My Bro's Hot Friend

Chapter XVII

AN: So, I took a five-month break ahah, I'm so sorry, but I've been super busy! Hope u enjoy <3

I woke up in a ratchet apartment that I had no idea who it belonged to. The blinds were closed, not allowing me to see much of what surrounded me. Besides me, in the king-sized bed, no one was laying. I was wearing a large hoodie that looked familiar and smelled familiar too. I had no recollection of putting it on. All I could recall from last night was how wasted I was. And how Ethan took advantage of me for it.

I wasn't in his house. I'd know if I were. I didn't know that bedroom. I didn't recognize any of this. 

I slowly got up and noticed a glass of water on the bedside table and a little note, "Drink it, you'll feel better :)"

So I did. What on Earth could be worse than what had already happened to me? 

I got up and noticed that the large hoodie went almost until my knees.

Zack used to have one like these. It smelled like him too. But he was far away. Wherever he was, I just hoped he was safe.

When I stepped out of the room, I heard Travis Scott playing from some other place of the house. I looked around. The place looked like a failed artist's den. With well-done graffiti all over the walls, some canvas here and there and paint drops all over the wooden floor.

The lights were on, but the blinds continued closed. All I could think about was how much electricity could be saved if the fucker just opened them.

I went into the kitchen, where Travis Scott was playing and couldn't believe my eyes.

I knew that backside, just like I knew the smell of those pancakes.

"Fuck," I was way too emotional for this. Last night had been an emotional rollercoaster, I hadn't seen him in weeks, I was failing all my classes at school and I was just a wreck. So, like a reasonable human being, I started crying, "I'm way too hungover for this shit..."

"Hey, princess, how are you doing? Wait... Why are you... Why are you crying?"

"You dare to ask WHY I'M CRYING? Why are YOU NOT? Where have you been? Where are we? What is this?"

"Look, I've been working with the FBI..."

"The what, now?!"

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation."

"I know what the FBI is, Zack!"

"They are giving me full protection, here, and,  in exchange I'm helping them put Diaz behind bars. Yesterday I just happened to go out and find you past out on the bathroom floor..."

"What? Zack... You're snitching? On a mafia leader? Are you suicidal?"

"The FBI knows how to work, okay? It's not their first time putting someone like him in prison..."

"Have you never watched movies? About snitches?"

"Well, yeah, they get super popular around all the other criminals and everyone loves them!"

"They die! They die in the end, Zack!"

"Oh..."

"Please, be careful..."

"I am. Don't worry..."

I sighed and wiped the tears from my face.

"I'm going to take a shower..."

"Please, eat my pancakes first!" he gave me a sideways smile and shrugged "To recall old times?"

"Sure... But I eventually have to go home, alright? My mom must've called a thousand times..."

"Yes, I understand... Coffee?"

"Sure..."

My head hurt so much I swear it was about to fall apart.

I sat down at the table with Zack by my side and, for a while, we didn't talk. He was the first one to break the silence, as he usually was.

"I missed you. When I found you... Even though you weren't exactly in a good state, I just... I guess I was happy? I don't know. I don't know if that makes me a bad person..."

"You took me to your safehouse that is supposed to be secret... Just because you didn't want to leave me in that dirty bathroom floor. You're everything but a bad person, Zack."

"You can come here anytime, Allison, as long as you keep this between us."

"How long, until this whole operation is over?"

"It's close, princess."

"How close?"

He looked at me for a brief second but turned his gaze away.

"Not that close, unfortunately... But I'm going crazy here. I spend my days here, all alone. Please, come over whenever you can."

I held his hand and leaned over to kiss him.

-Hey, I'm here for you. I'm going for a shower, you're as welcome to join as I am to come over when I please. I just have to be fast. My mom is probably worried sick."

He gave me a quick peck and smiled ear to ear.

"I'll gladly accept the invitation, Princess."

"I thought we agreed that you'd stop calling me that."

"I don't remember such agreement, Princess. And, besides, where would be the fun in our relationship if I didn't call you that?"

"Did... Did you just call this... A relationship?"

Zack swallowed dry.

"I mean... Not necessarily a relationship relationship... Just... A relationship as of... People who... Casually hook-up."

The casually hook-up hit me. I knew it was true. But, for some reason, I did not like that label much. I prefered "relationship". But I wasn't going to say that out loud.

"Say what, out loud?" Zack asked

Just kidding, Zack didn't actually ask that, and no, I didn't say that out loud, because unlike other Wattpad protagonists I'm not schizophrenic and talk to myself out loud and confuse it for thought.

I'm quirky and different and nOt LiKe tHe OtHeR GirLs.

***

That shower with Zack had been the best thing that happened to me these last few weeks. My head hurt like a bitch but somehow, I could not focus much on it, but rather Zack's kisses on my neck and the way he held my waist...

I was smilling so hard when I got home... 

That...

"ALLISON, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? YOU'RE LAUGHING? YOU'RE HIGH, AREN'T YOU?"

"What, mom!"

"I KNEW THAT TYLER BOY WAS JUST TROUBLE..."

"Mom, what? I'm not high... I'm so sorry..."

"Where have you been? ALL NIGHT? I thought you were coming home by four!"

"I'm so sorry, I really am, but a friend of Dan's got alcohol poison and we had to take her to the hospital..."

"HOW ABOUT CALLING ME? FOR ME TO PICK YOU UP? OR AT LEAST TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE?"

"I'm so sorry... But I was also a bit tipsy, and with all that drama of her passing out, I couldn't think of anything else... I'm sorry. I truly am..."

My mom sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You're grounded."

"WHAT? GROUNDED?"

"Yes, grounded!"

"Mom!"

"Did I stutter?!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"I don't know where you were all night, but that smile you had on my face just goes to show that you were in no hospital, being worried for a friend, Allison. I'm not dumb. When you decide to tell me the truth, maybe I'll let you go out again."

"Mom, but I'm..."

"Until then, grounded!"