THE BIG GAME, ZACH MITCHELL, JURASSIC WORLD

thirteen.

thirteen

The amusement park was much scarier in the dark, especially with all of the discarded items scouring the floor.

I couldn't help but wonder just where all of the civilians were. Thousands of tourists just disappeared into thin air. I mean, where could they hide? And why weren't we hiding with them?

"It's a ghost town." Zach spoke for us both.

"Yeah, no shit." I said. He looked at me from over his shoulder and I pressed my lips into a thin line. "Sorry."

He paused his steps and then faced me fully with a fake surprised look. "Kenzie, did you just apologize to me?"

I paused for a moment and then lightly smacked his arm. "Shut up, okay?"

"But you never apologize," Zach continued, acting as if I had just graced him with the greatest gift in the world. "Has the spoiled girl gone good?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Your energy to bother me honestly amazes me." I deadpanned.

Zach took a second to think before nodding, "Thanks, I think."

I faked a smile. "It wasn't a compliment, but you're welcome."

"I didn't think it was," He shrugged, staring at me questioningly. "I don't think you even have it in you to compliment someone."

"You don't even know me, Zach." I said.

"I think I do," He said back before pretending to think. "I think you're spoiled, Mackenzie. And whiny, and annoying. And a crybaby, like, god, you cry so much, and——"

I felt my jaw drop as he continued to list negative qualities about me.

We were now standing on the sidewalk in front of Ben and Jerry's, just staring at each other challengingly. I tried to think of something snappy to say back, but couldn't. He was right. I hated that I knew that.

"Are you going to cry now?" He asked suddenly, eyeing me suspiciously.

I didn't even notice my eyes were brimmed with tears until he mentioned it.

Zach sighed and his expression softened. "Okay, look, I'm sorry. You didn't let me finish what I was going to say."

"Finish then, because I obviously want to hear you tell me every single thing that's wrong with me." My voice wavered. Why was I such a little bitch?

"You might have like, a shit ton of things wrong with you," Zach started. "But there's still some good in you. It's hard to find, sure, but it's there."

I didn't say anything because I knew that if I did, I'd just sound weak.

"And despite of all of the bad things, I still—I don't know, for some reason, like you." Zach looked toward the ground and then back up at me. "I really don't know why I do."

I felt my heart stop for a moment before racing again. Someone confessing their feelings for me was really nothing new, but hearing it from Zach felt different.

"I know it's weird." Zach rubbed the back of his neck.  "I get it if you don't feel the same, and if you want to throat punch me or something because I've been an asshole to you, that's fine. I just needed to tell you that."

"It's.. not weird," I said slowly. I tried to think of how to respond without sounding like an idiot. Throughout the day, I knew that I felt something for him. "I don't want to throat punch you." Saying that made me smile awkwardly. He did the same. Then, I remembered Eveline. "But, like, what about your girlfriend?"

He rolled his eyes, like usual. "I don't want to think about her. If it makes you feel any better, I'd rather be here with you, on the verge of death, than with her back home." I didn't notice before, but he'd gotten closer to me. "I know I haven't been acting like it, and again, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." I said, looking up at him due to our height difference. "I'm sorry.. For being a spoiled, whiny, and annoying crybaby."

Zach smiled and then brought his hand to my face, cupping my cheek. He brushed one of the tears that'd fallen before away. "I'm just gonna say it: I don't know if we're going to die tonight, or if we'll be okay after all of this. I just need to kiss you."

When did he turn into Shakespeare?

"Is that okay?" Zach asked.

I looked at him for a moment. "Yeah, yeah that's totally okay."

"Okay." He nodded and then leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. I closed my eyes and, obviously, kissed him back.

Unlike Zach, I'm not some poet when it comes to talking about my feelings or how things feel when they happen to me. I just knew that I felt the stereotypical fireworks and the warmth in my heart when I kissed him.

He pulled away and we looked into each other's eyes. I wasn't sure what I was going to say, but when I opened my mouth, the familiar blood-curdling roar came echoing throughout the empty street.

"Fuck." Zach muttered before dropping his hand from my face and taking my hand in his. "We have to run."

"You already know I'm not good at that," I mumbled as he dragged me behind him.

—

authors note: it's been like 2 years and i'm kinda fucked up rn so i felt like i needed some closure on mackenzie and zach so here's their kiss and the little confession thingy happy 4th everyone