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06. Stranger

Just as Zach’s lips brushed against Allie’s the door of one of the apartments burst open and the two jumped apart when a shout interrupted them.

“Oi!” Lucas yelled, unaware he’d interrupted anything, “Come and play twister, Han says we can’t with just two!”

Zach clenched his fists; Lucas had interrupted them for twister? He was so dead! Allie’s previous confidence evaporated as she stood there blushing. Her nervousness returned and she flashed Zach an awkward smile.

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” she began walking over to Lucas.

Kissing you would have been fun, too. Zach thought, but he kept his mouth shut. Instead Zach caught up with Allie and grabbed onto her hand as they walked into the apartments Lucas shared with Hannah.

Hannah was sitting at the kitchen table, her laptop and camera were set out in front of her and connected to each other by a cable. She was clicking through a file of images, staring intently as they flashed across the screen. When the other’s entered, Hannah  looked up and sighed.

“You couldn’t have said no?”

Lucas smiled triumphantly at her, “You can spin the spinny thing, and take photos, please?”

Hannah rolled her eyes at Lucas’ childish behaviour.

Allie stifled her giggle, when she had met Lucas he was very sure of himself; he had a teasing manner and seemed almost charming in his own way. Allie hadn’t expected this to be a side of him.

Hannah gave in to Lucas’ puppy dog eyes. Fifteen minutes later they were all laughing as Lucas was inapprotiatly wrapped around Allie and had his face inches from Zach’s.

“Hannah! Spin the damn thing! Lucas looks like he’s about to kiss me!” Zach laughed while trying to maintain his balance.

Hannah smirked and snapped pictures of their awkward positions; capturing the memory permanently and intentionally taking her sweet time doing so.

Finally, she spun, “Lucas, left hand on blue!” she smile raising her camera again, trying to get shots of Lucas struggling to untangle himself from Allie.

Zach pulled a face at Allie and she laughed, slipping as she did which knocked Lucas off balance so that the three all fell in a laughing heap. Hannah took some more shots; giggling behind her camera as they tried to untangle themselves.

“Again!” Lucas shouted when he was free of the mess of limbs.

“No!” Allie groaned, collapsing onto the couch.

“Don’t be a spoilsport!” Lucas cried, jumping on her, he proceeded to tickle her sides.

Allie gasped, squirming beneath Lucas’ hold, she laughed as she twisted beneath him, “Lucas! Guys help!”

Hannah just laughed, taking more photographs. Allie was struggling, unable to hold in her laughter as Lucas dug his fingers into her side. While she was trying to escape him, Allie tumbled from the couch onto the carpeted floor, but Lucas fell with her, not forfeiting.

“Let her go man,” Zach forced a laugh, trying to hide the jealousy  he was feeling from his voice. He didn’t like Lucas’ closeness to Allie.

“Make me!” Lucas grinned at Zach with a wink.

Allie tried to sit up and push Lucas off, but he didn’t budge. He lay down across her stomach so they were an ‘X’ on the floor. Allie kept laughing and trying to push him off but he just grinned evilly at her.

“Zach?” she pleaded, finally giving up with her struggling.

With a sigh, Zach went over and pulled Lucas up off her, Allie jumped immediately to her feet and grinned at me. “My hero” she teased him, giving Zach an exaggerated kiss on the cheek.