"I don't know," Anna said softly. "For a long time, I thought I was so stupid for holding onto hope." For a moment she looked down at the grey mat covering the car floor then she looked back up, her brown eyes searching his face. "But look where we are now. You treat me like I am the most amazing girl in the world. And every second with you feels like some sappy romance novel." Zack's chest swells with a warmth that has nothing to do with the morning sun streaming through the windows. The sight of her looking up at him with those hopeful brown eyes– her belief in him so absolute it borders on ridiculous– making something tighten painfully in his throat. "Sappy romance novel?" he repeats with a watery laugh, leaning back against the headrest to compose himself. "You are the one who has been reading chapters from some cheesy fantasy novel where the bad boy eventually learns to appreciate the nice girl." His voice cracks slightly as he gestures between them.
"This is us, Anna. Me being completely fucked up and you loving me anyway. It is not romantic, it is insane." But despite his protests, his hands move to frame her face again, thumbs stroking gently along her cheekbones. The gesture is reverent, worshipful. "So, what does this chapter end with?" he asks quietly. "Us cuddling up in the library somewhere," Anna said playfully. "Me reading a book, you falling asleep on my lap…" Zack's lips part in a slow smile at the domestic image she paints. The idea of simply existing with her– cuddling in a quiet corner while she reads– feels like luxury after years of fighting and tension. "Cuddling sound perfect," he agrees easily, his voice dropping into a lower register. "Especially if it involves you wearing my jersey and looking adorable with your nose buried in some boring textbook." He glances toward the high school building looming ahead.
Students are filtering inside through the automatic doors, but Zack makes no move to start the car again. His attention remains entirely focused on Anna. "But let's be realistic," he adds with a grin. "I fall asleep on your lap maybe twice before you kick me off for snoring too loudly. And then we both get kicked out by the librarian." His hand moves from her hair to rest protectively on her knee just below the fabric of her white skirt. "I will take that change. Come on let's go," Anna said quickly and picked up her take-away cappuccino from the cup holder. She opened the car door and stepped outside, placing the take-away cappuccino on the hood of the car so she can shove plastic wrapped muffin in her purple backpack and swing her purple backpack over her shoulder. She looked toward Zack as she picks up the take-away cappuccino again and asked with a soft smile, "Are you coming?"
Zack stares at Anna for a beat longer than necessary, captivated by the way sunlight catches in her brown hair as she stands beside his car. The simple action of her waiting for him– smiling patiently despite their lateness– feels more significant than any grand declaration. "Yeah," he says finally, his voice carrying a note of quiet resolve. "I am coming." He grabs his own take-away coffee cup from the cupholder and climbs out of the driver's side, stretching briefly to shake off the lingering adrenaline from their emotional conversation. The crisp morning air feels sharper now that they are separated by distance. As they walk toward the high school entrance together, Zack instinctively reaches for her hand, lacing their fingers naturally as if it is something they have done a thousand times before. His thumb brushes against her rhythmically as they cross the parking lot pavement.
Inside the library, there are relatively few students seated by the light wooden tables paired with matching wooden chairs. Anna and Zack walked to the back of the library, past the multiple tall wooden bookshelves arranged in parallel rows and they turned left by the private study rooms and made their way to the corner of the library, where there are several colourful bean bags placed in a circle, overlooking a large window. The floor was covered by red carpet and sections of the wall had shelves of books, with colourful covers that look like their meant for children. Zack follows Anna toward the secluded corner of the library, his hand still securely clasped in hers.
The familiar scent of old paper and dust fills the air, but for once, he barely notices. "Smart choice," he remarks quietly as they approach the bean bag arrangement near the window. "Nobody is going to find up back here unless they are intentionally looking." He set his take-away coffee mug down on a nearby table while Anna places her purple backpack besides a large red bean bag, before settling into the bean bag herself. The natural light from the window casts soft shadows across her features, highlighting the curve of her cheek and the way her wavy brown hair falls around her shoulders. Instead of choosing another bean bag, Zack sits directly on the floor beside her feet, leaning back against her legs. He rests his head comfortably against her lap without hesitation, wrapping one arm around her calves possessively.
Anna carefully placed her take-away cappuccino mug on the other side of the red bean bag, on the floor. Then her hands moved to Zack's shoulders, where she softly massages his muscles. Zack lets out a low groan of pure satisfaction as her fingers begin working the tense knot in his shoulders. His green eyes flutter closed, head settling more heavily into her lap. The combination of her touch and the quiet solitude of their hidden corner create a sense of peace he rarely experiences. "God, that feels incredible," he murmurs against the fabric of her white skirt. "You are going to make me forget why we came her in the first place." His own hands find their way to her ankles, thumbs tracing idle circles over the skin just above where her socks meet. The simple contact sends sparks of warmth through him, grounding him in this moment away from the rest of the world.