Sick Little Games (Zack Merrick)

• Finale •

{ t h i r t y o n e - f i n a l } 

Walking away from Mariah, from everyone near her, felt like my biggest accomplishment. She was left gawping and awestruck, and I had told her what I'd wanted to all along. It definitely felt good. 

As I was walking to Jack's table, I felt arms wrap around my shoulders and a body press ever so slightly into mine. "Dinner and a show." I immediately recognized Zack's voice. I registered his words, tilting my head back to look at him wrapped around me and then I turned to look at the people around us- all staring, undoubtedly. 

"That's exactly what you're creating now." I told him but despite my words he didn't pull away like I expected him to, and even then I didn't mind. I like him, he likes me, as weird as that is. Being close is nice. "Everybody's looking." 

"Do you feel like giving them something to look at?" 

"What are you trying to say, Merrick?" I asked. 

"Kiss me." I turned my head and before I had time to do anything- speak, think, process- Zack Merrick's lips were on mine and gasps were being emitted from people around us. It was chaste, not that I expected us to make out in the cafeteria of the school surrounded by our peers, but even then, the small peck had my toes curling and my eyes shutting like an automated reaction. This was exactly what a first kiss shared between two people who had feelings for each other was supposed to feel like. 

He pulled back but kept his arms around my shoulders. 

"Let them stare." He said. 

*

Jack making friends with Zack was the easiest part; they both liked the same bands, they shared a passion for playing and stealing my guitars. Hell, their names even rhymed. The difficult part was explaining to my parents that, though I hadn't mentioned anything, Zack and I had been creeping around each other for quite sometime and were on the verge- if not already dating. 

I believe my mothers exact words were, "I thought you were a lesbian, because, you know, you never dated." 

It took me half an hour to convince her Zack wasn't a cover up for my sexuality and then a further twenty minutes to assure her that I would've told her if I was gay. 

Jack asked me if I had learnt any 'inside information' from hanging around with the populars. I told him I hadn't. I guess though, if I really think about it, there is a lesson within the whole experience. You can meet a group of people with not so desirable personalities, befriend them and become the butt of their hatred, but somewhere in the storm you can find that one good person; a friend, a partner, a sibling. You can move to a new place and always find one good person to add to your life, even if you find four bad ones to go with them. 

I guess I found Zack Merrick. 

The End.

AN/ The ending was cheesy asf wasn't it? That usually isn't my style but I felt like a cheesy ending was appropriate/necessary.  

There won't be an epilogue or a sequel or even a bonus chapter (again, like I usually do) because I didn't want to give away the ending to this one. Come up with your own ending, they're both young, have their lives ahead of them, what do you want to happen?

Anyway, this is sadly the end of the story that I've been writing alongside LSISF for the past few months (which has also now ended) and it was a lovely side project, but now I'm focusing on three new books (two of which are already being frequently updated.) 

As usual, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Check out my new work. 

Emily. Also known as smilecarlile.