Evan watched the bug pull into the gravel lot, the headlights refracting in the rain. Zoe killed the engine and jumped out, running over to him. She didn't say a word as she tried to help him up. His joints were frozen and it took a minute for him to be able to unfold his body from the log he'd been sitting on, hunched over, trying to retain any warmth possible. He expected movement to hurt, but there was no pain, just numbness and a vague ache. She looped his arm over her shoulders and helped him walk to the car. He didn't quite understand why his feet didn't seem to be listening to his instructions; in his head he was telling them to lift all the way, but they seemed to drag through the puddles.

He re-folded his body gratefully into the passenger seat and hunched over again, curling in on his body. Zoe closed the door for him and walked around to the drivers side. She got in and started the engine in silence, turning the heat all the way up. The already warm car started blasting hot air. Evan tried to reach out to turn the vents away from him because it felt like he was getting burned, but his hand only flailed limply in his lap.

Zoe stared straight ahead in silence as she drove. Evan vaguely noticed that they were driving quite fast, faster than usual, and in poor visibility with the sheets of rain coming down, but didn't have the strength to mention it.

"I'm ok-k-k-k" he stuttered, not realizing he was shivering until the quakes stole his words from him.

"I'll believe you when you can get that out with just one k." Zoe smiled grimly at him and he quieted again. He tried to stick his hands between his legs to warm them up, but even there all he could feel was cold and wet.

Connor left. Evan tried to wrap his mind around it, fumbling with the concept. Connor wanted to be friends, but he left. He wanted to get better, but he used drugs. He was buying drugs, right now. He left Evan to buy drugs. Alone and in the dark and the rain with nothing but a thin hoodie on. Alone. In the dark. And the rain. Cold.

Evan faded in and out until they were pulling into Zoe's driveway. She helped him into the house and up the stairs to the bathroom she shared with Connor. She sat him on the edge of the bathtub for a moment to pull his shoes off, then turned the water on and helped him into the shower, fully clothed. Instinctively he shied away from the water; it felt like it was boiling hot.

"Ev, it's lukewarm. It won't burn you." She held his arm and he leaned on her for support, ignoring the fact that water was getting everywhere in the bathroom. He stood there miserably, in complete silence, as the pins and needles arrived. It felt like every finger, every toe was being stabbed a million times. The feeling didn't subside for minutes, but his awareness came back slowly with the water.

"Ok. I'm fine now."

"You can stand on your own?" Zoe asked. Evan looked at where his hand gripped her arm in a death grip. He released and watched the white spots on her arm where his fingers had clenched turn back to rosy pink.

"Yeah. Sorry. I'm. . . I'm good."

"No apologies," Zoe scolded jokingly, giving him a slightly more real smile. "I'm going to step out then and you should take your clothes off. I'll bring in some of Connor's pajama's and you can change into those while we dry your clothes. Would you mind closing the shower curtain so we don't get more water on the ground? I'll knock when I come back."

Evan nodded and she turned and walked out. He closed the shower curtain and then slowly turned the dial on the water from lukewarm to actually warm, standing in the spray and letting it hit his face and run down his body. Connor left.

A few minutes later and Zoe knocked to come back. "The clothes are on the counter. You know where the dryer is, go ahead and drop your clothes in there when you're ready. I'll be in my room, ok?"

"Ok." Evan turned the shower off as he spoke, his fingers overly pruned from the extended time he had spent soaking wet. He toweled off quickly and realized how far from warm he truly was: as soon as he stepped out of the steam in the shower a bone-wrenching chill caught him, shaking his body so fiercely he struggled to remain upright, his knees giving under him. He pulled on the flannel pants and t-shirt Zoe had left on the counter for him—the pants too long but the shirt fit just right—and picked up his clothes gingerly, holding them in front of him as he walked to the little closet containing the washer and dryer across the hallway. He dropped them in and started a cycle, then braced himself against the machine as another shiver took him.

Zoe's room was two steps down the hallway and he made it there quickly, his knees practically knocking together as he walked. He left the door open behind him on instinct, one of the few rules the Murphy's always put on them when they'd study in there. Zoe was curled up in her bed, facing him.

"Uhh, do you have a sweatshirt or something I could wear too?" Evan asked. "I'm still kinda cold." Another shiver wrenched his body as he spoke and Zoe smiled wryly.

"Less clothes is actually better," She began. Evan looked at her dubiously and she laughed. "Go ahead and close the door, remember my parents are gone til next Sunday?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot. Malaysia, right?" Evan closed the door gently, as if trying to sneak in, but shivered halfway through and ended up slamming it accidentally. He smiled good-naturedly, his clumsiness out of his hands for once. Zoe noticed and patted the bed next to her.

"Less clothes are better because it means more skin contact. Come here, it's nice and pre-heated." She smiled again and lifted the comforter next to her. Evan paused for a moment in hesitation.

They had cuddled on this bed before, but always on top of the covers, with the door open, knowing that at any second Cynthia or Larry could stop by—and they frequently did. With the door closed everything just felt a little too real. Another shiver seized him, however, and he walked over. He trusted Zoe.

"Oh my GOD Evan! You're freezing!" She squealed as his hand touched her. Her skin felt like an open flame next to his. He pulled back and laid down, stock still about a foot away from her—easy to do on her queen-sized bed. "Come here," She took his hand in hers and pulled him closer to her, intertwining her legs with his and flinching when his ice-cold feet touched hers.

She pulled his arm under her and laid her head on his chest, putting her right hand over his left and rubbing vigorously, trying to restore some heat to his too-cold body. As the minutes ticked by, it worked, and the chattering in his jaw faded away, his limbs slowly growing warmer.

He turned onto his side and looked Zoe in the eye, touching their foreheads together. She wiggled closer to him until their bodies were pressed together, looking at him, silently asking, is this ok?

He put his left hand in the small of her back and pulled her slightly closer, leaving his arm draped there in answer. They lay like that for a while, just looking in each other's eyes.

"Connor." Evan whispered, broaching the heavy topic. Zoe kept looking him in the eye and shook her head no, almost imperceptibly.

"I am exquisitely happy right now. And I'd like to stay that way. So no Connor. Not right now." She lifted her hand from below and pressed a finger to Evan's lips while she shushed him quietly. He reached up and pulled her finger aside, leaning in suddenly and kissing her.

Her eyes widened for a moment in surprise, then closed as she leaned into the kiss, deepening it. Whoa.

They pulled back and looked at each other again, eyes wide. Lying like this, warm in her bed while the rain pounded outside, bodies pressed together, it felt more real. Evan waited for the pit of nerves he expected, but it didn't come. Again, he realized; he trusted her. Implicitly. He tried not to think about what that might mean in this very moment.

She leaned in slightly and he met her again, this kiss even deeper, somehow more terrifying but better than the one before. He could tell neither wanted to end it. Her hands reached around and found new places on his back to make him shiver, this time not from the cold. He matched her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, tracing his fingers down her side, feeling her ribs through her thin t-shirt. They pulled back slightly but didn't fully relinquish the kiss, and before Evan realized it, he had rolled on top of her, lightly bracing his weight on the mattress but largely lying on her.

The kiss deepened again. Every touch was a shock, another thread tied between the two of them. It felt like, slowly, they were melting into each other, one being instead of two. Zoe tugged at his shirt, lifting it with her hands and raking her nails gently down his back. He was quick to oblige and pulled it off over his shoulders, tossing it to the side. He held himself above her for a moment, looking at her. She ran a hand over his chest, feeling the bone, the muscle, the skin. The way he propped himself up made his ribs stand out prominently beneath his skin. She traced a finger along one slowly, curiously, before arching her back to meet him for another kiss. He lowered himself back down.

In between kisses and small breaths, Evan began playing with the hem of her shirt. When they broke apart this time he lifted himself enough for her to tug it off and over her head, gently tossing it to join his. He paused, holding himself above her, taking in what he was seeing.

Oh my god. She was wearing a maroon bra with some lace at the edges. He looked up and met her eyes and felt a hot blush take over his cheeks. She felt something stir against her stomach and smiled coyly at him. She had always thought it would be awkward to feel something like that, but now she felt an odd sort of pride at being able to elicit such a reaction.

He lowered himself to her again and they kissed some more. She peppered his neck with kisses, pausing for effect, breathing softly on his neck, letting her lips play gently over his skin. He let out a low moan and caught himself, his cheeks reddening even more as she giggled and kissed below his ear. "Sorry," he whispered with a guilty smile on his face.

"No apologies!" she whispered back and pecked him on the lips. He didn't respond. He was a bit busy.

She pushed on his leg a bit and they rolled over together, limbs somehow staying intertwined. Now on top, she continued laying across him. From the movies she'd seen, she had thought she would want to straddle him and sit up, but lying like this with their skin pressed together just felt so nice. They kissed again and she did let her legs slide apart, straddling his hips. He breathed in sharply and she pulled away, nervous. He lay there for a moment as if in deep thought. She leaned in slowly to kiss him again and he kissed her back, so she figured it was alright. He reached out and put a hand on her waist, flirting with the edge of her hip. Her breath caught and his hand froze, but she put her own hand over it, slowly pushing to continue its path. He let it glide down and grasped her leg, straddling him. As she kissed him she gave a roll through her hips and he groaned, louder this time.

"Uhh, maybe don't do that," he mumbled.

"Ok," she smiled at him and kissed him again, assuring him everything was fine. They kept kissing for a while but both seemed to silently agree this was the stopping point. After a few more minutes, Zoe rolled off of him to his side again, curling into him and gazing into his eyes. He smiled at her and wondered how in the world he had found somebody so beautiful who could possibly want him back. She let her gaze travel down and giggled. "I think I gave you a hickey." She reached out and poked at a spot on his neck.

"Ow!" he responded, trying to crane his neck to be able to see it. She giggled again at his efforts and lifted his chin to look at her again.

"I can take a picture later to show you." She played with her finger around the spot, dragging it across his skin gently. His breath caught for a moment and she looked up at his eyes again. She was surprised by the hunger she saw there. She was surprised that she could feel her own matching it.

"I don't really want to stop." Evan whispered, his voice ragged.

"Me neither," Zoe said. She dragged her fingers down his jawline and rested her hand on his neck. He took it in his and laid her hand over his heart, so she could feel it beating. It was faster than typical, pounding out a solid, heavy rhythm in his chest.

"That's probably very young and naïve of us," Evan whispered, never looking away from Zoe's eyes.

"You're not wrong. I also think it's very normal."

"Normal?" Evan asked. Zoe pulled her hand out from under his and then took his, laying it against her heart. Hers was beating at almost the exact same speed, but felt more like a thrumming, a hummingbird's wings. He gulped as he held his hand there, her bra right under his palm.

"We're young and hormonal. I don't know if that means we're ready, but our bodies sure are, wouldn't you say?" She asked with a giggle as his hand slid down her chest, cupping her breast. He looked back up and smiled guiltily, but didn't move his hand away.

"I am. I think," his expression grew serious. "I don't want to rush you."

"I won't feel pressured into something like that. I don't think I could if I wanted to. But I also feel ready." Zoe's face grew serious as well, and she reached out to bring her hand to his face again. "We shouldn't take this lightly."

"Agreed," Evan whispered raspily. She leaned in and kissed him again, feeling both their hearts skip a beat as he squeezed her breast lightly.

Zoe pulled away. "But maybe not today," she whispered, her breathing ragged. Evan removed his hand from her breast, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer with a smile.

"Agreed."

They lay there for a while, every once in a while leaning in and kissing, savoring the feeling of it, their bodies so close, the world seeming so distant.

They stayed like that until the harsh buzz of the dryer down the hall let them know Evan's clothes were dry. He sat up instinctively and stretched, suddenly self-conscious of his shirtlessness. Zoe sat up as well, seeming to share his sentiment as she held the sheet over her chest. Evan looked down and caught himself, bringing his eyes up to hers with another guilty smile. She smiled wryly back.

"I should probably go get my clothes," he mumbled.

"I guess," Zoe answered reluctantly, clearly not wanting the moment to end. He found Connor's t-shirt on the ground and pulled it over his head, handing Zoe hers as well. He walked down the hallway and opened the dryer, feeling his clothes to make sure they were dry.

"Uhh, Evan? I don't know if you should go home," Zoe said uncertainly behind him.

"My mom will freak if I don't." Evan responded, closing the lid. His clothes weren't even close to dry, thank goodness.

"I'm not sure that's the case, actually. Come look." Zoe beckoned him over and he walked over to the landing at the top of the Murphy's stairs, looking out the window at the street out front. It was about six inches deep in water, a river flowing down the road.

"A flash flood. I'm lucky Connor ditched me when he did or I'd be stranded out there." Evan instantly regretted bringing Connor up as Zoe's expression turned stormy. She shook the bad thought away, however, looking outside excitedly. Evan knew she loved the rain. She stood there for a moment, just watching the drops fly through the glow of the streetlights, completely enchanted.

"Maybe you should call your mom and ask her if you can stay," Zoe turned to Evan, her eyes lighting up at the possibility of a sleepover. "You can tell her Connor's here too. Even though he's not." She looked down the hallway at his closed door and didn't let worry cloud her features for more than a moment.

"Yeah ok. Let me just grab my phone." He walked back into Zoe's room and she followed, sitting on the bed with a knowing smile on her face. Today was another fond memory to add to the bed's collection.

Evan dialed and held his breath while he waited for his mom to pick up. "Hey Mom. Yeah I'm ok, don't worry, I'm at the Murphy's so I didn't get caught in it. That's actually why I was calling. Yeah, her bug wouldn't make it. And I think the Murphy's took the Lexus to the airport for their trip, right Zoe?" he turned to Zoe and she nodded in confirmation. The only car in the garage at that moment was Larry's Porsche. "Yeah. I was going to ask if I could just spend the night. With Connor I mean. I don't want to make you drive in this, it's not safe," he paused for a moment and then smiled guiltily at Zoe. "It's not like that! Yeah ok. We'll see how it is tomorrow. I love you too, Mom. Bye."

He hung up and looked at the phone for a moment in his hand. "I don't know how she does it."

"Did she know?"

"Yeah, she said if I didn't spend the night with you I was a wimp." They both paused for a moment and then burst out laughing.

Leave it to Heidi to know her son too well. And to trust he wouldn't try and pull any funny business.

Zoe stood from the bed and stretched, checking the alarm clock on the nightstand. "Well I don't know about you, but it is eight pm and I am hangry. Want some dinner? I think we have left over lasagna. The good kind, not the eggplant one."

"Sounds great." Evan stood and stretched as well, his bones achy from the chill earlier. Funny how Zoe could reliably turn his worst days into his best. Standing there, looking at her mussed hair and warm, inviting smile, it made him wish for many more worst days.

Welcome to the new rating! We are now officially M and will be staying that way for the remainder of the story.

I had so much fun writing this I can't even begin to tell you guys. My aim is to make this stuff as realistic as possible, so feel free to call me out if you think I'm reaching at all.

Can't keep Evan down on his luck for too long, right?

As always, thank you so much for reading and let me know what you think!