'Ms Kaylee Bell and Mr Zachary Knight are to be appointed legal guardianship of Scott Knight if something would ever happen to the parents, Jenna and Patrick Knight.'
They say everything can change in the blink of an eye.
It did for me.
Yesterday...
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I freeze on my spot when Amelia takes a step closer to Zach and hugs him. He freezes too, his hold on my hand tightening.
She releases him, and puts her hands on his shoulders and smiles at him.
Amelia is a tall woman and she's pretty too, but, from what I've heard from Zach's family, she can be very mean and petty.
"It's good to see you, Zach," she says, her voice smooth but with a hint of something else I can't quite place. "It's been a while."
"Why are you here?" he asks, his voice laced with anger.
Amelia's smile falters for a split second before it returns, a bit tighter this time. "I was in the neighborhood," she replies, her tone light but with an edge. "Thought I'd stop by and say hello."
Zach's grip on my hand tightens further, and I can feel the tension radiating off him. "That's not a good enough reason," he says, his voice low and controlled. "What do you really want?"
Amelia's eyes narrow slightly, her demeanor shifting from friendly to something more calculating. "Can't I just visit an old friend without having an ulterior motive?"
"You and I both know that's not how you operate," Zach retorts, his anger more evident now.
Amelia glances at me briefly before looking back at Zach. "Can we talk in private?"
I start to nod my head when Zach says, "No."
"I just wanted to see you, it's been so long," Amelia says, giving Zach a smile that boils my blood.
"Amelia, stop with the games," he says, his voice cold. "Why are you really here?"
I swallow the lump in my throat when Zach wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close, possessively. Amelia's eyes flicker to where Zach's arm rests around me, and for a moment, a flash of irritation crosses her face.
"Well, I really just wanted to catch up, Zach. When my friend," Amelia points at the house beside ours, "told me she saw your car, I thought I'd come by and say hello, maybe we could grab lunch tomorrow?"
"Clearly, you don't get the hint," Zach squeezes me tighter. "I'm not interested, Amelia, and as you can clearly fucking see, not available."
Amelia's smile wavers, the annoyance in her eyes becoming more pronounced. "You don't have to be so harsh, Zach. I was just trying to be friendly."
"Friendly? Is that what you call this?" Zach's voice is icy. "Showing up unannounced, trying to insert yourself into my life again? That's not friendly, Amelia. That's manipulative."
She crosses her arms, her expression hardening. "You know what, Zach? I don't need this. I was just trying to be nice."
"Nice?" Zach scoffs, his grip on me unwavering. "You have a funny way of showing it."
Amelia stares at him for a moment, then turns on her heel and walks away, her posture rigid with indignation. As she disappears from view, the tension slowly drains from Zach's body, though his arm remains firmly around me.
I look up at him, and put my arms around him, trying to calm him. He shuts the door and guides me back to the family room.
"How about that tour?" I ask, wanting to change his mood.
He looks down at me and stares at my face for a moment and I watch as his features soften and he nods.
"Yeah," he says, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Let's do that."
We start in the family room, where Zach points out a few of his favourite things—a cozy couch, a bookshelf filled with a mix of novels and photography books, a fireplace that gives the room a warm, inviting glow. He leads me to the kitchen next.
Finally, we reach his bedroom. It's a bit more personal than his apartment back home, with framed photos on the walls and a mix of modern and vintage furniture. He seems a bit nervous showing me this space, but I smile reassuringly. I look at the photos, a small smile playing on my lips when I see a younger Zach on Patrick's shoulders.
"It's perfect," I say, taking in the room. "Very you."
"Thanks," he says, visibly relaxing. "I'm glad you like it."
As we stand there, I can feel the last of the tension from Amelia's visit dissipating. Zach pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me in a warm embrace.
I put my chin on his chest, arms around his waist, and look up at him, laughing when he wiggles his eyebrows.
"You're so bad," I giggle.
I gasp when he lifts me up and throws me on the bed, laying on top of me, his lips close to mine.
He grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Bad? I think you mean irresistible."
I laugh again, the sound mixing with his as our faces are just inches apart. "Maybe a little bit of both," I tease.
He leans in, his lips brushing against mine, sending a shiver down my spine. The kiss starts gently, almost tentative, before deepening as we lose ourselves in the moment. His hands cradle my face, and I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
As we lie there, wrapped in each other's arms, the outside world fades away. In this moment, it's just the two of us, and everything feels perfect.
