The Friend Zone (The Relationship Quo Series Book 2) Read online

  The

  Friend Zone

  By Nicole Strycharz

  “Friendship between a guy and a girl is a whole other kind of love. It’s not romance and it’s not family but it looks like both. Unless one of them is in love. Then it looks like lonely…”

  Second Book in The Relationship Quo Series

  Text copyright © 2016 by Nicole Paulette Strycharz

  All rights reserved. No Portion of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means without prior written permission from Nicole Paulette Strycharz.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  ~Acknowledgments~

  Thank you so much to my readers! The only reason Moses has his own story is because of the love he received from fans. You are the ones that gave him a voice beyond The Divorce. I hope you enjoy this book as much as the first and I’m wishing you love, magic, and beauty in everything you do. Thanks for making my dreams a reality with your support!

  To my “Write or Die” crew…can you feel the bear hugs right now? You people know who you are and you are most definitely family! I love each of you unconditionally and I’m so glad we have the love of the pen in common.

  I’m sending an abundance of kisses to my fellow Goddess, C. Dougherty. Your works are in this book because they breathed heart into the minds I created on the page. You are an instant classic and your words belong on the hearts of readers.

  Martha, I’m so obsessed with your bestsellers that at least one of them ended up in here again. I love you my reincarnated sister. Always and forever. Thank you for being such a positive force of greatness.

  Mom, you’ll find yourself in here like all the other books. It’s not my fault that you are a never ending craft store of inspiration. You’re my hero and my soulmate and my pen has no voice without your love.

  Jon…if you see anything familiar I plead the fifth. But I love you and I gave you a daughter so….

  And to a boy, I knew in a red baseball cap…

  Chapter One

  MOSES

  December 2011

  I think I can peg all my lack of rage and jealousy on this one day in 2012. Everyone said that it would be the end of the world thanks to the Mayans. As a side note, nobody considers they just got tired of writing the calendar. Maybe they just got to 2012 and thought, if mankind makes it this far they can make their own damned calendar.

  Either way on December 31st of 2011 plenty of people were thinking it was the end of the world coming; the whole 1999 shit only Prince hadn’t come up with an awesome song for it.

  That night me and my fiancée Katie went to a friend’s house for what was to be considered the New Year’s party of all parties. My friend Jacob was hosting and he lived in Beverly Hills. Enough said, right? So I migrated to the kitchen where there was less madness.

  I was drinking. Something I don’t usually do, when Katie grabbed my arm and purred against me.

  “Hey beautiful,” I said and put her under my arm.

  She beamed and kissed my cheek, “hey honey,” she pushed her blonde hair back and I thought I saw a brown mark on her neck. I frowned and used my finger to pull down the collar of her shirt.

  “What’s this?” I asked but my brain screamed ‘hicky dumbass.’ No, I don’t do that whole jealous boyfriend shit. Nope. I either trust you or I don’t and if I don’t we aren’t together.

  She covered it with her hand and laughed in a high pitch, “ugh, curling iron before we came here. Is it bad?”

  There you go, see? Curling iron. Duh. No need for alarming the church elders and consulting the pope.

  “It’s not too bad,” I kissed her and she danced her tongue with mine. Yeah, shut up doubt. I love this girl, she’s going to be my wife and she’s my forever.

  The house was well lit in the kitchen where we stood but the rest of the house was dark with glow sticks on people’s necks and wrists. Christmas lights that lined the upper corner of the ceilings added a club feel and there was dancing bodies everywhere.

  The music was loud. Rap stuff that definitely had beat. The expensive features and furniture were a bit cold for my liking but hey, I’m a granola breath that lives in a cabin.

  “Hey, lovebirds.” Jacob teased as he came in with lots of beer bottles by the neck. “Stop sucking face and go dance or break something.”

  I broke the kiss with Katie and laughed. “People breaking stuff already?”

  He shrugged, “It’s a house party.” He threw the bottles in a recycle bin and came to sit on the kitchen counter in front of us. He was our age, in his late twenties with a slight build and very large black geek glasses. “Having fun?”

  Katie patted my chest and smiled at Jacob, “it’s a great party. I ran into a ton of people I know.”

  Jacob crossed his arms, “good. Be sure you guys crowd into the den when the ball is dropping. I basically have a home theater, you haven’t lived till you’ve seen the ball drop on one of those, it’s like being there.”

  Katie lit up, “Oh well, my family is from the East Coast so I know all about Time Square. Daddy used to take us every year,” Katie batted her blues at me, “we’ll have to kiss and make this engagement official then.”

  I kissed the bridge of her nose, “not missing that.”

  “Awwwwwww!” Jacob taunted.

  Katie poked his side, “don’t be jealous of the love.”

  He swung his feet like a kid, “lonely rich bachelors tend to do that.”

  She hugged my waist, “you’ll find someone, Jacob. You have a lot to offer in a relationship. Even if you didn’t. Take us for example, Moses is just a yoga teacher and I’m crazy about him.”

  I didn’t take offense to the word ‘just.’ Katie grew up in a rich family. She still dresses like she’s in Catholic school. Even tonight she’s sporting the whole light pink plaid skirt, fuzzy pink sweater, and discreet gray flats. We only met because she hired a personal yoga instructor on weekends and I met the qualifications.

  What she doesn’t know is that I’ve taught for some fairly well off people and schools so I’m far from the broke she thinks I am, but until we’re married it’s not like she needs a number.

  Jacob smacked his lips, “you guys are an a…interesting pair.”

  She giggled but I gave him a ‘watch it look,’ as she said, “opposites attract Jacob. I think our differences will offer our family a great amount of diversity.”

  I rubbed her side, “that’s what real love is…acceptance.” I said in agreement.

  Jacob narrowed one eye, “I thought it was sex.”

  Katie ignored that and looked up at me, “I’m running to the bathroom. Be back in a bit.”

  “Okay,” we gave a short peck then she left.

  She wasn’t gone five minutes when Jacob started in, “I just don’t see it.” He began.

  “Really?” I asked him, annoyed.

  He made a bunch of ‘I don’t know’ kind of noises. “You guys just don’t click to me. Something is missing.”

  “Well, sorry to back pocket your advice but you’re eighty-five percent negative about everything.”

  “True. I’m only having this party so if the world ends at midnight I don’t die alone.”

  “World’s not ending.”

  He pointed at me, “see, you are the positive one, and I’m the negative one, it makes us perfect friends. You think Katie is the one? I think she’s a passing thing.”

  “We’re engaged!” I looked around like better words were hidden in
the walls, “we love each other and we’re getting married.”

  “Yeah…” he pursed his lips. “I don’t see it.”

  “You don’t have to see it, ding dong. It’s happening.”

  “But she’s so…boring.”

  “Boring?”

  “Yeah, I always pictured you with someone like…like…” he stopped to think, “I don’t know, I can’t think of- oh! I know, like Chloe!”

  “Chloe?” I grimaced. “Chloe is my best friend.”

  “I know, I didn’t say her, just someone like her. With the hot body, the tats, the piercings, the zen, hippie, daredevil with the career straight outta a man’s wet dream.”

  I drank my beer and let the light hum of a buzz make Jacob’s words not feel offensive. I can’t be sure what part is bothering me, the putting down of my relationship with Katie, the calling her boring, the comparison to Chloe or the fact that he looked interested in my best friend.

  “She’s not your type, so stop drooling.” I said it rougher than I meant to.

  He raised his brows. “That’s what I was saying. She’s yours. Your sudden peacocking makes me wonder, though.”

  “I’m just protective; she meets a lot of assholes.”

  “She’s a stripper, that’s implied.”

  I bristled, “Chloe isn’t a stripper, she’s a professional exotic dancer. She also instructs.”

  He laughed. “Uh, she instructs pole dancing.”

  “It’s an art form.”

  “So who friend zoned who?” he got excited and took off his glasses to clean them. “I bet it was you, you can be so dense when it comes to a pickup. Bet you zoned her.”

  “Nobody zoned anybody; we’ve always just been friends.”

  He rolled his eyes, “sure, you never once thought of boning her. Sure. Right. Even watching her pole dance.”

  “Fuck no!” Fuck yes. But not in a way that meant anything and it was only at the beginning. If I tell him yes but that it was short lived, he’d never believe me. “She’s like my little sister. I love her but not like that.”

  “Katie is a preppy law student. Her dad invented soap or something and all she ever talks about is getting a house on the East Coast. You got engaged after a year of dating and it still feels fast. I’m being honest dude, that’s all.”

  I felt a tick in my jaw right as he looked down at his watch. “Ten minutes till midnight,” he said. “Let’s drop this and go celebrate.”

  He came off the counter and left. I’d been leaning on the counter too but now as I stepped away I felt the effects of the drinks. My head felt heavy but my vision was spinning and my feet were like bricks. Ugh, I hate alcohol.

  I made my way to the den where everyone was squeezing in and the big screen gave us a clear vision of the ball in time square. On their coast it already fell but now it was our turn.

  Jacob’s words were bouncing around in my head like a tennis ball. Then I realized Katie wasn’t in sight and let go of the stupid talk. I called her name a few times and got a reply from three different Katie’s but none were mine.

  I started searching the house which was taking the whole ten minutes we had until midnight. Where did she go? Why won’t my feet pick up?

  After checking countless bedrooms, bathrooms, and offices I come to the last hall. I’ve walked in on maybe four couples screwing, and one threesome. Fun. Not really.

  When I came to the bedroom on my left I was met with ten people watching a movie and in the next, there were seven playing Xbox. The third was more sex. Great.

  “Don’t stop!” The girl yelled.

  I muttered to myself and turned to leave since they hadn’t even heard me come in. They were a loud couple but then something about the way the girl said ‘don’t stop,’ made me pause in the doorway. Where have I heard that before?

  “Oh fuck!” the guy groaned. They were in a queen sized bed and the foot was facing the door so all I see is the guy’s ass going up and down and a pair of really skinny legs parted around him.

  I feel like a perv watching this but I’m not even turned on in the slightest, I’m getting a painful pull in my chest that’s making my throat close up.

  “Yes!” the chic calls out. “Yes, oh yes…there, there, right…”

  My brain went into a shut -off mode that left me feeling like a restarting laptop. Those things always restart when you’re in the middle of something or when you really need them. You put off the warning…you know the one; It usually says you have fourteen minutes to save your crap or it gets thrown away. Like when your mom used to say, “clean up or I’m trashing any toys left on the floor.”

  That’s how this feels. I need my brain active right now, but I’m seeing the windows screen in front of my eyes with the circle of dots. I’m recording the image of this guy between my fiancée’s legs and I’m trying to justify it.

  Still, don’t want to be the jealous boyfriend or anything. Wait. Does this validate the jealous boyfriend? It’s not rape because she said ‘don’t stop,’ not, Don’t (with a capital D) then period, Stop (with a capital S) then period. It’s all in the grammar really. So it’s not rape.

  “Chad!” She called, “Chad, harder, harder.” Yeah, that’s not rape.

  Oh, Chad was her ex before me, the doctor.

  Chad gave a horse like grunt. “You like that? Yeah?”

  Then I felt it, “I’m gonna throw up.” I said out loud.

  Katie screamed when she heard my voice and Chad bounced right off her. Oh fuck, yeah, Ima throw up. Nope! Can’t throw up now. I’ll always identify throwing up with Chad’s bare ass if I do it now.

  “Oh shit!” Katie was standing and trying to push her skirt down, “oh shit Moses! I’m sorry honey, I didn’t think. I was drunk…I was so drunk I think I thought it was you.”

  “My name isn’t Chad,” I bent over and held my knees because vomit was coming, “that’s a really bad lie, Moses doesn’t even rhyme with Chad.”

  “I didn’t do this to hurt you okay? This was so not about you.” She was trying to put her arms back through her sleeves.

  Meanwhile, Chad was dashing into the adjoined bathroom to drown in the sink hopefully. I think he thought I was going to kick his ass. I really don’t want to see his ass ever again.

  “Katie…” I said as I straightened. The vomit went back down for now, “what just happened?”

  She hopped over to me as she tried putting on her shoes. “Oh honey, it was a mistake okay? We’ll stop seeing each other and you and I will be fine.” She started to tip over and I should’ve helped but instead, I watched her fall sideways in slow motion like a giraffe with mad cow disease. I’m almost happy inside that she fell.

  “You’re seeing Chad?” I asked my splayed upon the floor fiancée.

  “Only like three weeks. That’s nothing,” she got herself up and held my face. “I love you so much Moses, this stuff just happens sometimes. If you ever make a mistake like this, I’d forgive you in a heartbeat. Chad’s wife forgives him when she catches him too. That’s love.”

  I raised my brows. “Love is mean then.”

  “Honey,” she smoothed her hands down my chest. “Chad and I have history you know? It’s not your fault.”

  “You’re fucking Chad?”

  She took my hand and I noticed her engagement ring. I also noticed the missing bra. “Yes but… I want you to know, he’s not nearly as good as you in bed, okay?”

  “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!” A bunch of people downstairs yelled at the top of their lungs right as she said the most fucked up thing of all time.

  I pulled my hand away and turned to leave. I could hear her saying my name and apologizing but I was gone. I had to get out of this suffocating house.

  “Hey, man! Happy New Year!” Jacob hugged me but I shoved him off and went to the door where the bowl full of keys were. “Hey!” He said trying to catch up. “That’s the DUI bowl bro. If the keys are in the bowl, no driving.”

  I blocked him out as I searched for my key
s. I don’t even hear him. I finally found them right as he showed up at my side and when he tried to wrestle them away I shoved him harder.

  The rage was so bad I felt it dripping off me in waves. I wanted to break things. It’s not what she did, it’s what it all stands for. It’s the lie. I was about to devote my life to someone who lied. It made me feel stupid, that everyone else saw the misfit and I didn’t. Even Jacob.

  Katie showed up in the crowd and when she saw me she rushed my way so I flipped over the hall table with the bowl full of keys and she stopped next to a pissed off Jacob.

  Chad’s ass. It was like a snapshot. Chad’s ass between her legs. So I punched the door over and over and over until I felt Jacob trying to pull me back.

  It’s not even jealousy. It’s sadness, sadness under the cover of anger.

  People in the party stopped to stare at me and they were whispering like they were scared. Katie was covering her mouth and looking at me like I was crazy.

  I panted and my fists felt swollen but I went out the door and slammed it shut. I stumbled to my car and fell in before starting the engine. I took off down the street like a speed demon and a dizzy feeling took over.

  I was on a private road and the coast was clear until a dog went across the street. A golden retriever with a reflecting collar. I hit my breaks and the sound put a shiver through me. Tires screeching to a halt is a heart-stopping squeal. I was thrust forward against the wheel then back in my seat and the dog sat down in the middle of the road and watched me as it panted like I was doing a trick for him.

  I was shaking so bad I had to cover my face and breathe. Did I just drink and drive? Me? Moses Livingston? Self-loathing stabbed me right in the gut. Even Katie wasn’t worth hurting someone over.

  I steered off the road and parked parallel to the street then took out my phone. I was shaking so bad the touch screen didn’t know what I wanted but then I got it.

  It rang, and rang, and rang and then, “Chloe’s BDSM Phone Sex Hotline. All our girls are tied up right now,” Chloe’s voice was like taking pain killers. She never answered her phone like a regular person. She always had an opening joke.