Lia
It's Xavier's birthday tonight and I'm baking him a cake.
I found out after Zack talked to Blair and me—originally he was talking to us about Nolee—Hudson is throwing a party for Xavier's birthday and when I asked what cake he's getting, he said he hadn't yet so I took the opportunity to bake one for him. I asked the two boys what flavor he likes and I was told chocolate ice cream cake.
So chocolate ice cream cake is what I'm making. There aren't many ingredients but making it is a lot more difficult—it's my first time making it. I'm nearly finished with only fruits and the layer of ice cream to add.
Baking and cooking in general, I love it. I've learned a lot from my mom and she bakes the best cookies in the world. Cooking/baking, much like graphic design and reading, helps me relax and escape the real world when need be. I began distracting myself with it in high school, especially after what Colton started. I'm in my own little world filled with tasty aromas and sugary treats.
Xavier's present is my favorite part of his birthday. I can't wait for him to see it. I had a dilemma when buying it because I didn't know which one to get but the one I chose, is perfect for him.
"What you making?" Blair slides in our kitchen with a blue glittery dress with a face looking like it belongs on Euphoria.
"Chocolate ice cream cake." I brush some chocolate off the pink apron I'm wearing.
Blair steals a raspberry, popping it into her mouth.
"Xavier's?"
I hum with a smile.
I'm a simp. His name alone makes my heart flutter.
I can't wait for tonight. I can't wait for him to eat my cake and I can't wait to give him his present. Will he like it? What will he do with it? Is he going to like the cake? Will Xavier kiss me? Hug me? When I give him his cake and his present. Oh god, I could get lost in his kisses. I just want him to kiss me for an eternity.
It's just not a kiss when he kisses, it's a moment. When he kisses me, he starts by cradling my face, then he intertwines his tongue with mine, creating this scorching hot sensation that even science can't create. It's like being on a cloud, while a shower of flower rain falls onto me and all I can hear is Right Here Waiting by Monica playing all around me.
"Nolee left for The Creek," Blair brings me out of my trance, "Zack's racing tonight so she's gone to tell him everything."
When Nolee left earlier, she looked so sad that I couldn't hold myself from hugging my bestie. I can't stand either Nolee or Blair being sad or hurt, they've been there for me in my darkest moments and I know how much I appreciated their hugs, their words, their laughs when they helped me so I want to do the same for them.
What they did for me, I could never repay them back for it.
"It's honestly a whole big misunderstanding and the fault of poor communication." I carefully put the raspberries on top of the cake as the finishing touch.
Hopefully, when the two talk it out and understand that it's all a misunderstanding, they'll be back to being disgustingly cute and frisky. I have a feeling why Nolee did what she did with Will. She's scared of Zack's reputation and she thinks he's not being sincere.
"Totally," Blair nods, munching on another raspberry, "If they had been clear with each other and their feelings, then we'd not have a best friend who is as gloomy as London's weather."
I laugh at her little simile.
Blair went to London a few summers ago and even though she went in the summer, it rained horrendously and the girl could not stop whining about it. She's still haunted by her vacation. Blair loves being in the sun, and her being in rain is like a vampire being in sunlight.
"I hope they work it out," I gently pick up the cake and place it in the refrigerator, "They're crazy about each other, and did you see Zack? He looked really hurt."
Zack looked like someone kicked his puppy. Zack is always smiling and laughing and goofing around, so to see him so angry and hurt, I felt empathetic. And I knew from looking at the way his eyes were glistening with anger and pain, he's fallen for Nolee. No guy who lives and breathes sex and girls would react like that about a girl he's slept with.
"Yeah," Blair says, helping me clear up the mess I made, "I just wanted to give him a hug. I hope everything goes good for them otherwise it's gonna be awkward at the party."
They'll work it out. I have strong faith in them to understand what they mean to each other. They just need to be honest with each other.
"So," Blair breaks the silence with a cheeky grin, "What'd you get Xavier for his present?"
Nolee
The Creek is the place you go to have sinful fun. Racing, drinking, fucking—anything goes on after dark at The Creek.
There's a race underway as I make my way towards Viini, who is lost in a girl's mouth.
"Hey, Trouble." Viini smirks at me, his eyes raking down my body. Viini is good, but he's bad news in the heart and love department.
"Where's Zack?"
Viini nods his head towards the two cars racing and sure enough, I see Zack's royal blue Dodge Challenger. My heart starts to race at the thought of seeing him after that night. It's been over a week and I miss him.
I've left several text messages, asking—no, pleading—Zack to just listen to me and let me explain. I've called him too and I've even attempted to talk to him on campus but everything has been aired. It breaks me knowing he doesn't want to talk to me.
Before, I was wishing for him to stop sending me his crude messages, his stupid selfies, and look at me with hunger. But now, I want them more than anything—I want him more than anything.
There's a loud cheer all of a sudden—the race has finished and when I turn to look at the winner, I'm not surprised to see Zack's car. I wring my hands nervously, my thoughts are going haywire.
I want to tell him the truth and why I did what I did. And I want him to be honest with me.
I want to know what we are to each other.
Viini goes over to Zack and hands him his winnings, I stay back to watch Zack. He's laughing and grinning but it doesn't look genuine. Viini does a handshake with him, and Zack does the same with the guy he was racing against and then a girl slides in. Zack sees her and there's no emotion on his face but when she wraps her arms around his neck and crashes her lips on his, Zack doesn't hold back.
My heart breaks.
Tears cloud my eyes and I feel so defeated.
I came here tonight to tell him everything, I thought the whole week he'd be angry or frustrated or even sad but, no watching him kiss this girl—Zack is being destructive. I know him so well to sense that. There's a reason why he's doing this but what?
I watch on like a mannequin as he and the girl kiss and then he pulls her away and it's then that I hear myself whimper in hurt.
Summer.
Summer was kissing him.
What is she doing here? Did he bring her? Why did he kiss her back? Why is she kissing him all the time? Why the fuck is she kissing him?!
I'm mad, hurt, and confused.
What is Zack doing? Why is he doing this to me?
It's all my fault.
A teardrop rains down my cheek and I sniffle, turning around and rushing away. I guess he's okay with moving on from what happened between us. Zack told me Summer is history, so why is he letting her kiss him?
"Nolee!" Zack rumbles out my name which has my heart shaking and my knees weakening.
I stop dead in my tracks, blinking away my tears and taking a breath before turning around.
Once Zack's eyes land on mine, his darken with anger and concern. Why concern? I don't know.
Zack stops a few feet away from me, eyeing me up as if I'm hurting him by just being in his presence.
"What are you doing here?"
His words shouldn't hurt me but they do. As I look at him, I know he doesn't mean them.
This is Zack. The Zack who finds comfort in me, who sends me fuck-boy snaps and flirtatious messages. This is the Zack that makes me smile like an idiot and makes me want to punch him in his abs-for-days stomach.
"I came to apologize and tell you everything," my voice is quiet and hoarse, I try to smile but it breaks into a frown, "But I guess you're happy moving on."
I spare Zack one last glance before turning around and walking away. But my wrist is soon held on and Zack steps in front of me, towering over me with his huge body and looking at me with contemplation and yearning.
"Why did you sleep with him?" Zack gruffly asks, as if the words are like poison on his tongue.
I avoid his eyes, sorting out my thoughts so I don't mess up.
"Because..."
"Because what?"
"Because of you." I stare at him with a pained expression.
Zack's reputation scares me.
That's the honest truth.
I've seen him break hearts, fuck with girls with a smile on his face. He's not sincere. He doesn't care about girls' feelings. And I thought he was going to treat me the same—before I realized that he hasn't messed around with another girl since me.
"Because of me?" Zack looks mad as fuck, he lets go of my wrist, "What the fuck does that suppose to mean?"
I swallow the hurt and blink away the tears threatening to spill.
"You scare me, Zack," I whisper, my voice thick with saddened emotion, "Your reputation scares me. You never take anything seriously when it comes to feelings. I thought you were treating me like you treat every other girl you've been with, so I just..."
I'm embarrassed.
God, I wish I had a time machine so I could go back in time and smack some sense into myself—drag myself away from that douchebag because I like Zack.
I really, really like Zack.
"You really think I was treating you like every other girl?"
I pout, cheeks heating under his scrutinizing gaze.
"Yeah..."
Zack scoffs as if amused and awed at the same time.
"You're fucking stupid and clueless."
Meanie.
Now I'm really pouting.
"What you and I have," Zack lifts my chin with his knuckles, his eyes hazing with something warm and tender and since, "It's fucking special. You're not just a girl to me, Nolee. You're my friend and you're the girl I fucking like. A lot."
I think my heart just burst into sparkles and fairies.
"You like me?"
"Hell yeah," Zack incredulously frowns, "How the fuck did you not see it?"
I'm left speechless and lost in thought.
I am clueless because I honestly didn't know Zack liked me—likes me. I thought he really liked flirting with me and just wanted to get in my pants. Did Lia and Blair sense it? Xavier and Hudson? Oh god, if everyone sensed it, then I'm good to die in embarrassment.
Zack likes me.
I want to scream in happiness, hug him for an eternity and kiss him until he's gasping for air.
But what I did, I need to make that right first.
"What I did to you—to us—has been making me crazy," I step closer to Zack and grip his hoodie, looking up into his beautiful eyes, "I regret it. I never meant for it to happen but I was lost and confused over my feelings. I'm sorry, Zack."
"Don't be sorry," Zack cups my cheeks, smiling for the first time tonight, making my heart hum in elation, "I haven't been honest with you, it's my fault. If I'd locked you in then we wouldn't be fighting."
"No, I shouldn't have slept with another guy when I like you," I shake my head, touching his hands that are cradling my face, "It was wrong. I'm sorry."
"No more sorry's," Zack huskily mumbles, a soft smile making his dimples appear, "Just kiss me, I've missed you."