Page 40 of Taeja

It’d been a while since they shared a girlfriend, so he was a bit rusty in the department. Last time, he had the privilege of offloading their girl onto Damon whenever the emotions became too much for him to handle, but he was trying tobe different this time. Zain knew he couldn’t wait around for Damon to arrive. She was his girlfriend, too.

He was hurting because she was hurting. He was angry because she was angry. Whatever she was feeling, he was feeling times ten because he couldn’t take away her pain with a snap of a finger.

Sighing, Zain walked back toward the door. He sat on the ground beside it, then leaned his back on the wall. He stared at his phone for a few antagonizing seconds.

Was he about to do this?

Yes. He was.

Releasing a breath, Zain sent the first text.

Wanna talk?

This was what Damon had always done to him growing up. It worked, sometimes.

He waited in angst for her to reply. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He hadn’t felt this nervous in a long while. What was he supposed to say if she replied? ‘I’m sorry you had to go through that’? No. That wouldn’t suffice. He needed to say something more meaningful.

Remembering their conversation from earlier this morning, the fog drifted away from his mind.

Damon wouldn’t get her like he did. Damon wasn’t fucked up.

But he was.

Just like her.

A ping drifted through the hallway, and his eyes darted to his phone.

I’m sorry you had to see that.

Don’t apologize.

His brows furrowed while he waited for her to finish typing her response. He realized Taeja tended to apologize constantly, even over trivial stuff. He didn’t want to get ahead of himself, but he thought it was a bad habit.

I ruined your mom’s day.

You didn’t.

Well, my day ruin.

Mi father really kick mi out without so much as two drawz to mi name.

You can stay with us.

You don’t need them. You look better naked.

Behave.

We just met, and I’m a burden to you guys already.

You’re not a burden.

I am.

You can be our burden to carry.

Is that your attempt at a joke?

Depends. Did you smile?

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