"Is that Taylor's hoodie?" Zac asks, a curious look on his face.
Shit. She didn't think any of the guys would notice.
"Yeah, I borrowed it from him. It's a little big on me," Hayley replies, her cheeks burning red.
"I can see that," Zac says, chuckling slightly.
Hayley looks down at herself and tugs at the hem of the blue oversized hoodie. She can feel her cheeks burn even more. She had snagged it during the last tour stop when she found herself out of clean clothes.
It is a worn, comforting embrace of soft fabric, carrying the faint scent of Taylor's cologne. It was a spontaneous decision, but now, under Zac's curious gaze, she wishes she had chosen differently.
Zac turns to Hayley with a playful smile before making his way to the kitchen area of the bus. "You know, if you want to borrow my clothes too, I wouldn't mind," he says, opening the fridge and taking a hot pocket out of it.
Hayley's eyes widen in surprise as she looks up at him. "What?"
Zac shrugs, heating up the burrito on the microwave. "I mean, we're all friends here. Why stick to just Taylor's clothes?"
Hayley frowns, feeling a bit caught off guard by Zac's suggestion. She fumbles with her words, "Well, um, you see, it's not just about the clothes. Taylor's stuff is just, uh, you know, clean. And, uh, you guys' stuff is... Well, a bit on the smelly side."
Zac scoffs, "On the smelly side? Really? he asks, "Well, I'll have you know, my clothes are not smelly. I pride myself on good hygiene!"
Hayley laughs, "No, no, I know, Z! It's just, um, Taylor is really particular about cleanliness, and, you know, his clothes are always so... fresh."
Zac smirks, "Always fresh, huh? Well, I'll have to step up my laundry game, then."
Hayley grins, relieved that Zac didn't tease her too much about it, like Josh had done last time she took something out of Taylor's wardrobe. The embarrassment from that moment lingered in her memory, even though Zac was correct – they were all friends there.
As Zac retreats to his bunker, snack in hand, Hayley's mind swirls with confusion. She realizes she doesn't fully understand why she always gravitates towards Taylor's clothes, just that there's something about his scent that feels oddly comforting. She bites her lip, contemplating the complexity of her feelings for the curly-haired boy, for the first time since he joined them on the road.
***
a/n:
wrote it yesterday technically, but only remembered to post it today. still counts.