Water Doesn't Wash Away Everything (Zack Merrick)

Chapter 8

Megan stopped in her tracks when she walked into the living room in the morning. Zack was curled up asleep on the love seat. She turned around and went to Alex’s room.

“Alex,” she whispered poking him in the arm. He groaned and swatted her hand away. “Alex, why is Zack still here?”

“He crashed on the couch so I just left him.”

Ok? she thought as she went back into the hallway. She walked slowly over to Zack. Meg smiled softly at his sleeping face. She reached down to shake his arm but stopped. He looked so peaceful. She grabbed the blanket on the couch and laid it on top of him.

Megan was confused when it came to Zack. She liked him but she thought maybe it would be best not to tell anyone. He was one of Alex’s best friends and the way Alex reacted to Jack asking her out, what would he do if she actually did date one of his friends?

Besides, she probably wouldn’t be staying here long. If something started between her and Zack there would be no way she would want a long distance relationship. Her having people know she liked Zack would just cause a mess.

She grabbed the orange juice out the fridge and poured herself a glass. Her and Zack wouldn’t work, it’s as simple as that. So she set on just being friends with him and that was perfectly fine with her.

“Morning.”

She jumped making some of her orange juice spill out of the cup. She sighed at looked down at the juice that was on the floor. Meg grabbed some paper towels and the looked up at who greeted her.

“Sorry,” Zack said grabbing one of the paper towels from Megan. She pulled them away and shook her head.

“It’s ok. I got it,” she said squatting down to clean up the mess.

“You sure? It was my fault,” he said squatting down in front of her.

“Yea. I got it. See? All done.” She smiled at him then stood up. She threw the soggy paper towels in the trash and then wiped her hands on her pants.

“You want some breakfast?” she asked pulling out eggs.

“Oh, let me do that.”

“Zack, it’s fine. I don’t mind doing it.”

“But-“

“If you want to do something, you can make toast,” she said handing him the bag of bread. He took the bread and headed over to the toaster. Megan grabbed a frying pan and turned the stove on.

“I hope you like your eggs scrambled because that’s the way I’m making them.”

“Scrambled is fine,” Zack chuckled. He sat on top of the counter as he waited for the toast. He watched as she moved around the kitchen making the eggs. “Um, why did you say no to Jack?”

“Because he’s just a friend.” He nodded. She looked over at trying too read his expression but couldn’t.

“Ow! Bullocks!” she screamed as she shook her hand as if that would get the pain to stop. Zack jumped off the counter and pulled her over to the sink. She hadn’t been paying attention and touched the frying pan by accident.

“Are you ok?” he asked her as he held her hand under the faucet. She blinked back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

“Yea,” she said quietly. “I’m fine.”

Zack turned off the sink and held her hand gently in the both of his examining her fingers. Zack’s breath blowing on Meg’s fingers sent chills up her arm. He softly stroked her hand with his thumb and looked in her eyes. He then knew that he had fallen for her. It didn’t matter what he had told Jack or Alex.

“Jesus! What happened? I heard Meg scream,” Alex said walking down the hallway. He stopped when he saw Zack holding Megan’s hand. “Oh. Am I interrupting something?”

Megan took her hand away from Zack slowly and shook her head. “No, um, I burnt my finger on the pan.”

Alex chuckled and then sighed. “Come on, let’s go get the first aid kit.”

Megan nodded and started down the hallway. Alex gave a look to Zack then followed Megan.