Sorry, I Love You.

1.31

The moment they walked into the diner, Zoe spotted someone she knew. Of course. She excused herself from the boys and rushed to Courtney, Laura, and to other boys she didn't recognize in a booth. Teddy, Howl, and Fisher all sat at a booth up against a front window, all the morning sun pouring on to their table, as if it had just been spilled. Howl and Fisher were too busy arguing about how much of the booth they got to themselves, since Howl was being clingy and Fisher wanted his space, to notice Zoe talking to her friends.

Teddy noticed. He couldn't not notice. He wasn't just noticing, either, he was staring. He couldn't understand why Zoe went back to skirts again. Was this his own personal hell? Did he really have to watch her lean over a table and sway her hips in a skirt that short the morning after a dream like that? Was he being punished for something? Did he anger some kind of god without knowing it? And fuck, why couldn't he stop thinking about pressing her against that table and pushing her skirt up her back and-

"Good morning, fellas! Can I start you boys off with some drinks?" A young waitress suddenly appeared beside the table, effectively blocking Teddy's view of Zoe.

He looked up at the woman and awkwardly smiled. "Just a water is fine.."

Teddy paid no attention to Howl and Fisher as he tried to lean and tilt to somehow get a view of Zoe again. His eyes briefly widened before they narrowed at the sight in front of him. The guy sat on the outside of the booth was faced fully towards Zoe and chatting her up with a cocky smile on his face. Zoe seemed to be playing along with him as she jokingly sassed at him and flashed an adorable, cocky smirk.

"Come on, sugar. Why don't you eat with us?" The guy pushed as he licked his lips, his eyes completely glued to Zoe's.

"Five don't fit in a booth, sugar." Zoe mocked a southern accent, obviously mimicking the boy's cadence with a big grin on her face.

The boy was visibly falling in love minute by minute as him and Zoe exchanged clever comments back and forth. Teddy didn't hesitate to hop out of his seat and sauntered towards Zoe and the others she was talking to. He let one hand slip into his jean pocket as his other hand slithered around Zoe's waist. Zoe instantly flinched and perked up in shock at the sudden closeness of the person behind her. She didn't know who it was until she felt his hot breath brush against her ear.

"You're gonna miss the waitress, flirting with everyone like this." Teddy's voice was deep and hushed in Zoe's ear, his hand on her waist holding her close.

Warmth instantly flooded Zoe's cheeks as a shot of adrenaline rushed through her body. She turned and her eyes very briefly met Teddy's cold, dark eyes before he turned and walked off. His hand seemed to linger on her waist just a moment too long, causing Zoe's body to ride the current of his momentum until she caught herself in a stumble. Teddy disappeared through a door and into the men's bathroom, leaving Zoe to stare in the direction he disappeared in.

For a moment, Zoe completely forgot what Teddy said until she was freed from his trance. "I-I should go eat.. with my friends.." Zoe breathed, still a bit awestruck.

"You came here with Teddy?" Courtney blurted, both her and Lauren's expression dramatically twisted in shock and disgust. "Teddy Morgan?"

Zoe was caught off guard by Courtney's outrage until she remembered how most of her friends at school felt about Teddy. They were friends with Chuck and since him and Teddy had beef, they chose Chuck's side. Not that Zoe didn't. She didn't choose any side. Chuck was one of her dearest friends and so was Teddy. It was just a bit different with both of them. Courtney and Lauren had no bias towards Teddy, though, like Zoe did. No wonder it looked like their eyes were going to pop out of their head.