Water Doesn't Wash Away Everything (Zack Merrick)

Chapter 5

“You jerk!” Kara yelled jokingly and hit Jack in the arm. Zack and Rian laughed and Rian wrapped his arm around Kara.

“I did nothing!” Jack yelled back. They all laughed as he crossed his arms and leaned against the building in a pouty way. His face lit up when he saw Meg and Alex walking down the street.

“Megan! Alex!”

“Oh, I see how it is, say her name first,” Alex scoffed. Jack plopped his hands on Meg’s shoulders and nodded.

“Yep.”

“Um, ok,” Meg said looking up at Jack. Kara laughed and stepped forward.

“Hi. I’m Kara, Rian’s girlfriend.”

“Hi. I’m Megan, Alex’s friend from the U.K.”

“That’s cool. It’s nice to meet you. But I have to ask, how have you been able to stand him for that long?” Everyone laughed except for Alex who gave Kara a look.

“I don’t know,” Meg said laughing softly. “I knew him when he was like three feet tall and not perverted.”

Again all of them laughed except for Alex. He shook his head slowly at her then his lips broke into a smile. He ruffled her hair then headed into the diner.

“Hey,” Zack said to her as they walked into the diner.

“Hi. How are you?”

“Good, good. You?”

“I’m fine,” she smiled. He smiled back and almost ran into Rian who had stopped walking in front of him. Rian gave him a weird look.

“You ok there?”

“Yea, yea I’m fine.” Kara looked at Zack then at Megan who was pulling off her hoodie.

“What?” Rian whispered to her. She shook her head.

“Nothing. I’ll tell you later.” He nodded and sat down. After two full minutes of Jack and Alex arguing about the seating arrangement, Megan ended up sitting between the wall and Zack. Next to him was Kara, across from her was Rian, next to him was Alex, and next to him and across from Megan was Jack.

Megan thought that since it took them so long to figure out where to sit, it would take them an hour to figure out what food they wanted. But, surprisingly, it was fast.

Jack, Alex, Rian, and Kara were in their own conversation while Zack started one with Meg.

“So, how are you liking United States so far?”

She shrugged and laughed lightly, “I haven’t really seen it.”

“Right.”

“I want to go see New York. I’ve only seen pictures.”

“Really?” She nodded and took a drink of her soda.

“You have to go before you leave,” he said. He bit his before saying, “How long are you staying?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “It depends on things I guess.”

“On what?”

“Like what happens here, and what happens at…home.” She stirred her straw in her glass just to have a reason not to look him in the eyes. He could tell something was wrong and then he remembered what Alex had said about Tony.

“Alex said your brother had cancer, what kind is it?”

“It’s called neuroblastoma. It’s causes a tumor in the nervous system.”

“Oh, is there a cure? Is he going to be ok?”

“There’s surgery for it but…I don’t know.” She fiddled with her hands in her lap. He slowly and hesitantly placed his hand on one of hers.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

“Oh, I know,” she said looking up at him and giving him a smile. “It’s ok.”

“I’m sure your brother will be fine. Now, cheer up,” he said smiling. “Let me see a smile.”

She rose a brow and smiled gently.

“That is not a smile,” he chuckled. “Smile.”

She gave him a big cheesy smile. He laughed and took a bite of his sandwich.

“That’s better,” he said after swallowing. Jack glanced over at Meg and Zack and a devious grin appeared on is face. He threw a fry at Meg, hitting her right between the eyes, and making her flinch.

“Jack, what was that for?” she laughed. He shrugged and returned to the conversation he was having.

Zack glanced over at Meg through the corner of his eye. He leaned next to her ear.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” he whispered. A faint blush formed on her cheeks from his breath on her neck. She smiled up at him.

“Sure,” she said softly. He smiled and then looked over at Kara.

“Um, Kara, could you let us out?” he asked her since they were trapped in the booth.

“Uh, yea, of course,” she said getting up.

“Where are you guys going?” Alex asked.

“For a walk,” Zack replied pulling his jacket on. Meg pulled hers on and waved to them.

“Alex, I’ll just meet you back at the house, alright?”

Alex looked at Zack then back at Meg. “Ok.”

“Don’t do anything dirty!” Jack yelled. Meg’s cheeks turned bright red and she looked down examining the tiles on the floor. Rian moved to the other side of the booth to sit next to Kara. She looked over at the two leaving and smiled and shook her head.

“Zack, if you lose her, I swear to God I will kill you!” Zack glared at Alex and held the door open for Megan. Kara whispered to Rian.

“Really? Oh, so that’s what you were looking at earlier.”

She nodded, “Yea.”

“What?” Jack asked.

“Nothing,” Rian said.

“I wanna know!” Alex said.

“Nothing,” both Kara and Rian said.

“Uh-huh. Right,” Jack said before taking a drink.