(✔) 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙗𝙤𝙮 ↳ (𝔃.𝓭.𝓱)

eleven !

The bell rings overhead, signalling the end of class. Everly darted out of her Spanish class, eager to meet with Ariana and ask her for advice about lunch earlier.

However, upon reaching the hallway, Everly found not her best friend waving at her from afar, but Zachary Dean Herron, leaning lazily against a wall directly outside of her Spanish class.

     His lips curled upwards into a smirk when he saw Everly walking towards him with a pronounced scowl.

     "Why the long face, sweetheart?" He asked coolly. Everly clenched her jaw. She didn't answer his question, but instead countered him with her own. "What are you doing here, Herron?"

     "Remember our deal earlier?" He said, running his hands through his hair. "I'm here to pick you up."

    Everly folded her arms across her chest and frowned at the boy. That was all she ever did when he was around her. "No you're not. What are you even picking me up for?"

     "I'm taking you to get ice cream, like you asked me to," Zach replied smoothly, and with that, he took her by the hand pulling her after him.

     "Let go of me, Herron," Everly growled, pulling her hand away from his. Zach didn't even look remotely abashed. He grinned at her. "A deal is a deal, sweetheart."

     "I didn't mean it, Zach!" Everly cried in frustration, rolling her eyes at the ceiling. "I don't want to take you back as a partner, for Pete's sake. I was just kidding about the ice cream part!"

     Zach stood there in silence, grinning expectantly at her. Everly sighed. "You're not gonna leave me alone are you?" Zach shook his head.

     Everly sighed in defeat once more. "Fine. Let's get this over with," She said glumly. Zach's smile widened and he lead the way down the stairwell.

     A couple of steps down, they suddenly stopped. Everly looked up. Standing and blocking Zach's way was Ariana.

     Her eyes were wide and bulging out of their sockets. She glared at Zach. "What do you think you're doing with my best friend, Zachary?" She demanded sharply.

     The boy in question paused for a moment and then retorted, "I'm taking her out on a date, Clearwater. You got a problem with that?" He said casually. Everly opened her mouth indignantly. What date was he talking about?

     Ariana seemed to swell up with anger. "Actually, yes I do! You're not going anywhere with her!" She said shrilly, moving closer to Everly.

     "C'mon, Everly let's go!" She huffed, taking Everly's arm and dragging her away from Zach. "Wait-" Everly said, her mind a blur of confusion.

     On the contrary, Zach remained cool and collected the entire time. "Chill, Clearwater. I was kidding. We're just going to work on some stupid science project together, damn." He said, rolling his eyes.

     Ariana released Everly's arm. "Oh." But then she regained her confidence and anger and she stared daggers at him. "You better just be working on a project. If not, you'll be dead to me, Herron." She narrowed her eyes ferociously at Zach before stalking away.

     Everly and Zach continued down the staircase in an uneasy silence. Everly couldn't take it anymore. "Why does she hate you so much?" She asked quietly. A few moments of silence and then, "You promise you won't tell anyone?"

     Everly shook her head. Zach gave an odd sounding laugh. "I can't believe I'm telling you this." He took a deep breath. He shook his head again. "I can't. I can't tell you. Not now," he said, his voice almost a whisper.

     Everly scowled at him, yet again. "You told me you would tell me, so tell me!" Zach shook his head solemnly. "I can't, Everly! I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. I don't know why I even considered it in the first place."

     Everly stared at him in disbelief. It must be a big deal if he couldn't tell her. Zach turned to look at her as they made their way out of the school.  "Why do you hate me?" Everly didn't know how to respond. She obviously had a reason. She just couldn't tell him what it was.

     Shaking her head, she responded, "I-I can't tell you, Herron." Zach opened his mouth, looking smug but Everly cut him off before he could even answer. "I get it, you made your point, Herron."

     They walk in silence to the ice cream parlour. It was more than a little bit awkward. Finally, they entered the air-conditioned store, the tiles and seats and walls around them too pastel and bright for Everly's liking.

     They went to queue for their ice cream. Everly immediately brightened. She loved ice cream. A lot. "What do you want?" Zach asked. "Rocky road," She replied immediately.

     "What about you?" She asked automatically, forgetting that she was talking to Zach, the guy she hated. "Chocolate." came his response.

     When it was time for them to order, Zach stepped up to the cashier and stated their orders. "Paying together, or paying separately?" The cashier asked, looking rather bored.

     Everly pulled her wallet out of her bag but froze when Zach placed his arm around her shoulders. "I'll pay for my girlfriend and I," he said coolly, handing the cashier a crisp ten dollar bill he had fished out from his pocket. What. The. Hell.

     "What was that all about, Herron?" Everly hissed at the boy as they made their way to an empty table, clutching their ice cream cones in their hands. "I'm not your freaking girlfriend!" She said quietly, but fiercely.

     Zach chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "No shit, sweetheart. But hey, it's fun pretending," he said, shrugging his shoulders. Everly groaned and rolled her eyes, but she didn't say anything afterward, diverting her attention to her ice cream cone instead.

     "Hey, will your girlfriend mind you hanging out with another girl?" Everly blurted out.

     Zach raised an eyebrow. "My girlfriend?"

     For the bazillionth time that day, Everly rolled her eyes. "Don't pretend, Herron. I saw you hanging out with her the other day."

     Zach looked at her incredulously. "What? Are you talking about Lavender?" He asked and Everly nodded her head.

     He laughed. "Lavender's not my girlfriend. We hang out, yeah. But we haven't put a label on us yet."

     "But do you like her?" Everly prodded. Zach licked his ice cream. "She's cool."

     "But do you like her?" Everly continued. Zach rubbed his face. "Damn, Wilson. Why do you care so much?"

     Everly leaned forward and smiled sweetly. "I'm just a naturally curious person."

     Zach sniggered. "Thanks for clearing that up. I was starting to think you were jealous."

     Everly made a face. "Why would I ever be jealous?"

     Zach smirked. "You tell me, sweetheart. You seem like you're pretty into me."

     To Everly's surprise, she didn't glare at him or scowl or roll her eyes. She only giggled. "In your dreams, Herron."

     They talk for quite some time. Obviously not about the project. And it surprised Everly. It surprised her that she was actually enjoying her time with him. That she was actually having a proper conversation with Zach Herron, a conversation not punctuated with frustrated shouts, sighs and groans.

     Everly glanced down at her watch. Her eyes widened. "I have to go now," She announced, abruptly standing up. Zach mirrored her, standing up too.

     "Okay. Do you wanna go to my house after school to start working on the project?" Zach asked. Everly tried to hide her shock at how differently he was acting now.

     She nodded. "Sure. Bye, Zach." She smiled at him before walking away. Did I just smile at Zach Herron? A real genuine smile? She thought, surprised with herself. Meanwhile, Zach stood there, still for a couple of moments. Did Everly Wilson just smile at me? A real genuine smile?