Hooked on Him - Zach Herron

Chapter 6

Chloe's POV: Zach's arm is lazily thrown over my shoulder as we sit watching half-watching old reruns of Friends. I lean my head into him and he pulls me closer. Our legs are tangled together underneath the blanket. My mind is buzzing, he's so close to me, I can feel the heat radiating off of him. How easy it would be to lean over and kiss him, feel his lips against mine. I bet I could. I bet I could do it and get away with it. ⁣

I can tell he feels it too. I see how he sneaks little glances at me when he thinks I'm not looking, and how he shifts his legs slightly against mine. But I just can't. Something, no, someone, is stopping me. And Zach respects that. Of course, he doesn't have to know who exactly I'm thinking of. ⁣

I sit up and throw a piece of popcorn at him to distract both myself and him from the obvious tension in the air. He wasn't expecting it, so it hits him in the face. Zach blinks. ⁣

"Heyyy what was that for?" ⁣

"You were falling asleep." ⁣

"Was not!" ⁣

"Was too!" I laugh. ⁣

"That's a lie. I've got a pretty girl on my shoulder, how could I possibly fall asleep with her here?" He puts his head in my lap and looks up at me with his brown eyes. I trace his jaw with my fingers. ⁣

He reaches one arm up and plays with the strands of my hair falling almost into his face. "Is something wrong?" He asks, concerned. "You seem..... stressed." ⁣

"I'm fine," I say, quickly, maybe a little too quickly, but he's already moved on, appeased by my answer. Zach tugs on my long hair lightly and smiles. ⁣

"Come here." He puts his arms around my neck and pulls me down closer to him. And I decide, right in that moment, to let him. I give in. He leans in and our lips almost brush when suddenly, unexpectedly, the doorbell rings. ⁣

"Who the hell..." Zach grumbles and moves off of me as I pull away and get up to get the door. I shoot him an apologetic look and he just shakes his head and laughs. Opening the door, I feel like my heart has just been torn out of my chest and ripped into two separate pieces. It's Jack, standing there with a hopeful look on his face as he shifts back and forth. ⁣

"Hey Chloe." ⁣

"Ummm...." I glance back inside to Zach, who is totally oblivious as to who interrupted us. I need to make Jack go away. "You shouldn't be here." ⁣

His face falls, and I immediately feel bad. "Oh.... I actually came to tell you something. Can I come in?" ⁣

"No!" I block the doorway and I can tell that he is starting to get disheartened. ⁣

"Chloe, who is it?" Zach calls from the couch. Great. Just great. ⁣

Jacks voice falls to a whisper and he twists his hands. "Zach's here?" ⁣

I flinch. "Yes." Jack turns away and starts to leave, quickly, like his life depends on it when I hear footsteps behind me and Zach walks up. ⁣

"Jack? What are you doing here?" He looks curiously between me and Jack, and I can tell that he is slightly irritated that we were interrupted. ⁣

"I could ask the same of you," Jack says. "You didn't tell me you were coming over here." ⁣

"What are you, my babysitter?" Zach snorts, and wraps one arm protectively around my waist. Jack stares possessively. Leave, leave, leave, walk away from the fight Jack. ⁣

"Get your hands off of her." Even I'm surprised by the words that come out of his mouth. ⁣

Zach recoils back like he's been slapped. "Jack buddy, you good? Last time I checked, she's with me. I got her first. She's mine." He steps forward protectively. My heart melts. Mine? But then I look at Jack and see the hurt look on his face, mixed with the anger in his eyes. ⁣

"Oh lay off Zach. She's not with you. Haven't you seen the way she looks at me when she thinks you're not looking?" Oh, no, no, no. Is it really that freakin obviously to him? This is not happening right now. ⁣

"She's. Mine." Zach spits at him, louder this time, and I don't like the way he says it anymore. It's ugly, twisted around so he could throw it at Jack like an insult. I'm the prize, caught between the two of them. ⁣

"Get out." ⁣

Both of the boys blink in confusion and look at me. Zach is angry, jealous, and it's not a good look for him. Jack stands his ground firmly, but I know that they could start fighting at any moment. ⁣

"I said, get out." I repeat again, louder this time, and my eyes blaze with anger. "Go!" I shove Zach out the door and he stumbles onto the porch with Jack.⁣

"Babe-" Zach's face softens and his eyes pleadingly search mine. ⁣

"Don't you dare babe me! We're not dating! I'm free to see whoever I'd like, and if Jack wants to see me, that's his business, not yours. I'm not property. I'm not yours. Just go, both of you!" A few angry tears escape, and I swipe them away with my sleeve aggressively. My eyes land on Jack, and he seems taken aback by how upset I am. ⁣

"I'm sorry-" he starts to say. My heart aches for him. For the both of them. I cut him off by slamming the door loudly in their faces, and, sobbing, slide down the back of the door with my face in my hands. ⁣