You Have My Heart

Seven

The party was at a girl on the cheerleading teams house. By the time I arrived it was already in full swing. Empty bottles littered the grass and people were everywhere.

I walked inside and immediately started searching for Dani. She was supposed to meet me here. She wasn't in the living room so I stepped inside the kitchen. None of the faces belonged to my best friend.

I still hadn't found her an hour later and I gave up. She'd probably gone home or something and forgot to tell me. I decided I was just going to go home. I started for the door but Gavyn appeared just then, obviously drunk.

"Come on," he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me outside. His group of friends were hanging out beside the pool, drinking and laughing.

Grant was talking to James at the diving board and Zach was sitting with his feet in the water, a little away from the group. Gavyn pulled me over to Grant and James and clapped them on the shoulder.

"Hey, you and Brody know each other, right?" Gavyn asked James. James gave me an uncomfortable look, probably remembering the last party we'd been at. He nodded and Gavyn smiled, pleased.

They were talking about the football game, reliving every moment. I sipped on the beer Gavyn had thrust into my hands and pretended to be interested. My attention wandered over to Zach, sitting by himself. Why had he been so worried about what I'd thought earlier? Why did he think I didn't believe the stories about him and all the girls he'd been with? Weren't they true? He caught me looking and our eyes met. Neither of us pulled away at first, we just stared at each other. I tried to read his expression but couldn't tell what he was thinking. I looked away and drank the rest of my beer.

Gavyn and Grant kept me there for another hour or so. I didn't drink anything else, not feeling up to it. I remembered what had happened the last time I'd been drunk and wasn't ready to repeat that. The more my brothers and their friends drank, the wilder they became. Eventually they started pushing each other into the water.

When one of the guys, Matt, tried to push Gavyn in he stepped aside and I got shoved instead. I tried to get my footing but couldn't. When I came up for air they were peering down at me, laughing. I was completely soaked and didn't have any extra clothes. I climbed up the ladder, shivering. I kept a safe distance from the boys as I climbed out, careful so they wouldn't push me back in.

"Jerks," I told both Matt and Gavyn, not sure which one I blamed. That just made them laugh harder. I turned and walked away, wrapping my arms around me for warmth. My hair was sticking to me uncomfortably and I just wanted to be dry.

"Are you alright?" Zach asked from behind me. I was already almost to my car and I turned. He was standing a few feet away, looking honestly concerned.

"I'm fine." I told him.

"Here, you're cold." He lifted his sweatshirt over his head, exposing most of his stomach as he did so. He pulled his shirt down under it and handed me the sweatshirt. I took it and smiled.

"Thanks." I said. "Turn around." I told him. We were alone in the front of the house so when he turned around I pulled my shirt over my head and switched it with the dry sweatshirt. It was big and warm and I crossed my arms over my chest, enjoying the feeling.

"Better?" Zach asked when I gave him the okay and he was facing me again. I pulled my soaked hair into a bun at the top of my head.

"Much," I said. We stood there in silence then, neither of us knowing what to say.

"Brody?" Zach asked as a thought seemed to cross his mind. He took a step closer and looked down at me.

"Yeah?" I asked, feeling my heart start to beat. He was looking at me with such intensity.

"Do you like me?" He asked the question so simply. It should've surprised me. I should've blushed. But I didn't.

"Yeah," I said instead, not even embarrassed. Then the sounds of the music from the party seemed to go silent as Zach was leaning down, his face getting closer. He was closing his eyes and his lips landed on mine. My eyes shut too and I was kissing him back.

I placed my hands on either side of his face and his hands were on my waist. Then Zach pulled back and smiled slightly.

"Good. Because I like you too," he told me. Then we were kissing again. He was pushing me against my car and I was running my fingers through his hair.