best friend | zdj

sixteen

"finally!" joel said as isabelle and i emerged from my room. "i was suggesting we started eating without you guys."

"the cakes are for anna, not for you." isabelle reached up to press a kiss to his cheek and he smiled.

"we got you red velvet cupcakes, chocolate cake, key lime pie, and a plain cheesecake." zabdiel pointed to each as he mentioned them.

"i can smell my diabetes coming." i mumbled as i stepped closer to eye them.

"dad went back to work so we could have privacy." isabelle said as she looked at her phone. "he trust us too much. i guess that means you can stay over and not sneak out in the morning."

zabdiel pouted. "in my defense, staying over as anna's boyfriend is different as staying over as her best friend."

anna's boyfriend. he really just called himself my boyfriend. oh my god.

"we need to talk." i whispered into his ear before walking towards the living room. "what do we want to watch? if you let me choose, it's gonna be disney."

"let's watch mulan. she's my girl." zabdiel said as he plopped down on the couch.

"i thought i was your girl." i mumbled. when i realized what i said, my cheeks started burning up.

"you are." he winked.

i looked at isabelle and she took the hint. she grabbed joel's hand and pulled him towards the kitchen. he grabbed the chocolate cake before following her.

"i need to tell you something." zabdiel and i said at the same time.

i pressed my lips together. "you go first."

he nodded and shifted so he was facing me. "listen, belle. what happened this morning... i haven't stopped thinking about it for a second."

he grabbed my hands. i looked down as he intertwined our fingers, then i moved my gaze back up to him.

"i've liked you for so long now, belle. i started feeling different about you, but i didn't know what it was. it wasn't until prom that i realized my feelings for you."

"i thought you asked me to prom because we were best friends."

he smiled. "there was nobody else i wanted to go with. only you. i'm the worst at expressing myself with words, i'm sorry."

"believe me, i know." i laughed.

he started rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. "you have no idea how i felt when you told me joel received a letter."

oh my god. that's why he was so upset when i told him about the letters. i wrote love letters to my crushes, but he didn't receive one.

"i think i might." i whispered and wrapped my arms around him.

he sighed and hugged me back. "i wanted to say this last night. i don't know why i didn't. i've waited so long to finally kiss you."

here was zabdiel sort of pouring his heart out for me and i was still figuring out my feelings. i felt like the worst person on the planet. i'm leading him on. i can't tell him. i can't break his heart now that he's looking at me like i'm an oasis in the middle of the desert. he wants me, but i don't know if i want him.

"i need time."

"i'll give you all the time in the world. i won't pressure you."

i pressed my lips against his. he wasted no time in kissing me back. it was intoxicating. i couldn't stay away from his lips even if i wanted to. he pulled me in like a magnet.

"this doesn't feel like time." he murmured against my lips.

"shut up and kiss me."

he laughed and pulled me on his lap so i was straddling him like his morning, except that we had plenty of space now. a soft moan escaped me, but it was muffled by his lips. his hands rested on my hips, i felt his hesitation to move them any lower so i shifted and his hands dropped right over my butt. i giggled at his sharp intake of air.

i pulled away just enough to talk. "you didn't seem so shy this morning."

"you didn't give me time to think." his thumbs slipped under my shirt and rubbed my sides. "isa and joel are still here."

"they're probably making out of the kitchen." i bit my lip as he left a peck on my neck, right under my jaw.

"bold of you to assume they're just making out."

"not in the kitchen." i whined and dropped my head on his shoulder, which started bouncing when he laughed.

he tapped my thigh. "come on, let's go find them before they make a mess in your kitchen."

i shook my head. "i don't want to find them butt naked in the kitchen. i'll never be able to eat anything made there again."

he smirked. "what a shame, we have to kiss to kill time."

i rolled my eyes, but kissed him when he leaned in for a kiss. i could get used to this.