Zach and Abby

21. - Edited

Zach - Edited

"Is noon good? We could get some lunch or whatever."

"Yeah, sure." I could hear her smile through the phone. "I'll see you then."

I hung up and got in the shower, meeting Abby for lunch in less than an hour. Ever since we became something, it was getting harder and harder to not be with her all the time. It was a surreal feeling to know she was finally mine and that I was finally hers. I wanted to make up for lost time, I wanted to replace all the memories of assholes in her head.

It felt right being with her and holding her hand. I used to think all that sappy stuff was bullshit but now it's as if I'm a spokesperon for romance.

It surprised me like nothing else ever had when we met her mom. That was obviously a huge step and I made sure to be as polite and nice as possible to Deb. She looked so natural flying around the kitchen and laughing with Abby as they made dinner for the team. I was more than wary when Deb initially entered the house but my team was overly grateful for the meal and knew enough about being gentlemen to treat Deb with kindness.

They had even mentioned later that night at practice if Deb could come again and cook. I told them I would ask but also said not to get their hopes up. I didn't understand much about Deb's condition but the way Abby acted so careful around her and made sure to keep her voice light and gentle was enough to tell me at any moment, everything could drastically change.

I met Abby outside her dorm like normal and we walked into the main quad for pizza. All we ever seemed to eat was pizza but I don't think either of us cared. She loved to walk and talk and I loved to listen to her.

I held the door open for her but as she went up to the counter to order, my eyes met a very different person's from across the restaurant and I couldn't look away quick enough. For just a second, I thought we could avoid her but the place wasn't that big and the happiness that spread across her face told me we were not leaving without crossing her path. Mia hopped up from her seat next to her friend and skipped across the floor, stopping right in front of me before I could make a run for it.

"Zach, baby! Long time no see," she nearly shouted. "Where have you been hiding?"

Fuck, I shoved a hand through my hair, biting the inside of my cheek too hard. Her voice had captured the attention of the entire restaraunt, I didn't chance a look over at Abby. I didn't ever want to the two of them meeting. Mia was a psychotic cloud of dramawho manipulated anyone in her way. She'd been a mistake but Abby was my future.

I felt her eyes staring at me, I was too much of a coward to do what I should have done.

"I've been great, now if you'll excuse us."

I put my hand on her shoulder to step out of her way but she matched my movements. My only worry was getting Abby away from here but it failed quicker than I thought it would.

"No, come on. Talk to me," she pleaded, taking my left arm in her hands. I looked into her eyes for the first time, trying to remember what I ever liked about her. They were a cold gray, they weren't nearly as calming as Abby's.

I knew Mia from when I was younger. I didn't live on the greatest side of town growing up, my grandparents both worked but suddenly having to support a nine year old kid was hard. Mia lived down the street and as kids, we used to play basketball and walk to school together. When I started middle school, we moved across the state, that's when I met Austin.

Mia and I never talked after that, I didn't know what happened to her, I didn't care that much as a little kid. But then my grandma passed away when I was sixteen and I had no family left. I went into foster care, the first family they put me with happened to be Mia's foster family. It was cool at first, to know someone in a house full of strangers until Austin's family put in a request for me to go live with them.