ZACH'S POV
WE DIDN'T DO THE ROYAL COTILLION because it was time to go home and it was getting late. "Hey, Zach." I look to my right to see Nate catching up to me. "What's up, Nate? Got any girls to impress with that curly hair of yours?" I said as he laughs, "No, I actually just want to talk to you about the party. You coming?" He said as I nod.
"Who said Zach Avery isn't coming? Of course, I am. And I'm bringing Lavender with me." I said as he stops walking as I turn around and look at him. "What? Don't tell me I have to stay away from her, Collins." I stop walking as he comes towards, "I'm not saying that! I'm not Daniel. I just... Never thought of her coming to a party after what happened." He said as he looks down.
What party? And what happened?
"What do you mean? What party?" His eyes went wide when I asked he just stood there frozen as he shakes his head and looks at me. "It's none of your business, Zach." He said as he tries to walk away from me.
"Nathan, come on. What happened?" I said as he stops walking.
"Let it go, Zach."
"Not 'til you tell me-"
"It's not my place to tell, Avery! And why do you care all of a sudden?! You don't like her!" He cut me off as I look down and play with my fingers.
"She's my friend too, Nathan," I said as he lets out a huff and laugh. "She's nothing but a co-actress to you. Once this play is over, it's gonna go back to where it was before." He said as I come towards him and push him.
"What the fuck, Avery!" He pushes me back.
"I-I like her, okay? Is that what you want me to say?!" I angrily said
"Zach! Nate!" We heard as we both look at the person running towards us, and it was Lavender. She comes closer to me and cups my face. "Are you okay?" She quickly looks straight right into my eyes. Everything's frozen and I can't stop my heart from beating.
"I-It's okay, Lav. I'm okay." I said as I admire her. She's so beautiful, who in the hell in their fucking right mind to hurt her? Wait- Why do I love this feeling? Am I actually fallin' for her? Nate looks at me as he shakes his head and leaves the room.
"Zach!" I didn't realize she was hugging me as I hesitantly hug her back, I put my head down on her head as she put her head on my chest. "You don't have to worry, Lavender. No one's hurt." She breaks the hug as she looks at me and smiles.
Isn't she lovely? Yes, I knew the second I saw her from the music room. I like her, I really do. And I don't know if Daniel would let me...
"Come on, let's go to Saddle Ranch! Daniel made a reservation for the whole gang!" She said as she grabs my arm and tries to take me along with her, "Okay, okay. I'll meet you guys there." I said as I chuckle and she let out a giggle.
I watch her leave the room as I grab my things that were fallen on the floor from earlier from pushing Nate and him pushing me. "You like her." I turn around to see Thomas who's wearing this black shirt, black pants, and wearing one of his new shoes, the white converse.
"Are you going to be an asshole like Nate?" He laughs as he stops from his tracks and looks at me. "Nate is just... overprotective like Daniel. You gotta expect him to be like that." He said as I let out a huff, "Well, he wasn't like that when I didn't meet her yet. Why now?" "There's so much going on that we can't tell you, well, not right now. It's hard to tell, Zach." He said as he picks up my phone from the ground.
"It takes time to tell you, you're lucky if she tells you." He added as he gives me my phone and walks away.
"Hey! What the fuck is going on? Why are you guys keeping secrets from me?!" He didn't respond but left me confused.
What the fuck is going on?!
-_-
I'm currently thirty minutes late from Daniel's reservation dinner at Saddle Ranch, when I got there, they just started eating. I sit next to Lavender as she looks at me and smiles. "You made it!" She said as I smile at her.
Is this how it feels like to be in love with a person you like? For some reason, she makes me feel so crazy. Like, I've never felt this way to someone before... this is an intense kind of feeling.
"Ehem." I take my eyes off her as I look at Nate gives me his deadliest glare, I shrug it off 'cause I'm here to be with the guys and her. We're here to have good times and no bad ones. "So, tomorrow, we're gonna rehearse the scene of Uma, Mal, and Ben at the Cotillion." Kristoffer said, "Oh shit, already? Damn." Kristoffer looks at me and smiles, he knows something.
"I can't wait for the true love's kiss!" He added as Daniel slaps his chest, "My sister is kissing no one!" The other went to complain and I look at Lavender, who's done with her french toast. "It's just a theatre play, DJ. What's wrong with that?" She said as the boys team up with her.
"I-I just-"
"Nah, it's fine. It's whatever. It's just a kiss."