Falling to Pieces

Chapter 11 - Prince Charming

                “You ready?” he inquired, his blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

                I nodded.

                Instantly, he clicked his door open. Copying him, I flung open my door, stepping out as water began to drip down my face. Recklessly, I trudged behind Zach. Mud began to seep through the sides of my heels, permitting me to walk any further. I cursed myself for forgetting to take them off.

                “Hurry up, it’s freezing out here,” Zach called out.

                “I would, but my heels—” My words stopped as I felt myself being swept off of my feet. My breath hitched in my throat, as I gripped onto Zach’s neck as he carried me towards a white outhouse.

                Once we reached, he set me down, one arm still around placed around my waist. I waited uncomfortably, shivering as he searched his pocket for his keys. My eyes were quick to wander up to his face, admiring his faultless jaw line and toned skin—he was flawless.

                “Let’s get you some warm clothes,” he chuckled, pushing me through the open doorway, “You’re shivering already.”

                Unfortunately letting go of my waist, Zach flipped on the switch next to the door. “Come with me,” he stated, making his way through the second doorway.

                I quickly slipped off my shoes, knowing that there was no way I could bear this pain any longer. Slowly, I lugged myself through the doorway and towards the living room. I carefully noted the clean interior of the guesthouse. The kitchen was as usual—white countertops with steel silverware and green plants—but the living room had its own perks to it. There was a large TV, an Xbox, and, of course, random coffee mugs lying around.

                As I looked around aimlessly, taking in all of this—all of Zach—I was stopped when my face hit soft flesh.

                “Whoa,” Zach chuckled, his arms instinctively coming around me. “Easy there.”

                My head shot up and immediately, I came face to face with Zach and his shirtless body. I dug my teeth into my lower lip in an attempt to hide any sort of reaction from slipping through my face. He was toned, but not in the bulky way—that was the most attractive. “Sorry,” I whispered nervously, groaning to myself when my voice came out breathlessly.

                “No worries. Here, take these. You must be freezing.” He handed me a pair of his clothes, rubbing my shoulders for a quick moment after I took them.

***

                I closed the bathroom door behind me and flipped on the light. As light flooded the bathroom, I carefully examined my face. I looked horrible. My eyes were beet red from crying, my hair wavy from the rain, and the rim of my dress was splotched with mud. Ivy’s going to kill me, I thought as I slipped off the dress and draped Zach’s extra large shirt over my body. I laughed when I realized that the shirt hung on me like a dress, so much so that I didn’t even need Zach’s sweatpants.  Without bothering to check myself again, I scurried out of the room—I was too tired to care.

                “Warm?” Zach questioned as I walked up his place in the kitchen.

                “Yes,” I smiled. “Thank you for the clothes.”

                He grinned. “Hungry? Zelda brought over some pizza left over at the house.”

                I was hungry—starving actually—but I wasn’t in the mood to eat. “I’m fine,” I replied. “Who’s Zelda?”