The Secret Ingredient to Falling in Love

Chapter 23. That's The Thing.

Zander's P.O.V.

"Zander, sweetie, are you home?" I look up from the school papers spread across my bed.

"Yeah, in here." I call out, reaching forward to clean up some of the mess that is my homework. My Mom opens the door, letting herself in then shutting it quietly behind her.

She smiles warmly, "Hi, honey. How was school?" She walks over to me and places a soft kiss on the top of my head.

I smile up at her lovingly, "It was okay, how was work?"

She sits down beside my textbooks, "It was okay as well. Have you talked to that pretty girl you were telling me of?" She smiles knowingly, a blush rising across my cheeks. I look down at my lap and fiddle with my pen, images of Sarah's adorable self flooding my brain.

"Sadly, no I didn't see her. According to Gina, she's currently involved with that other dickwad Keagen." I glare down at the pen, jealously running hot through my veins.

She lightly gasps in shock, "Oh no, has it become serious yet?"

"Not that I know of, no." I look up at her, sadness washing over me. "What if it does though, what then?"

She frowns and reaches over to gently coddle my cheek in her hand, "If it doesn't then you have your chance, but if it does then I suggest keeping your distance. Don't interfere with it, just try your best to be happy for her, honey. You'll find someone too." She smiles reassuringly, leaning forward to kiss my forehead.

I close my eyes and savor the feeling, pushing back the tears. She doesn't want you, Zander. She never will.

"Thanks, Mom." I open my eyes and smile sadly up at her. She smiles and softly pats my cheek, then leaves me to my thoughts and even seemingly disappearing into thin air.

What if she really doesn't want me? What if she really is disgusted by me?

I sigh and push the thoughts to the back of my mind, focusing on my homework instead. Two hours later, I finish all my assignments and head out into the garage with my keys in hand. A car pulls into the driveway, effectively cutting me off from starting my engine.

Dad parks and shuts off his engine, slowly staggering out of the drivers side. I roll my eyes and quickly shove my helmet on, my hand over the keys ready to start the engine.

"Zander? Is that you?" He stubbles over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder to stop me from leaving.

I grit my teeth and shrug his hand off of me, "No, it's the Easter bunny."

"Don't sass me, boy. I'm still your father!" He slurs out, gripping onto a shelf nearby to hold himself up.

"No, you haven't been that in a long time." I turn the key in the ignition, revving the engine then speed out onto the paved road. The trees and buildings pass by in a blur, the wind matching the stony cold feeling in my chest.

I pull into the familiar dirt path, parking my bike and heading into the woods. The leaves crunch beneath my feet, the tree branches dancing overhead as they always do. Calmness and peace washes over me, any worry fleeing from my mind.

I continue walking until I reach the river. The waters are slow today, the fish easily seen swimming about. I sit down on a nearby rock and watch them, listen to the birds as they chirp, the different bugs buzzing about. I close my eyes and imagine myself as one of them, as a bee buzzing to collect from a flower, as a grasshopper playing its song. They're so free.