Haha, I got the whole idea for this off of the trailer for a movie called Jersey Girl (remember, Pill? You'll understand later...) so if you've seen it then you may know what's coming in this chapter.
"Zack!"
"Katie?"
Katie rolled her eyes, but looked too happy for it to be the sarcastic gesture she meant it for. "No, I'm Jack the Ripper(!)"
"I knew that," he said stupidly, reminding himself inexplicably of Seth Cohen from The OC. "It's just, uh... it's been a long time."
"Ten years," she said quickly, then added, "I haven't been counting." He smiled – still the same impulsive Katie. "So, um, how've you been, I mean, I'm not nosy, haha, really, though, I'm not!"
"Um, Katie -"
"Yeah?"
"How much caffeine have you had?" She laughed, and raised a hand to brush a few strands of hair out of her eyes.
"No, the stupid people haven't even brought my coffee over yet," she said laughing.
"Katie, this is Starbucks."
"I know."
"Yeah but, see, you have to go over and get your drink." She flushed, then laughed. Always happy, always laughing. When she was around him, anyway.
"It's ok, I don't think coffee's a good idea right now anyway," she said, and he agreed. "I-I really should get back," she added, and stood up. "It's been... nice," she said sincerely. "So long," and she turned to go. Zack stood up, and called her name.
"Katie!" She turned.
"Yes?"
"Um... do you wanna, like... I don't know, maybe do lunch sometime?" She smiled, and taking his hand, put a piece of paper in, before closing his hand and sauntering off. He slowly opened his hand, and saw the scribbled ink. A number, and some writing.
Hey, Zack Attack – call me.
He closed his hand over the paper as though it was a precious stone, not the crumpled note it was. Call me. He smiled and, with great difficulty, managed to not skip all the way home.
"Hey, um, Katie?"
"No, it's the Tooth Fairy! Of course this is Katie, it's my number, isn't it? Who's this?"
"Zack. Or should I say, Zack Attack?" He heard her delighted giggle clearly down the phone. He laughed himself, her laughter was so intoxicating and contagious.
"Whatcha laughing at?" she asked him lightly.
"You," he teased, and she laughed some more. "Laughing, always laughing," he said. "Are you always laughing?"
"Not so much when I'm not with you," she said quietly. "Sometimes it's crying." His stomach dropped, and he felt upset.
"You shouldn't cry, Katie, someone as beautiful as you shouldn't have to," he replied, then realized how tacky that line was. She didn't seem to mind, and he worked himself up for his next line. "Um, it's Saturday tomorrow, and that's my day off, so do you want to, maybe... well, if you want, I'll take you out to dinner?"
"Sure! I mean, yeah, that's cool."
"So, I'll... pick you up around eight?" She didn't say anything at first, and he could almost see her smiling down the phone. "What are you doing?" he asked, and she laughed.
"Smiling."
"I knew it," he teased, and she laughed again.
"You know me too well, Zackary," and he smiled.
"I don't think I could ever know you too well. So I'll see you tomorrow? Right?"
"Right. See you then."
"See you." He could still hear her breathing faintly down the phone. "How come you haven't hung up?"
"How come you haven't?"
"I spoke last, so you hang up first."
"Who says?"
"Everyone!"
"Who?"
"It's just a rule, just one of those things," he replied loftily.
"Well, I've never heard that rule, so it doesn't affect me." He laughed.
"It affects everyone."
"No-o,not me, you hang up!"
"How about we both hang up at the same time? 1... 2... 3 -" They both hung up.
Zack got into his car, and a shred of doubt ripped through him. His car was a battered old Fiat Uno, very rare, probably extinct. It was a disgusting beige color, and he hated it, but the way things were going it was all he could afford to fill it up with gas.
He ran a hand through his hair, checking it in the rear view mirror, but all that achieved was to make it stick up some more. He shuddered, and straightened his shirt. He was taking her to Orlando's for dinner, quite an up-town restaurant, and he was using some money that he'd 'put aside for a rainy day' to pay for it, figuring that this was as rainy as it was going to get. After about the car wouldn't start... five times... he finally got it into gear and away he went.
He made it safely to Katie's house, and didn't dare stop the car in case it didn't start – instead, he hit his horn a few times, praying that she wouldn't think he was rude.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" she yelled, and came out of the house, fixing her earrings. She looked gorgeous, far too good to get in his car. She was wearing a red Spanish dress, with tucks and frills. Her dark hair was swept up, and she had a single red orchid tucked behind her ear. Her earrings were two flowers, each with a tiny ruby in the centre, and her shoes were red high-heels, with straps that crossed over, all the way up to her knees.
He carefully watched her face, forcing himself to see it fall as she caught sight of his car, but on the contrary – as she caught sight of him, her face lit up, and she hurried towards him, sliding in the passenger side.
"Hey," he said, and without quite knowing why, he leant towards her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. He felt the color rise in his cheeks, and heard her giggle as he looked straight ahead and set off.
When they got to Orlando's he got out first, and opened the door for her. She smiled, and took his hand.
"A real gentleman," she said laughing, and he raised her hand and kissed it gently.
"M'lady," he joked, and her eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Sir Zackary, how nice of you to escort me here."
"Anything for you, Lady Kathryn," and she smiled. They went into the restaurant, and the night went by smoothly.
"I had a really nice time tonight," she said quietly, and he knew that he had too, and that he didn't want it to end.
"Do you want to come back to mine?" he asked, and her face lit up. Merlin! he thought, I shouldn't have said that! She can't come back! "I mean," he added quickly, "only if you want to, you don't have to..." He trailed off at the sight of her face, she bit her lip trying to hold back the tears.
"It's ok," she said, almost silently, "you... don't really want me there." Man, I can't say no. I have to choose – let her come back to mine... or say no, and destroy the relationship I have with the only girl I've ever had.
"No, no," he said quickly, "I do, really."
"Really?" she asked hesitantly, and he nodded.
"I insist."
Back at his house, and he was dreading it. They went inside quietly, he was too busy thinking about other things. They went into the living room, and sat down on the couch in silence. She looked up at him.
"I hope this doesn't sound rude," she said nervously, "but I really need a shower. I was sweating like a pig back there." He laughed, and nodded.
"Not rude. I'll show you the bathroom, and I think I might need a shower, too..." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, and she smirked.
"Let's go."
They were in the shower together, when suddenly the water turned to boiling, and they jumped apart. Zack yelped, Katie squealed. She pulled the shower curtain around her, and Zack grabbed a towel. A young girl was stood before them, about nine or ten, with her hand on the handle of the toilet, the one that you use to flush it. She smiled sweetly.
"So, Katie, I assume? What are your intentions towards my father?"
