“Ohh. So you two are going to be Facebook official?”
I frown. “He and I . . . we’re just friends who sometimes kiss.”
She gives me a look that speaks volumes, but I don’t say anything. Because I think I like Levi a little too much.
We arrive at the boys’ house a few minutes later. The door flies open the second we step onto the porch, and Gage’s handsome face peeks out, followed by his six-foot-something lean body.
He grins, opening his arms wide as he joins us on the porch, gathering all three of us into a hug. A very squishy hug.
“Breathe. I need to breathe,” MJ pants.
“What’s happening?” Zulakya asks in a muffled voice, sounding panicked and wiggling as she tries to remove herself from the embrace.
“Gage, you need to let go,” I say, craning my neck to look at Zulakya. “Right now.”
“Oh, princess. You love my hugs—”
I push against his chest. “It’s not me. It’s Zula.”
His arms drop away, and MJ and I reach for her, but she bats our hands away, breathing rapidly and shaking uncontrollably.
Gage glances from her to me and MJ, eyes wide as he backs away. “It was just a hug. I didn’t know. Who is she?”
“It’s not you,” I reassure him, my gaze turning back to Zulakya.
“She’s having a panic attack,” MJ mutters with a worried look on her face. “I know you love hugging people, but seriously, can you limit them to people you know?” she scolds.
“What can we do, Zula?” I ask, stepping forward, helplessly watching her try to breathe. I’ve never seen anyone have a panic attack, and it’s so scary.
She shakes her head. “Just need”—she gulps air several times—“to b-breathe.”
“Who left the bloody door open?” Mesh appears in the doorway scowling. His gaze darts around before settling on Zulakya, and his expression seems to soften, which is completely out of character for him. Then he shocks us even more when he orders in a calm voice, “Give her room.” When none of us move, he says, “Now.”
MJ and I scramble off the porch while Gage takes a few steps back, hovering in the doorway.
Mesh cautiously, slowly, steps toward her with his hands raised, reassuring her he’s not a threat as he says in a soft, firm voice, “Hey, there. I’m Mesh. What’s your name?”
Zulakya’s gaze darts to Mesh, and she eyes him up and down warily while taking deep breaths. “Mesh? What kind of name is that?”
A surprised chuckle leaves his mouth. “It’s short for Meshach.”
She’s quiet, leaning on the wall behind her. Sliding down to sit on the wooden floor, she then pulls her legs up to hug them against her chest.
Mesh steps closer, and I whisper, “Don’t. Just give her a few minutes.”
He faces me, and says, “I know what I’m doing. You guys go ahead inside.”
MJ huffs. “What do you know about panic attacks?”
“More than you do. Trust me, okay?”
I glance at Zulakya, but her eyes are on Mesh, watching him closely. Then she looks at me and nods slowly, saying, “It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”
I frown. “You sure?”
She nods. MJ reaches for my elbow and drags me inside the house.
“Hey, Miller.” Levi’s voice has me turning around, and I’m immediately greeted by his crooked grin and dimples. His gaze darts to my hair and he says, “Love the new hair. I’ll miss the mermaid blue though.” His grin vanishes as soon as his eyes meet mine. “Um, what’s wrong?”
I glance at the door, needing to go check on my friend. “It’s Zula. She’s on the porch.”
His brows draw together in concern. “Why is she out there? Is she okay?”
“I don’t know. Mesh is with her.”
“Wait, what? Mesh is out there with Zula?”
“Well, yes—”
“I have to see this for myself,” he says, sounding like a kid who just caught Santa eating the cookies on Christmas Eve. He strides to the door and pokes his head out. From where I’m standing, I hear words being exchanged in a low voice. A few seconds later, he returns. “He seems to have everything under control. What happened?”
“Gage with his enormous hugs happened,” MJ says, but there’s no bite to her words. She shoots him a fond look.
“I said I’m sorry,” Gage says, looking utterly miserable.
Levi drags his fingers through his blond locks. “He’s talking to a girl. And he looks . . . concerned.”
“Is that unusual?” I ask.
MJ snorts. “Mesh never talks to girls. He rarely talks to anyone unless it’s necessary. Period. Him talking to Zula is like . . . like spotting a unicorn.”
I laugh. “You two are ridiculous.” I shuffle to the door and crane my neck to look. Levi follows me, slipping his arm around my waist and pulling me to his side, walking me to the living room. “I don’t know what triggered such a reaction from him, but I have a feeling Zula’s going to be fine.”
Reluctantly, I let him seat me on the couch. The front door opens and Mesh walks in first, then Zulakya right behind. I jump to my feet and dash toward her, ready to hug her, but then quickly pull back. Watching her having that panic attack scared me. I don’t want her to freak out again.
“You okay?”
She nods, a small smile on her lips, her eyes darting to Mesh, and her cheeks turning pink. “Sorry for worrying you guys. I’m not good with hugs, especially from people I don’t know.”
“I’m really, really sorry, Zula,” Gage says from the couch several feet away.
“It’s fine. I should have said something.”
She sits on the couch next to me just as MJ walks into the living room with a glass of water and thrusts it in Zula’s hand. “Thought you might need this.”
Zula smiles gratefully and downs the contents, then sets the glass on the table in front of us. MJ sits on the other side of the couch next to Zula and we all huddle together.
“How long have you been having these attacks?” I ask in a low voice that doesn’t travel far.
She screws up her face and looks down to her hands on her lap. “A few years. They used to be bad, but I got better at controlling them after therapy.” She splits a gaze between MJ and me, the ghosts from her pasts swimming in those brown depths. “My last relationship. . .” She shudders, then inhales deeply. “My ex, he was a violent bastard. He’d hug me and apologize for hitting me, and then do it all over again when something set him off. I guess if a man suddenly hugs me without warning, it triggers all these memories from my past. I just wanted you two to know, I’m kind of a mess in here.” She taps her head.
“Shit. I’m so sorry, Zula,” I say, while MJ gives her arm a squeeze. “You’re our mess now. Our friend. And nothing about your past will change that. Besides, we’re all a mess. Nobody is perfect.”
MJ eyes Zulakya and says with a teasing smile, “Do you know where he lives? We could totally send Mesh to teach him a lesson.”
We laugh. I love MJ’s ability to diffuse tense situations with her jokes.