It's Complicated: A Zombie Romance Novel

Shadows

"I think you've developed a shadow," Lee Ann said as we both climbed up the slide. I looked over my shoulder to see what she was talking about. It was hard to make out the person around the inner tube I was carrying.

"Is that who I think it is?" Lee Ann's eyes got big as she recognized Gideon. "I know you said you got a ride with him to the park and all, but there has to be more."

The lines weren't that long, seeing that there were less than five hundred of us in the whole park, but there was still a line.

"He's followed us on every slide we've taken."

"Please just drop it, Lee Ann," I begged. Gideon had never been out of ear shot, so I'd never felt comfortable talking to her about it all.

"You will totally tell me later," she said. The guy signaled it was her turn.

"Yes," I confirmed just before she let go. I was next. The water rushed past me. It was totally exhilarating. The excitement of the park had diminished my fear of everyone being dead. If this really was my last night on this earth I was going to live it up. That's why I decided to confront Gideon at the bottom of the slide.

"Why are you following us?" I asked.

"Do I need a reason?" he asked back.

"No, but I'd like to know."

"Because I want to be around you."

"Are you too going out behind my back or something?" Lee Ann interjected.

"Yes," we both responded at the same time. Lee Ann just looked shocked.

"We're going out," Gideon continued. While at the same time I said, "Or something."

"Ok, which is it."

"Going out," Gideon said.

"Or something," I interjected. "Lee Ann, he told me that he loved me, he's never actually asked me out. You know I would have told you if he asked me out. Even on a date, which he hasn't." I was babbling now. I knew it. Both of them just stood there staring at me.

"I would have," Gideon said running his hand through his hair. "But there just hasn't been time. And..."

"So what? Ask the girl out or go away," Lee Ann interrupted him.

"Yeah, if you want me to be your girlfriend, you're going to have to officially ask," I told him point blank. "I don't do ambiguous relationships." Which was true. I really wasn't into the whole 'are we or are we not' thing.

"Fine, will you be the Relena to my Heero? The Usage to my Mamoru? The Tohru to..." he started to say.

"I get the references," I said, putting a hand over his mouth. For such a good looking guy, he really was an otacu. "The answer is yes." I could feel his smile behind my hand.

We spent the rest of the night attached at the hip. Even Lee Ann couldn't break us apart. Rollercoasters at 2 am. Long walks through the park. It was pure magic.

'You will always have this moment,' I thought to myself. Gideon and me together, at least for a night, and not in jail. I knew it couldn't last, but I wasn't dwelling on that fact. It was enough that we were together at last, in that moment. All too soon it would end.

Part of me was glad Lee Ann had forced me to come as we boarded the buses back to school for our 6 am pickup. Gideon was driving back on his own. He wasn't about to leave his car there. I couldn't blame him. He asked me if I wanted a ride, but Lee Ann was giving me that look. I knew we needed to spend some time catching up. A bus ride home would accomplish just that, so I'd declined his offer. Even if it killed me not getting to ride in that car again.

That is when I saw it. There on every seat was an invitation to the house, red bleeding heart and all.