AFTER THERE'S YOU // ZESSA

Chapter 30: Hanging Out

I would not say Rachel looks particularly happy to see me. Her face is almost unreadable, her blank eyes looking into mine, before she turns back to her group of friends and begins talking and laughing once again.

"Why are you staring at them?" Hanya asks, looking at me incredulously.

"I'm not staring at anyone," I say back, feeling the redness in my cheeks give away my lie.

"You are shit at lying Tessa – now spill," she demands, glancing back at Rachel and her friends.

"Ugh, fine," I mutter. "You see that tall, brown haired girl over there? The one with a black skirt and white blouse," I say, keeping my hand close to my chest while pointing towards the door Rachel and her friends by the entrance.

"The pretty one or the curly haired one?" she says a bit too loud for my comfort.

"Would you quiet down... and the pretty one," I whisper, shooting her an annoyed look.

"Okay, what about her?" she says, thankfully lowering her voice this time.

"Well, her and Zed were sort of... together. I don't know. I think they went on a couple dates. But I haven't seen her around since me and Zed have been... hanging out, " I say, trying to explain our weird love triangle that isn't really even a love triangle at all, since no one officially is/was exclusive with Zed.

"You want me to throw hands? I can take her easily," Hanya says, smiling as she eyes up Rachel and her friends.

"What? No! It's not like that. She's fine. I mean she's in high school so I don't know why she's at this bar, but whatever. It's fine, Hanya, really," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"High School!" she yells, causing the nearby tables to look at us. "She's practically a child!"

"Hanya," I urge, "will you please stop yelling. I don't want her to hear us."

"Her hearing probably hasn't even developed enough she's so young, like a newborn puppy or something," Hanya says, shaking her head and squinting at the group of girls.

"I'm pretty sure puppies can hear when they're born. You are thinking of eyesight," I say in a rushed whisper. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. Just ignore her and I'll do the same."

"Fine, but I highly doubt she'll have the same, it's-cool attitude if she sees Zed. Just by looking at her I can tell she will be all over him," Hanya says, giving me a knowing look.

"You don't know that," I say back.

"What don't you know?" Nik says to Hanya, walking up to the table with two drinks in his hand. Zed follows closely behind him carrying another two.

"Nothing. I know everything," Hanya says back coolly, playing off our conversation and grabbing a drink from Nik's hand. Hanya and I slide in towards the wall to make room for Nick to sit next to her and Zed next to me.

I grab a drink from Zed, who flashes me a smile before saying, "I hope you like vodka cranberry. I figured everyone would agree on that over whiskey or gin."

"This is great," I say, taking a sip. Instantly, my senses are overloaded with the taste, smell, and burning of pure vodka.

"Jesus fuck," Hanya yells after taking a long drink from her plastic cup. Being we are in a college bar, the drinks aren't exactly served in fine glassware. I would describe them as more of a large dixie cup.

"This drink is strong as hell!" Hanya continues, coughing slightly.

"I know," Nick smiles proudly, "and it was only $1 each. Nancy remembered me and hooked me up. We will be able to get drunk on like $20 total. What a deal."

"You cheapskate," Hanya says, nudging him with her shoulder, before smiling back at him and giving him a wink. These two have some definite chemistry between them.

"It's not so bad," I say, trying to be polite. It was that bad though. But when you go out to a college bar, these things are to be expected.

"Another lie," Hanya hums, taking a sip of her drink and making a face.

"Another lie?" Zed questions, looking at me suspiciously.

"Oh Zeddy, nothing bad," Hanya pipes ups, giving him a reassuring smile. Zeddy? Zed shoots her a stern, but playful look and Nik laughs out loud, smiling at Hanya the whole time. I have a feeling after a few drinks Zeddy might be the only way Hanya will refer to Zed.

"Let's play a drinking game, I brought cards," Hanya, says, pulling a deck of cards out of her purse.

-

After two rounds of a game called Irish Poker, and 3 drinks each later, I can definitely feel the effects of the strong vodka drinks we've been sipping all night. I feel alive and more outgoing, easily making conversation for the past 2 hours. I've gotten to know Nik better, and he and Zed seem to be getting along great. Hopefully, we can have more nights out like this together.

"Ugh, the room is starting to spin," Hanya laughs, he words slightly slurred while she drapes her arm over Nik's welcoming shoulders.

"I can get you some water babe," Nik offers, his speech even more slurred than hers. Probably because when Hanya would lose, Nik would "secretly" help her finish her drinks, though it was obvious what was going on. None of us really cared though, as it was more about having fun than the actual game.

"Well, you two sound like you both need water, I'll go get us all a round of H2O on the rocks" Zed smiles, squeezing my hand before he heads towards the bar. I think Zed has a higher tolerance for alcohol than the rest of us. He is definitely drunk, but not exactly on mine, Hanya's, and Nik's level of wasted.

"What a gentleman," Nik nods.

"Yeah, maybe you should give that a try," Hanya teases, before kissing Nik on the lips, catching him off guard.

I stare at them nosily, entertained by their unconventional but obvious love for each other, and laugh along with their antics.

That is, until I see something behind them that stops the breath in my throat. Rachel's arms wrapped around someone, kissing them fiercely. Kissing Zed fiercely.

A/N: Thanks so much for all the reads, votes, and comments! They mean a ton to me! Also, from now through the rest of summer, I will be updating 4 times a week! I'm renovating our home and will be busier, but I promise not to be one of those authors who let's their books die. Thanks again!