"I thought you said you were going to be gone by the time my parents woke?" Zoe asked with a chuckle getting Wade a bowl and spoon. Her parents had been up and out the door over an hour ago. Harley had headed off to work and Candice had headed to Mobile for the day.
"I guess I was a tab bit more exhausted than I had thought I was," he replied with a shrug pouring some fruit loops into a bowl. "Did I get you in trouble or something?" The last thing he wanted to do was get Zoe into trouble.
"Nah, my dad told me to have a good day and he was off for work. My mom told me if I needed anything to call 'cause she's going to be in Mobile all day," Zoe explained sitting back down at the table once she had rinsed her bowl out. "They said nothing about you being in my room." She figured at some point that conversation was going to come though. Even if they really didn't know about him sneaking in now, they would find out. Especially if he kept sleeping in.
"That's good," Wade replied stuffing a spoonful of cereal into his mouth. "What are you doing on your day off from the practice?" Wade asked swallowing his bite of food.
"Having a fun-filled day with my best friend," Zoe smiled. Harley let Zoe work at the practice part-time during the summer and a few weekends during the school year. He didn't want her to spend her whole summer inside at the practice when she could be outside having fun or waste away her weekends when she could be doing other things with her friends.
"Sorry, I've got work myself. We can do something tonight though. I heard there was going to be a bonfire."
"For what?" Zoe asked. She couldn't think of a reason.
"Not sure. Kids wanna have fun. You in?" Wade asked finishing off his cereal.
"Sure, why not?" Zoe replied. "Wade, when do you work?" Zoe asked batting her eyelashes.
"Not for a few hours, why?" He asked leaning on the table.
"My car is making that funny noise again, the oil needs changed too," Zoe replied giving him a nervous smile.
"I should have let you take your damn car to the shop, instead of fixing it for you," Wade grumbled with a playful grin on his face.
"And let them take advantage and rip your best friend off," Zoe gasped. "You wouldn't dare?"
"Of course not," Wade smirked. "I'll go have a look now," Wade told her standing up. He tossed his shirt to the side not wanting to get it full of oil. Zoe bit her lip. There was no denying that he had a sexy body, but this was her best friend. She wasn't supposed to be eyeing him up like a piece of meat. For Petes sake, she had shared a bed with him for the last 6 years, more nights than not, with him. She couldn't have her feelings changing on her now. "Yo, Zo, you in there?" Wade chuckled, waving his hand in front of her face.
"Uh yeah. What's up?" Zoe asked feeling her cheeks get warm. He had clearly caught her checking him out but she wasn't going to say anything if he didn't.
"Is your dad's tool box still in the same spot in the garage?"
"Uh, it should be," Zoe told him with a shrug.
"What's with you today?" Wade asked walking outside. Zoe was relieved that Wade didn't wait around for an answer. She couldn't explain it to him. She really needed Lemon and Annabeth. She cleared away Wade's mess and sat outside on the porch, secretly checking her best friend out. She knew it was wrong to have the these thoughts about him, but she couldn't stop thinking about how amazing he would be as a boyfriend. To have his lips on hers. To be wrapped in his arms, with more feelings than that of a friend.
"Did you fix it?" Zoe asked clearing the thoughts from her head, seeing Wade approach.
"Yeah, I'm gonna order few new parts for your car, do you wanna know what parts?" Wade asked sitting next to her.
"Nope, because I wont know what they are or where they go," Zoe told him. "You know where the bathroom is for a shower, go use it," Zoe told him trying to shove him away.
"But you love me like this!" Wade smirked getting up. Zoe rolled her eyes hiding her smile.
"I really don't. You stink like grease and you have dirt in your hair. Why would I love that for?" She asked with a straight face crossing her arms over her chest.
"You still love me and you know it!" Wade stated walking into the house. "Would you admit it before I cry," Wade asked sticking his bottom lip out.
"Fine, I love you, Wade," Zoe muttered, a smile evident on her lips. Wade smirked walking the rest of the way into the house for his shower. Zoe leaned back in her chair and watched the clouds slowly dance across the blue sky.
~4 Years Earlier~
"I heard that Jason Grosbeak tried to kiss you yesterday after school," Wade chuckled. Zoe groaned shaking her head. She got off her bed and shut her bedroom door. She didn't need her parents to hear this. Worse yet, she didn't need to have an awkward conversation with them about boys, yet again. Jason was the class nerd. Zoe didn't mind that, she just didn't like him that way. He had unruly black hair, he switched his glasses out for contacts but Zoe just didn't find him attractive. She was only 12, she wasn't sure what her type was, she liked guys, but just not him.
"Don't remind me," Zoe groaned falling onto her back on her bed. Wade laid on his stomach looking down at her. Zoe looked from the ceiling to him.
"What happened, Zo?" He asked moving a lock of brown hair from her face, his thumb grazed her cheek.
"He wanted to talk after school about the history paper. I saw no harm in it. It was for school. I met him by his locker, we talked about the paper. Without a warning he moved his head closer to mine."
"And you ran?" Wade asked with a soft chuckle.
"NO! I didn't run," Zoe told him sending an elbow to his side. "I moved away, telling him I didn't like him in that way, and I walked away. No running involved."
"Why didn't you wanna kiss him?" Wade asked with a softness to his voice.
"Because I didn't!" Zoe huffed turning away from him. It wasn't any of his business on why she didn't wanna have her first kiss with a guy she didn't even like.
"You haven't had your first kiss yet, have you?" Wade smirked. Zoe said nothing burying her face into her blanket. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Zo, I haven't had my first kiss either." Zoe quickly looked at him shocked.
"Really?" She asked in a hushed whispered.
"Really," he confirmed. "Maybe we should do something about that," Wade stated with a whisper. Zoe chewed on her lip thinking his powerful words over. Who better to share your first kiss with than your best friend?
"Ok," Zoe gulped nodding her head. Who she shared her first kiss with should be special to her. And it was, Wade was very special to her.
"You sure?" Wade asked gently cupping her soft warm cheek. Zoe nodded gazing into his eyes anticipating what was to come next. Wade slowly lowered his head his lips inches from hers. He gently brushed his lips against hers. Zoe closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck bringing him closer. The tingling feeling that coursed through her lips mixed with a million tiny butterflies fluttering in her stomach, excited her. It also scared her but she wanted more at the same time. Feeling Wade's tongue trace along her lower lip made her stiffen for a split second before she slightly parted her lips to let his tongue duel with her own.
~Present~
"Penny for your thoughts?" Wade asked breaking Zoe from her thoughts. She gave him a smile feeling her cheeks slightly burn.
"You, uh, off to work?" Zoe asked ignoring his question altogether.
"Yep, you ok? You seem off this morning," Wade observed.
"I'm fine, really. See you after work for the bonfire?" Zoe asked looking up at him. Wade nodded heading off. Zoe got up with a sigh walking into the house. She walked upstairs seeing Wade's dirty clothes. She rolled her eyes and got them put into the wash. Wade had been known for leaving some extra clothes in Zoe's room. He had got tired of always bringing a bag with him when he showed up at her bedroom window.
There was a knock at the door when Zoe finished getting Wade's clothes into the wash. She shut the lid to the washer and walked to the front door. She smiled ushering Lemon and Annabeth into the house. They got some snacks and drinks and sat around the living room listening to some country music.
"You going to the bonfire tonight?" Lemon asked looking at Zoe getting a chip.
"Yeah, I'm going with Wade. You guys going?" Zoe asked looking at the cup in her hand.
"I can't go, family night," AB sighed. "Which totally bites."
"It does, sorry AB," Zoe replied casting her a small smile. "What about you Lemon?"
"Depends on George," Lemon replied with a shrug. "You and Wade still doing the whole friends thing?"
"Why wouldn't we be?" Zoe asked confused. Lemon shrugged.
"Because at our age we can't have best friends that are a guy and a boyfriend. They wont admit it but they feel insignificant. Why would you need them, when you have Wade around to do everything for you?" Lemon asked making Zoe sigh. It wasn't like that. Was it? No, Wade was her best friend and she couldn't replace him. Wade meant way to much to her, to toss him to the side.
"It's not like that, though. Sure now I ask Wade to do things for me but I'm single. I can balance being friends with Wade and having a boyfriend too," Zoe stated. She wanted to tell her friends about the recent feelings she'd been having about Wade, but maybe that wasn't the best choice at the moment. "Excuse me for a second," Zoe told her friends getting up when she heard the washer stop. She quickly tossed Wade's clothes into the dryer with a dryer sheet. After cleaning the lint trap out she started the dryer.
"You do know that Wade will be looking for someone to hook up with tonight, right?" AB asked. She felt like someone needed to come out and say it.
"I know," Zoe replied sitting back down. She wrapped her arms around her legs. "I know, Lemon," Zoe stated looking at her friend.
"I wasn't going to say anything," Lemon stated a tad offended. Zoe playfully rolled her eyes.
"You were going to say that I should look for a guy to date. It's been over 6 months since you were with anyone," Zoe mocked Lemon, getting her to gasp.
"Ok, maybe I was thinking something like that," Lemon huffed in a playfully tone. "It's true. There has to be some one you want to date." Zoe shrugged her shoulders. She hadn't really looked at any of the guys around town or at school as possible boyfriends. She was fine with being single. In the back of her head she knew that if she ever needed a date to something, she had Wade to go with. But maybe it was time to stop using him as her personal crutch. She'd see what happened tonight. Go with the flow of things.
