Page 50 of Defect
“Shut up.”
“Okay. Let me pour these mimosas.” She cracked open the champagne and the most delicious strawberry orange juice. I couldn’t wait to knock like five of those things back. I didn’t even need the fancy flute. I just wanted the liquor to hit my system.
Amaris shoved a red Solo cup in my hand and I drank.
“Details, please and thank you.”
“Why? You’re going to judge me and tell me I’m ridiculous.”
“Normally, you’d be right but I saw the way y’all looked at each other last night and at this point I’m waiting for the inevitable.”
“The inevitable? Amaris, I can’t sleep with Ezra. I mean I absolutely could because he’s really fucking hot but I shouldn’t because he’s only a kid and things are messed up in both of our lives right now.”
“I know, but you like to live life to the beat of your own drum, Solana. That’s one of the most beautiful and frustrating things about you. Now, what the hell happened between you and Ezra?” After finishing off my first mimosa, I told her how we stayed up all night long and ended up falling asleep in my bed. I told her how I woke up to his hard dick and how things went left from there.
“Oh my god. I’m not even mad at you. That’s hot as fuck.”
“It was. We came to our senses but I should have never gotten that close.”
“In a perfect world, I’d be rooting for you two but I don’t want you to get hurt Solana. You have to get your shit together. I know it’s hard because if I’m being honest, Ezra is a sweetheart and anyone with eyes can see the boy is fine but trying to be with him isn’t smart.”
“It’s not. I don’t get why he was put in my life and why he’s so perfect when I can’t have him,” I pouted.
“Because that’s how shit works out sometimes. He’s going to find someone his age and you’re going to find someone your age. You two will still be friends. I don’t think anyone could keep you away from each other.”
“Me either,” I chuckled into my nearly empty cup.
“No more sleepovers,” Amaris said, aiming her finger at me.
“No more sleepovers. They’re dangerous,” I agreed. I still couldn’t stop thinking about waking up next to Ezra and feeling how big his dick was. Lord. I was going to have to sage my brain because my thoughts were unholy.
“Listen, Sis, I gotta go. Call me again if you need me to fuss at you and tell you that fucking your eighteen-year-old neighbor is a bad idea.”
“Will do, Amaris. Please keep checking on that report from CPS.”
“You know I will. Has Malachi sent you a text?”
“No. I’m still worried. What if he comes to school on Monday with bruises? I won’t be able to forgive myself for not going over there.”
“God forbid he comes to school with bruises but if he does he’ll get immediate attention and be temporarily removed from the house.”
“I’m still waiting on my meeting with a social worker,” I told her.
“It takes time. Wait on it. It’ll come through.” Amaris rubbed my back then gave me a hug before she left. I had to get ready to open up Sun Goddess anyway. I didn’t hold classes or sessions but I used the weekend as a chance to catch up on administrative work.
…
I walked into the yoga studio with Ezra on my mind. I shouldn’t have been concentrating on him while I lit incense and calmed my energy but he wouldn’t move out of my head. I counted down the minutes until I saw him again. I smiled when I saw little notes he left around the studio. I made sure to take them down before he arrived with his mother. I paused when I saw a few sticky notes he left at the tea station.
It looked like he was coming up with his own recipes. He still hated my tea but from the looks of things, he was trying to improve on my original recipes. My heart leaped high in my chest and I put my hand over it to calm my heartbeat.
I gathered the small yellow notes in my hand and took them over to the computer. I’d just stashed them in a drawer when I heard a car door close. I looked to the bay window and saw Ezra walking up to the shop with his mother in tow.
Fuck he looked good.
He had on a pair of gray sweat pants and a white t-shirt. I had to quickly force my lust down somewhere deep before I greeted him.
Don’t hug him, Solana.
