For the three days remaining until homecoming, Zack is MIA. No one seems to know where he is, and everyone is aware that we're not friends anymore, no idea how the entire school found out.
Mom feels sorry for me. I see it in her eyes whenever she looks at me. Zack's mom however, is losing it. He never calls her, and after I told her that he was at school, she got her hopes up, only for them to be crushed again when he didn't return.
Everyone is at the homecoming games, but I'm sitting in the bathtub, hugging my knees to my chest.
I don't need excitement in my life. I just need Zack.
Eric's name flashes on my screen as my phone rings for the umpteenth time.
He's been calling me non-stop, but I haven't answered any of his calls.
I really don't need complications when I'm trying to make things right with my best friend.
My best friend.
Convinced that I'm clean enough, I step out of the tub, wiping my body dry, and slip into a grey t-shirt.
When I step into my room, though, the sight on my bed makes me stumble as a gasp escapes my lips.
The figure sitting on my bed chuckles. "Careful not to fall."
He's here! Oh, gosh, Zack is here!
I must be dreaming. Maybe I fell asleep in the bathtub.
"Zack?" I test his name for the first time in days.
He stands up and walks over to where I'm standing frozen. He uses his index finger to tilt my chin up, then grins. "In the flesh."
Before I overthink it, I throw my arms around his neck, standing on my tiptoes just so I can rest my head in the crook of his neck.
"You came back." I whisper. Zack wraps his arms around me tightly, kissing my hair.
"You can't get rid of me that easily." He says.
My eyes begin to sting and I bury my head into his chest, crying tears of relief. I've missed him so much.
"I thought you were never going to speak to me again." My voice is muffled.
"I'm sorry I made you think that." He sighs. "I've been a huge dick."
He laughs when I agree with him, then pulls back to look at me. "I'm back, Aubrey, and I'm not going anywhere this time, I promise. We'll do whatever you want. We'll try to go back to normal."
"What if I told you that's not what I want?" I whisper and his jaw drops slightly.
"What're you saying?"
Before I stop myself, I lean up to press my lips against his for a second. Zack stares at me, still stunned.
"I'm saying, I don't want normal. We've never been normal anyway. I want you, and I want to give it a try, give us a try. I'm sorry I said no before, but I was just scared of losing you and our friendship. Which did happen," I laugh airily and he cringes. "But you came back. I still don't want to lose our friendship, but... it's a risk I'm willing to take just to be with you."
Zack wraps an arm around me and I feel myself getting backed up against the wall. "Really?" He breathes, staring at me with those intense dark blue eyes I've missed so much.
I grin. "Really."
Zack wastes no time in colliding his lips with mine in a bruising kiss. I immediately wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.
I've missed this. I think as his tongue slips into my mouth to meet mine. Even though it happened only once, I've missed being able to kiss him back.
"I know." He says against my lips and I freeze. Did I just...
"Yes, Aubrey. You said it out loud." He chuckles, resting his head against mine. "And I've missed kissing you too. I've missed you."
I smile, biting my lip. "Good."
Zack's eyes darken slightly, then he uses the tip of his tongue to trace my lower lip. "What have I said about biting your lip?"
"Hm." I tilt my head slightly. "I can't seem to remember. Care to refresh my memory?"
I feel his hand move from my waist to my ass as he jerks my lower half forward to meet his arousal, and...oh, fuck.
He lifts me up so my legs are wrapped around his waist.
"You love testing me, don't you?" He whispers huskily, fingers tracing my inner thighs, moving closer to my wetness. And then I remember...
Eric.. Eric's fingers pumping in and out of me. Eric's blond head between my legs. Eric tasting me. Eric doing unspeakable things to me.
"What's wrong?" Zack's face twists into one of confusion and worry as I let myself down.
"Nothing." I mutter, avoiding his eyes.
How could I have been so stupid? How am I ever going to let Zack know what I did with Eric? He'd never forgive me.
"Hey," he starts, tucking stray hair strands away from my face to the back of my ear, and I reluctantly look at him, hoping he can't read the truth on my face. "I really want this to work, and I'm sure you do too. If you're worried about losing me..."
Oh, fuck! He thinks that's what's bothering me.
"Zack, that's not what I'm upset about."
"Then what is it?" He asks.
Telling him that I slept with Eric is becoming less of an option than I thought. Then, what am I supposed to do? Before I overthink it, I blurt out.
"No more kissing Audrey?"
His body tenses as he meets my eyes with his.
"She doesn't mean anything to me, I promise. She just caught me at a weak time. I'm sorry." His forehead comes to lean on mine again. There's something in his tone that makes me uneasy. Like he's apologizing for something else, which leads me to ask
"Where were you?"
"Not important." He replies quickly, darting his eyes to my lips, but I'm not kissing him until he gives me a straight answer. "Zack..."
He groans. "Do we have to talk about this right now? Okay, I stayed in a motel. I just couldn't stand being around anyone. Even you." He adds softly, almost like he feels guilty.
Before I say anything else, he changes the subject. "Is it too late to ask you to go to homecoming with me?"
I cringe. At this point, I couldn't care any less about Audrey being ditched by Zack, but the thing is...
"Yeah. I kinda have a date already and I don't want to let him down."
His face hardens slightly. "Who is it?"
"Alex. The new guy." I reply and his face falls completely.
"Seriously?" He sets his jaw and I take my hands to his face, trailing my fingers on his jawline, trying to do damage control.
"It will be fine, Zack, I promise. He's actually a really nice guy."
He rolls his eyes. "Every guy's a nice guy, until they try something they're not supposed to."
I swallow involuntarily. If he's acting this way over a guy that's taking me to homecoming, what's he going to do when he finds out about Eric and I?
I've always kept Zack away from my boyfriends, because I know he's never liked any of them, and would beat the shit out of them if I hadn't threatened that I'd never speak to him again if he did something to harm them.
But I know I'm not going to be able to stop him from hurting Eric. They've never been friendly with each other.
"He's not going to try anything. Besides, you'll be there, right? Even if it is going to be with Audrey Lopez." I roll my eyes and he grins.
"Okay. Message received. You hate her. I do too."
I give him a blank look. "Then why did you kiss her in front of me?"
He shrugs, giving me an apologetic look. "Because I could? Look, can we just forget about this? I really want to kiss you."
I laugh, pressing my lips to his.
At least I'm great at damage control.
———–––
"You still won't tell me who the gentleman is that's taking you to the dance, huh?" Mom says as she finishes up my makeup.
"He'll be here soon, mom. I'm sure you can wait twenty more minutes."
"He'd better be worth the wait." She grumbles playfully, making me laugh. "Ugh. I really wish I didn't have to work tonight." She steps back, looking at her work, and the huge grin that graces her face makes me feel beautiful.
"Oh, honey." She whispers as I stare at myself in the mirror. I don't think I've ever looked this good before, and this is just homecoming.
The dress I picked is a silver tie-shoulder, bodycon dress that stops a few inches above my knees. It's simple and feels just right for homecoming.
My outfit has been paired with black heels, and my jet-black hair has been tied in a ponytail.
All I can think about is Zack's reaction when he sees me, even though he's not my date.
I really hope he likes what he sees, because I kinda do.
"You look perfect." Mom says, dabbing tears from her eyes and I roll mine playfully.
"Oh, come on, mom. Don't cry on me now." I smile. "This is all thanks to you."
She pulls me into a hug. "Ugh. I'm so jealous of you right now."
When she pulls back, I catch an expression in her eyes that I can't really decipher, but before I can say anything, the doorbell rings.
"Oh, that's him! Come downstairs when you're ready." Mom says, exiting the room.
I take a few deep breaths, looking in the mirror. I can't help but feel a little nervous about going with Alex. I mean, he's new, I don't know anything about him except for his name and how hot he is. I just hope that tonight won't be awkward for both of us.
When I get downstairs though, mom is chatting with him like she's familiar with him.
"Oh, honey. Why didn't you tell me you were going with Alex?"
I furrow my brows confused. "How do you know his name?"
I mentally face palm myself the moment I ask that question. Alex's quirked brow is almost mocking.
"This is Andrew's son."
My jaw drops open as I'm momentarily surprised.
But then... Of course he's Andrew's son. That's why Andrew seemed so familiar when he'd introduced himself to me.
How could I have been so clueless?
"Oh, well that..."
"Changes things." Alex cuts in, smirking. Changes what things?
"Is it too late to take pictures?" Mom gushes, ready to go get her camera and I groan.
"Yes, mom. And you know how much I hate taking pictures. Besides, you're late for work." I add when her face falls only slightly.
"Fine. I won't capture this beautiful moment." She pouts and I roll my eyes, fighting a smile.
"Okay. Just one."
Mom ends up taking more than five, despite my protests.
I've never been a fan of taking photos, but I'll have to admit that I have a lot of them, thanks to Zack taking photos of me when I'm unaware.
He even has one or two of me sleeping, and I tried to delete them from his phone, but he stopped me. Since then, he's always kept his phone locked, and his lockscreen photo is of me being pissed at him.
Just thinking about it makes me roll my eyes.
Glad that's over." I mutter to Alex as we walk to his car.
He chuckles, then brings something out of his pocket.
"Before I forget..." I smile as he pins a grey and silver corsage to my extended wrist. He's so sweet...well, most of the time anyway.
"You look amazing." He says, and that's when I take a good look at him.
He's in a black tux with a grey tie, and he looks...hot as usual.
"Thanks. You clean up nice too." I reply, getting into the car as a opens the door for me.
The ride is silent, so silent that even the music on the radio makes things more awkward. But I'm not just going to act like I didn't just find out that Alex is Andrew's son. I never would've guessed he even had a son.
"So..." I drawl, glancing at him.
"What?"
"Are we going to ignore the fact that our parents are dating each other?"
"We're not ignoring anything." He sighs. "Our parents are dating, so what do you want to do about it?" His tone is a bit harsh, which makes me wonder who his mother is. But of course I can't ask him that.
"Sorry." He says before I open my mouth. "I'm just...a little nervous. I've never been to these things before."
"What? Why? Where you homeschooled?" Alex didn't strike me as someone who was homeschooled.
He snorts. "No. I was never interested. I'd rather jam a fork in my leg than go to some homecoming, or prom."
"Then why did you decide to go this time, in a school you're new at?"
Alex blows out a breath. "I guess I felt my dad was disappointed in me for always keeping to myself. I mean, he never said it, but when we moved here during the summer, I decided I'd make some friends for a change. Plus, you were the one who asked me to go with you." He smirks in my direction.
Of all the arrogant... "Um, no. I didn't. You just assumed I did. And last I checked, you were the one who said 'we should go together.'" I say that last part in a horrible deep voice, making him chuckle. Before I know it, I'm joining him.
He can be so infuriating.
Erika and Peyton are standing in front of the photo booth with their dates when I walk up to them.
"Oh my gosh, Aubrey, you look so hot." Erika gushes and Peyton nods.
They both look amazing in their red and turquoise outfits.
"Thanks. You guys look beautiful. Hot, I mean." I add when Nick shoots me a glare.
What is it with boys and their hatred for the words beautiful and cute especially when directed at them?
"So, where's your tall, dark and handsome date?" Peyton asks, shrugging apologetically at her boyfriend, Tyler when he clears his throat.
Can't we have a little girl time?
I tell them that Alex had gone to get drinks and we start chatting about how the committee really outdid themselves this year.
The theme of this year's homecoming is New York, New York. So, imagine just how beautiful the gym looks, with beautifully decorated cardboards that have been used to represent the New York City skylights and everything.
Suddenly, Nick curses, effectively halting our conversation. My friends' eyes widen as they look behind me, then dart nervously to me.
Confused, I turn around to see that Zack's here. Not only is he here, but he's with Audrey Lopez. That wouldn't have been a shock, except for one thing.
Right as her eyes meet mine, she smirks, pulling Zack's neck down, and slams her lips against his.
My heart drops down my stomach even further as Zack, who obviously hasn't seen me yet, grabs her waist and pulls her closer.