The next day at school Zach wasn't there. And the next. And the next.
And the next.
I was honestly starting to get worried.
"Do you think this is my fault?" I asked Bex once we sat down at lunch. I quickly picked up my fork and started eating the pasta. It was semi-warm and I wanted to eat it while it was hot. I took a bite of the bread and looked up with my mouth full.
"You're nervous. You're eating huge amounts to stuff your mouth. Chill out," she said in collective sentences. "How is it your fault that he doesn't show up for a few days? I mean, just because you and Thomas were joking around, doesn't mean he has to freak out all about it. Personally I think he's over freaking," she ranted. I looked up from my food and saw Mace nodding and Grant just getting to the table.
"Heeeeeeeyyyyyyyy Cammie!" Grant greeted as he and Thomas sat down. I put on a smile and said hi back.
But deep inside I was a little worried about Zach.
~*~*~*~
I went to the rest of my classes like normal and then went home. I did the usual of doing the homework, and laying on my bed thinking about the day. I decided that I was curious about Zach so I sat up and peeked through my drapes. I looked but saw that for once his curtains were closed. I opened my drapes further in disbelief. He never shut his drapes. I saw that both sides were shut and put my drapes back in place.
He closing his drapes just made me feel worse than I did earlier. I felt that now I knew that it was because of me. Otherwise he would've kept his curtains open. After that I pretty much convinced myself that it was my fault.
"CAAAAMMMIIEEE!" I heard Mace yell my name as her footsteps got louder. As predicted my door flew open. "Hey, I'm making Grant take me to the mall because the newest coach shoes came out. I hope you'll be fine by yourself," she said closing the door already. She knew that I wouldn't want to go with her (which she didn't understand) and she needed someone to drive (seeing that our parents weren't home yet). It all added up. As soon as I processed that thought I heard the door slam and I knew they were already gone. Out the door. Already.
Not that much later I went back to feeling sore about Zach. I decided that I was going to have to do something nice to make up for it. And then I got the greatest idea.
Cookies.
So I went down the stairs and down the hall into the kitchen. I got on the counter and kneeled while going through the cupboards looking for the cooking mix. Hey, it's not like I have time to make the cookies from scratch.
So I turned the oven on and all that good stuff. I took out a bowl, melted the butter, cracked the egg, put in the mi, and mixed. I took out a pan and put down the cookie sheet. Then I took the cookie dough in little balls and put them on the cookie board spread out. Basic cookie instructions for you there. I started to eat the cookie dough while I waited for the cookies to be done. Damn, I thought I made some pretty good dough.
After a while my cookies were done and I put them on a plate and cling wrap around it. I took the plate up into my room to let them cool off a little bit. Rather I had to go down and clean the kitchen so it looked as if nothing happened. I hurried and cleaned up the bowl and turned off the oven. I made it look as if nothing happened. When I thought it looked the same, I went back upstairs.
I took the plate and went outside. I put the plate on his balcony ledge and hopped over the balcony. I grabbed the plate and walked to his door and stopped. I really hadn't thought this far. I didn't really want to knock on his door, because what if he was sick, or his parents heard, or something like that. I didn't really want to be the one standing outside their son's door with a plate full of cookies. Yeah, that's not me. So instead I placed the cookies in front of his door and went back to my house. I ran down the stairs and opened the door. I grabbed a small rock that hopefully wouldn't scratch the glass. I stood in our driveway and tossed the rock in my hand. Yeah, it was light. So I chucked it at his door. As soon as I threw it I ran back for cover in my house. The rock was bound to hit somewhere on his wall. It would hit glass at least. I ran into the house and into the living room. Safest place. So I thought. I quickly turned on the tv and started watching basketball. Not long after I heard Mace trudging up the stairs.
The door flew open and Mace looked happy. "You-"
"I got them," she finished with a smile. "Hurry up Grant!" she snapped down the stairs. With that she went around the corner to her room. I watched as I saw Grant come out with bags of stuff.
"I see she took you shopping," I remarked. He glared at me and followed Mace. I watched the rest of the game and went upstairs to sleep.
~*~*~*~
I woke up and groaned. Why couldn't it be a Saturday, or Sunday, or a no school day? I slowly got up and changed into my uniform. It was the same morning business.
I got some breakfast and we were out the door. I got to school and it was the same.
With no Zach.
By the end of the school day I was a little sad. I even made him cookies! Maybe he was actually sick. Thinking about everything just made me super tired and I was ready to go home. When the last bell rang I just about jumped out of my seat and went out. I got in the car (was the last person in, go figure) and we drove off.
When I got home I went up to my room and fell asleep: uniform, shoes and all. I heard Mace yell at me for wrinkling my uniform or something like that but I just pushed it aside. I thought I heard Grant tell Mace to shut up and let me sleep but wasn't so sure about that one either. I was already falling asleep.
~*~*~*~
Slowly I started waking up. I thought I heard some music. Then I realized that I had. My CD player had been moved near my balcony door with a song playing. My curtains were open wide and I saw that it was dark outside. I saw the moon and the stars already. I looked up to expecting that my lights were on because of the illumination but they weren't. I looked back to the door and there were candles there. That's when I realized the roses that were there also. I slowly got off my bed and crawled to the CD player. I laid on my stomach and rested my head in my arms as I listened to the next song.
"In the middle of the night
That's when you caught my eye
I chased you round in memories
Through the breeze and the trees and you tease me
But hey
The clock's turning around
And you're still playing these games
It's such a waste to bring me down, down, down
Don't bring me down cause
Hey girl, I wanna catch your wave
Hey girl, I wanna drift away with you
Hey girl, you've got an undertow
Hey girl, hey girl, don't wanna let you go"
I decided I liked that song. Next I sat on my knees and took the roses. As I picked them up I saw a note of paper hidden underneath the roses. I picked it up and put the roses in the crook of my elbow. I opened it up.
You have no idea how true that song is right now.
Because I'm not going to let you go. I think that we should have a date
- Zach
P.S. Thanks for the cookies
I looked up. How did he know that I was listening to this song right now? I stepped outside onto the balcony to see if he was looking in. His room was dark but I saw him sitting up against his wall, farthest to the glass, the moon lighting up his face. It was obvious to me now that he could see all my movements. I stood out there looking him square in the eyes, through his glass wall. I leaned back on the railing. We stayed like that for 3 minutes. But then he moved. I kept my eyes on him the whole time he made his way through his room. Finally he came out onto his balcony.
We stood there, staring at each other for another 5 minutes. Finally I spoke.
"So how'd you time out the songs?" I asked.
"Skills," he replied, still staring at me. Suddenly I started getting self conscious. I felt myself shiver a little. I was about to go back inside to get a sweatshirt but he hopped over to my balcony. I stared at him as he took off his sweater and handed it over to me. "Put it on," he said softly. I watched him as I slowly reached my hands out to take his sweatshirt. He chuckled.
"It won't kill you," he told me as he moved closer. I fell back a little. I put my hands behind me expecting to fall on my butt, but instead I felt the sideboards of my house. He let out a small laugh. It was so quiet and peaceful, so much different than usual. He kept moving closer and when he gently grabbed my hands I felt my heart skip a beat. I looked away knowing how much I was blushing. How could my attitude towards him shifted so quickly? Not even 12 hours ago I hated his guts for being so mean and rough. But now…
Slowly he put my hands through his sleeves. I realized he was trying to get me to wear his sweatshirt.
"I'm not cold," I said stubbornly, remembering earlier.
"I don't want you to catch a cold," he replied back. His sweatshirt more or less on me, my elbows fully in the sleeves. Reluctantly I put it on. When I pulled my head out of the hood I saw his black shirt up close to me.
"Zach? Wha-"
"What's so great about him?" I stayed quiet. His arms were up against the house, and I could hear his rhythmic breathing next to me. "Why is Kyle better than me? What does he have on me?" he asked quietly. We just stood there, in that position. I didn't want to reply. Zach was intoxicating me, through his smell, his gentleness; everything about him was alluring to him right now.
He was totally making me double take.
I felt something around my waist and I was pulled into a hug. He turned us around so that he was leaning on the house and I was leaning against his chest. My arms were up against his chest and I knew that I was having trouble keeping my breathing steady, I knew I was blushing, and most of all, I knew that Zach was more lovable than I ever thought. He pulled me closer seeing I didn't recoil. He put his head on top of mine and just held me. I focused on my breathing. He smelt like apple pie.
"Did your mom make apple pie today?" I quietly asked. He chuckled.
"Do I smell that strongly of it?"
"Yeah," I said slowly. Slowly I wrapped my arms around his back and laid my head against his chest, and listened to his heart beat. It was so nice… maybe a little too peaceful for our own good.
"I love you."
I faintly heard those words, but I wasn't positive because I had fallen asleep. I knew that because the next time I opened my eyes I was on my bed. At first I thought it was all a dream. But then I saw my alarm clock over by the balcony. I knew then that at least I had received a CD and roses. I walked out of my room down the stairs to the kitchen, in search of food.
"Cammie, when did you have a Roseville football sweatshirt?" Grant asked.
"I don't," I replied. I hadn't bought a Roseville sweatshirt, a football one if that. I walked past him to the counter to get a slice of pizza.
"Goode?" Grant demanded. I turned around.
"Where? I don't seen him," I replied sleepily.
"You're sweatshirt has 'Goode' as a name and 24 as a number on the back." That's when I realized that everything had happened: I was still wearing his sweatshirt.
"Whoa," I said slumping down onto the floor, still eating my pizza. "How'd that happen…" I said trailing off. I was just staring off into space, finishing up my pizza to go back to sleep.
"If he ever goes in your room you let me know. Got it?" Grant told me as I walked by him. I gave him the thumbs up as I made it up to my room. I met Macey coming down the stairs.
"Oh, cute sweatshirt," she told me stopping me on the stairs. "Where'd you get it?" she then asked again.
"No idea," I, somewhat, truthfully replied.
"Gosh that gray looks totally cute with those white shorts," she told me as she looked me up and down. Wait, white shorts? I looked down to see that I was no longer in my uniform.
"When did I-"
"Sorry, I couldn't let you sleep in your uniform," she quickly replied, probably to get me to shut up. How was she able to not wake me up! She must've moved me a lot to get my uniform off. I waved off the fact and walked up the stairs.
"That's Zach's sweatshirt?! When did you get his sweatshirt?!" she demanded. I turned back.
"I. Don't. Know."
"You should wear that to gym tomorrow," she told me with a smile. I just glared at her. Yeah, let's get the whole school made at Cammie. I just nodded my head to get to my room more quickly. I got in and shut the door. I let myself slide onto the ground. I looked over at Zach's room. I saw him on his bed, not wearing any of the covers. Seeing how cold I was I decided that I should be a good neighbor and tuck him into bed.
Nah, I was thinking of blackmail.
I quickly grabbed my camera before I went outside onto my balcony. I quickly hopped over and landed soundlessly. I slowly opened the door and slipped inside. I tip-toed over to his bed. I stopped when he started to move, but luckily he only turned around, so his back was to me. I slowly got closer to his bed, making sure that he wasn't awake. I really really quietly got on his bed, making slow movements so he wouldn't feel the sudden weight. I put my camera off flash and put it in front of his face. Click. I pulled it back and looked at the picture. He looked like a normal teenager, sleeping. But his whole face was illuminated by the moon light. It made his face look… sort of hot. The moon lit up different places of his face than normal. I smiled, thinking that I could probably sell this picture for a lot of money.
I decided to take another one, for originality, and probably for more girls wanting to get a different picture of their school hottie. I was about to put my camera in front of his face when suddenly hands were on my thighs and I was falling forward. Oh shit, he was awake. I fell on top of him, barely missing hitting my head on the glass. I looked at him and his face was emotionless, but his green eyes were looking into mine.
"You've been caught," he told me. I rolled my eyes. Like I didn't know that already.
"No, I don't think that you have me in your grip and caught me in the act of blackmail." He raised his eyebrow and I realized that I said a little too much.
"Well, hand over the camera then," he replied. That's when I realized he didn't know if I had taken more pictures of him or not.
"Nope," I replied. No reason why I shouldn't go down with a fight.
"You'll be spending the night if you don't give it up," he replied. I scoffed. Like he would actually keep me here. We both knew we would be in deep trouble if we got caught.
He pondered on that a second and I took it as my chance to escape. I quickly pushed off the bed and scrambled out the door. I heard him get out of his bed. I jumped over the balcony. Probably a little too dangerous and over board for this little experiment. But I looked back as I opened my door and he was landing his jump. I realized that he probably had years of practice jumping over that balcony. I quickly went in but not fast enough. As I was shutting the door I saw knuckles grab the door. I was just a tad too slow. I threw open the door instead to stun him a little (and it worked) and looked for a place to hide the camera. I jumped on my bed and hid it in one of my many pillow cases. But the middle row second to the left to be exact. He came in as I removed my hands. He slowly shut the door, probably to make sure not to wake someone up.
"I know you hid the camera in one of the pillow cases," he whispered, "now give it to me."
"Yeah right. You'll have to find it yourself," I replied just as quietly. He looked at my bed and I saw his eyes widen just a pinch.
"Why the fuck do you have so many pillows?" he demanded in a whisper shout. I grinned. I did have a lot of pillows, but that's just how I like it. I smiled and laid down on the pillows.
"Good luck," I replied. "You don't really stand a chance so I would just back out now. I mean, I'm going to sleep, and I wouldn't appreciate you moving my pillows every minute." I turned my back to him and went under the covers. I shut my eyes and hoped I would hear the door. But I heard nothing.
"I like your sweatshirt," I heard a soft voice in my ear. I kept my eyes closed. I would not give him the satisfaction. Then I felt my bed move and a body next to me. I spun around.
"You're not planning on spending the night right? Because if you do I guarantee that Mace and Grant will kick your butt."
"And you won't?" he asked smirking. I blushed. I knew I had to go to bed or something embarrassing would slip out of my mouth. I turned the other way and wished for him to go away. But God hated me today.
Instead I felt him move closer to me and his arm went around my body, pulling me closer to him. Knowing there was nothing I could do to move him, I let it slide. For today. I was too tired to do anything about it. So I fell asleep, feeling his chest up against my back, move up and down in a steady rhythm.
~*~*~*~
I woke up the next day with no Zach beside me. At first I thought that EVERYTHING was a dream, but when I looked down and saw the sweatshirt, I knew the balcony thing was true. Then I thought about the camera. I was about to pull it out when I saw something on my dresser.
It was my camera.
I got up and took my camera and looked back at the pictures. The picture of him sleeping, or pretending to sleep, was still there. I clicked the next button, expecting to go back to the beginning of my pictures. But I had another picture of Zach. I must've clicked the button while I was falling because I had a picture of a reflection, of a smiling Zach.