though he's guilty."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Natasha glances at me-she didn't look the least bit remorseful.

"You'll have to apologize to Zee for what you said-it was unkind. How would you feel if an outsider spoke to her like that?" Delia's tone stayed gentle, as if afraid of hurting Natasha.

And I knew it was because she didn't want Natasha thinking she was supporting just me.

"Why can't she help? Isn't that what friends are supposed to do?" Her voice cracked with betrayal.

Unbelievable. She felt betrayed, just because she chose to be selfish and refused to consider how deeply this would affect me.

I couldn't believe Natasha would go this far.

"Do you even care about her? Do you understand the pain she might still be carrying? Even if you wanted her help, you don't get to paint her as someone who's deliberately refusing you. This is a past she's avoided. One of the reasons she left the country. And now, six years later, you expect her to face her ex, just to prove she's a loyal friend?"

"I'm not asking her to prove anything, okay?" Natasha snapped. "I just... are you judging me, Delia? Are you taking her side and making me the bad guy?"

"What? No." Delia was disappointed, judging from her expression. "Is that all you could get from what I've been saying?"

"Both of you are from rich homes. You both never had to worry where your next meals came from. But me? You both know how much I struggled to feed, clothe and pay my own tuition fees!"

She blinked back tears.

"Jordan came into my life and made it easier. While you two had rich families you could fucking run to, Jordan was the only one I had! So excuse me for trying to save the man who was there at my lowest."

"You make it sound like we were worthless to you, Natasha." The anger was starting to build.

"Zee, please..." Exasperation rang in her voice.

"No, Delia. She's making it seem like you and I never did anything worth remembering or appreciating. But she's quick to forget how I helped out in every little way I possibly could-until you came in. I only stopped because my stepmother would never let me get a single dime from my dad."

A bitter chuckle escaped me.

"You're not just selfish, Natasha-you're ungrateful," I spat at her. "I'll still try my best to help you, not because you deserve it, but for old times' sake. But after this, I want nothing to do with you ever again."

Furiously blinking back tears, I stormed out of their presence, needing distance from the person who once meant everything to me.