LOCKDOWN

Chapter 32

Lunch time rolled around and I was playing soccer with the boys again like I did every lunch break. Almost as if the universe was taunting me, Zara walked past with her group of friends and sat at the bench behind the fields. I watched from afar as she sat with her head down, not conversing with any of the other girls. It was obvious they were trying to bring her into the conversation, but she would give short answers and return to silence, playing with her hands nervously in her lap like she always did.

I chugged down some water on the sidelines of the field while Laine yapped my ear off about something that I definitely wasn't listening to. I couldn't help but stare at Zara — even in her sadness she was so incredibly beautiful. Another song of guilt coursed through me — sadness that was caused solely by me.

"I'm just lucky I was at home when we went into lockdown. Thankfully we had the home movie theatre, the jacuzzi, and the stocked bar to keep us entertained," Lisa bragged to the girls, and I hummed in response.

"Peyton, you were so unlucky, though. I can't even imagine being stuck with Zara McMann! I'd rather spend two months without my iPhone!" Laine's voice drawled in the background.

It was Zara's name that caught my attention, and I quickly turned to face Laine.

"What? Sorry, I was distracted," I asked.

"I was saying," she huffed loudly, "that it sucks you were stuck with McMann, that must've been so bad! I mean, did you see her in English? She looked pathetic! She probably wishes she was back in lockdown because she's such a loner!"

The other girls all laughed in unison, but I saw red. My hands balled into fists so hard that my nails cut into my skin. I took a deep breath, willing myself not to punch this bitch right in the face .

"Shut the fuck up, Laine!" I seethed, taking a step toward her.

"Um, excuse me? What, are you in love with her or something?" she scoffed loudly.

"Yeah, I am," I replied simply, and all of the girls gasped.

"What?" Katelyn asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"I'm in love with her."

With that, I walked away from them, leaving them wide eyed and open mouthed as I made my way across the soccer field to the bench where Zara was sitting with her friends. I stopped a few feet away, standing there awkwardly as Zara and her friends looked up at me. I could see the confusion set on Zara's face, and her friends looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to speak.

"Zara. I'm an idiot. I'm a fucking idiot. And I'm so in love with you," I said quickly, ignoring the shocked looks on her friends faces.

"I'm so sorry, for everything. I understand if you don't feel the same way, but I —"

"I do feel the same way," she interrupted me quietly, standing up from the bench and facing me.

"You — you what?" I was in shock, unable to believe that after everything I had put her through, she had any sort of feelings left for me whatsoever.

"I'm in love with you, too."

With two quick strides I was right in front of her, and I grabbed her face in my hands and pressed my lips to hers. Fireworks lit inside of me, bursting in my chest and fizzling all the way to the tips of my fingers and toes. Her hands grabbed my school shirt as she kissed me back, just as passionately as I was kissing her.

Gasps of shock came from her friends beside us, and wolf whistles came from the soccer field behind us.

"Get in there, Mitchell!" I heard Timmy call out.

"McMann and Mitchell, sitting in a tree,
K I S S I N G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes twelve cats because they're lesbians!" Liam sang, causing both Zara and me to laugh into the kiss.

"Is Daniel giving Brayden money?" I heard Aspen say beside us, and I internally rolled my eyes.

We continued to kiss for what felt like hours, but I knew it was only a matter of seconds. I had missed her touch more than anything, and I could've stayed like this forever if you'd let me. I pulled her closer to me, holding her around her waist as she wrapped her arms around my neck and threaded her fingers through my hair.

"Social distancing!" a shrill voice called from behind us, and we both jumped apart hastily. Mrs Johnston was storming towards us, her face contorted in anger. "Two metres apart at all times! You two should know better than this! Detention tomorrow at lunch! I'm appalled!"

Zara and I put two metres between us and nodded, waiting until Mrs Johnston had left before turning to face each other.

"Your first detention, looks like I'm a bad influence on you," I smirked.

"You're just figuring this out?" she replied.

I sent her a wink and she poked her tongue out cheekily before sitting back down at the table with her friends. I reached forward and linked my pinky with hers quickly before turning and walking back to the soccer field, bumping shoulders with the boys as they congratulated me and clapped me on the back (luckily Mrs Johnston was no longer around).

"Peyton Mitchell finally settling down, and with Zara McMann of all people, who would've thought?" Timmy smiled at me, giving me a high five.

"Not me," I chuckled, "that's for damn sure."

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AUTHORS NOTE
Epilogue coming soon! Thank you for reading this story, putting up with my sporadic updates, and supporting me!