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Leaning casually against the metal mesh fence, he had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, a sexy grin keeping it in place.
“Hiya gorgeous.” He took the unlit smoke from his mouth and shoved into the top pocket of his thick padded jacket. My stomach and heart battled with each other as to which could flip the most, and my cheeks felt like they were burning.
“Hi. What are you doing here?”
He looked around as he pushed off the fence, stretching his long limbs in a stride towards me.
“Erm that would be waiting for you. What else?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just didn’t expect it.”
“We both have maths first thing, so…” He held out his hand for me.
I hadn’t even told Ana, or any of the others about Zak kissing me at the kitchen table. Ana knew that we’d gone out, but that was it. By the time Dad had spoken to me about Maya, all I’d been ready for was to get in my bed and fall asleep. Admittedly, dreaming about Zak.
“Are you sure you’re ready for everyone to…” I looked around. “I don’t know. I mean…”
“Maddy,” he whispered, leaning in close, “I like you. I don’t mind who knows. Do you?”
I would have been happy to scream it to everyone. Hijack the sixth form weekly meeting and add it as an agenda item.
“No, I don’t mind.” I gave him a shy smile. “I was just thinking, you know, we’ve not been talking for long and?—"
He laughed. “I don’t believe in all that talking shit. I like you. I like kissing you. I like spending time with you. So as far as I’m concerned we’re together. Are you okay with that?”
Swallowing, I nodded.
“Good.” He gave me a wink, which in no way whatsoever gave me the ick, and then grabbed my hand. “If we hurry, we can have a quick snog before everyone else gets there.”
I snorted out a laugh, embarrassment making me hide my face behind my hand. Zak didn’t seem to mind, because he pulled me closer and then wrapped his arm around my neck while still holding my hand, and walked us in through the school gates.
More than a few people stopped to stare at us, but Zak kept marching forward while telling me about a school talent show that Amelia had entered. With each step my confidence grew and by the time we reached the door to the sixth form block, I had the biggest smile and felt pride like I’d never felt before.
I wasn’t bad looking. A lot of people had told me I pretty, my dad always said I was beautiful, even Zak had called me gorgeous, but I wasn’t sure that counted as it was in a greeting. The point was, being with him, with his arm around me, made me feel like I’d suddenly become the coolest, prettiest girl in school. He was stunning to look at, was sweet and had rizz, and rightly or wrongly him picking me made me feel like I mattered. It wasn’t a great advert for me being an independent, strong woman, but I was a seventeen-year-old girl who was liked by the hottest boy in school, so at that point I didn’t really care. I wanted to enjoy the moment.
As we pushed through the doors, Zak kept his arm around me, manoeuvring us sideways so he didn’t have to let go.
“Do you think your dad would let you go to a party at the weekend?” he asked, as we walked down the corridor towards our maths class. “One of the lads from the football team is having one. His mum and dad are going away for a few days.”
“Who’s the lad?”
Zak’s brow furrowed as he thought about it. “Jack someone.”
“Dawson? Jack Dawson?”
He nodded. “That’s him. So, you fancy it? You think you’ll be allowed to go?”
“I’ll just tell him I’m going. He won’t mind.” He might warn me about drinking too much, or not doing anything stupid with Zak, though, “He would only say no if I don’t know whose party it was.”
“I know, but I don’t want to piss him off. I told you; he scares me.”
Rolling my eyes, I poked him gently in his side. “He does not. There’s nothing scary about him.”
“Hah,” he scoffed. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one seeing his daughter.”
That sent a little thrill through my body, jolting my heart to take an extra beat. When I looked up at Zak and saw two lines furrowed between his eyebrows, I couldn’t help but laugh. Even concerned he still looked gorgeous.
“Honestly, Zak, he’s a big softy. Don’t worry.”
