Unexpected

Chapter Five

We’ve been dating for about a month now, or close enough. I honestly don’t know how Zoey has put up with my attitude for so long, but she has. Jake knows he always did. Neither of us have denied it or confirmed it though. She gets bullied a lot as it is, so I don’t want people finding out she’s gay and adding to it. I don’t care if people think badly about me, because no one has the courage to say it to my face, like they do her. Although, every time I’m around her, the boys from the ice cream shop don’t even look at her.

Tony noticed the bracelet I bought for her and Emma noticed her wearing my Vans hat one day, but we played it off. Jake called me out on wearing Zoey’s shirt and laughed so hard at how awful we’re doing at hiding it, he almost cried. That time I was kind of stuck on what to say, because the night before things got a little hot and that’s why I woke up in her shirt and didn’t have time to worry about it; I had to get to class.'

But today, I’m picking Zoey up from work and I’m not caring that she wore my shoes to work or that Jake knows or any of that. Because when she walks out of the Surf shop, obviously aggravated and looks at me, instantly breaking out into a smile that makes everything okay. She runs across the street and jumps into my arms, giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey,” she says and climbs off of me. When a man walks by and gives us a weird look, she flips him off. I guess my attitude has rubbed off on her a bit, not that I mind.

“Bad day?” I cross my arms and lean against my car.

“Not bad, but not good. I’m just ready to spend the afternoon with my girlfriend.”

“Glad you said that, because I have our night all planned out.”

“Can’t wait.” She climbs in the passenger seat as I jump in the driver’s side. She reaches over and grabs my hand as I drive. She tells me about her day along the way and then begins telling corny jokes that really suck, but when she laughs so hard at them, I crack up too. Then, she tells me how this guy hit on her at work and how he used all these lame pick up lines and she just laughed in his face so many times, he left without buying anything. I absolutely love her laugh and I don’t know how anyone couldn’t. It’s so pure and contagious.

When we arrive at the beach, the sun is setting, but I don’t care because she’s mine all night. I take her hand in mine and run down to the water, crashing in the waves, before pulling her to me for a soft kiss. I ignore everyone on the beach and enjoy this beautiful moment with my beautiful girlfriend.

I pull away and splash her, getting a pouty look in return. I laugh it off and walk away, but she sits in the water with her arms crossed over her chest. “Zoey, come on,” I whine.

“No.”

“You’re being so stubborn.”

“Me? Have you met yourself?” she laughs.

I glare at her and trudge through the water back over to her and stare down. I kick my foot and drench her face with water. “Get up.”

“Baby,” she coos.

I glare at her smirk, because she knows what that does to me. With an eye roll and a dramatic sigh I help her up and pull her along the shoreline. “You play dirty,” I mutter.

“I know, I learned it from you,” she says and gives my cheek a peck.

I grin over at her as she hums something and prances along. She’s been bullied and put through hell a lot over the past few years, but she stays happy. She is always smiling and she’s so peaceful. It rubs off on you and you have no choice but to be happy when you’re around her. Of course I want to tell the world she’s mine and we’re together, but I can’t. Mainly because we know it will stir up a bunch of drama, that doesn’t need to be stirred up and also, because she doesn’t want to put up people making comments about it. She’s strong, but I don’t know how much she would be able to take until she breaks.