Dead and Crinkled Flowers [ON HOLD]

Chapter Fifteen: March 2015: Zachary

She was leaving. She was about to go back home and Zachary was too scared to say goodbye. After the fight they had yesterday he wasn't sure he should say goodbye.

"Hey," Melanie came up behind him. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he said hugging her.

She drew back and looked at him. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

She shrugged. "Okay."

She turned and walked away. "See you later!"

"Bye."

Zachary looked down at his hands. Should he say goodbye? He thought of her face. He thought of her eyes, her cheeks, her lips. He loved everything about her.

Dramatic Flashback

"My girlfriend is jealous of you."

"Why? We haven't talked for two months and you don't like me like that anyway."

"What? I do like you like that. I've been liking you like that for a long time."

"But why?"

"You're beautiful for one."

"You can't tell me I'm beautiful over the phone."

"Well... I just did."

Silence.

"You're also the first girl that ever stole my heart."

"Zachary..."

"You are. And you are also the most beautiful."

"Zachary..."

"And you might not like me either but I just wanted to let you know."

"I do have a crush on you. I've had that for a while."

"You... you do?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Since track."

"What?"

"I had a crush on you when I was going out with you. There are just some people you don't get over, you know?"

"Yeah... I know..."

Flashback Over

He looked up from his hands and pulled out his phone. 4:55. He could still make it to say goodbye.

He got up and ran. He ran as fast as he could, down the street and over some fences. He ran despite his aching knees and shins all the way down to the apartment complex she was staying in with her friend.

He saw her. He saw her by a red car, hugging a group of people.

"Brooke!" he yelled, still running. "Brooke!"

She looked up at him and made a face. Barely noticeable, but he knew her long enough to see it.

He stopped next to her and pulled her to him, hugging her closer to him than he had held anybody for a long time.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" she asked, confused.

"For everything." He drew back and looked her in the eyes. "For hurting you, for leading you on, for being in love with you..."

She cut him off with a kiss. The sweetest, most amazing kiss he'd had for a long time because she kissed him just how he liked it.

"You're forgiven," she whispered to him.

He grasped her hands and squeezed them tight. She squeezed them back.

"Just take care of yourself... and Melanie."

"Okay."

She got in the car and waved to everyone. The car drove away leaving a crowd behind and Zachary grinning like an idiot.