Lend Me Your Heart

Ten

On our last day home before break ended, my dad made a fire and we just hung out. The day before, Zach had stayed home with my dad and brother while my mom and I did some Black Friday shopping. Of course, Zach said he missed me all day and at first I thought he was kidding, but judging by the way he wouldn’t even touch me that next day, I figured they really must’ve scared him off. Needless to say, we couldn’t wait to go back to school.

“Bye mom. Bye dad. Bye Mike,” said, kissing and hugging all three of them. “Thanks so much for everything. I love you.”

“Thanks you so much for letting me stay, Mr. and Mrs. Davis,” Zach said, following after me. “Nice to meet you, Mike.”

He gave my mom a tight hug and shook my dad’s hand.

“You two must be on your absolute best behavior. Study hard,” my mom told us.

“Lay a hand on my daughter and I promise you’ll regret it,” my dad threatened in Zach’s ear, making him gulp nervously.

“I-I won’t, Mr. Davis.”

“Oh, I know you won’t. I’m just reminding you, son.”

Then my brother took an intimidating close step towards Zach. They were the same height, but Mike was definitely scrawnier, which made me wonder why he made Zach so nervous.

“You heard the man,” he spat. “Don’t you dare do anything to my sister.”

Zach gave him a curt nod. “I won’t.”

“Thought so,” my brother smirked, before they all hopped back inside the red minivan and drove away.

Zach let out a big huff of air once they were, gone, loosening up a little. “Damn, they make me nervous,” he sighed, helping me bring my luggage upstairs.

“You could beat up both of them in a second,” I said.

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, just an observation. You’re bigger than both of them. That’s why you shouldn’t be so nervous.”

“They make me nervous because I need their respect if you’re going to be my girlfriend.”

By then, we were on the third floor, standing in the space between our two bedroom doors. I blushed, looking up at him and smiling.

“Go put your stuff away and meet me out here in thirty,” he laughed, nudging me with his elbow.

“Okay,” I sang dreamily, picking up my stuff and going into my room. After unpacking for half an hour, I met him outside my room and we walked downstairs together.

“Dinner time,” Zach said happily.

I rolled my eyes. Of course all he was thinking about was food while I’m sitting her contemplating the meaning of the word ‘girlfriend’ and wondering why he hasn’t kissed me now that my parents and brother were gone. But when we got outside, Zach wrapped his strong hand around my wrist and tugged me in the direction away from campus and towards the trees that lined the woods.

“Zach,” I laughed more nervously than I wanted to. “Where are we going?”

He didn’t look back and me and kept walking, not saying a word. I gulped, wondering what he was thinking, but kept following him. When we got towards the lining of the woods, he suddenly wrapped an arm around my waist and pushed me up against a tree. He smirked; leaning in towards my ear and whispering, “Kiss me,” like I had done to him yesterday.

My heart started beating faster and my body suddenly felt weaker, like it was under his control. My eyes met his and I put my arms around his neck. He took a step closer to me so our lips were almost touching. I stood up on my tiptoes, closed my eyes, and gave him a sweet, long kiss on the lips. After a while, though, my legs felt like noodles and it didn’t help that I was standing on the tips of my feet.