• Arsenio •

This Saturday morning was going as usual. In awkwardness. A million things needed to be said between us, but neither of us was willing to say them.

I keep telling myself every day that I hate her yet my heart refuses to believe that, it keeps longing for her, continues to crave her closeness, wants to hold her, even kiss her. If only my heart would agree with my mind.

My gaze slid from Izan who was in my arms to Ezlyn, cooking us some breakfast in the kitchen, her hips slightly swaying to the music I played on my Bluetooth speaker. Involuntarily, my lips curled up into a small smile but I wiped it off within a second. What the fuck am I smiling for?

I shook my head and focused my attention on Izan whose golden brown eyes were fixed on me. He's sleeping half of the time but I try to savor the moment when he is awake and watches me, almost curiously.

"I can't wait for you to grow up and call me dad." I smiled down at him, my finger stroking his chin. That night when we conceived him might have ruined our friendship but it also gave me my little boy. I didn't realize how much I could love someone until he came into my life.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard the front door being opened and since only Zenith knew the passcode to it other than us, I knew who it was.

He came in carrying a Starbucks coffee cup in his hand and seeing Izan in my hand, he exclaimed, "Izan, my boy! Your favourite uncle is here!"

I rolled my eyes at him as he placed his coffee on the table and picked up Izan in his hands and pressing kisses all over his face. I sometimes feel like he loves him more than I do.

"Yeah, yeah," Ezlyn spoke loudly from the kitchen, cutting a glance at Zenith. "Give all your love to Izan. I don't even exist anymore, do I?"

Zenith handed Izan back to me and picking up his coffee, he took a sip of it and made his way to Ezlyn.

"Oh, my baby." He cooed stepping closer to her.

Baby? From when did he start calling her baby? 

My brows furrowed as I watched him wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to him and press a kiss to the side of her head.

What the actual fuck is going on here? They were never this lovey-dovey.

Ezlyn smiled up at him and said something softly which I couldn't hear. Her eyes fell to his coffee and she asked him something after which he held up the straw to her mouth and she took a sip of it, her eyes lightning up in delight.

A scowl formed on my face as I watched them share a single coffee, drinking from the same straw one by one.

The idea of Ezlyn being so close with Zenith didn't settle well with me. A feeling of possessiveness unfurled inside me and consumed me. She is my wife.

Mine alone.

And how the fuck can she even like that disgustingly sweet cold latte? Even if she likes it, she can ask me to buy her one instead of sharing it with Zenith.

When I couldn't take it anymore, I got up after placing Izan on the couch and surrounding him with cushions.

I walked over to them and before anyone could say anything, I snatched that damn coffee and removing its straw and opening its lid, I started to take huge gulps of it much to Zenith's horror.

My sweet tolerance is very low hence its taste made me almost gag but that didn't stop me from drinking it until its very last drop.

Zenith's mouth was wide open while Ezlyn watched me in confusion as I threw the now empty cup into the dustbin and made my way back to Izan.

"What the fuck was that?" Zenith came over to me, still not believing what just happened.

"I wanted to drink some too." I replied, my eyes fixed on Izan.

"But you didn't like it last time. You don't like that sweet things!"

I finally looked at him and frowned. "Maybe I was craving it, so what?"

"Craving it? What are you? On your periods?"

I glared at him until Ezlyn intervened as she placed a plate of avocado toast and scrambled eggs infront of me and another plate which I assumed was for Zenith.

Zenith diverted his attention to her and pointed to that plate. "Is this for me, love?" He asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Yes." She answered as she brought another plate for herself and placed it right next to Zenith's plate which meant she was going to sit next to him and not to me.

My jaw ticked but I forced myself to cool down. He's her best friend. I shouldn't be acting like this. What is even wrong with me?

They both sat opposite to me and started to have their breakfast while engaging in a conversation completely ignoring me. More like Ezlyn was ignoring me while Zenith was giving me side glances, may I add mischievous ones.

I turned my attention to my food but after having that weird coffee, I was in no mood for any food but if Zenith could eat it, I can too. I ate slowly, glancing at them in between.

I was seeing Ezlyn smile after a long time, the warmth in her smiles wrapped itself around my heart and gave it a gentle squeeze.

I forced my eyes away from her but somehow they once again sought her, taking in every feature of her face, loving the way her eyes were twinkling but hating it at the same time for it was Zenith who making her eyes twinkle. And I hated myself for not making her smile like this anymore. Fuck.

Angry at myself, I ate as quickly as possible to the point I felt extremely full.

I slammed the plate down on the table causing both of them to finally acknowledge my presence.

Ezlyn glanced at my empty plate and said, "There's more in the kitchen."

I opened my mouth to say something when I suddenly gagged and I slapped my palm to my mouth. What the fuck.

I got up immediately and walked as quickly as I could to one of the guest room's bathroom. I could hear their footsteps behind me as I kneeled down next to the toilet and emptied everything into it.

I heard Ezlyn say something as she kneeled next to me rubbing my back gently. "It's okay..." She whispered.

I tried not to think how fucking embarrassing this was once I was done vomiting and flushing the toilet I got up and moved to the wash basin to clean my mouth.

Ezlyn's worried face popped next to me. "Are you okay, Arsenio?"

Sighing, I nodded to her and took out a new toothbrush from the drawers to brush my teeth when Zenith spoke up amusingly, "He was having cravings earlier, now he is vomiting. He's definitely pregnant."

This is all his fault. Had he not been flirting with my wife all this wouldn't have happened.

Ezlyn let out a small chuckle which she masked with a cough as she scolded Zenith for making such an inappropriate joke.

Glaring at him through the mirror, I showed him my middle finger which only made him smirk.

"See, he is hormonal too." He commented and I whipped around, ready to punch him when Ezlyn got in the way and placed her palm over my bicep.

"I think you should rest, Arsenio." She said softly and my features softened and without sparing any look at him, I went back to brushing my teeth.

And they both left me alone.

.
.
.

"Here." Ezlyn placed a bowl of porridge infront of me at the dinner table later that day.

"Porridge? What for?"

She took a seat opposite to me and very happily cut a piece of her steak. "You are not well, you should eat light food."

Now who the hell is going to tell her that whatever happened was because of that idiot Zenith.

"I am quite alright. I don't see the need to eat porridge." I pushed the bowl away.

"Arsenio." She scolded. "Don't act like a kid. You are in your thirties for god's sake!"

I glared at her which had no effect on her as she continued to have her dinner and if I was not mistaken, there was a little smirk on her lips.

I will get back to her for this.

So, grumbling, I ate my porridge which thankfully didn't taste very bad.

I retreated to my study after dinner to make a call to Zenith about the charity event which we have to attend tomorrow evening.

He picked up on the third ring. "Yo, bro! How are you? Not having any cravings are you?"

"First of all, I am going to fucking kill you. I swear Zenith you are going to pay for whatever you did today." I threatened pacing around my study.

"What did I do?" He sounded offended and confused.

"What did you do? You were fucking flirting with my wife the whole time. Calling her baby and what not. If you repeat this again--"

I was cut off when he started to laugh over the call. "Oh God, Arsenio. It's cute how jealous you are over her."

I frowned. Has he lost his mind? "I am not jealous." I gritted my teeth. "She's my wife and I don't like the idea of you flirting with her."

"Arsenio..." He said in an extremely serious tone. "That's exactly what jealousy is. You might wanna search up its meaning."

Leaning against my desk, I started to plan his demise. "I don't wanna hear your nonsense. I just want to say is that tomorrow you better bring a date with you, I don't want you to third wheel us."

"I have been third wheeling you both for years, Arsenio. It's not going to be anything new." His tone was void of any amusement which meant he was serious.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think I am a fool? Do you think that I didn't use to notice how you both used to look at each other?"

What the hell does he mean by that? I stood up straight. "How?"

"You both always gazed at each other as if you are each other's world."

"So what? It was platonic, nothing else."

"Oh, no, no..." He chuckled. "It was anything but platonic. Best friends don't look at each other so intensely." My heart fluttered on hearing that.

"You are making no sense at all. Just remember what I said and goodnight."

He sighed deeply. "Goodnight but you both were always in love with each other."

Chapter completion on: 17/1/23
Published on: 27/1/23

Zenith all this time was like *act fool* *act fool* *act fool*
If you know what I mean 😂

~Ahlam