Wrong Number// Zach Herron

Chapter 9

Zach's POV

          I wake up around eight o'clock. Laken is still peacefully asleep in my arms, but she's now facing me instead of facing away from me. I grab my phone, careful not to move her, and turn it on. I have a message from Jack. He asked me where I was like two hours ago. I respond with a picture of Laken asleep and a text that says "long story, I'll tell you later." I open Instagram and scroll through the home page. Laken starts to stir so I figure it's a matter of time until she wakes up. I look down at her and her eyes flutter open. " Good morning Sunshine," I smile. She smiles back and lets out a yawn. " Good morning Handsom," she cheeks. She starts to sit up but I pull her back down. " Stay, I'm cold," I laugh. She giggles," I have to get up if you want food." I wrap my arms around her tighter," What kind of food?" She shrugs," Pancakes, or we can go out and get something, I don't really care." I release her from my arms. " Okay let's go," I stand with her and follow her to her room. " You can change in my room. I'll change in my closet," she smiles. I smile back and grab the bag I brought. Laken walks into her closet and I change from my red flannel pants to a pair of black jeans. While rummaging through my bag to find a shirt, I found a hoodie I threw in the bag last minute. " Laken, come here," I softly shout looking at the hoodie. She walks out of her closet with a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt on. She's looking down at her phone," Yeah?" She mumbles. I laugh," this is for you."  

          Laken slips her phone in her back pocket then looks up. She quickly blushes and covers her eyes.  I laugh and look down, forgetting I didn't have a shirt on. " Put a shirt on," she laughs. I scoff," Don't like what you see?" She giggles. I slip my shirt on," Okay you can look now." She peaks through her fingers before opening her eyes and smiling. " Okay, what did you get me?" She laughs. I hand her the hoodie. She smiles at me before sliding it on. Her arms are to short for the sleeves, leaving her looking handless. She hits me with the sleeves. " Hey stop," I laugh. She keeps hitting me so I turn back and grab a pillow off her bed. " You asked for this!" I laugh. I hit her with the pillow. She starts laughing and I lay the pillow down. "I win," I smile. She frowns playfully before giving me a hug. I hug her back and place a kiss on her forehead. " Okay let's go," she smiles. I grab her hand and we make our way out of the apartment. " Where are we going?" I ask. She shrugs," I'm not really hungry." I sigh. An idea pops in my head," we should go find you an apartment." She jumps," we should!"

          Laken and I drive around town looking for signs for walk-in tours. We finally find one about 15 minutes from mine and the boy's house. I park outside of the building and Laken and I get out. I intertwine our fingers and we make our way inside. The flyer tells us where to go and we follow. It's a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment with a nice living room and kitchen. She didn't like it though, so we left. We looked at fifteen to twenty apartments and she didn't like any of them. "What if I just buy a house?" She asks as we make our way out of the final building. " A whole house to yourself?" I question, unlocking my car. She nods," I mean, people live by themselves all the time! So I could do it! Plus, you could come over for sleepovers." I start the car," Buckle up," I mumble. We pull out of the parking lot," I just ask because you're new here and you'd be all by yourself in a huge house." She shrugs," I'll just find a roommate."

          I worry about Laken living by herself in the city. Or with a roommate who would, no doubt, be a complete stranger. It's not that Laken isn't strong and independent, I just don't trust the people here in LA. Not to mention she's new here. " I don't like the idea of you being alone, with a stranger, in a new city, not to mention the new city is LA. It's dangerous. I'm just looking out for you," I say while I drive down the highway. " I know Zach, but I'll be fine. And if anything happens, you know you'll be the one I call," She smiles over at me. I smile at her for a second before moving my eyes back to the road.