ᴛᴏᴏ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ » ᴢᴀᴄʜ ʜᴇʀʀᴏɴ

Chapter Seventeen

May 2, 2018

The light of the sun rising shined through the windows, casting a reflective glare on the tile floor. Maeve moved to her left a bit so it wasn't impairing her vision and saw Zach and Jack headed towards her and Corbyn; they'd flown in a lot earlier that morning from Pennsylvania and Texas.

Jack and Corbyn met each other first, clapping at each other's backs in greeting.

Zach headed straight for Maeve, who ignored Jess's quiet squeals as she walked forward to meet him. He pulled her into his arms, hugging her middle as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Hi, Orland," he said. He closed his eyes since she couldn't see him, thinking about how much she had been on his mind. It was ridiculous, really, but he didn't care all that much.

"Hey, Herron," she answered. "You're acting like it's been more than just a couple days."

He lifted her off the ground and before she could respond, he set her back down, pulling away to look at her face. She swatted at his chest.

"I'm just happy to see you," he said.

She nodded, looking over his features. She could feel heat in her cheeks and saw the same with his. That comforted her for some reason.

"You okay?" he added softly, referring more to the break than how she was in that moment.

She touched his arm assuringly, saying, "We'll talk on the plane."

She introduced him to Jess, who smiled kindly as she greeted him. The three carried on a conversation, Maeve learning that Daniel and Jonah were also already at the airport, stuck in line for coffee.

"Nice to meet you," Zach said to Jess, nodding in her direction.

"It was nice to meet you, too," she replied. He smiled again, looking to Maeve and pointing over his shoulder vaguely.

"Meet you over there, okay?"

He turned on his heel when she confirmed, walking away. Somehow, Jess managed to keep herself together until he was at least out of hearing distance.

"Oh my gosh—he's in love with you," she gushed out in a hiss, grabbing at Maeve's forearm. For a seventeen year old, she had the immature romantic notions of a girl much younger.

Maeve started to roll her eyes but was interrupted by Jess's dramatics.

"You guys were both blushing after you hugged. Oh—I think I might throw up. That was the cutest thing I've ever seen. It was disgusting."

"Jess—"

"And that was not a 'we're just friends' hug."

"Jess—"

"I am living for this, I am invested, I'm ready to go to tumblr—"

"Jess—"

"I want every freaking detail of your young romance when you're in Europe—"

"Jess Margaret!" Maeve exclaimed. Jess's rambling ceased, but her eyes still twinkled.

"It's not like that, you imbecile."

"Yeah, I've heard that before, from every freaking pair of best friends in every movie, tv show, book—"

"Oh, come here," Maeve cut her off, hugging her. Jess laughed into her shoulder, holding her tightly.

All too soon, they were saying their goodbyes again. Jess watched as her best friend joined Zach's side and walked out of sight with him, leaving her behind with a grin on her face.

***

Maeve shifted around in her leather airplane seat. Zach eventually settled down in the one next to her, and she looked over as the other boys filled in around them.

"So," he started, "what happened?"

Maeve shook her head, smiling tightly.

"Well. Long story short, he went back to old habits and... last night he tried to kiss me."

Zach felt no shame for the edge in his voice when he repeated, "Tried?"

"Yeah. He tried, I pulled away, he flipped his crap and started accusing me of leading him on. Thus began our first and most likely last fight ever."

"Good," he said, almost immediately. She glanced at him. "He doesn't deserve to be kissed by you."

She blinked unintentionally, a bit stunned.

"What?"

"You heard me, Orland," he said lowly, shifting his eyes forward and stretching his legs out under the seat in front of him.

After a moment, she turned to the plane window. That was just to hide her smile.