The Struggles of Growing Up-Completed

Chapter 39

I woke up the next morning in Zach's arms to the sound of my phone ringing.

I struggle to open my tired eyes. I got, maybe, two hours of sleep?

"Hello?" I mutter groggily but quietly, as Zach is still peacefully asleep. I smile.

"Emma, I'm so sorry to bother you on- well, today, but there are so many reporters here, and our normal security isn't really enough to-"

Deb is talking really fast, too fast for my state of mind at the moment, so I stop her with a shush.

"Deb, slow down, this is not the first time this has happened." I assert. I hear her take a deep breath on the other end, prompting me to roll my eyes. I look over at Zach and grudgingly pry myself away from him do that I can take this call away from him. I slip on one of Zach's t-shirts and quietly walk into the living room using the crutches by the door.

"I know, but it seems like they're waiting for you to show up. They're not making a fuss they're waiting-"

"Yeah I know why. They're waiting for me and Zach."

"Zach?"

"Yes," I sit down on the couch and set my crutches down, remembering what we did before we got back here...

I took the bill away from Zach and slipped my card in.

"Gotta be faster than that," I chuckle as I fill in the tip, which I had to do while setting my feelings about Blonde Waitress aside.

"It's not cool for me to let you pay the night I propose." I look up at him in confusion.

"It's 2017."

"Yeah I know," he mumbles and I laugh.

Blonde Waitress—ok, her name is Haley—walks over to silently collect the check.

"I lasted a long time without my crutches but this is really hurting now," I groan and look down at my aching leg. Zach sighs.

"You need to rest, it's been a long day."

"Long day, amazing night." Zach smiles but stops as he looks past me.

"What is it?" I ask while trying to turn around to see what's going on. I faintly see reporters nearing the restaurant entrance. Other guests look around to see what the commotion is about.

"They really called the paparazzi." I say, incredulous. Zach shakes his head in disapproval.

"At least we got to have our privacy before." I nod.

"Come on," Zach says while walking over to my side, "I'll carry you around through the back to avoid them." He smiles, no doubt thinking about how he carried me around the house. While it's tempting, I think there's a better idea.

"Let's not avoid them. Let's go out there and show them we're not hiding anymore and we're a bad ass couple." I add the last part enthusiastically. Zach blinks at me.

"Did you have too much to drink tonight?" I roll my eyes.

"No! I'm serious! Let's not get caught, let's take this moment to tell everyone, once and for all." He laughs quietly so as not to bring more attention to us from the other guests, who have turned to stare at us. Zach takes a quick glance over towards the entrance, where it looks like Robert is making a big show of keeping the paparazzi outside the doors. When Zach looks back at me, his cautious expression had been replaced by a devilish grin. I know why, too, and it's not necessarily the rush from exposing yourself in front of a slew of people with cameras.