Not Thinkin' Bout You

Chapter 52

PREVIOUSLY: Sienna took a deep breath, and Ellody recognised the look in her eye that she was about to say what was on her mind and she was going to hold nothing back.

Oh God.

"Ellody, I don't know why you wanted to talk to me, but I've been meaning to talk to you about Zach," she began. Ellody's stomach flipped, and she searched her sister's face for any sign of what she was about to say, but Sienna didn't pause for long. "I don't think that he likes you in a romantic way. He would've broken up with Kay by now if he had feelings for someone else. And if he does like you and he isn't planning on breaking up with Kay, that's bad news. I know Zach is a good guy... but if he doesn't care about Kay's feelings right now, that means he could do the same to you if you were in a relationship with him," she explained quickly, biting her lip. For the second time that day, tears welled in her eyes, but they dropped down her cheeks almost instantly.

"You really think that?" Ellody muttered.

"It's a lose-lose situation," Sienna added as though she needed to drive the point home. Ellody's throat hurt and her head was swimming with Sienna's voice telling her that Zach didn't like her. It was a thought that Ellody had pushed away for years, and now Sienna thought it was a good time to remind her of it.

"OK. Thanks for letting me know," Ellody muttered, pushing her hair out of her face and trying to stop the steady flow of tears leaking from her eyes. Sienna sighed and wrapped her arms around her, which didn't help the crying part.

"Sorry, sis, but I had to stop you from hurting yourself. I don't think Zach is the one for you, and I just..." she trailed off, rubbing Ellody's back like their mum did. A lump formed in Ellody's throat, and she wanted to go home and sob in the bath to Selena Gomez.

"It's fine. I- I know he doesn't like me back," Ellody said between gasps, trying to calm her racing heart. There were footsteps behind them, and Sienna pulled away from Ellody as Christina threw her arms around her.

"Aw, what's wrong baby?" Christina pouted, nuzzling her head in the crook of Ellody's neck.

"I was talking to her about..." Sienna raised her eyebrows, and Christina's eyes widened as though they'd talked about this. Oh my God, they've talked about this. They've talked about how to approach this topic. They've discussed and agreed on the fact that Zach doesn't like me and will probably never like me. How humiliating. My own sister couldn't even tell me without devising a whole plan with one of my best friends.

"I'm sorry it had to happen like this," Christina frowned, staring at Sienna like she'd done the wrong thing.

"OK, this is not my fault. Ellody wanted to talk to me, not the other way around," Sienna explained, biting her lip.

"So you thought you would land that bombshell? In front of everyone?" Christina whisper-shouted, rubbing Ellody's back. Ellody felt like a little kid, they way they were talking about her as if she wasn't there. Sienna opened her mouth to speak again, but quickly shut it. "Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk to Sienna about?" Christina asked Ellody, pulling away from her to look her in the eye.

"I... I know the answer now, anyway," she muttered, wiping her eyes as subtly as possible.

~

ZACH'S POV:

The girls had been gone for a while, and Zach was starting to get worried. What could Ellody need to talk to her sister about for half an hour?

"I want ice cream. Anyone else?" Corbyn suggested. Daniel nodded and gestured for the whole group to come too, but Zach didn't want to leave without Ellody.

"Wait, won't we have to drive to the ice cream place?" Zach frowned.

"Yeah, I'll text Christina where we're going. They can meet us there. Sienna has a car," Corbyn shrugged, stealing the keys from Caspary's pocket and walking towards the vehicle.

"I'm gonna go with the girls," Zach blurted, standing up. Jonah frowned at him, and it took all Zach's brain power not to frown back.

"OK, do they have enough seats?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrows. Zach paused to count all the girls before nodding.

"Yeah, there's five seats and four girls. I... I'm gonna go find them. We'll catch you guys up," Zach decided. Tate stood up and walked next to Zach, throwing her rubbish in the bin on the way past. "Did they say where they were going?" Zach asked, glancing at Tate. He hadn't ever been that close with Tate - she and Jonah had history, and it had nothing to do with Zach, so he'd never really asked.

"Uh, nope," Tate muttered, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She texted someone while Zach looked around the inside of Chipotle, deciding that they must be outside. He pushed open the door and walked around a corner to find Ellody sitting on the curb with her head in her hands while Christina and Sienna quietly argued.

"What's going on?" Zach said loudly. Christina and Sienna stopped and looked at Zach, but Ellody didn't move. Neither Christina or Sienna said anything. The door opened behind him, and Tate hesitated before walking over to Ellody and sitting next to her. Silence stretched over them, the only noise being cars driving past and the wind whistling through the trees.

~

ELLODY'S POV:

The second Zach appeared, Christina stopped trying to tell off Sienna. Ellody wished she would sink into the floor. Maybe if I try hard enough, I'll disappear and this whole thing will be a bad dream. Maybe I'll wake up, and I haven't actually done today. I haven't been to the concert yet, I haven't seen Zach yet, Sienna never said what she said...

"Guys, can I talk to Ellody for a second? Alone? The others have gone to get ice cream, Corbyn will send you the address," Zach explained, taking a step closer to Ellody.

"We'll wait in the car," Christina said loudly, grabbing Sienna's arm and walking back into Chipotle to get to the car park. Ellody listened for the door opening and closing, and suddenly they were alone for the second time that day.

"Why were you gone so long?" Zach asked, slowly sitting down next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. Ellody breathed sharply as he wrapped his other arm around her, hugging her firmly. She didn't reply - instead, hot tears dripped down her face. Because this couldn't, wouldn't, ever happen. As much as she wanted it to. He wasn't hers. "Ellody, you can tell me. I'm your best friend," he whispered in her ear. His words were like ice, freezing her insides until all she could do was cry. Best friend. Best. Friend.

It took everything inside her not to push him away and tell him how she felt.

It took everything inside her not to run after Sienna and murder her for reminding her of how much Zach didn't like her.

It took everything inside her not to scream.

"I know," she whispered back. His lips brushed across her forehead. His touch hurt like a gunshot, but he could never know why. Ellody would die before she admitted it. 

A~N thanks for 1.3k, i still can't believe it, it doesn't feel real. also listen to 'idk you yet' by alexander 23, i listened to it while writing that last paragraph :) link in my instagram bio @zachs_churros for a petition to sign related to the blm movement. i love you all x