Hiding From Us

10. zack

‘‘Date number four,’’ said Jordyn. ‘‘It’s time to have some company.’

     ‘‘Company,’’ I repeated, crushing the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I attempted to beat my brother at Call of Duty. ‘‘Such as who?’’

     ‘‘Hannah and Lindsey and Jared, I guess. And some of my cousins are in town tonight. They’re about our age.’’

     Dating Jordyn Lewis had proved to be easier than I’d thought. We’d gone to see Into the Storm together for Date No. One; she’d attempted to give me art lessons (which I’d epically failed at) for Date No. Two; and I’d taken her for iced cream and a walk in the park for Date No. Three. All in all, we were golden. However, we had yet to kiss, but I had decided to let her make the first move. 

    ‘’Um, sure.’’ I shot Wyatt in the gut, ending our round, and tossed him the remote. Then I dashed upstairs. ‘‘What time?’’

     Jordyn said, ‘’My house in thirty minutes?’’ and then I was at her house in twenty-three minutes, because I was exited, and because I was a good boyfriend. 

     I hung up my coat and was about to take off my skullcap when Jordyn’s dad entered the room. I’d met in on our second date. He was tall and balding, with muscles from when he was a swimming champion in high school. I couldn’t remember his name.

     ‘‘Zack,’’ he said strongly, ‘‘how are you?’’ He held out a large hand for me to shake, since it was the polite manly thing to do. 

     I shook it as best as I could without wincing as he crushed my fingers. ‘‘Well, sir.’’ Mr. Lewis had told me a number of times not to call him sir, but I could see the pleasure in his eyes when I did. 

     He left to untangle Rocky’s leg from a purse. Jordyn, standing next to me, interrupted my attempt to take off my skullcap.

     ‘‘Keep it on,’’ she said with a grin, ‘’it makes you look sexy.’’ She flicked her eyebrows once and bumped my hip with hers, and I thought she looked very cute while doing it. 

     She lead me downstairs to the TV room, and suddenly I was overwhelmed by the large group of teenagers. I saw Hannah Evans chatting with Lindsey Mueller, who’s hand rested on Jared Connolly’s knee. I knew who they were, but I wasn’t sure if they knew who I was. 

     Jordyn’s older brother, Wes, was also there, and he was laughing with another guy about his age. There were three other kids in the room—two guys and a girl—but I had no idea who they were. Possibly Jordyn’s cousins?

     ‘‘Hannah, you know Zack.’’ Jordyn’s hand was at the small of my back; I shivered. 

     Hannah stared at me. ‘’Um, yeah. You sit behind me in Science. Well, congrats on you and Jordyn getting together.’’

     I murmured, ‘‘Thanks,’’ feeling small.

     Jordyn made Jared and Lindsey say hi to me—Lindsey called me ‘cutie’, but I didn’t think it meant anything—but they started kissing right afterwards. So Jordyn introduced me the other kids. Her cousins. 

     ‘‘That’s Conner,’’ she said, ‘‘and that’s Laura, and that’s Benjamin, and this is Zach.’’ Then she laughed. ‘’Oh, God.’’

     The other Zach said, ‘‘What?’’ 

     Jordyn said, ‘‘Zach, meet Zack.’’ 

     The other Zach said, ‘’Oh. Spelt with an Hor a K?’’

     ‘’K,’’ I answered.