Why Don't We date already? | oneshots

ps, i love you - zorbyn

"Logan!" I shouted over my shoulder. My older brother came into view, a splotch of something chocolate on his chin. "Did you eat my Nutella pancakes?"

"What me? No," he replied, immediately wiping the Nutella off his face. I rolled my eyes.

"Sure."

"I didn't, Corbyn!" he exclaimed. Wow, he was getting good at this acting thing. "I swear to God, I did not."

"Whatever," I mumbled, pulling out a frozen pizza and putting it in the oven. "As long as you don't eat my pizza."

He just ignored me and headed to the gym, shouting his goodbye. I rolled my eyes once more and set my computer to Youtube, where my brother was a huge mogul, and started streaming.

The oven rang, signaling that the pizza was done. I took it out carefully and started eating, not noticing the time or the fact that my pizza was gone when I finally did look at the time.

"Shit, I'm going to be late for school," I realized. I grabbed all my necessities and ran out, making sure to shut the door after me.

*****

I looked at my watch. Well, too late now. I missed most of first period, and today was usually my boring day. My more exciting classes would be tomorrow. I took my time strolling downtown. I mean, in LA, a lot of people just rush around, trying to get places. Why don't you just look around and enjoy it?

The beeps from car horns and the sound of them passing by made pleasant background music as I headed to my favorite bookstore, not to far from me and my brother's shared apartment. I was a block away when I heard a sweet voice crooning out a love song.

I stopped in my tracks and looked around. There was a boy, not much younger than me, sitting on a nearby bench and playing the guitar. When my gaze rested on him, he blushed and looked downwards, his music melodic to passerby. And me.

A sign in front of his guitar case said, "Tips. Anything helps." I was curious as to who he was, so I walked up to him.

"Yo."

"Hey," the boy said, strumming one last time before sitting straight up and looking me in the eyes. He looked a bit afraid, to be honest.

"'Anything helps?'" I asked, prodding the sign with my toe lightly.

He watched it as if waiting for it to fall over, but relaxed before responding, "Yeah. Kinda rough times right now."

"How rough is rough?" I asked, sitting down next to him.

"Depends on what you think is rough," he grinned. "I'm Zach. And you are?"

"Corbyn," I replied. "If you think hitchhiking from Canada to Mexico in 24 hours is rough, then what is it compared to that?"

"Well, as of right now, I'm living out of my car, so yeah," Zach said. "I guess a little less rough than that."

I considered the boy for a moment. "You got your high school diploma?"

"I'm sixteen," he muttered. "Not sure if I'm going back this year for junior year."

"You can work though, yeah?"

"Yeah, sure."

"You respect people's food?"

"If it's pizza, I might have to compromise."

"You okay with sharing a room?" Logan had only gotten an apartment with two rooms. Unless Zach wanted to sleep on the lovesacs.

"Sure."

I held out my hand. "I'll check with my brother, see if you can't stay at our place."

He looked at it apprehensively, then at my face to see if I'm serious, and then back at my hand before shaking. "Sure."

*****

And just like that, Zach became our new roommate. Logan had no qualms about it, as he could use Zach's voice for clickbait and other stuff for views or something, I'm not sure. Zach had been staying with us for a couple months now. He joined me with online high school as I got bored of regular high school. He had also gotten a job at a music store nearby, as did I. I guess you could say we were spending a lot of time together.

"Babe, I'm home!" I shouted as a joke, grinning widely. Logan always made jokes about smashing, so I decided to humor him (aka annoy him).

Zach came to the doorway, his face falling slightly once he saw my face. "Oh, I thought you were talking to someone."

"Logan isn't here?" I asked, tossing my bags down near the stairs and jumping on the lovesacs.

"Nah, he just left," Zach said. "I was about to watch a movie. Wanna join?"

"Which?" I asked, turning the TV on and pushing my lovesac farther from the TV. Zach plopped down next to me, holding a bowl of popcorn in his arms.

"P.S., I love you."

I stared at Zach. "What did you say?"

"That's the movie name," he shrugged. I shook off my thoughts and the sudden flame in my chest. It was just the movie title.

At least, that's what I thought until he slung an arm across my shoulders and whispered in my ear, "P.S. I love you, Corbyn."