Zach Herron
➵
"I know who you're texting," Jack taunted harmlessly as he flopped down on the couch next to his best friend.
Zach glanced up from his phone, raised a wary eyebrow.
"Hm...." Jack stalled.
Zach rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. It's (y/n/n)," he said before his older friend could get a word in.
The curly-haired boy chuckled, throwing an arm around him. "It's cool, Zach. You like her. 'S normal."
"More than just like her, dude."
"Awe, baby Zach's in love," Daniel cooed obnoxiously as he entered the living room, dodging a decorative throw pillow.
Zach shook his head, feigning annoyance, but didn't mind what they said.
"Are you guys getting serious?" Jack asked.
"I mean, I hope so. Think so."
"She's officially moving to L.A. in what, two months?" Daniel inquired as he dropped into an armchair.
Zach hummed. "Nine and a half weeks."
"Why haven't you asked her out yet?" Jack mused, propping his legs up on the ottoman. "Reciprocation is mutual."
"Uh," Zach sighed, messing with his hair. "I don't really know. We haven't talked about it. Plus, she's still at home, and with the distance...."
"Come on, Zach," came Daniel's gentle voice of reason. "You'd only be apart for a little over two months. You two, of all people, could totally make it through that."
"Yeah. Ask her out," Jack agreed, nodding.
A finger shot out in the air. "But not over the phone."
"Oh. Um... should I fly there?"
"Yes, this weekend!" Daniel exclaimed.
"This weekend? No way, I haven't prepared anything; I have no idea how to ask her—"
"We'll come up with something by then. You're going," Jack decided, exiting the room, most likely to book a plane ticket.
;
Shoes shifting on minuscule garden rocks, Zach racked his brain trying to remember the last time he felt this nervous.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Daniel
You got this bud
We're rootin for ya
Zach smiled to himself just as tires crunched on gravel in the distance, his cue to put the plan in motion.
"Hey," her voice surfaced as she picked up his phone call.
"Hi, (y/n/n)," he greeted, doing his absolute best to sound nonchalant. He paused a split second, hearing the engine of her vehicle cut out. "What're you doing?"
"Oh, I went to the movies with my friend." Her car door slammed shut. "Just got home."
He hummed.
"What about you?" she asked, and he could hear her through the phone and in person, a couple feet away.
Her shoes hit the wood of the porch steps. He hung up.
Rounded the corner, jamming his hands in his pockets.
"Well, I just got off an airplane. Hoping I can surprise someone."
She gasped, eyes locking on him after whirling around.
He jogged to the porch as she yelled, bounding down the steps into awaiting arms.
"Zach, you're—what're you doing?" He could hear the grin in her voice.
"I had to see you," he breathed out, setting her down. His arms were still encasing her frame and he wouldn't mind if they just stood there awhile. "Gotta ask you something."
"Okay," she allowed, swallowing, eyes flitting over his face.
He didn't understand how she could look so much more gorgeous in person.
"I could say all of the cheesy stuff: that you're the most beautiful person I know, that you are a blinding light in my life that draws me in, that you are so kind and selfless. Because all of that is true, but... I'll settle for this."
He paused.
"I keep falling in love with you. Over and over and over again, I keep falling in love with you."
She didn't move, save the arms tightening around the small of his back.
"So ultimately, the reason I traveled all the way here is to ask you if you'll be my girlfriend."
Her stare was warm, lips pulling into a content smile.
"Hm... I'll think about it."
His mock gasp made her laugh.
"Yes, Zach. Of course I'll be your girlfriend."
He pulled her into another tight hug, head resting on top of hers.
"Even with the long distance?" he mumbled into her hair.
"We've gone two months before without seeing each other. Zach, we've made it more than a year, and look where we are now."
She gripped his forearm lovingly, assuringly.
"We've done it before. We'll do it again."
—
