The End Zone

Chapter 23

Whatever relief Zack felt seemingly disappears on the car ride home. As I tell him about the notes and how my workplace ignored me, I can practically feel him restraining his anger.

When we get back to the apartment, he flips the lights on in silence and sits down, clearly indicating I should sit beside him. First, I make sure for the millionth time that no one has followed us. Then I sit down, trying to process everything.

He's quiet for a long time, staring at the floor. Then he says, "Are you okay?"

I nod. "Nothing happened to me. I was just scared."

He stares at me for a long time then presses his lips together. "Let's go to the police station."

"What?" I say. "No. They're not gonna take me seriously."

"Then what do you want to do?"

I press my lips together. "I'll take a self-defense class-"

"You're gonna fight them?" he says, raising his brows in disbelief.

"Well, I can't just stay in my room for the rest of my life."

"This person is stalking you, Amelia. You have to go to the police." His tone calms. Turns pleading. "Would you at least try?"

I cross my arms, unintentionally curling up. "I'll go after my internship tomorrow."

"What?" he says. "You're going back there?"

I give him a look. "I have to, Zack."

"Amelia, you told them someone's harassing you and they didn't give a shit," he says, tone rising. "This person knows you work there. You think if something happens, they're gonna protect you?"

"It's my workplace, Zack," I say, my voice rising to match his. "Without it, I can't even afford to live. You know that. I don't have a choice!"

"So I'll cover you," he says. "It's not a big-"

"Stop," I say. "You know I can't let you do that for me."

He scoffs, the veins in his neck becoming more prominent. Then he bolts up from the seat and walks towards the wall, back facing me, and brings a hand to his forehead. When he turns around, his eyes are burning.

"Did you ever think for one second that maybe it isn't for you? That it's for me?" He steps closer. "Why is it so hard for you to accept that people care about you?"

I don't break eye contact. "It doesn't matter if I'm your fucking everything. I still need to be able to take care of myself-"

"You need help, Amelia. Why don't you see that?"

My eye twitches. "I do not need help. I am fine."

"Are you?" he says. "It doesn't fucking seem like it."

"It is not your place to decide, Zack," I say, getting up to match his gaze. "I made my decision. It's my life-"

"Your life, huh?" he says. "Well, you keep pulling me into it."

It's like a shot to my heart. Because he's right. I can hear the hurt pouring into my voice as I say, "Why don't you leave then?" I say. "Fucking go if I'm that much of a burden on you. I know it's not fun taking care of other people. Hell, I'm not even your girlfriend anymore. So why don't you stop punishing yourself and just leave-"

"Because I'm fucking in love with you!"

Silence crashes through the room.

I feel my shoulders fall, my lips part. If I had the capacity to, I would've pinched myself.

He breathes out, the only sound in the room. I watch him, waiting for him to take his words back.

But he doesn't. He stands there, letting the silence ring throughout the room.

Part of me feels like I should laugh it off. Instead, I walk forward. As if someone is pulling me to him. He doesn't look at me but he doesn't walk away.

I stop before our bodies touch. My voice sounds like it belongs to someone else. "You what?"

He finally lifts his gaze and it's like my world ignites when our eyes meet. He starts to move towards me. It's like whiplash when he stops and the air hits my lips.

It was never like this before. He was never hesitant. I made him this way.

The next thing I know, my hand reaches out and grabs his arm. I don't know where the words come from but it's like gravity pulls them out of me. My voice comes out quiet but strong.

"Don't," I say. "Don't back away from me."

Surprise flickers on his face but he doesn't say anything. He glances down at my hand on his shirt then looks back up at me through his lashes.

It's me who moves closer now. Before I can even process it. Before I can tell myself to stop.

My lips brush against his.

It's the actual touch between us that snaps me out of it. He's frozen against me. Unresponsive.

What the fuck am I doing?

I run.

Like a little girl who just kissed her crush on the playground, I run. I can hear my name being called after me as I speed down the stairs but I don't stop until Zack catches my wrist and pulls me into him.

It's too much to comprehend. It's familiar. The way he smells. But it's also new. The night air. The adrenaline pumping through me.

"You can't be serious," he says so lowly it's nearly a murmur. He almost sounds angry.

I look up at the stars, wishing an asteroid would come pummel me right now.

Then he brings me in closer, sliding his hand up my neck so that I look into his eyes. When he speaks, his voice is rough.

"You call that a fucking kiss?" he says.

My lips part just in time to collide with his. His hand sweeps under my hair to grasp the back of my neck, pulling me closer. I can feel it in his touch- the way anger fades into desire.

I thought I knew every part of him. The way his lips feel. The way he holds my hip in place like it's his. Some of it is familiar but the force is different. This is pent up anger and frustration and longing being poured out for the first time. His lips feel like fire as he kisses down my jawline.

The pieces fall back in place. My hand moves to his hair, curling into his locks, tracing down the back of his neck. I don't want him to pull away. Because then it'll be over and we'll go back to pretending. I'll go back to pretending that this doesn't feel so damn right.

So I tell him everything now. In my kiss. In my touch.

I'm sorry. I love you. I never stopped loving you. I should've fought harder.

My mouth starts to taste like salt but I can't tell whose tears it's from. It compels me to pull back. To look at him and ask him with my eyes.

Do you still love me?

In response, he brings my mouth back to his.