Zach: Sushi is a no. Noted.
Zach: What about Mexican?
Me: Can I just eat the free chips and salsa?
Zach: No. How about Italian?
Me: Can you be any more cliché?
Zach: I’m sure I can find a way.
Zach: Are you allergic to anything?
Me: Human souls.
Zach: Oh good. You’re in great company then.
Zach: Pick you up at seven tomorrow?
Me: I’ll text you the address.
Zach: You know, I should ask…you are eighteen, right?
Me: Only by 3 years.
Zach: At least we’re in the clear in that regard. Sweet dreams, Delia.
Me: Good night, Zachary.
The first thoughtthat runs through my head when I switch off my screen is,He gets me.
I’ve always had friendships where I was understood on a basic level. Apart from Zoe, I’ve never found someone I clicked with all the way, who accepted me for all my strange quirks, not even with Caleb, though it was close…until we ruined it.
But Zach? He understands me on a level I wasn’t expecting, understands my sarcasm and doesn’t get annoyed when that’s the mode I’m in. He appreciates the darkness behind it, and even better, he fires back with his own. Our conversations are seamless, flirty, and I like it way more than I should—not to mention my body tingles with anticipation every time he sends a text because I know it’ll spark an endless string of fun.
Zach makes me laugh, makes me feel light and airy. With him, I don’t have the weight of the real world hanging over my head, don’t have the anticipation of what graduating will bring.
I know I haven’t known him all that long—and hell, I haven’t even actually met him—but I like the way he makes me feel, and it’s not something I’m ready to let go.
I just hope I’m not making a huge mistake by meeting him.
Nine
“He’ll be herein ten minutes, Zoe, and I still haven’t finished my hair! It’s not even dry!”
“First, breathe. You need to calm down before you do anything else, especially operate a hot hair dryer you can swing at my head at any moment.” She reaches for the item in question and carefully extracts it from my hands, sets it on the counter, and faces me again. “Second…” Zoe shakes me hard. “CALM THE FUCK DOWN, DELIA!”
She’s not one to raise her voice, so Zoe’s shouting shocks me so hard I jerk back out of her grasp.
“You good now?” she asks, brow raised.
I take a calming breath…then another, and two more for good measure. “I’m fine.”
“Okay, now let’s tame your hair.”
Zoe takes over and dries my hair for me as I finish up my makeup. Before I know it, she has my dark brown hair swept up in a low messy bun with a little teasing on my crown to give it lift. Partnered with my natural makeup, I don’t look too shabby.
“There. Gorgeous!”
