Home For The Heart - Zachary Merrick

~5~

~Alyssa~
I was home by myself and I used that time to enjoy myself. I made some cookies, worked on homework, and blasted music.

I probably should unpack but I can do that later. The doorbell rang and I went to answer it.

Probably the neighbor asking if we've seen her cat (and no, we haven't).

I opened it and there was Zack. "Zack. Hi." He smiled. "Hey." I leaned against the doorway and crossed my arms.

"So, stalking me now?" He chuckled and shook his head. "No, I live up the street. I noticed you walking home and I didn't realize you lived on the same street."

I nodded. "Yep. So what's up?" He shrugged and tugged on his bag. "Not much. What's that smell?"

I pointed behind me. "Cookies. Want one?" He nodded and followed me in. "I have the house to myself until six so I really try to enjoy my alone time."

I handed him one and he frowned. "Oh, do you want me to leave?" I pat his shoulder. "When I mean alone time, I mean from my mom or from kids at school."

He looked around while munching on the cookie. "Your house looks nice. Where are your siblings?"

I pointed to myself. "I'm an only child. But most of the time, it feels like I'm not even my mom's kid."

I sat down and pushed my homework aside. "Where are your parents?" He sat across from me and I leaned on my hands.

"My mom's at work. She works until five but then does shopping so she won't get back until six. It's a sweet three hours without her."

I was hoping he wouldn't ask about Dad.

"Oh. So just the two of you?" I nodded. "Yeah. How about you? Big family? Small? Siblings, no siblings. Tell me."

He put his bag down. "It's my parents and my older sister and I at home. We're a normal sized family and we enjoy it."

I got up and brought the plate of cookies to the table. "Does your sister go to school with us?" He took another.

"No, she's graduated. She's still trying to figure out what she wants to do." He pulled one of my books over and looked at it.

"Hey, have you done your homework? We could work together if you want." He nodded and grabbed his bag, taking some books out.

For an hour, we worked together on homework, listening to the faint sound of Sum 41 playing.

I threw my pencil at him and he threw his. We started laughing until the front door opened.

Mom walked in, carrying bags and setting them on the counter. She looked over at us. "Oh. Who's this?"

Zack gave her a shy smile. "Hi, I'm Zack." She looked at me. "Did you do your homework?" I nodded.

"Chores?" I pointed to the empty sink that was full of dishes. "Did you unpack?" That I was pushing off.

"Okay, say bye to your friend and then get upstairs and unpack." Zack grabbed his stuff and shoved it into his bag.

I walked with him to the door. "Your mom is scary." I tried to hold my laughter in. "Try living with her."

His eyes widened and quickly rejected that idea. He stopped and faced me. "Give me your phone."

I gave him a weird look and pulled it out of my pocket. "Don't steal it, that's my prized possession."

He pressed things and started typing. "And now I'm in your prized possession." He handed me his phone and I put my contact in it.

He left and I went upstairs to move boxes and pretend to unpack.