Sick Little Games (Zack Merrick)

• Actors And Actresses •

{ t h i r t e e n }

Vic and I spoke for a little while away from the rest of the group around pointless things.

"Oh they're looking over here." He muttered, leaning his chin on his arm and looking at me with a weird kind of intensity.

"What are you doing?" I asked him quietly, craning my head back to see the group staring at us both. I turned back to him almost as fast as I turned towards them. Why are they staring at us? I started to feel self conscious.

"Look like we're having a really serious conversation," Vic told me, and then he looked at me with his jaw dropped. I'm so confused right now. "Make hand gestures or something."

I moved my hand to point to the pier and then I turned back to see him look a little offended.

"What?!" He said loudly. Oh my god. I felt my lips twitch, and I finally caught on; I can be a bit slow sometimes. I roughly stood up and raked a hand through my hair, I didn't need to actually talk as they aren't even in hearing distance, but they can see the back of me and the front of Vic. We're both lucky too because I'm no good at acting, whereas Vic is being a king at it.

He stood up too, giving me a serious look.

"I want to laugh so bad right now." He told me, keeping that same serious look and crossing him arms over his chest.

I full on grinned, so I'm happy they can't see me.

"Why are we doing this again?" I asked him. This seems a bit over the top.

"I have no idea, fun though." He smiled at me, before pulling me into a hug. To the others it must look like we settled our argumentative discussion, or whatever the hell it was. As we both walked back to the others, I realised how easily I got on with him compared to everyone else I usually speak too.

I didn't notice it earlier but I actually spoke to him without feeling anything negative or shy. I smiled to myself, there's another person I feel like I can talk to.

Instead of walking to the group like Vic, I walked to Zack, who's playing his guitar like usual. Oli and Mariah shared a look and then both stared at me for a while, it put me on edge.

"Hey Justice- I really need a nickname for you. You're name is too long." I laughed quietly. It's kind of cute actually. "And besides, I don't want to call you what everyone else does."

I couldn't help but smile. I looked down to the floor before looking back up at him. He was already staring at me and I felt my cheeks heat up.

"What about Jay?" He asked, plucking the bottom 3 strings of his guitar and looking down at them. He started tuning them as I replied.

"A few people used to call me that." He looked thoughtful for a minute.

"What about Jess?" I was taken aback for a minute. That's...

"Where did you get that from?" I asked softly, giggling.

"Okay, keep up with this. I was thinking Justice, Justine, Justi, Jessie, Jess. It went in that order too." I couldn't help but laugh, and I decided that I actually quite like the name. It's not too bad, and I could see myself getting used to it.

"It's all yours, Merrick." He looked down to me with a mischievous grin.

"Sorry Jess, you're going to have to think of better nicknames than that." I leant over and hit him. He chuckled and began tuning the top 3 strings of the guitar.

"You wanna play a song?" He asked, and handed me his guitar. I nodded eagerly. I always want to do something musical.

*

I'm beginning to get suspicious of Oli and Mariah. It's not that I think they're together or anything, I just think they're planning something. They keep sharing looks, and Mariah looks uncomfortable around him sometimes. It's weird.

We all sat around the fire now, even Zack and myself surprisingly. Mariah sat on the other side of me with Alex and they were cuddling and doing couple things. Everybody is talking but I'm just content with being quiet and watching the fire crackle.

Oli smiled at me from across the fire, and I don't think he sensed that my smile was uneasy when I sent one back.

I quickly remembered that I have to unpack with him tomorrow and I looked around the group. I'm most comfortable with Zack, Vic and Mariah so I'll ask them. I turned to Zack first because he's not talking to anybody either.

"Hey Merrick." He rolled his eyes at the nickname but I saw a smile playing at his lips. "I'm not good at pet names okay, sue me." I teased, then I asked him the dreaded question. I really hope he can come, I actually don't want to be alone with Oli.

"Are you busy tomorrow?" He looked up at me wide-eyed. I wondered why for a second until I realised that it seems like I'm asking him on a date. "No, um, I mean I'm unpacking and Oli wants to help and I, um..." I trialled off.

"Don't want to be alone with him?" He guess. There it is. I'm surprised he said it, I was trying to avoid actually stating it out loud. I don't want to offend anyone or anything.

"Um, yeah. I'd like if you were there too." I added, seeing him smile.

"Then yeah, I'll be there."