Hey," I stuttered, my words fumbling. "Hey."
"Hey, Jason's friend," Zach said, a hint of amusement in his chocolate-brown eyes. "You're . . . Catherine, right? The Cinderella of the school."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him. Was that what I was going to be known as then? Cinderella?
"Dude," Jace whispered to him, a warning look in his eyes. "Don't."
"Catherine McKenna?" Zach continued as if nothing had happened.
"McKinns," I corrected, a small grin spreading on my face. "Surprisingly, that happens a lot."
"So you're Catherine," he said, tilting his head. "Jason has told me a lot about you."
"Uh huh." I raised an eyebrow at Jason, to which he shrugged. "That's . . . cool? I . . . didn't know that you two were friends."
"Oh, we go way back." Zach clapped Jason on the shoulder and ruffled his hair. "Our families are quite close, you can say."
"And how come you've never mentioned that to me?" I directed my question towards Jason, folding my arms and raising my eyebrows at him.
"You had been crushing on him before and it was just going to be awkward-" He stopped as soon as he saw the horrified expression on my face. "Shit," he muttered to himself.
I fantasized of the hundred different ways by which I could kill Jason. Also, the different escape routes through which I could just disappear.
"Any chance you didn't catch that?" I asked Zach through gritted teeth, shooting another hard look at Jason Harley, A.K.A, dead meat.
"Oh, no, it's fine," he said, smiling at me. "See you at five." Saying that he walked straight into a bunch of giggling girls pleading for his autograph.
"What's at five?" I asked Jace. "I thought we were going to meet up with Lizzie. I really want you two to get to know each other, you know."
"Change of plans." He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. "We're meeting Zach over at my house instead. He wants to get to know you."
Why did people keep making plans without consulting me?
"Not anymore, he doesn't," I shot a deathly glare at Jason. "Did you have to say that to him?"
"Hey, it was a slip of the tongue!" he protested, jutting his bottom lip out. "I'm sorry."
"Apology not accepted."
"I'll bake you muffins."
I exhaled painfully at that, relenting slightly. Jace secretly baked the best muffins ever and they were just a little extra chocolatey which made it so much better. And the frozen chocolate icing on the top was to die for.
"See you at five?" he asked hopefully, his blue eyes wide.
"Alright."
• • • • •
"He'll be here any minute," Jason said, taking another look at the clock on the wall. "He's . . . stuck in an appointment, I guess."
"I'm here in your room, stuck with two of the most popular guys in the school." I pinched my arm for show, and shook my head. "Nope, this ain't a dream."
Jason muttered something undistinctive and looked out with of the window again, his face stretching into a smile as he waved at someone outside.
"Zach's here," he told me. "Don't act stupid."
"Some friend you are," I murmured, looking out the window too.
Sure enough, Zachary Smith was walking through the gates and into the house, his light-brown curls glowing in the sun. I don't know how he managed to look so perfect after school, a time when people looked their lousiest.
It's a gift, I guess.
"Hey," Jason said a minute later as his door creaked open. "Zach."
"So we meet again," he clapped Jason on the shoulder and smiled, his words directed at me.
"Hey, Zach." I gave him a tiny smile which hastily dropped off my face. "Just to be clear, I don't like you anymore," I added, averting my eyes from his face.
"That's completely fine," Zach said, giving a small laugh. "I could get used to people not liking me once in a while."
"No, no." I tried to take back my words as I realized how bad it sounded. "I like you as a person, just not -- "
"Ah, I see." He straightened up on the chair he was sitting on and pressed on the arm rests. "Consider me pleased."
Jason rolled his eyes and heaved a dramatic sigh. "You two will be the death of me," he commented. "Please, can we talk about something else?"
"Right," Zach said. "Now, about your newly found reputation as Cinderella . . . "
"Anything but that," Jason groaned. "Please?"
He glared at Zach and I squeezed his arm, glad to see my best friend defending me. Jace gave me a nervous smile which I returned wholeheartedly.
"I've to leave in a couple of minutes, what had you boys planned for today," I asked them, glancing at the clock again. Then, I cleared my throat, hoping that would reduce the awkwardness level.
However, Zach didn't seem to notice. His attention had been far away but now, he sat up straight all of a sudden with alert eyes.
"I'm leaving to Chicago the day after tomorrow," he said, inhaling deeply. "Shit, I'm leaving to Chicago the day after tomorrow." He widened his eyes at Jace and stood up quickly and bolted out of the room as fast as lightning.
I could hear every step he took in the silence which fell after his departure.
We turned to look outside the window on unison and could see Zach walking casually out the gates, swinging his arms taking short strides.
I turned to Jason with raised eyebrows and voiced my thoughts. "What just happened?"
His voice strained, he answered, "I gotta go, Cat. Have a lot to study. See you later."
My eyebrows shot up even higher at his statement. "You're going to study? I'm so not buying that, Jace. What's going on with you and Zach?"
"I'll see you later," he said again. his face devoid of emotion and his voice similar to one of a zombie.
"All . . . Alright," I said, frowning at his strange behavior. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Without waiting for a reply, I stalked out of the room and went down the stairs, everything happening in a blur. Before I could comprehend anything, I was already by the gate.
As I was about to open it, I spotted a piece of paper hanging by the grills. As I was watching it, it drifted up in the air and fell slowly onto the grass.
Picking it up, I screamed, "Jace, you have a - " And then I stopped.
The piece of paper was addressed to me.
I turned left and right to see if anyone was there and finding no one, I slowly opened the letter.
Peeping inside, I found the words:
MEET ME RIGHT OUTSIDE THIS HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT. PS. I NEED MY PHONE BACK SO BRING IT ALONG WITH YOU.
• • • • • • • • • •
Hope you liked this chapter. I'm sticking to my update schedule, yay! At this rate, I'll finish this book by the end of next week.
Don't forget to vote, comment and maybe even follow and share this book with your friends.
See y'all soon!
