Only You

you know I don't say this often

On the fourth night of Dean staying with her, Zoey sat in her bed, scrolling through her Instagram feed. The firestorm of thoughts running through her mind was inhibiting her sleep. She'd gone to work today (much to De's protest) and afterwards he'd taken her to dinner. He was out again now with some of his old friends who had 'badgered' him into hanging out. She'd told him to go because they'd literally spent every waking moment together since he'd come into town. 

Zoe knew it was a bit selfish and dangerous of her to miss him after just a few hours. She pulled a random book from her shelf in an effort to distract herself. Just as she'd wrapped herself in the metaphors of Beloved her phone buzzed indicating a Snapchat from Dean. It was a photo of him with a fear-stricken expression. The caption read 'when your friends wanna hit the strip club but u got a girl.' She saw that he had posted it to his story too. The boy had no sense of privacy. Just yesterday her Instagram DMs had blown up when he posted a candid photo of her at dinner with the caption 'just you and me baby.' All of this before she'd even relented and accepted their relationship.

She couldn't honestly say it bothered her.

She swiped left on his name to chat.

Hmm where's she at tho

He opened her message quickly and she could imagine him rolling his eyes.

It was fun to mess with him.

Just as she was putting her phone down again it rang, this time with a call from her mom.

"Hey mommy," she answered. "Is it true that Dean's been here since Saturday and he's been staying with you?" her mom questioned, forgoing a greeting.

Zoey closed her eyes as she responded, already anticipating the histrionics. "...yes."

"And I had to hear it from Nancy? Girl-" she quickly cut her mom off with an apology. "He showed up unexpectedly I'm sorry."

There was silence on the line and she heard her mom relent with a harrumph. "What have y'all been up to?"

"Just hanging out," Zoe replied shortly.

"Cut the crap child, Nancy told me that Dean wants to be serious." She could feel the excitement in her mom's voice. She replied again with a simple "Yes."

"You guys have practically been dating on and off since you were ten."

"We have not!"

"Okay but he was your first kiss Zoey and whenever we get together he's all over you."

That wasn't a lie. Even though their families knew they weren't dating, they still treated them like a couple because they seemed to behave that way unconsciously.

"Yesss but..." her mom was recounting too many memories for her to keep up with.

"And if he's not playing games anymore...can you see yourself actually with him? Because you haven't given anyone else any time."

"I mean-" Zoe attempted to articulate her hesitation only to be interrupted again.

"I know you have to be about to say yes. That man's got you, Zo. He's had you since middle school. I remember when you twisted your ankle messing around on that soccer team and he would not leave your side! I mean that boy literally had a full report for us every day after school-"

Zoe finally cut her off, even though it felt good to reminisce.

"You know I just don't want to get hurt mom, and honestly I don't think our relationship will ever be the same if we REALLY go for it and then things don't work out."