the photographer. [zdh]

seventeen

today is saturday.

i called samantha as soon as i woke up this morning, asking for advice.

of course, she freaked out as soon as she heard the news.

"what? zach asked you on a- what? leah, zachary dean herron asked you on a date, days ago, and you didn't even text me about it? leah- what?"

"yeah, well," i smiled, although she couldn't see me. "i didn't want to bother you about it."

"bother me? BOTHER ME? excuse you? leah, as your best friend and biggest fan, i demand that i know about all this in the future!" she yelled.

i laughed. "okay, okay. i'm sorry, but can you help me? i don't know what to wear."

i could sense samantha thinking, mentally going through all the clothes that she's ever seen me wear. a pause, before she asked, "did he tell you to wear casual clothes, or fancy, or what? did he tell you where you're going?"

i shrugged. "he didn't say where we were going, but he did tell me to dress casually."

another pause, before lauren spoke up again. "okay, zach's favourite colour is black, right?"

i grinned. "sam, black isn't a colour." then, sensing her about to snap back at me over the phone, i said, "but, he always wears black, so i assume so."

"okay." then she sighed.

"look, can we facetime instead? i forgot what's in your closet, and i need to see how my best friend looks for her first date."

i frowned. "sam, this isn't my first date."

"if you call going out with aj olsen a few times for meals or to pick up groceries a date, i have nothing more to say, gray."

i smiled. "okay, fine." and we went on facetime.

our facetime call mainly consisted of samantha informing me about everything that was going on pittsburgh so far, as well as an endless rant about everyone's least favourite teacher, and how lucky i was that i had escaped his boring lessons after i moved away from pittsburgh and back to dallas, and how much she envied me for being able to do online schooling instead. that rant could have gone on for hours if i let it happen.

nearing the end of the third hour -- i'd eaten my breakfast of one bagel and a cup of coffee while talking to samantha -- i had to steer the conversation back to my date.

i showed her what i thought was good enough for a casual date, and being the perfectionist that she is, samantha turned it down.

"no, leah, that sweatshirt is a year old, or even more. he's probably seen you wearing it before. and your shoes -- oh my goodness, they are so dirty. what have you been doing? and-"

this was the flow of conversation for the next twenty minutes -- i'd show her something that i thought was okay, and she would turn it down. but i didn't mind; i was going out with the zach herron, and i had to look decent in my best friend's eyes, at least.

in the end, we decided on a light blue hoodie, dark blue jeans, and a clean pair of sneakers. my hair was let down, as there was a strong breeze outside.

we talked for two more hours, the boys occasionally popping in to inquire as to why i was staying in my bunk for such a long period of time, as well as say hello to samantha when they realised i was talking to her.

suddenly, zach pulled aside the curtain of my bunk, making me jump and my head hit the roof. "ow."

"oh, sorry, lels," zach looked apologetically at me. "but i'm thinking of leaving soon."

"oh, okay, give me ten minutes," i responded, and he nodded, pulling the curtains shut again and walking off.

"okay!" samantha squealed. "okay, okay. my best friend is going on a date with her other best friend, who happens to be zachary freaking dean herron, and i am totally not jealous, yes, i am not jealous, i am not jealous, i am not-"

i laughed as i turned the camera away from me so that i could change into the clothes we picked out earlier and talk to samantha at the same time. "don't worry, you could third wheel next time then. if there is a next time."

"NO!" she yelled. "I AM NOT THIRD WHEELING YOUR DATE! zeah will rise," she said, laughing.

i smiled. "yeah, okay. i'll have to go now, so..."

"okay, bye! i demand to know all the details of your date tomorrow morning. however, now, i have my own date."

"wait, what?" i said, completely flabbergasted. we had been talking for over five hours, and she didn't even mention a date.

"with peter kavinsky!" she laughed.

i smiled. "this is not the only the second time you've watched to all the boys i've loved before, i'm guessing?"

"of course. i mean, peter's so cute, and-"

"he's lara jean's. and anyway, i have to go."

"okay, okay! bye, tell me everything tomorrow!" she yelled before hanging up on me.

i stepped out of the bus to find zach waiting for me outside. he grinned and offered me his hand. i took it.

"well, we have a couple ahead of us, so let's get going."

✎

a/n hi i'm hannah i mean you knew that already