This is short story I had to write for my honor's lit class. It is not a fanfic at all really, more like a fanfic of best friend Zach, who I absolutely have crush on, with a twist. My name is not Zoe fyi I had to change that, because my teacher would obviously find out, and she looks exactly like Ms Dawes from Degrassi. So if she knew, it would be just like Degrassi, hello awkwardness.

THIS STORY IS COMPLETELY MINE. Enjoy

Dear Mom and Dad,

I love you and I hope you know that. I have always loved you and never once thought otherwise. You provided me with all of the necessities for a perfect life with my perfect family. I did not leave because of the family, I left because of opportunity. I ran away with Zach. I didn't want to leave but I couldn't let him leave alone, I would just die to think of him all alone and in danger. He needed me. Now please, I am safe with Zach, we are best friends he would never hurt me. Please don't worry I will try my hardest to convince Zach to come back home and maybe we could figure out something better for him than his unstable home. But until then I love you and miss you. I promise to call if I can but I doubt I will be able to find an outlet very often.
I love you, never forget that.

Your daughter,

Zoe

I missed my home. I miss my family. I rolled over in the makeshift bed Zach had made us in our tent, on the lake we found about 30 miles from our real home. I just had the same dream that I have been having for the last 25 nights we have been gone. The dream consists of me writing that completely emotional letter to my parents. I remember the words exactly. I can still picture my unique untidy hand writing in my favorite Ticonderoga, black, number 2 pencil. I am convinced that I am completely and utterly homesick.

It tempted me to wake up my beautiful, sleeping, best friend that I have secretly had a crush on forever, next to me but I couldn't. Zach was in such a deep sleep and he looked so cute, I just could not get the nerve to wake him up for something so stupid. I sat there with my knees to my chest and my face in my hands.

"What did I get my self into?" I said so quietly, I was only mouthing the words. I let myself fall into the space of thoughts, completely getting lost in my mind. I was half asleep when a warm arm wrapped around my slim waist. The sleepy Zach sat up next to me yawning and blinking his eyes clear. He looked at me, making me realize that even when he was tired and just woke up from sleeping in a tent he still looked stunning.

"All you alright?" he asked while brushing a loose strand of my dirty blond hair out of my face. I nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck as he rubbed my shoulder.

"You've been waking up every night for the past few weeks."

"I'm just...home sick…I miss my family."

"I'm sorry, I know you really loved your family. You know… you really don't have to stay with me. I'll be fine on my own."

"No I would never leave you, Zach." I said quickly looking away from him as I felt heat rush to my cheeks, "Have you ever thought of coming back home? You don't have to come back, back. You could live at my house. We have a guest room, it's rarely used. I'm sure my mom would have no problem letting you stay at our house."

I looked at him when I talked. I was getting excited it's perfect, the whole idea is just perfect.

"Zoe you know I can't, it's too dangerous my family could find out that I am your house. Heck that is probably the first place they checked, if they even cared enough to check." he said looking down.

"Zach, please, what do they even do to that is so bad? I mean I know they ignore you and only pay attention to your sister, but is it really that bad? If you spend most of the time at my place, couldn't it be better? You would rarely ever have to see them and I wont let your parents try to take you back, unless I feel like you are in better hands with them. Please Zach just please, tell me. I'm your best friend, I have been for years."

Zach took my hand. I felt a leap in my stomach that told me our friendship was going to go somewhere further. He looked me in the eyes and leaned towards me. This is it the moment I have been waiting for forever. Zach was finally going to kiss me. My head was spinning as he pressed his lips onto mine. He pulled away as fast as it happened, he let go of my hand and moved his body so his back was to me.

"I'm sorry." he muttered.

"Why?" I asked biting my lip. My face felt as if it was on fire. It was probably as red as a cherry. I'm actually happy he's not looking at me.

"Because we are just friends and…and…and that is what we will ever be." My heart felt like it was being split in two.

"Why? Why? Why we obviously have something. No normal best friend teenagers would run away together. No normal best friends would sleep in the same bed in a tent, or wrap their arm around their friend's waist. No normal best friends would brush their friend's hair out of their eyes, or hold their hand. Haven't you realized yet, Zach, that we are not normal?" I said as a tear ran down my face. He turned to face me and I didn't even care that he caught me crying. He deserved to see me cry.

"I'm sorry Zoe. I guess you're right we do not have a normal relationship. If you really want to make this something more, then we can try. But only if you want. I have liked you for years now, but I am just to afraid to loose my best friend to make it something more."

"Really?" I asked wiping my tears off my face as he nodded. I fell back onto the hard ground on which our bed was made on and sighed. "So now what?"

"How bout we go home." he said quietly laying down next to me. I shot up and put my hands on his chest as I tried to climb onto him.

"Really! Oh my gosh thanks so much you don't realize how much this means to me. Wait you don't want to come back just to make me happy are you? Because that would be ridiculous!"

"No, you made me realize that running away from my problems would not do me any good. I need to face my problems head on. Does that empty guess room in your house still want me?" he asked pressing his hands behind him, so that his eyes were level with mine.

"Of course!" I smiled pressing my eager lips to his.

The next day we packed up all of our stuff and finished our 30 mile walk back to my house. It took us the whole day, but I couldn't complain we were going home. We got to my house around 11 o'clock at night.I knocked on the door, afraid that my parents wouldn't wake up but the door swung open immediately.

"Zoe?" my mom whispered looking at me. She looked like she had aged 10 years since I left her. She had bags under her dull wrinkled eyes and her face was pale. Her brown hair was greasy and her clothes were well worn. It was as if she hadn't gotten off of the couch since I left that night. She was clutching my note that I left her on the night I left, it was yellowed and there were water marks all over it.

"Hi mom," I said as a tear ran down my face, I let go of Zach's hand and dropped all of the stuff in my other hand. I quickly wrapped my arms around my mom's thin frail body as she burst into tears and dropped my letter, "I'm home."

So what do you think? Was it good? Should I develop it more into a complete story? Please PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

Love Hannah

Toodles!