𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 | 𝚉𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚗

7

Chapter 7

It's always better to shock people and change their expectations, but the words that came from Zach's mouth was way beyond that.

Of all people, I didn't think I'd be the one he was talking about when he said he actually had a crush on someone. I was baffled for one. Me? Is all I could think to ask myself. My heart stopped beating wildly, my mind was fuzzy, my insides were drained, I was literally taken back by this.

"You liked me?" I ask softly, still processing.

Zach nodded, his eyes glinting with hope. But hope for what? Hoping I wouldn't reject him? Hoping I'll admit to feeling the same way? Quite frankly, I don't know what to feel. Until I was a freshman, I was head over heels for Zach Herron. No words could describe how in love with him I was then.

But now, despite the small tingly feeling inside, I didn't know how to feel. Part of me was still yearning for him, but the other part felt like it was just bullshit.

"Don't you get it by now? It's always been you. It still is. I just didn't know how to tell you."

"I don't know if I can bring myself to believe you," I whisper.

Zach's shoulders drop, he looks a bit wounded. "Are you serious? Why do you think I always push the guys to hang out here?"

"To hang out with my brother?" I say in a questioning tone.

Zach shakes his head, narrowing his gaze as if agitated, "No, to see you. Yeah, he's one of my best friends, but I come for you. Ashley, I'm always excited any chance I get to see you." He murmurs the last part.

I'm not gonna lie, I was beginning to feel in awe over his words. No matter how long ago it was, my feelings Zach for were and probably still are there; I just always chose to ignore them. But right now, my mind is clouded with thoughts otherwise.

"I think you're bullshitting me," I tell him truthfully. I didn't wanna lie and say I felt the same. What if it was a prank? I didn't wanna give him the satisfaction of falling into his trap. However if Zach is telling the truth, I wasn't going to fully give him my trust unless he worked for it.

"Why would I bullshit you?"

"Because what if you're only saying this to play me, Zach? I don't know if I can trust you. Especially with you're reputation."

Zach scoffed and I realized how bad that came out, "You're worried about my reputation? Really?"

"No! That's not what I meant. I couldn't care less about what you do or what people say about you. But then that's the thing Zach, I don't wanna be that girl people talk about added onto your list of girls you hooked up with."

"Ash, you would never be that girl. All of that is a-"

The sound of a door opening and closing shuts us up. Corbyn appears just down the hall coming this way.

"Ashley, have you seen my wallet, I-" Corbyn stops when he notices Zach standing beside my bed, "Zach? What're you doing in here?"

Zach opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before he gets the chance.

"He... He wanted to talk to me about PS4, you know telling me things about the console that I didn't know about and whatnot," I shrug, Zach staring at me wide-eyed.

My brother raised a brow and snorted, looking at Zach, "Don't even bother. She doesn't know shit about it anyway," He says, turning back to me, "Have you seen my wallet? I can't find it. I have to pick up Lily in a few and she's probably already waiting. Like always. So have you guys seen it?"