RED: Welcome To Fayetteville | Complete ✔️

Chapter 29: The Buzz

"Why, though?" Kathrine asked Zach. There weren't any other noises in the coffee shop beside the clinking of mugs behind the counter as the barista cleaned up. She was lowering her voice even though the barista couldn't hear them.

"I can't really pinpoint what it is. Maybe your looks, but there's so much more to you. The way you're finding a place here in Fayetteville is something I want. I mean, I hate you came here in the middle of all this... but I'm glad you're here, Kathrine."

She started to blush. This conversation was actually making her forget about the messages she had received. Zach was showing interest in her... and she was showing it back.

"Well, I can't say I expected to be here and all that stuff happen. I didn't expect to lose two of my first friends... I didn't expect to be there when..." she dropped her head. She was still trying to keep the night of Genni's death out of her mind, but it was back.

"Hey," he leaned towards the table and wrapped his hand around hers. His warmth and her cold met in the middle to a normal temperature. She looked up from the floor and their eyes met. Chemistry. They could feel it.

"I'm sorry I freaked out on you that night in the dark... before we found Derrick's crowbar."

"What... oh, I forgot about that. Don't sweat it," he smiled. His shadow of a beard parted to show his shining teeth. Somehow, his dimples still peeked through, too.

Kathrine smiled back and squeezed his hand one final time before letting go. She pulled her hand away and off the table.

Zach picked up his mug to finish his hot chocolate, but he had already finished it. He set it back on the table right as the barista made his way to them.

"I just want to let you guys know that we're closing in about twenty minutes. Would you like anything else?" he asked.

"No, I think we're good. I have to head home," Kathrine told him.

They both stood up and pushed their chairs into the table. They walked towards the door together, and Zach's finger hit her hand. He went ahead and wrapped his hand around hers again.

He looked back toward the barista, "Thank you!"

At her car, he leaned in for a hug, but the butterflies in his stomach wouldn't let him go in for a kiss. But Kathrine wouldn't of let him, even if he tried. She learned that lesson from Derrick.

"Bye, Zach," she whispered as she reached for the handle of the car.

Buzz. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Her heart stopped. She fell into the driver seat and left her phone in her pocket... she didn't want to see whom it was from.

-----

"We're pressing charges soon."
"Get a lawyer"
"You're done, Fathrine."

"Fathrine." One of the words that started it all.

"That's not my name" she texted back.

"Could've fooled me" they responded.

As Kathrine made her way back into her house, she moved extra slow and ignored the cold. She was thinking... was it really about to hit the fan? Was she really going to have to go back to Florida to settle this? She thought it was over. She thought she had gotten away without a trace...

Her mom was watching the television with a bag of delicious-smelling extra butter popcorn.

"Mom... " she whispered, "I need to tell you something..."

***Will Zach and Kathrine be able to continue the romance? Or will what Kathrine did in Florida ruin everything? More importantly... whom will be RED's next victim?

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