Zach relaxes under me as he releases his hold. We lean back from each other and I immediately begin to wipe the tears from his face, and he does the same for me, and all I want to do is take his pain away. He’s been through so much. The last thing I want to do is contribute to that.
“I have an idea,” I say as I hold my hand out. “Phone.”
Zach looks at me, and I can tell he’s trying his best not to let the sadness and the anger take over. But he reaches into his pocket and pulls out my phone. I open my Spotify app and scroll until I find the song I want.
Sir Mix-A-Lot’sBaby Got Backstarts playing as I place my phone down on the ground next to our feet.
Zach’s eyes widen as confusion swims in them but I smile, a little hint of mischief playing in my expression. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, but he doesn't move.
“Come one,” I say to him, playfully urging him to wrap his arms around me.
He shakes his head, a notion to tell me that I am out of my mind, before following suit and once we’re in position, I lead the steps. We slowly sway back and forth to the tune ofI like big butts and I cannot lie.Zach tries his hardest not to break a smile, but I watch him nearly fail when I start whispering the words of the song softly, as if it were a lullaby.
Finally, after a few beats, I can see his smirk start to crack, his dimple making an appearance, and I smile with him, holding him close as I look into his eyes.
“I miss her so much,” Zach says to me in a quiet tone and my heart thuds in agony for him.
Sophie was the sweetest little girl. She was all smiles, jokes, and sarcasm. She was thoughtful and is the reason why I have this sunflower bracelet around my wrist. She looked just like her big brother and I recall the day she’d told everyone that he was thebestest big brother any girl could have.
I remember the day of the accident clearly. I remember all the boys showing up for the celebration party at our house after the game. I remember feeling disappointed when Zach didn’t walk through the doors. I remember Brayden’s face shift when he received the phone call. And I remember the panic in my parents when they found out.
I wanted to hug him. I wanted to hold him and tell it was going to be okay. But I was only thirteen then. I didn’t really know how to be brave and I didn’t know what he really needed in that moment. He seemed sad and angry, but he wasn’t showing it. All I could do was grieve with him.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper to him again, and he simply closes his eyes and leans in, pressing his lips to mine.
This kiss is electrifying. A passion burns behind it, bleeding with heart break but pure love. I can feel the way he craves tolose himself in it, wrapped up with me as we let tears shed from our eyes.
Zach digs his fingers into my skin and I pull myself as far into him as I can go without physically melting into him. We savor this moment, letting it consume us as we fade into each other.
But all good things must come to an end.
“What the fuck?”
We break apart and I watch as Zach jumps back from me. I turn to see Brayden standing at the end of the hall, Ryen behind him, and I pinch my brows, wondering why my brother seems so angry.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he seethes.
“Cadie, I’m so sorry. I tried to stop him.” Ryen stares out at Zach and I and Bray does the same, but Bray’s glare looks laced with malice while I stand in confusion and Zach seemingly looks guilty. “I thought you said he knew.”
Everything starts to spin.
“What?” I say to Ry before looking at Zach and then Brayden.
Brayden seems pissed. Betrayed.
Zach looks caught off guard as he steels himself.
“You.” Brayden takes a few steps and Ry tries to hold him back but he pushes her off. “You are dating my fucking sister?” he shouts at Zach, fury playing in his expression.
My heart starts to race, but not in a good way as I look between them.
“Zach, what’s going on?” I look at Zach, who is steady on Bray, stoic and calm. And if you didn’t know it, you wouldn’t be able to tell that he was just crying moments ago.
“What’s going on is that you and my best friend have been going behind my back, Cadence.”
Bray never calls me Cadence. It’s always Cade, so my throat drops to my stomach when I realize that he really is angry and it’s likely because…
“You told me you were going to tell him,” I whisper, looking over at Zach.
