❛ SUPERMARKET FLOWERS ♪ ❜ - z. herron

twenty-six: he's who my nate should be.

"Is there a trash can around here?" I say, holding my empty bottle.

"Yeah, let me take you to it." Zach offers.

As we walk into the kitchen, the sound of the party muffles. He leans and opens the cabinet underneath the sink. I laugh, throwing the bottle in, "This the only trashcan in the whole party?"

"No.. but I wanted to ask you something." he says, hopping to sit on the counter. I lean against it, facing him.

"I don't knowww, last time you asked me something-" I say, making a face.

He laughs, "Shut up, an actual question."

"Okay, go for it."

"What happened between you and Nate? I saw you both yelling so I know he didn't just have something to do. So tell me what's up."

I blow out a breath, "Do you really want to know?"

"You seemed upset about it. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I'm just filling my bestie duties." the boy says, playfully nudging me.

"Nate was upset that y'all hugged me. More than I had guy friends but focused on the fact you hugged me."

"The fuck?" Zach laughs. "Is he five? It's just a hug."

I hop up onto the counter next to him, "That's what I said. All the girls that are always by his friends' frats or at practices, I don't even mention. But when I talked about introducing you guys, he lost his mind."

"I'm sorry Ira." Zach says, looking at me.

"It's whatever, he'll get over it." I say, looking down at my phone; I open it to see a message from Nate.

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Nathan Anderson 💘

I think we should take another break.

Two weeks for both of us to clear our minds.

I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you for two weeks.

Bye.

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I show Zach the message. "Perfect timing, am I right?" I laugh. He pulls me in, my head resting on his shoulder. He rubs my arms. "I'm so sorry Ira."

"Zach?" I ask quietly, the sound of the bass still rumbling throughout the house.

"Hm?"

"Am I bad for hugging you?"

"No, don't think much of it. I said I'll be your friend and we are doing friend things. Nothing more, Nate's just having a bad day." Zach replies. He then hops off the countering offering me his hand, "Let's go." he gestured with his head.

He helps me off the counter, and we walk back into the party. The muffled music becomes very apparent now. We walk over to the drinks table to see both Em and Jack, soaking wet, on one knee chugging a Smirnoff ice. The whole group is surrounding them, yelling chug.

"What's going on?" I asked Corbyn.

"Iced both of them. They had to grab the bottles from the pool." Corbyn smirks at us. Jack and Em both stand up, happily pleased with themselves.

"Kira, you missed it. I just out swam and outdrank Jack Avery.'' Emerson runs over to me, her hair a dripping mess.

"Man, shut up." Jack says, joining the group as well.