All This Time - Zed FF - #DZFFA

Chapter 8

Laken, dad, and I sit at the table. Every Thursday night we play Go Fish, a game we all love. Every time we play, dad cheats, Laken complains, and I watch amusedly while eating popcorn.

"Dad, stop cheating!"

"I'm not cheating." Dad argues, reaching a hand to steal a card from the draw pile, even though it's my turn and not his.

I grab a handful of popcorn, tossing them at his face. "Stop it." Laken and I burst into laughter as dad shakes his head, trying to remove the popcorn from his hair. The pieces he can grab, he shoves into his mouth.

"Mom never liked it when you did that." Laken says. The laughter immediately dies. "She used to think it was gross."

"Yeah." Dad chokes out. He puts a brave face on, but I can tell he wants to breakdown. "She would scold me. Said work made my hair dirty and eating food that touched it would make me sick." He smiles, Laken and I doing the same. "Seems like you picked that up from her, Lake." Dad turns to me. "You got her stubbornness." I laugh. Mom was stubborn. Once she set her mind to something, there was no changing it.

Laken goes to bed, yawning as she hugs dad and I goodnight. Dad and I pick up the plates, carrying them to the kitchen. "Stubbornness isn't a bad thing." Dad tells me. "But it can push people away from you." I look at him in confusion. "The Revolution." I sigh. "I like the idea of it, we need a change. But you're so focused on it, you're missing what's right in front of you. Or, behind you, actually." I turn around. Standing outside is Zed. We haven't spoken since the Revolution meeting a few days ago. "Go, talk to him. But, if you have so much as a smudge of dirt on your clothes, I will murder that boy." I roll my eyes at him, exiting the house.

"What are you doing here, Zed?" I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest. "I don't want speak with you."

"Then don't speak, listen." He tells me. "There's a game tomorrow, will you come?" Football game. After what happened at the pep rally two weeks ago, Zed was allowed on the team. Since then, zombies have been allowed to eat in the cafeteria, but I refuse to. I'd rather eat in the basement. "I'd really like you to be there."

"I don't like football." I protest.

Zed groans, rubbing a hand down his face. "I don't understand you!" My eyes widen. Zed doesn't shout. Ever. "Gosh, Greer. Why are you so difficult?"

"What?!" My face heats with anger. "I'm difficult? No, I'm-"

I don't finish my sentence. I can't. Because Zed has stepped closer, and placed his lips on mine. I freeze, body stiffening. I don't want to give in, but I do. I melt against him, eyes closing as I savor the feel of his lips on mine. My hands cling desperately to his shirt, pulling him as close as I can. One of his hands drops to my waist, snaking around my back, the other remains on my face, tilting it to kiss me deeper.

We pull away, my eyes slowly opening. They lock with his, and I feel my face turning green as I blush. I suddenly realize how close we are. Our chests brushing as we breathe. I let go of his shirt, awkwardly pushing with my hair as I step away.

Zed chuckles, grabbing my hand and pulling me back to him. "You don't have to go away." He tells me. "I love you, Greer. I don't want you going anywhere."

My heart flutters. "You love me?"

"Yes. I love you. Not anyone else. And I'm sorry if it seemed that way."

I wrap my arms around, burying my face against his chest. "I love you."