Days passed and Christopher and I still haven't made up. We barely talk whenever we all hang out. I told Amira how our conversation went and although she didn't share my doubts about Kate's memory loss she agreed Christopher has blind loyalty to her.
Amira and Jabari's birthday came shortly after mine and Amira already made preparations to host a small party with just her close friends in her parent's beach house in west London. Jabari travelled to visit his girlfriend in England. It is just going to be me, Christopher, Kate, Aya, Izzy and the birthday girl Amira. There were only four rooms in Stone's beach house and I and Amira stayed in one, Aya and Izzy took separate rooms because Aya came out last week she is gay and Izzy doesn't feel comfortable sharing a room with her. Kate insisted on staying with Christopher in his room instead of Izzy's. Even though Christopher is faking being in love with her he is still undoubtedly having a good time.
Ding. The sound of the toasting machine rang through the house and the others came downstairs to join Amira and me for breakfast. All through breakfast Kate kept feeding Christopher and smiling brightly. After breakfast we decided to go out to the beach, different people were laughing and running around the beach and it seemed fun. This is the first time I'd go to a beach after Zoya got married. We used to go to the beach when she still lived with us but after she got married and moved away I've not been there, basically because my mom won't let me but also because the only person I would like to go with has aquaphobia, Khalil. Khalil is still not picking up my calls and before we left school I dropped a message hoping he would call me soon but he has not. I miss him.
"I like your outfit Zee" Kate said as she held Christopher by his arm. She was wearing a sexy bikini that showed her curves and tiny waist. I was just wearing a bum shorts and a tank top with my hijab to cover my hair.
"Thanks" I said even though I knew coming from Kate, she didn't mean it. I saw Christopher staring at me from the side of my eye but he looked away as soon as I turned to face him.
"Dumbass" I scoffed.
"I'll meet you guys outside" I said as I remembered I forgot to take the scarf I had intended to wrap around my shoulder.
"Okay" they said.
I hurried into our room and picked up the scarf and when I turned around I saw Kate staring at me.
"Oh Kate, I was just about to join you guys" I said
"Don't act so dumb Zee, Christopher told me what you said. Trust me I didn't think you of all people will figure it out but oh well even the dumbest of them all can catch on sometimes, and if you think for a second that you can turn Christopher against me you are a freaking liar" she said angrily.
"I knew it! You never lost your memory did you?" I asked.
"Oh no, I did but a few hours after I was discharged and I unlocked my phone, I heard our conversation from the day of the incident I had recorded because I thought Christopher will finally confess to loving me too but we both know how that went. It didn't take too long for me to remember it all, how he kissed you and how I slipped" she said confidently.
"Wow you are so sick. Do you think Christopher will not see through your charade or do you think I'm not going to tell him as soon as I leave here?" I asked rhetorically.
"Do you think he will believe you? You are pathetic Zeenat" She said as she laughed wickedly.
"You won't get away with this!" I said bitterly.
"Zee.....Kate, what are you doing here?" Christopher asked with surprise and Kate's hostile expression immediately faded into a sheepish smile.
"I just came to help Zee look for her scarf but she started to say some unbelievable stuff that I never lost my memory and you are only faking your love for me" Kate said believably that even I almost believed her. She is very good at pretending, and lying.
"Wow" I scoffed.
"Is this true?" Christopher asked with disappointment on his face.
"What do you think?" I asked not bothering to even explain the situation. He won't believe me anyway.
"I can't believe this" He said as he shook his head.
"Me neither" I answered with disappointment.
"Let's go Kate" He said as he held Kate's hand and left.
This is unbelievable. Kate is a slimy snake and she is getting away with everything. I can't believe she is so desperate to make Christopher fall in love with her.
I went out to join the rest at the beach and I could feel Kate mocking me from where she was graciously laying while Christopher rubbed lotion on her back.
"I thought you'd never come out, you were taking forever in there" Amira said interrupting my thoughts.
"I ran into a big slimy snake" I said dramatically.
"Where?" she screamed as she stood up in fear. I calmed her down and explained what happened and man was she pissed. She told me she has the plan to make Kate slip up in front of Christopher but I was not too interested in it. Kate might be pathetic but one thing she is not is stupid.
"Trust me, babe, I'll get her" Amira said confidently as she stood up and went to mingle with Aya.
After a few hours of enjoying the comfort of the beach, we decided to head in and prepare for Amira's party.
We set up the living room and placed bottles of alcohol, cans of soda and different snacks and pizza too on the table and then we went to our rooms to get dressed.
I heard music playing as I made my way down the stairs. I was the last to finish dressing and everyone complimented my outfit except for Christopher and Kate. I don't need any compliments to know I look good, I said to myself.
We were laughing loud and having casual talks when Amira told Christopher to get two glass cups for her in the kitchen.
"Oh Izzy that's funny, just admit I'm the best kiss you ever had" Amira said to Izzy.
I don't remember them kissing, wasn't it Aya she kissed, I thought to myself.
Izzy laughed loudly and shook her head in disagreement.
"It was Aya you kissed dumbass" Kate said with confidence.
"Oh no it was Izzy" Amira said almost smiling.
"No it was Aya and it was I who gave you that dare" Kate said raising her voice in disagreement.
"I never said it was a dare though" Amira said as she gave me a quick wink.
"Erm....but...I" Kate stammered.
"How did you know you gave me a dare and I kissed Aya?" Amira asked.
"Christopher told me" Kate retorted.
"No I didn't" Christopher said from behind Kate holding two glass cups.
"But you did Christopher, remember, after I came back from the hospital" Kate said but she wasn't convincing anyone.
"No I did not and if I was going to, it was most definitely not going to be when you came back from the hospital because the doctor told me not to tell you anything from that night" Christopher said as he dropped the glass cups on the table.
"You manipulative cunt!" Amira screamed at her before she slapped her hard on the face.
"Do you or do you not remember what happened that night?" Amira asked her as she raised her hand to slap her again.
"I do, I remember" she said with her eyeballs filled with tears. She is confident and manipulative with a very sharp tongue but her skin is as soft as jelly. Her face was pink, whether it was from the slap or the embarrassment, I had no idea.
"Kate Kate Kate, who is pathetic now?" I asked with great pleasure as her ruse has come to an end.
"Christopher" she said as she tried to touch him but he pulled away. She ran upstairs crying with shame and embarrassment.
"Zee" Christopher said after a few moments of awkward silence.
"Zee" He repeated
I rolled my eyes at him and went up to my room. Maybe I shouldn't react this way but I can't help it, he shouldn't have believed the lies Kate told him in the first place. Like, he believed I said those things and it made me sad.
"Can I come in?" He asked peeping into the room but I turned my back to the door. I wasn't ready to see him.
"Please?" He asked sweetly. That voice of his, urgh.
"Whatever" I managed to say.
"I'm so sorry Zee, I should have never thought you'd say that to Kate at all. I'm so sorry, please. Kate and I have been friends since my family moved here and we have always been inseparable. There was a time I went through a dark road when my parents wanted to get a divorce and it was Kate who was there to get me through it so I've always kind of made it my duty to protect and defend her even when I know she is in the wrong" He said as he sat beside me on the bed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know about your parents. It just made me feel angry but mostly sad because you believed I could behave that way. You didn't even give me a benefit of the doubt even though I've never done something remotely close to being mean to Kate. She has always been mean to me from the start and I still managed to get around it without having to do the same" I said calmly.
"Yes I understand. I am so sorry, okay" He said as he held my hands.
"Okay, I hope everything is well with your parents now?" I asked
"Oh yes. They went to couples therapy and worked on their relationship and now they are so happy together" He said happily.
"Aww, that's nice" I said.
"Are we cool babe?" He asked as he gently stroked my palm.
"Yes, we are" I answered almost blushing. He called me babe. My stomach was tied in knots and right there in that moment, I was happy.
"How cool are we?" He asked looking into my eyes. My breath became shallow and my heart started to beat fast. He kept stroking my palm without breaking eye contact and he smiled, conscious of his effect on me.
"Christopher" I whispered. He smiled again and kissed my cheek softly.
"Yes babe" He answered.
"Kiss me" I said softly into his ears.
I could feel the hair strands on my body stand erect as his lips finally met mine. His lips are so soft and taste like strawberry. I let out a light moan as his hands traced my back down to my waist. He pulled me closer and lifted me onto his lap. I let out another moan and gently placed my hands on the back of his head and pulled him closer. He took his hand to my back and gently tried to unhook my bra but I shifted in protest.
"What's wrong?" He asked with concern in his voice as he looked at me. I couldn't look up at him but instead stared at his unbuttoned shirt.
"Nothing" I whispered.
"Is this your first?" He asked.
"Yes" I said hesitantly and covered my face with my palms in shyness.
"That's okay babe. We don't have to do anything you don't want to" He said reassuringly and slowly took my hands from my face.
"Look at me" He said softly. He gently lifted my face when I didn't respond. I was looking into his eyes and he kissed me on my forehead.
"You don't have to okay? Whenever you are ready" He said calmly.
"Okay" I whispered.
"Will you just cuddle instead?" He asked
"Yes" I answered.
"Okay, come here babe" He said as he lay on the bed and I curled up next to him.
His warmth gave me comfort and I didn't even know when I dozed off.