Valentine's Hart | SLOW UPDATES

Chapter 22

"You look gorgeous!" I yelled at her. "So, pretty!"

Coraline curtsied to me like a princess, "Well, I have my lovely Vogue fairy godmother to thank for that."

"But who likes Zecheriah?" She went back to the question.

Emmett was the first to snap out of his shock and hooked his arms with Coraline as he dragged her through the hallway of the hotel. "Dahlia does. She likes likes Zecheriah."

I hurried my pace to catch up to them while Coraline let out a gasped and whipped her head to me, "I knew it!"

"Our little flower is now grown up," Emmett dramatically wiped his imaginary tears as we waited for the elevator.

"I know," Coraline said while doing the same actions.

I rolled my eyes at them, "Fine! Maybe a tiny bit, okay?!"

A bunch of squeals from them followed as we stepped inside the metal box.

"When did you feel it?" Coraline asked with a shit-eating grin on her face.

"When we got coffee after I bumped into him in the hospital. He called me 'mamas', and I felt something. Now, drop it," I said stiffly.

Emmett and Coraline started to push each other while cheering as I looked at them ridiculously.

When the elevator dinged, Coraline went out of the doors and said, "I already know this is going to be a good night."

Emmett and I froze a little, gulping as we looked at each other briefly.

Little does she know.

Emmett whispered to me, "When we see them, we're going to act normal like it's a coincidence, okay?"

I nodded, "Copy. Normal it is."

Zecheriah's POV

"Ok, wow. This is nice," Lewis said as we walked to our table.

Emmett placed a reservation in a seaside restaurant under my name.

My phone buzzed, indicating I received a message.

Emmett: Operation get our BFFs back together is in action. We are on our way.

"Good thing we wore coats today. It's fucking cold," Dean mentioned as we took our seats.

"Here is our menu," a waiter handed it to us.

"Grazie," I thanked him.

There was silence while we all scanned what to eat for tonight. Dean and I glance at each other due to the anticipation of what's about to go down.

"Why do you both look so tense?" Lewis asked suspiciously.

Dean snapped his head towards him, "Huh? What? Me? It's just him," he pointed at me while rambling. "He's nervous cause he has been getting little butterflies for Dahlia."

I turned my head to him with a tight expression, "False. He just has a rash on his ass."

Lewis chuckled, "You don't have to be shy if you like Dahlia, Z."

I rose a brow at him, "Word?"

Dean smirked joining the teasing, "Yeah, Zecheriah. There's nothing wrong with liking her."

I stomped on his foot underneath the table. "Ow, fucker. That's the third time today," he hissed.

"Signore, your other guest has arrived," the waiter came again to our table.

Dean's eyes widened while Lewis scrunched his brows in confusion, "Guest?"

I nodded at the waiter, then cleared my throat and turned to Lewis, "He must have mistaken us for someone else."

We heard a loud gasp beside our table. The three of us looked up, and there stood Emmett, Dahlia, and Coraline.

"Oh. My. God. They are here too? What a coincidence," Emmett said a little exaggeratedly.

Dahlia just facepalmed herself lightly, muttering, "Talk about normal."

"Lewis?" Coraline asked with furrowed brows as Lewis replied in shock, "Coraline?"

"Uh, hey, guys! What are you doing here?" Dean let out a nervous chuckle.

"What the hell is this?" Coraline glared at Lewis. "You couldn't give me the space I need, and you have to include my friends? Lewis, really?"

"What? No! I didn't know any of this," Lewis defended himself. He glared at Dean and me, "Is that why you got all quiet when Serena mentioned Dahlia?"

I looked up to Dahlia, who was gnawing at her bottom lip. Coraline rolled her eyes, "Quit the act."

As she was about to walk away, Dahlia spoke, "I planned it."

Coraline stopped in her tracks and looked at her in baffling, "You what?"

"I planned it," she repeated.

"Why would you do that?!" Coraline scowled at her.

I stood up, not wanting Dahlia to take all the blame, "We planned it."

Coraline was taken aback by our admission.

"Technically," Emmett coughed. "We all did, except Lewis."

"You what?!"

We all winced at Coraline's outburst.

"Look, we had enough of your sappiness when all you want is to talk to him," Emmett defended, pointing at Lewis.

"But that's not for you to decide," Lewis argued. "Now, see. I'm the bad guy."

"Coraline, I know we don't mess with each other, but I wouldn't have agreed if we didn't see it for both of your best interests," Dahlia spoke softly. "It might not be the greatest way by turning our backs slightly to you, but you know deep down that's also what you want."

Seeing Coraline's reaction to Dahlia, her resolve began to crumble. Coraline sighed before asking, "Now, what?"

Emmett perked up before pushing Coraline to the seat I once occupied, "Now, you guys will talk like adults and stop with the space bullshit."

"And you guys?" Lewis asked the 4 of us remaining.

Emmett scoffed, "We can handle ourselves."

"Bye! Enjoy! The bill is on us!" Emmett called out before shoving Dahlia and me forward with Dean.

"Wait, where are we going?" I asked until we were all pushed out of the restaurant.

"We," Emmett pointed at him and Dean. "Will go to the club. But you," he pointed at me and the woman beside me. "Will have the night to yourselves unless you want to join us. No? Great! Enjoy too!"

And before either I and Dahlia could respond, Dean and Emmett were already driving off in a cab.

"So much for dressing up," I heard Dahlia mutter under her breath.

I looked down at the woman beside me and took my time to appreciate her. Although she was wearing heels, she was still shorter than me.

Her face carried the usual light makeup she does. But, her wild blonde curls were in soft waves instead. And of course, her dress hugged every curve she had, from her slim waist to her wide hips.

"We can still go out if you'd like," I suggested before any unwanted thoughts I could do Dahlia came into my mind.

Dahlia pursed her lips in uncertainty.

"I would like to go out with you," I corrected.

I felt my heart thud louder for a second, seeing Dahlia's grin, "Then, lead the way."