Capturing Memories

°•°Chapter 6°•°

"In this world, there was nothing scarier than trusting someone. But there was also nothing more rewarding."

– Brad Meltzer.

Chloe's POV.

His face lights up as his name leaves my lips and his head snaps up to look at me, "Hey,"

I breathe out before silently taking a seat opposite to him. Of course, he sat here, it wasn't only my favorite place, it became my favorite place because this was our spot, "You look like shit,"

"Gee, thanks," he smiles at my comment making me give him the tiniest smile, hoping that I don't regret this. His dark circles contrast his light skin showing how stressed he actually is.

"Your usual?" Clarissa, the server asks us and I nod before turning my head to face my best friend again, "Usual?"

I question him, wondering how long it has been since he moved here, "Yeah, moved here a month ago,"

Unintentionally, I end up glaring at him as he sighs rubbing his face with his palms. He wore an olive green full sleeves t-shirt, clinging onto him enough to show his well-defined body. Damn, stop that Chloe.

"So why didn't you ever open the letter?" I close my eyes trying to find a valid answer to his question but I didn't have one. Or I did, I didn't want to let that last thing I had of his be ruined the second I read the contents of the letter.

His gaze meets mine for a brief second before I look away in silence, "I missed you,"

I gulp at his confession, never daring to meet his gaze, "You don't have to lie, you clearly didn't care enough to respond to any of those messages,"

"Chloe-" Clarissa interrupts us with our order and I thank her while trying not to seem affected by Zach's continuous gaze on me. Why did I not leave, again?

"You seem to be doing well," I say finally looking up to meet his intense gaze and he chuckles before dropping two sugar cubes into my drink. I hate how he reminds me, that he never actually forgot me.

"It's incomplete without having my best-friend around," he mumbles before pushing my drink back towards me. I could feel my heart pound against my chest with everything he said and it took me every ounce of energy I had to not just hug him. No matter how many relationships I tried to work on, no one compared to this guy sitting in front of me.

It all just took one fucking dare, which led to a kiss. Just one fucking kiss in grad school made me crave his embrace. Not in a sexual way, just having him around shifted everything in life for me.

"Sugar..." my head snaps to look at him as he calls me with the funny nickname he used to call me. His hand finds mine and he encloses it with both of his making my heart skip a beat, "Just say something, anything would be fine,"

He pleads with his eyes making me blink away the tears that find their way back to me before I pull my hand back from his and stand up, "I need to go," I grab my phone and wallet before he could say anything and walk away as quickly as I could.

A few raindrops brush my skin as a tear rolls down and I quickly wipe it off before getting into the car, "Why did you have you be so easy on him?"

I whisper, scolding myself before my car roars to life and I notice Zach standing at the entrance of the coffee shop with a sad smile. He waves at me before I drove away unable to hold my tears anymore, "What the fuck is wrong with you Chloe?!"

Slapping my forehead with one hand I continue trying to steadily through my tears, I almost let my guard down around him. He looked hurt, he fucking looked hurt and even now, I just wanted to go back to him.

Wiping off the wetness on my face, I get off my car to open the gate to my house and follow the usual drill while my mind just continued wandering around Zach. Just like every other the day for the past two years.

~•~•~•

"Shut up Dan," I say as I continue editing the images of Zach's restaurant. I had to get done with this before I continue crossing paths with him just to end up hurt and hurting him as well.

Dan makes me smile as he massages my tense shoulders, "You don't have to do that,"

"Yeah sure," I could imagine him rolling his eyes at me, "I miss Blake already,"

I mumble sighing, "And you miss that jerk,"

"I don't," my voice is barely a whisper knowing that Dan was right but try concentrating on my work. I'm so glad for Dan's idea to work from home for the day because I'm exhausted both emotionally and physically. At least we both get a long weekend since today is a Friday.

Dan walks around the couch and drops down on the couch next to me, "We both need to get a break from work," he whines turning on the tv. Snowy gets onto the couch and rests half his body on Dan making me smile before looking back at my laptop.

"What do you suppose we do instead?" I question him with my eyes still glued onto my laptop as I swipe across the picture with Zach in it, I cannot deal with that picture today.

"How about that goodbye barbecue party your sexy Italian ex invited us to?"

"He's a horny Italian ex," I correct him with a chuckle as the memory of the terrible girlfriend I was to him. Yeah, thanks to Zach for that. He didn't have to be around to occupy my mind.

"I don't think that'd be a bad idea, he's been a nice friend despite all that went down between us," I think out loud and Dan smiles, "Let's go there tomorrow then,"

As long as Lance doesn't invite Zach who introduced both of us, I think the party's going to be fine.

~•~•~•

Seven years ago.

"I dare you to kiss Chloe," my heart drops as my gaze meets my best friend's who's just been dared to kiss me, "Kelly, why?!" I whisper shout at her making Zach laugh as he made his way to me.

"Come on sugar, it's just a kiss," he extends his hand with a grin before I take it and stand up, "You sure about this Zach?"

I asked him raising an eyebrow before he pulls me close with an arm around my waist, we were this close way too many time before, hell we even slept snuggling in each other's arms. However, this was different, my best friend was about to kiss me.

"I can feel your heartbeat sugar, calm down. It's just me," he whispers holding my cheek with his free hand before bringing his lips down to mine. It wasn't the most cliché kiss and it definitely wasn't my first but it was with my best friend.

Little did I know, that kiss would stir up feelings I never thought existed. Slowly and then all at once, I fell in love with my best friend.

~•~•~•