Chase Me

16.

"I promise you, Mr. Vasilios. I don't love Amari like that. We are just best friends."

"Mmh, but you look at her like she is the moon and stars."

I laughed. "That's because she means a lot to me. We have been through so much together."

"Are you sure you don't like her as more than a friend?"

I shook my head. "Nope. She sees me as a friend. And by the way, I have a girlfriend."

"You're only fifteen boy. Isn't it too early to have a girlfriend?"

I was about to answer his question when Mrs. Vasilios angrily stomped out of the kitchen.

"Leave that boy alone, Vasilios! At his age, you were already on your third girlfriend."

"Do you want lasagna?"

I held my phone close to my ears as I tried to process what Zane was asking.

"Lasagna?" I repeated, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. Was he high on drugs?

"Yes. I made lasagna for dinner. I thought, maybe you would like some too."

I was left speechless. This is not the Zane I know.

"You...made dinner?" I asked questionably after I got my voice back. "Zane, are you drunk? Are you high? Are you okay?"

"No. Why do you think that?" He asked incredulously. I could here the confusion in his voice. He's confused, I'm confused.

"Because...you cannot cook even if your life depends on it," I remembered in junior year, I slept over at his place when his parents where on vacation and he managed to burn scrambled eggs. He burned the scrambled eggs. The firealarm went off and the kitchen was filled with smoke.

He chuckled. "That was a long time ago, sugarplum. Now I have mastered the art of cooking. So are you coming over to have dinner with me?"

Damn, he really did change alot. It kinda made me feel so sad that I wasn't there to witness all these changes. Part of me wished there was a time machine so I could go back in time and fix us.

"Uhmm sure. What's your address?" I was a bit skeptical because the chances of Zane giving me food poisoning is quite high. But since today is my last day in New York, I might as well spend some time with him. Who knows, maybe I will discover more hidden talents of him.

He texted me his address and I got out of bed to get dressed. I decided to go for a black off the shoulder jumpsuit. It was my last piece of clothing that I haven't worn yet. I applied some mascara and lipgloss and grabbed my car keys before heading downstairs.

"Where are you going?" My mom asked as I opened the front door. She came out of the kitchen with her apron still on. "Are you going to Zane?"

I nodded my head at her. "Yes. He invited me over for lasagna."

She smiled. I know deep down she was glad Zane and I started talking again. She loves Zane. She adores him so much. "Oh I love his lasagna. Tell him to bring me some left overs."

"Will do." I told her as I headed out. Was I the only one who hasn't tasted his food yet. He really changed a lot over the years and everyone was aware of that except me. It was also my fault for not checking up on him. For not staying in touch and go completely of radar. But then again, he really did hurt my teenage heart.

Once upon a time we were so inseperable and now we were basically strangers. Not complete strangers, because deep down I can still feel a spark between us.

As I was driving to his house I thought of all the things we used to do and how much fun we had. I would do anything to have those moments back. Part of me knew we could still be like old times. But then again, I don't want to be like old times anymore. Another part of me refuse to accept Zane as my best friend. He was more than that. But he couldn't be more than that. I knew that, because Zane always saw me as his girl best friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Our friendship was already hanging on by a thread. I didn't want to be the reason to destroy it completely.

I also didn't want to be the girl best friend who ruins his relationships. But seeing him with someone else hurts me.

I parked in front of house and locked my car before heading inside.

He lived in a beautiful victorian house. I knocked on his door and a few seconds later he opened the door. A big smile appeared on my face when he saw me. He was wearing an apron and grinned at me.

"Sugarplum, you're right on time. Dinner is serverd." He opened the door wider so I could step inside.

"Nice crib you have here." I said as I made my way past him. The inside of his house was so minimalistic and cozy. It was a nice place to raise kids.

Kids? Why was I thinking about kids?

"I know right. I decorated it myself." He answered proudly as he closed the door behind me.

I followed him to the kitchen and I saw that he had already made the table. There was lasagna, garlic bread and wine.

"I'm starving, because I didn't eat at work today so I hope you don't mind digging in right away." He chuckled as he pulled out a chair for me.

I laughed. "Absolutely not. I am so excited to taste your masterpiece.

He laughed as he took a seat across from me. "I wouldn't call it a masterpiece."

"I beg to differ. My mom was praising your cooking skills. According to her you make the best lasagna in town."

"I wouldn't call it the best. Maybe second best."

I chuckled as I took a bite of the lasagna. I rolled my eyes as the deliciousness of the creamy lasagna massaged my tongue. It was heaven on earth. "Mmmhh, this is the best lasagna in the whole world."

When I opened my eyes Zane looked at me with an amused and satisfied expression on his face. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it. I can eat this everyday.

He smiled at me. "Amari, I really want to tell you something." He sounded serious.

"Now?" I wanted to enjoy my meal. "It can't wait for later?"

"No, I actually want to get it off my chest."

Ughh, it better be important. "Shoot. Go ahead. Tell me."

"Remember-,"

Zane's sentence got cut off when the front door flew open and I saw my dad storm into the kitchen. "WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?"