Chapter 3

I check the time on my phone: 4:30pm. Zack will soon be back from practice. Perfect.

Time to get him back for teasing my boobs today. I don't exactly have anything in mind so I'll just go with the flow. Or maybe tear some holes on his favourite jersey. His dad got a famous basketball player to sign it for him on his fourteenth birthday. Zack will never admit it but I know it meant so much to him. It still does.

Yeah, ruining his jersey isn't rea

lly a smart idea.

A few minutes later, I'm standing in front of his house. I could go to his room through his window, but I'm scared shitless of trying that.

"Hi, Lauren!" I greet his mom as she opens the door for me.

"How's my favourite girl?" She asks, pulling me in for an embrace. Mrs. Norway is like a second mom to me. I relate with her just as much as I relate with my own mother.

"I'm good." I reply as she lets me in. Zack's dad is hardly ever home. He goes on so much business trips that I can't even remember the last time I saw him. Zack thinks that his father deliberately leaves them for months at a time, aside from work related things. So, he's usually a dick to him whenever he's around.

"Can I get you anything? Water? Soda? I baked some cookies for your study session today." Lauren calls over her shoulder as she walks towards the kitchen. My heart melts at her thoughtfulness. She's always like this.

"Thanks, Lauren. I'll make sure Zack eats it this time."

She gives me a sad smile. "He's not back yet though." Zack's relationship with his parents is at a zero, and I don't know why. I mean, I understand the situation with his dad, but his mom? She's the sweetest woman I know (apart from my own mom) but Zack never tells me anything. I've been his best friend for seven years and I'm still trying to figure him out.

"I know. I..." I trail off when I hear the sound of his car pulling up into the driveway. He's back. "Um, I'll be upstairs, Lauren. Don't tell him I'm here." I plead with her and she grins.

"Anything for you." She calls out as I run up the stairs to Zack's room.

What do I do? What do I do?

Panicking, I begin to search for a place to hide. Not his closet. Definitely not his bathroom. So that leaves...

I slide under the bed just as he pushes his door open and comes in.

He blows out an exhausted breath, sitting down to remove his shoes. Right. By. My. Face.

I have to plug my nose with my hand. His shoes reek like hell!

Zack stands up, and his feet move towards the bathroom. I quickly crawl out, deciding to rearrange a few things in his room just so he'll freak out. I unplug the lamp from his bedside table, placing it on the bed and throw his pillows onto the floor.

I spot a bottle of baby oil on his desk,–I don't think I want to know what he uses it for–and an idea suddenly crosses my mind. 

I go to squirt some of the oil on the floor right in front of the bathroom, then I slide under the bed again. I am so looking forward to this.

Exactly three minutes–yes, I was counting–later, the sounds coming from the shower stop, and Zack walks out, slipping on the oil and falling on his back.

"Fucking hell!" He curses. I clamp my hand over my mouth so hard I probably injure myself. Priceless. Zack stands up again, taking another step and landing on his ass. Did I mention that he has a towel wrapped around his waist? Oops. My bad. 

He curses again, groaning and looking around the room. I can't see his expression but his tone is deadly as he mutters my name.

Probably giving up on trying to stand, he crawls over to his bedside table, then stands up, doing something I'm not sure of.

It's when my phone blasts out Animals by Maroon 5 that my heart freezes. It's in my back pocket so the sound is muffled, but it's still loud enough. Busted.

I just shut my eyes and pray that Zack makes my death quick, not slow and torturous. I hear footsteps which stop in front of me, and then Zack is taking my hands and dragging me out from under the bed.

Lying on my stomach at his feet, I peek up at him–not a good idea because he's only in a towel–then dart my eyes to the floor, shutting them again.

"Is it over? Am I in heaven?" I ask after a few beats.

He pulls me up by my elbows as if I weigh nothing. "Not yet. But you will be once I'm through with you."

Uh-oh. Time to do damage control.

"Heyy, Zack. I...um...was just looking for...um...a hug! Yes. A hug from you." I wrap my arms around his torso. His body feels so warm and safe and–

"A hug. That's what you're going with?" He wraps his arms around me anyway. I hope he doesn't squeeze me into a pulp. "I find it hard to believe you came in through the window. Don't tell me my mom was in on this."

"No." I protest. Way too quickly. I don't want to give him any more reasons to be mean to her. "No, she wasn't." I look up at him.

One side of his lips pulls up into a smirk as he stares down at me. "You know, munchkin. If you really wanted to see me naked, all you had to do was ask."

That's it.

I push as hard as I can at his chest, making him fall onto the floor and taking me with him. That only worked because of the lubrication, just so you know.

"Must you always find a way to throw my pranks back at me?" My knees are on the floor on either side of him so I'm straddling him, and my hands come around his throat.

He rolls his eyes. "Are you admitting that you want to see me naked? I mean, you can just take the towel off."

On impulse, I scoot back a little so my ass is against his lower half. Oh my God, he feels so...focus, Aubrey!

"No thanks, I don't think I'll like what I see. I mean, it probably hasn't improved since the last time I saw it." When was the last time? Oh yeah. When we were eleven years old and I walked in on him using the bathroom.

Zack narrows his eyes dangerously at me. "You really shouldn't have said that." And then he's flipping us around so he's hovering over me.

"But I did. I'm sure you give the girls a good tickle down there." I taunt him some more.

"One more word and I'll take this towel off."

"You're bluffing." I scoff.

"I never bluff. I'm this close to losing the towel."

I hardly catch what he's saying because I'm busy getting mesmerized by him. 

His intense dark blue eyes that are staring into mine, his  hard, sculpted body, his tanned, toned skin, his damp, dark brown hair. I see him. I see Zachary Norway. Why can't he see me?

I feel his fingers brush my stray hair strands from my face, fingers lingering on my cheek. "Aubrey." He whispers, sending shivers down my spine. I feel hot everywhere. From his touch, his breath, his voice. Just...Zack. My Zack.

"Yeah?" My eyes are focused on the sexy curve of his lips. I'm trying to focus on my breathing, but it's impossible.

"I think your boobs are cute just the way they are." He says, making me laugh.

"Where did that come from?" That was the last thing I'd expected him to say.

His eyes dart to my lips and he uses his thumb to part them. "Stop that." He says.

"What?"

"Biting your lip." His pupils darken so they're almost black. I didn't even realize I was biting my lip.

"Why?" I ask, fighting a smile.

"It makes me...want to..." He dips his head lower, meeting my nose with his, then, as if unsure, he brushes his lips tentatively against mine. Just the lightest feather's touch, but it does so much to my insides. And then he shuts his eyes tight, shaking his head slightly, and pulls away.

He's on his feet and in the closet by the time I come to terms with what just happened.

I almost kissed my best friend. Well, he almost did, but still. As scared as I am of risking our friendship, I can't help but wonder if by any chance he's attracted to me, and if there's hope for me. For us.

When Zack emerges a minute later with a black t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants on, I contemplate mentioning what we almost did, but the expression on his face tells me that it's not open for discussion.

"Zack..."

"Don't, Aubrey, just don't." He snaps.

"Why're you mad at me? You're the one who almost kissed me." 

He laughs. "I almost kissed you? Why would I want to kiss you? You literally just threw yourself at me. Maybe you saw what you wanted to see." 

What? Why is he being such an ass about this? I didn't throw myself at him. I can't believe I thought...

My eyes well up with tears because, well, his words hurt a lot, but maybe he's right. I saw what I wanted to see.

His eyes soften when he notices the expression on my face. "Aubrey, we just..."

I don't wait for him to finish his sentence before I'm running out of his room and apologizing to his mom that I can't stay longer.

"Are you okay, hun?"

"Yeah." I force a smile and exit the house.

I'm so stupid.