MisPrints

•Chapter 13•

 -3.30pm-

I sat up quickly.

It was time.

I quickly slid out of my cavity and hurried down the rungs to the floor below. I could already see Zak's shadow outside the door, unlocking the door for me.

My hands were shaking slightly, I hadn't had much sleep, I was a mess of emotions, like my brain couldn't decide on whether to be nervous or excited...

Of course I was terrified. 'Floor 0' was strictly out of bounds, it went without saying. So many things could go wrong tonight...

No. I can't back out of this. Kat needs me, I told myself firmly shoving my shaking hands into my dress pockets. My fingers brushed the slim ID card, reminding me that it was there and I closed my fingers around it protectively.

I looked up as the door slid open and Zak was standing before me, his eyes glowing in the shadows.

"Ready?" He asked, tilting his head.

"....yeh.... Yeh I'm ready." I said, although this was more an instruction to myself, rather than a fact.

"Good, lets go Soot." He gestured for me to walk past him ignoring my sigh of irritation.

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't call me-"

"I lied." Zak interrupted.

"But why!? Its not funny or clever or anything!"

Zak shrugged and fell into step with me. "It's cute and it suits you."

"Wait.. what?" I looked over at him "Are you saying..-"

Zak flicked his hair quickly. "No, well, yes but I didn't mean it like..."

"Did you say I was c-"

"No I said that the name was cute!" He ran his fingers through his hair quickly and then let it fall infront of his eyes. "Tot saying you ARN'T cute of course...cus you are...obviously and ...but so...so it..."

He looked away and shoved his hands in his pockets. 

"It just suits you ok." He huffed eventually, before quickening his pace, still looking at the ground.

We walked on towards the lifts in silence but inside my head, my thoughts had begun to unravel.

He...he said I was cute...is that good? Surely it's good.. is that what boys are meant to say? Is that normal or... Wait? Do I think he's cute? Is this like a... two way thing..? Is he cute? What does cute even mean.. do I have to say it back? Is it like a code of something? Do I have to say something back? Or... give him something? Am I over thinking this?"

"Ely."

He probably didn't mean anything, he was confused thats all, it was probably just an insult but maybe it wasn't, what if it's... wait I could be over thinking this I guess but...

"Ely!?"

That brought me out of my thoughts pretty quickly. I hadn't realised we'd arrived at the lifts. Zak was holding his hand out towards me.

I stared at it. Did he want me to hold it...? I read that that's what you're meant to do if.. if...

"You so still have it right.." Zak was saying slowly.

...huh.

"Have what.." I said slowly...

Ok this is definitly a code of some sort..

"The... Card.."

Oh.

He just wanted the card. Right. I've got this.