Meet Me on Thames Street • All Time Low

Chapter Nineteen

                                                *Holly*

The last day in England was nearing, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. On one hand, it would be nice to finally be home and escape all the drama that London had brought us. But on the other, I’d be leaving my best friends, including the boys in All Time Low.

Yes, we were to the point that I considered them to be some of the greatest friends I’d ever have, even if it was for such a short time. They were witty, caring, and genuine. The boys that so many hundreds of thousands of girls had fallen for were the exact people that they truly were, and I really wasn’t ready to let them go just yet.

But there comes a time in everybody’s life that you have to decide whether or not to let yourself get set up to be hurt later on, or spare yourself the trouble and miss out on some pretty great opportunities. I chose the former.

“I can’t believe it’s been 13 days,” I groaned from the floor, where I was packing my belongings.

“I wish this didn’t have to end,” Zack muttered, staring at me with a look that I couldn’t decipher.

“I don’t want it to end either.”

“Let’s not let it, then.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, shaking my head in confusion.

Alex walked in the room, wearing only a towel around his waist. Way to make things awkward, Gaskarth. Ugh.

“Um, I’ll tell you later,” Zack whispered before biting his lip.

You know that acronym everyone uses on the internet... unf? Yeah, I’m pretty sure I muttered that under my breath. Oops.

“Why are you packing already? You still have 24 hours,” Alex called from the other side of the room where he was in search of a pair of pants.

I sigh and answer, “I kind of want to have the rest of the trip to do whatever, you know? I’d rather not have to worry about my mess to clean up when I get back to the hotel.”

“That’s a really good idea,” Zack says. He appeared to be deep in thought for a while before looking back up to meet my eyes and saying, “I want to take you out today.”

“Out...?”

“Out, like a date. If you’re okay with that.”

“You’re asking me on a date.” I was shocked; Zack Merrick was interested in me? I mean I had my suspicions, but really?

Zack grinned and asked, “Are you saying no?”

“No! I’m saying yes. It’s just a bit unexpected.”

“Unexpected? I thought I made myself pretty clear... huh.”

“I’m sort of oblivious,” I defended in embarrassment.

~~
Zack told me to dress in casual clothes and to meet him at Starbucks at noon. I obliged, wearing a pair of high waisted jean shorts, a graphic crewneck, and Converse. I piled my thick hair into a bun and grabbed my newly acquired purse and nearly skipped out the door.

When I arrived at Starbucks, Zack was sitting at a table near the front as usual. He’d ordered for the both us – he remembered my usual order of a Java Chip Frappuccino and a blueberry scone.

I thanked him and gladly took my food while giving him an awkward side hug.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked with a grin as we emerged from the cafe, not even bothering to hide my excitement.