Who Are You Calling Princess? (boyxboy)

Chapter Thirteen

Quick a/n: I figured out how to use italics and bolds on the phone 💁
------

I woke up feeling the same as usual. However, I was just thinking about the words Joziah said to me. On usual days, homophobes wouldn't be a problem. The only reason they don't affect me is because I was taught to be expected to be treated this way. Of course, it wasn't actual lecturing, but mostly based on past experience.

My body shivered thinking about the memory I had. The flashback included the word 'mother'. In my dictionary, that word meant: 'spawn of the devil'. All of my past events that involved her was all in England. She was half the reason I had to move to the United States of America where "everything is free and equal". It seems as if the pain she caused me followed me around everywhere. To this day I still curse her for all she has done. However, I can't actually say anything out loud because my father and I declared that her name was forbidden to be spoken of.

"Zaire!" I heard someone yell.

Reu? I asked myself. Oh, Reu.

Sitting up, I yell back, "Come in!"

The door immediately flung open and Reuben sprung inside the room.

"Did you even forget I was spending the night?" He said, punching my shoulder lightly.

"A little bit," I replied, getting another hit to the shoulder. "Don't be so abusive."

Reuben scoffed at me. "Anyways, where do you want to go today? I know damn well that you are not going to hermit in your house like back in England. Your dad and I had a very nice talk this morning."

"Um," I said. "Do you want to go to the arcade? I'm pretty sure there is one around here."

"As much as that sounds great in your accent, remember we are in the 21st century," Reuben replied, blinking.

I gave him a confused look. "Are arcades nonexistent?"

"No, no. They do exist, but no one goes there often. People just like to be at the mall these days."

Shivering at the thought of the mall, I shook my head. "Let's just go to an arcade. If this place is so 'advanced', they could at least have laser tag."

Reuben made a "hmph" sound, but eventually agreed to going. We got some money from my father and immediately headed to the door. However, when we walked to the driveway, I forgot that I left my car back at the mall.

"So, Reuben," I paused. "I, um, left my car at the mall yesterday."

He sighed. "You're lucky my house is near yours."

From there, we wasted a lot of time that should've been used for play time. Walking to Reuben's house took about ten minutes, driving to the mall took another ten, then driving to an arcade was five, luckily. By then, it was already noon and I was surprised at how large the area we were in was. Also, the place wasn't empty at all. There was at least a group of people at every machine.

Everything looked fine as I was viewing the area until I saw a particular back of the head. Not wanting to risk anything, I grab Reuben's arm like from when we met and dragged him behind a machine. I gave him the same look and he just payed attention as if it were a regular act he sees everyday.

Reuben raises an eyebrow and I start to speak, "Jozi is over there."

He moved his head and got on his tippy-toes to see over my shoulder.

"I'm going to show that hoe a little one and a two!" He says, waving his fists in the air like a little kid.

I held him back by lightly pushing him and shook my head. "Please don't do anything! If you were my friend, you wouldn't!"

Reuben gave in, nodding in agreement. "I'll try."

Accepting his reply, I ask him where the laser tag was and he showed me the way. We payed our money and moved inside. Everyone who joined got their gear and was patiently waiting for the person saying the rules to let us play.

"There will be two teams!" The staff said. "Since people already chose them, I see that two of you didn't choose. You," he says to Reuben, "Go to that team. As for you, self explanatory."

I gave Reuben a worried look and regretted coming inside. Taking some glances at Reu's side, I see that we are playing with a special someone. As soon as I see it, Reuben does too. The game was starting in thirty seconds and everyone was wishing each other "good luck" whilst I was giving Reu the face of "Don't do anything".

Then, it started. I had some experience in England with this so I knew what I was doing. A problem I was having was mainly just having coordination with my team since I didn't know anyone. Time passed and there was only five people left on the map from what it said on the board. It was only Reu, Joziah, and two other strangers along with me. I was trying to be very careful with my steps and being as silent as can be. Passing along the corner, I hear a conversation.

"-'re such a dumb ass," I hear Reuben say.

"I don't even know you," Joziah's voice sounded. "Besides, why are you even talking to me about this one topic and person. It is clearly only wasting my time."

"You motherfucker, you didn't even deserve to talk to a person like him."

"Yeah, I didn't because he was a waste, traitor, and rat for all I know."

My chest was hurting listening to this conversation. One, Reuben didn't listen to me and talked to him. That loses some of my trust but, two, everything Joziah was saying. I felt tears at the back of my eyes.

"You idiot! I'll show you damn-" Reuben's statement was cut off by the sound of my gun dropping. He peaks around the corner seeing me. "Zai! I'm so sorry!"

"You lied to me!" I said to Reuben, pushing him back.

"Well, I technically didn't because I said, 'try' but that doesn't matter. I'm really sorry, I just had to. This cu-"

I cut him off once more. "Don't even continue. I shouldn't have trusted a stranger from the beginning."

Joziah peeked around the corner as well when I was finishing my sentence. "Zaira?" He said.

I didn't look at him and just rushed away from the two. Feeling like an idiot, I dumped all the laser tag gear and drove off.

Monday is going to be a fun day, I thought to myself, head butting the wheel.