the photographer. [zdh]

thirteen

corbyn, jonah and i were talking about deep topics. jonah brought it up; he was weird in that way.

"i feel like we left behind a lot when we started why don't we," jonah was saying. "our families are back in our hometowns, and all our childhood friends and memories."

"but looking at it another way, if we go back to our hometowns and find that our friends remember us and treat us the same way before and after why don't we, then we know they're true friends." corbyn said.

"how about you, leah? did you leave anyone behind?"

i grinned.

"didn't have much friends, nothing much to leave behind. i never really got attached to anyone except the herrons, and maybe emma. we drifted a lot after the ethan incident, and i'm actually happy. she's been my best friend for so long that i felt rather suffocated. like, i couldn't be best friends with anyone apart from her. i'm not trying to be mean, but, yeah."

corbyn nodded. "i get what you mean."

"so in this past month, i've really grown close to one of my good friends from back when i was still in pittsburgh. her name's samantha mcallister, and we met through the art lessons i took there."

"art lessons...so she knows emma?" asked zach, who i hadn't noticed was in the room until now. i nodded.

"she and emma didn't really like each other. i think they only tolerated each other because of me."

zach smiled. "yeah, well, i only tolerate you because of reese and ryan."

i laughed, punching him. "shut up, z."

i continued. "samantha has been, like, a replacement for emma, i guess? our friendship was good while it lasted, but after ethan, i don't think it'll ever be normal again. samantha's my best friend now, anyway."

corbyn smiled. "it's good that you're moving on."

**

"dude, you got to tell her already. tell her how you feel!" jack exclaimed.

the boys had moved past the point of patiently telling me to confess to leah. they had moved on to practically forcing me to.

but of course, i was still in a dilemma. "i dunno. maybe it's too fast. we've only met each other a while ago after years of almost zero contact. won't she think i'm weird, holding on to a crush for so long?"

jonah was still the most patient out of all of them. "zach, you have to understand that even if she rejects you, you're still going to be friends. she won't give up on your friendship because of that."

corbyn nodded. "she's one of the nicest people i've ever met, and even if she doesn't like you that way, i don't think she'd cause any awkwardness between you guys. you've got nothing to lose."

jack glared at corbyn and jonah. "not helping."

"guys, guys," daniel waved his hands in the air. "don't get so worked up. but zach, i'm friends with one of her childhood friends. i think you know him -- aj olsen?"

i nodded. "yeah, i know aj. why?"

daniel sighed. "aj likes her too, and if you want to ask leah out or something, you have got to be fast. you know aj; if he wants something, he goes for it without hesitation."

my heart dropped. so aj olsen was the 'childhood best friend' tyler was referring to previously. "so you're saying..."

"if you don't take your chance while you have it, aj will ask her out, and there's a very high chance she'd say yes."

"but you guys say she likes me. if she does, then why would she say yes to aj?" i argued, trying to buy myself time.

eben sighed. "if she feels like you're taking too much time to ask, she'll say yes to the first guy. and if you continue hesitating, the guy she says yes to won't be you. it'll be aj."

oh, no.

**

that night as i lay in my bunk, hearing the snores of some of the boys and the tossing and turning of others, i made a decision.

**

"you understand what you have to do?"

"yeah."

"and you understand the consequences if you don't do it?"

"......"

"dude."

"yes." he snarled.

"good. do it, then. time everything perfectly. if it all goes according to plan, i won't be seeing you here in jail with me."

a light scoff. "when i succeed, you'll be seeing the news coverage of the, ah, incident on the news channel, i should think."

"confidence. not bad."

"i know."

ethan gripped jay's hand through the bars. "godspeed."

jay nodded and disappeared into the shadows.

✎

a/n i've been reading this amazing book (every last word by tamara ireland stone) and yeah the name 'samantha mcallister' came from there

also tessa has *swish and flick* given up on this book SKSKSK