More Than Friends

Chapter 1 - Together

-Zayas pov

I walk over to my window seat, It's pouring today. Rain has always been my favorite thing since I was a kid. My best friend Mateo and I have always been a fan. When we would hang out as kids, we would beg our mothers to let us go play in the rain.

I haven't seen Mateo in over three months and I can't help but miss him lots. We've been inseparable since we were born. Mateo and I were born a week apart, him being the oldest.

I could barely get my goodbyes out when leaving to my dads. I always struggled saying goodbye to the people I love.

When summer hit and I was at my dads up north at his lake cabin. I couldn't help but be sad. Sure there was a beach there and lots of people but Mateo wasnt with me. I was considering going out with the cute guy that asked me out but I realized it wouldn't work since I didn't live up here. I had plenty of fun with a few of my summer friends up there and my dad, but I missed my mom dearly.

School starts in two weeks, my dad wanted me to have a small bit of summer with my mom before school started at least.

I haven't told Mateo I'm back yet which might have been a mistake because my mom has been begging me to visit him. She says he's been moping around all summer waiting for me to get back even though I texted him daily. Mateo was the most clingy person I have ever met. We hung out every weekday.

"Zaya! Malia and Mateo are here! Come down here to say hi!" My mom, Diana yelled from downstairs.

My mom was a gorgeous African American women, she was in her late forties. She had dark curly hair that went to the middle of her back. She had her natural hair styled perfectly at the moment which I was always jealous of since her hair was in amazing condition.

My hair was a deep brown with 3b type curls. My hair went just above mid back. I had very thick hair which was hard to deal with from time to time. I love my hair regardless though.

The outfit I was wearing today was a green and black striped sweater with flare jeans and some jewelry. I hadn't bothered putting makeup on since I wasn't leaving the house.

I wasn't expecting Mateo to realize I was home so soon. I missed him but I wanted to chill with my mom for a bit before hanging out. I head downstairs excited to see Mateo, last time I seen him was late May early June.

I run downstairs excited, almost tripping down my stairs. I run to my front door ignoring Malia and my mother since I've seen them already. Mateo is smiling big and has his arms open in wait. I crush him in a giant bear hug and he steadies us so we don't fall on the hard floor.

"I missed you so much Valdez" I murmur into his chest. He smells like pine and the familiar scent of his home. He hugs me tighter when I mention that.

"I missed you too Z" I smile at the familiar nickname. Ever since we were children we had stupid nicknames for each other.

I step back to look at him fully, this past summer he must have worked out because he felt and looked ripped. He was in a grey wife beater and had a thin silver chain around his neck. He was wearing black cargo shorts and had sunglasses on the top of his wet black curly hair. He had gotten a tan over the summer, even though he was naturally tan since he was Hispanic.

"You look good, you got hella tan over the summer" by the time I said this we were making our way up to my room. He was behind me in case I fell, a true gentlemen.

"Thanks Zay, you don't look too bad yourself. I kind of want to go outside." Mateos accent coming through as he falls on my bed.

"I'm wearing my favorite outfit today, no." I tell him while taking my jewelry off. He sits up and stares at me with a smile and a weird look.

"Please Zaya." He says looking hurt all of a sudden. He knows I can't help but give in when he asks nicely.

"Ok fine." I huff with a sigh.

"We have to catch up on stuff beforehand though." He says while moving over so I can sit across from him on the bed. He grew over the summer, a good inch an a half. He was taller than me before by five-ish inches but now I'm up to his shoulder but barely.

"Well I started by hanging out with my dad and going kayaking. I fell in once but I got the hang of it and started going almost every morning. Armani and I went swimming and shopping quite a lot." I put my feet in his lap, he obviously doesn't mind because he adjusts so my feet are comfy and not on his crotch.

"Damn that sounds fun." he says while moving his arms behind his head while leaning against my dresser at the end of the bed.

While I was talking he was looking me up and down. He must have noticed that I worked out over the summer or that I got darker from being in the sun.

"Ooh, I also got asked out a shit ton of times believe it or not." I say while smiling. I have always been pretty but no one has asked me out in person before of all my seventeen almost eighteen years of my life.

"What? By who." Mateo says with a furrowed brow. He's never reacted this way.

Sure when I was in middle school and freshman year to junior year I was asked out plenty, but it was mainly over text.

"I don't know just some random beach guys. They all looked like surfers. Not my type in men." I shrug and wiggle my toes. He pushes my feet off of him and stands up to stretch.

I never realized how muscular he had gotten. Before he was skinny and just a little outline of a abs but now he had huge muscles and thighs. I could even see his abs through his wife beater.

"Come on let's go outside and play in the rain." Mateo grabs my hands and flings me up without warning. I almost fall after being tripped by his shoes but he steadies me by grabbing my waist.

"Jeez Mateo. Trying to kill me." I mutter and move past him. Whenever he does this I always get scared or fall but he continues to do so.

"Only you Z." He winks at me.

I Roll my eyes and grab a change of clothes that I won't mind being dirty and hurry to my bathroom and change. My bathroom is the biggest one since I have the master bedroom in my house.

My mom and I agreed that I should have it since I have the most stuff in the house. I'm an only child and my dad doesn't live here anymore. Their marriage just didn't work out. They left on good terms and I'm glad they did.

After I'm done changing, me and Mateo head out side. I throw some old tennis shoes on and follow after him.

Mateo grabs my hand and we made our way to the park that we always go to when it's raining.

A/N
Find the foreshadowing
Word count: 1322

- Ella :)