Chapter 11: The weight of despair

For the next couple days, Zara stumbled around trying to remember who she was before she met Nat. She switched off her phone. He called and called and called but he couldn’t get through. He had taken advantage of Isla, sharing his golden penis with no other but her best friend.

She felt hurt.

“Goal!” Marcus shouted across the living room of his glass walled house with a stunning display of modern architecture. He was brown eyed, with the red tanned skin from summers in the Hamptons. Beside him was Nat, and Peter, the tech bro, nerdy in his glasses.

Peter reached across Marcus and shook his hand. He sipped from his can of beer on the center table. They looked at quiet Nat who was burrowed into his phone.

“Hey man!” he jolted him from his scattered thoughts. Peter continued watching but listening.

“You good?”

“Yea, just work” he tried to hide his despair.

He peered into his phone.

“Who’s Zara ?”

“Umm….a friend of mine”, he staggered

“You've been with her since you came here. What’s up?”

“Nothing bro”

“Come on! you’ve been phoning her. If she don’t pick I think you need to leave her alone”

“It’s not like that man, it’s complicated”

“Ouu! girl troubles”, Peter choked in. “Can’t relate”

“How could you relate when you still wear pencil jeans and got no game” Marcus mocked him. Peter squeezed his face and went back to the game.

Nat remained silent.

“Tell me”

“She caught me with her friend at her house some days back”

“Her friend ? Damn!”

“Yeah”

“Man you fucked up”

“No no no…We didn’t do anything. At least I wasn’t but she was trying to force herself on me. Zara walked in on us and she assumed the worst”.

“That’s sounds like a lot”

“She framed it up. Apparently, Zara told her about me. She was fascinated and wanted a taste of my Vitamin D but when Zara walked in she transformed and acted as if I was tryna rape her. She was already half-naked. I couldn’t explain myself”

“You need to prove yourself to her, Nat. You didn’t do it, that’s all that matters. You talk to her”.

“But she ain’t picking my calls”

“So…what ? Go talk to her”

“She won’t let me in”

“Just try. The universe is on your side”

“Hopefully” he said, carried away by a wind of hope. He got up and got into his car and sped off the driveway.

The doorbell rang. Zara opened it. She was about to slam it back when he caught it and opened it wide. “Zara!” he had a fed up look on his face. “You hear me out”. He resigned. She let him in.

“What’s left for you to tell me. I gave you the benefit of the doubt but you are so far away from what I thought you could be”

“I didn’t do it. I didn’t touch her. It’s all a lie. A set-up”

“How?” she asked

“Did you tell her anything about us, the sex and all?”

She feigned ignorance, guilt was written all over her face.

“No!”

“Don’t—Zara” he raised his palm.

“Fine, yea”

“She told me she wanted a taste, got undressed and sat on top of me. I tried to wriggle free but she went in until you came here”

“Isla won’t do that”

“I guess you don’t know who your friend is. Besides, when you walked in I was full-clothed wasn’t I?”

“But she was crying. She looked so abused and vulnerable. Something must have happened”.

She looked at him accusingly

“Of course she had to fake tears so you won’t suspect her”

“Nat! but I know you. Your sex urges are as high as your office building. I wanna believe you but it’s hard”

She walked towards the living room. He followed her.

“Call Isla,” he said.

“I don’t think she would want to see you again. You’d give her PTSD”

“Just call her. A few questions”

“Fine. Isla! Isla!” she shouted her name.

Isla came. She was surprised to see Nat.

“What’s he doing here?” an irritated look on her face. She was wearing grunge; Black lipstick, black dress and strap boots with wavy hair. She looked very much like the villain she had become.

“Confess,” he told Isla. “Say the truth. I didn’t touch you. You threw yourself at me”.

Zara stood watching. She shouted at Nat.

“Hey! you don’t wanna force a truth from her. You’re not cross examining a witness”

“I didn’t touch you did I?” He asked in a calm but angered voice.

“But you were going to”

“Stop lying Nat. Zara he’s a monster. You shouldn’t have let him in”.

“Bitch!” , he held himself from saying. He corrected himself. “You were fucking on top of me. I wasn’t even naked. You were”.

Isla’s eyes darted across the room avoiding Nat’s and Zara’s stare.

She felt exposed. Zara searched both faces and was starting to believe him.

“Isla is this true?”

“Zara forgive me. I wanted that golden dick too”. Her baby face and attitude once again reignited.

Zara laughed—the laughter carried the trail of pain and the hurt of betrayal.

“What a friend indeed”. She looked at Isla like an abomination.

“I call you my own sister but you lie and falsely accuse an innocent man. If we weren’t staying together. I’d tell you to pack out. Why would you do such a thing for fucks sake?“ Zara was puzzled and disappointed.

“Whatever”. She ran out of the house and slammed the door.

“Oh! my Nat. She stood up and hugged him.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t even—“

He cut in. “I’m mad at you Zara. You don’t even trust me”

“I do”

“Nah. You just believe anything they tell you about me. I think i’m done here” He walked away.

“Nat—“ She hurried and stood before the door.

“I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you. Your place, tonight”.

She looked up at him, the way a pornstar would to a man she’s about to fuck”.

“I better see you there”. He held her chin, locked eyes for a moment, and kissed her. her. Then put his two fingers in her mouth. She sucked it, her eyes raised up looking at him. They felt the fire.

“I gotta catch up with my boys,” he said.

“Bye” she shut the door.