Finding You

chapter 28

"See you guys later!" Savannah shouts through her car window.

After saying goodbye to Ethan for about twenty hours, Savannah dropped him and Max off at the school. Now, Zay and I are sitting in the back of her car.

"Your house?" Savannah asks me.

"Yeah. It'll be fine with my mom if you stay the night."

"What about that thing?"

I glare at her reference. "Zay is coming with."

She raises her eyebrows with wide eyes. "You? With him? All night? Count me out. I'd rather cut off my own ears than listen to you guys screw around for hours."

I begin to ramble and immediately blush at what she's thinking. "I didn't mean he was sleeping with me." That didn't sound any better. "I mean sleeping with us. Agh, staying with us for the night...you know what, just drive."

Both Savannah and Zay are making fun of me in their heads right now. I can tell Savannah is biting the inside of her cheeks for control of her mouth, but Zay doesn't even bother hiding his smirk. I punch him in case he wants to speak on the subject. I also whack Savannah on her head before she decides to embarrass me more.

"Ow. I actually felt that one. Have you been working out?" he asks knowing full well I haven't.

"Geez, give a girl a break. I don't want a concussion. And I can assure you she hasn't touched a weight since gym class of sophomore year. Even that barely counts," comes Savannah's dramatic response.

"Would you guys shut your mouth until we get home?" I plead. Thankfully, they listen and don't talk for the minute it takes to get home. We should have just walked.

The temporary light mood that I created falls as I remember what Savannah is about to find out. We walk into my house and get greeted by my all too peppy mom.

"Hey darling! Hey Savannah! Hey...oh! Who might this be?"

"Oh, uh hey Mom. This is Zay. Zay, my mom. Now introductions are over so.." I don't know why I thought that would work. My mom can be relentless.

She takes his politely outstretched hand and shakes it enthusiastically. "Zay! Is this the friend you've been talking about, Amber?"

I blush at her exposure, but I cringe at the word "friend." She doesn't know we're together. "Actually, as of today he's my boyfriend."

She sizes him up. "Boyfriend eh? He's a cutie. He passes," she comments. Zay actually lets out a breath. I didn't think it mattered that much to him. He flashes me a grin.

"Just treat her well you rascal." She ruffles his hair the way she would one her dogs at the rescue center. "If you break my daughter's heart I will personally cut off your balls and feed them to you."

So, she can get a bit vulgar. Savannah chimes in, reminding me why I keep mom and her apart. "I'll bring the scissors and knives." She winks at my mom.

I separate the two lunatics, pulling Savannah from her while pushing Zay's wide eyed form to my room.

All of a sudden, things get serious again. Savannah plops on my bed; me and Zay stand against a wall. "Damn guys, am I getting scolded?" she jokes.

I sigh. "No, we're here to tell you something." I unconsciously move closer to Zay.

Savannah sobers up really quick. "Hey, sit down. I have a feeling this is big."

I sit, wanting Zay to follow. Instead, he gets more comfortable on the wall. He watches there silently as I reveal his biggest secret to my best friend.