between his fingers to make sure that Camila examined it.

"I'm ready." Camila grinned at him from across his kitchen table.

Jalen texted Camila to hang out after meeting her and he refused to feel bad about it.

Especially after he realized that Noelani had gone back to dodging his calls.

She had turned out to be extremely down to earth and kind.

Jalen tossed the cracker into the air and Camila caught it in her mouth then clapped excitedly, "I didn't think I could make it."

"I didn't think so either. Okay, my turn." Jalen said then his ringtone bounced off the walls in the kitchen.

His phone lit up with a call from...

Lani.

"Uh, can you give me a second?" Camila nodded at Jalen's question.

Jalen answered the call once he was in his room with the door closed.

"Hey! Sorry that I missed your call a couple of days ago. I was surfing with a friend and I didn't get back home until late and then the last few days have been crazy. My mom needed help with her job so-."

"Alex?" Jalen asked, not being able to help himself.

Noelani was quiet, "How do you know about Alex?"

"Coleman and Jasmine mentioned some guy you met on some trail."

"Okay, but I never told them his name so how do you know his name?" Her tone was suspicious.

"I saw a comment on your Instagram," Jalen mumbled.

Noelani was quiet again, "So... What? You're stalking me or something?"

"It was there for everyone to see." Jalen pointed out, "So is that your friend or something?"

"I mean yeah. Am I not allowed to have friends?"

"Don't ask me that. Fuck am I supposed to say? No?" Jalen rolled his eyes, "I just thought we were working on getting back together."

"It was just one missed call Jalen! You act like I dropped off the face of the earth!" Noelani had clear frustration in her voice.

"I mean you might as well have, right?" Jalen responded before he could help himself.

"What is wrong with you?" Noelani blurted, "You answered the phone to pick a fight for what? Over Alex? Over me moving back home?"

"I just wanted to know who Alex is..." Jalen mumbled again.

Noelani sighed, "He's a friend. He's just a friend."

The stairs creaked and then there was a dainty knock on the door before Camila stuck her head in.

"Hey," She said, "I gotta go pick up my sister."

Jalen mouthed, "Okay," and Camila nodded before slipping out of the room.

"Is that just a friend? Should I get mad at and start yelling at you over another person?" Noelani asked.

"God, you and your dad are just the same. You love talking shit about how he left but the minute things got hard you ran! You're a coward, just like him!" Jalen blurted.

Jalen knew he had misspoke but he was just so agitated by Noelani's actions.

Moving away, moving on with some new guy, it was all too much.

He just wanted Noelani to show that she still cared about him.

That he wasn't fighting for their relationship alone.

"How dare you compare my dad leaving his only kid to me moving back to where I was happiest? You got some fucking nerve," Noelani choked up and Jalen could tell that she was crying from either rage or sadness.

Jalen regretted his words but at the same time, a sick sort of fulfillment came from hearing the clear pain in her voice.

Hurt people hurt people and he wanted Noelani to feel something.

"So you know what? Yeah. Yeah, I ran. But you always forget that it's that I ran from. If running from the people who hurt me... If that makes me a coward then fine. But you listen to me. I am like him. I will never be like him and fuck you for even saying that because you know how hard I worked to avoid any similarities to him. Fuck you, Jalen and don't hit my phone again. Ever." Noelani's voice cracked and then she hung up the phone.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" Jalen clutched his head in his shaking hands.

"What happened?" Camila asked from behind him.

"I thought you left." Jalen said, whirling around.

"I was about to but I heard some of the conversation from downstairs. Sounded rough. You okay?" Camila furrowed her brows.

"No... I fucked up. I keep fucking up. I don't know why I said that." Jalen shook his head.

"Who... Who was that if you don't mind me asking?" Camila put her bag down on the floor by his bed.

"It's my... It's a long story."

"I got time." Camila responded, sitting on the edge of his bed then patting the space next to her.

"Are you sure?" Jalen asked in a doubtful tone.

Camila nodded, "I want to be here for you. Honest."

Jalen licked his bottom lip but slumped onto the bed, his hands still shaking from his verbal mistake.

I wanna say that I'm sorry that I keep hurting y'all's feelings with these chapters but... that would be a lie🤧

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