The campfire had burned down to just embers, casting a dim orange glow over the camp as the night settled in around us. The air was cold, biting at my skin through the layers I had on, but the fire's warmth lingered enough to make it bearable. The forest around us was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves or distant animal calls. It was peaceful in a way, but that uneasy silence never really let up—especially after everything we'd been through.
Liza and I sat near the remnants of the fire, keeping an eye on the surroundings while the others slept. She stretched her legs out in front of her, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her hoodie. Her bratty attitude was toned down for now, maybe because of the cold, or maybe because of the long day we'd had.
I poked at the embers with a stick, watching them flare briefly before dimming again. "It's weird, y'know," I said, my voice low to avoid waking the others. "Thinking about how different life was before all this."
Liza snorted softly, pulling her hood tighter over her head. "No kidding. Feels like it's been a lifetime, but it's only been, what, a couple of months?"
"Yeah," I muttered, leaning back against a log. "Feels like years ago."
There was a brief silence between us, just the crackling of the dying fire. Then, out of nowhere, Liza asked, "What were you doing before all this went down? Like, what was your plan?"
I glanced at her, surprised she was actually asking a serious question. "I was a psychology major. About to graduate with my bachelor's from UC Berkeley. I was planning to go into clinical work… maybe become a therapist or something. Help people out."
Liza raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Psychology major, huh? So, you like getting into people's heads?"
I chuckled. "Yeah, something like that. What about you?"
She shrugged, looking away for a moment. "I was a freshman at UCLA. Biology major. You know, pre-med track. My mom's a doctor, and I figured I'd follow in her footsteps."
"That's pretty cool," I said, genuinely impressed. "Sounds like you had your life planned out."
Liza smirked. "Yeah, well, that all went to shit when the world decided to go full-on zombie apocalypse."
"Same here," I muttered, shaking my head. "All those years of studying, and now I'm just trying not to get eaten."
She laughed softly at that, her bratty tone slipping back in. "Who would've thought, huh? From textbooks and lectures to surviving with a bunch of idiots in the woods."
"Life's weird like that," I said, smiling a little despite the situation. "It changes fast."
Liza glanced at me, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were studying me. "You're a pretty serious guy, huh?"
I shrugged. "I guess. Psychology tends to make you think a lot."
"Yeah, I can tell," she said, leaning in a little closer with a mischievous grin. "I can also tell something else about you."
I raised an eyebrow, curious but wary. "What's that?"
Liza's grin widened, and her voice dropped into a teasing whisper. "You're totally a virgin, aren't you?"
The bluntness of her comment caught me completely off guard, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment. "Uh… I mean—"
She laughed, the sound light and playful. "Oh my gosh, you totally are! I knew it!"
"Okay, so what if I am?" I said defensively, trying to keep my voice low so the others wouldn't hear. "It's not like it matters now."
Liza leaned back, clearly enjoying herself. "Oh, it matters. I can tell just by the way you talk. All polite and shit, like you've never even been with a girl."
I shot her a look, half annoyed, half amused. "You don't have to rub it in."
"I'm not rubbing it in," she said, her voice taking on a more teasing tone. "Just pointing it out. You're cute when you get all flustered."
I rolled my eyes, trying to shake off the embarrassment. "You're impossible."
Liza leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "Y'know… I could help you with that."
I blinked, completely caught off guard again. "Wait, what?"
She grinned wickedly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I mean, we're in the middle of nowhere, no one else is awake… I could show you a thing or two. Help you lose that virgin status."
For a moment, I was too stunned to even respond. My mind raced, trying to process if she was serious or just messing with me again. Her expression was playful, but there was something else in her eyes, something almost… daring.
"Uh… I don't think that's a good idea," I finally stammered, trying to keep my voice steady. "Besides, we're supposed to be keeping watch."
Liza let out a soft laugh, sitting back again. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. You're way too easy to tease."
I exhaled, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. "Yeah, well, you almost gave me a heart attack."
She shrugged, still grinning. "What can I say? It's fun to mess with you. But hey… offer's still on the table if you change your mind."
I shook my head, unable to suppress a small smile. "You're something else, Liza."
She leaned back, crossing her arms behind her head and staring up at the night sky. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
For the rest of the shift, we sat in comfortable silence, the banter between us easing the tension that had built up over the past few days. Liza had a way of keeping things light, even in the middle of the apocalypse. It was refreshing, in a strange way.
As the embers of the campfire finally died out, I couldn't help but feel a little more at ease, even if just for the moment.
Q: How would you react if you were in Jake's shoes?