“He was my first love though. And I still care for him.” Zach lets out a shallow sigh. “He took it pretty hard. But it needed to happen. Still, it all feels a little insignificant considering the world now.”
“It’s not like you knew the world was about to end. You did what you thought was right at the time you did it.”
Zach looks at me with a melancholy smile. “Yeah. I suppose so. It’s all just so damn sad.”
Talking with Zach is comforting, and I want to open up to him.
“When Marcus died—” I choke on my words, trying to get the sentence out. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
Zach reaches over and puts his hand on my knee. “It’s okay. Tell me when you’re ready.”
His compassion is palpable. It gives me a little glowing feeling. But also, a pang of guilt. When it was a faraway idea, leaving Zach seemed easy and made sense. But each car we stop at could be the one that takes me away. And now the idea is harder to swallow.
“Let’s talk about nice things, huh?” Zach smiles. “What’s your favorite pizza?”
That’s such aZachquestion. I laugh. “Pepperoni mushroom. No contest.”
“Not bad, not bad. That’s a classic. But can’t beat pineapple and anchovies.”
I make a horking sound. “Seriously?”
“Hey, don’t knock the sweet, salty, briny until you’ve tried it.”
“You’re ridiculous.” I laugh.
“Maybe a little.” Zach smiles.
“Favorite sport?”
“A tie between downhill skiing and sailing. My family’s sailboat is moored in Seattle. Without the ferries running, it’s the closest you can get to Vashon Island by car. That’s how I figured I’d get back home.”
I immediately think the coastline may not exist as he remembers it. But so many things have to go right between now and then, even to have to worry about that.
“I hope you find them,” I say.
“The odds aren’t great. But if there’s any chance at all… Either way, I just have to know.” Zach stares blankly at the road ahead.
None of my family survived, but I don’t bring it up. Nowadays, that’s the default assumption with new people you meet. But Zach still hopes to find them, and I’d rather not crush his dreams with the world’s harsh realities. These are things he’ll gradually learn the farther we travel. And who knows? He might get lucky with his family.
“Water polo,” I say, trying to fight through the melancholy.
“What about it?”
“That’s my favorite sport. I played in high school.”
“Wow, you must be quite the swimmer.”
I laugh. “Yeah, well, maybe not anymore.”
“Water polo was one of my favorite Olympic sports to watch.” Zach has a mischievous smile. “Lots of good eye candy.”
“You aren’t wrong.” I smile back. “Diving’s my favorite in that regard.”
“Oh? You have a crush on Tom Daley?”
“I might have a little crush on him, yes. Who doesn’t?”
We both laugh.
