“Holy shit,” I say out loud when I realize just how rough I look. I untie my hair, desperate to rewind the bun but before I can make much progress, there’s a light as a feather knock at my door.
Everything stills. I know it’s him. But panic courses through me as I eagerly jump up and quietly walk to my door. I take a deep breath as I wrap my hand around the knob, and then I do my best to open it with as little noise as possible.
Zach is standing on the other side, a Target bag in his hand and that heart stopping smile with his dimples on either side of his cheeks.
I feel the adrenaline that swims in my veins when I realize that I really just snuck my best friend’s brother into my house, that he’s here for me, and he’s about to be in my room.
I stare at him for a beat, trying to decide if this is real or if my mind is playing tricks on me due to the period cramping I’ve been dealing with.
But then he blinks his eyes at me and speaks. “Can I come in?” he asks and I duck my head, feeling embarrassed that I’ve just been standing here and staring at him like a weirdo. But it’s hard not to get caught up in his presence. Being this close to him does weird things to me and I’m not used to being able to have him to myself.
I step aside and offer him room to come in. He doesn’t hesitate as he enters, but he keeps his eyes on me the whole time.
I watch him for a second before I attempt to quietly close the door and that’s when it hits me.
Now, Zachariah Loft is in my room and we’re alone . . . again.
The realization excites me but also makes me feel nervous. I watch as he sets the grocery bag down on my bed and he started to empty out the contents.
“Heating pad,” he starts, laying it flat on my comforter. “Sour candy.” He tosses the bag of gummy worms next to the heating pad. “Energy drink.” He then turns to me and holds out the Alani.
But I’m frozen.
“Cadence?” Zach calls my name.
I look between the things he’s laid out on the bed and then him, feeling overwhelmed by how insanely sweet this gesture is.
“I can’t believe you actually did all this,” I admit to him as I reluctantly reach out for the can in his hand.
“What do you mean? I said I would.” Zach doesn’t keep his eyes on me long as I amble over to my bed. I climb on top of it and watch him as he unwraps the new heating pad and looks for an outlet in the wall to plug it into.
“There’s one over here,” I point next to my bed as I set the Alani down on the side table.
The air swirls with this unfamiliarity but also permeates a sense of wonder. I watch as he plugs the device in and then turns the setting on before handing me the pad.
Zach looks at me, and I feel those infamous butterflies return. His eyes are gentle, moving between both of mine. His demeanor is soft and his presence is calming. I still can’t believe this is real.
“You know, just last week,” I start as I take the heating pad from him. “We weren’t talking to each other and so far, over the past few days, we’ve both been in each other’s rooms now. Alone.”
I lay the heating pad under me, watching how his eyes stay steady on mine. I feel a little self-conscious about how I look right now but he doesn’t seem to mind which eases my worry a bit.
Silence greets us for a few beats, both just looking at each other. A slight breeze filters through the slight crack in my window and I shiver, but I’m not quite sure it’s from the chill more than it is from the goosebumps that Zachariah’s eyes are giving me right now.
My body floods with them, even as the heat from the heating pad starts to ignite under me.
“Cadence, can I ask you something?” I look up at Zach, his brown eyes honed in on mine as I lean back into the pillow and inadvertently pat the space next to me, offering him a place to sit.
“Of course,” I answer and he takes my offer, sitting down on the bed next to me.
I won’t lie, I feel nerves swarm me when I realize just how close he is and how he’s actually sitting on my bed. My legs are sprawled out, next to where he sits, as I lean back into my pillow and leave my hands intertwined in my lap.
“It’s about what you told me the other night.”
“About your football stuff?”
“No.” He pauses as he closes his eyes, and I don’t sense worry in him. I sense anguish, like he’s struggling with getting out what he wants to say next.
I sit up a bit. “What is it then?”
