Thinking of You

Zack’s Perspective

It’d been weeks and still nothing. I was slowly getting accustomed to being single again. I don’t know why, but one Friday night, I chose to go out to eat alone at a little restaurant named Benny’s.

As lame as it is, I valued my alone time. I think it’s okay to go out to dinner or to a movie alone, if you have no one else to go with, or even just if you feel like getting away from people. People think that just because I’m a moderately successful musician, that I want to be surrounded by people at all times. Alex, Jack, and even Rian are like that, but for me, nothing’s changed. I’d still rather be around a small group of people and have it be intimate than be swarmed by a large group of people whose names I could never learn.

As I sat at the table alone, waiting for the waitress to come around with my drink, I glanced around the restaurant. There were families, teenagers on dates, older couples, and…..Arianne?!

I did a double take. I swear if I’d had my drink, I’d have choked on it. I couldn’t believe she was here, that I could just walk up to her and talk to her and all my problems would be solved. I slowly rose from the booth until I stopped dead in my tracks. I’d looked again and I saw a guy with her. A rather attractive guy. A guy whose joke she was laughing at.

I put a ten on the table to cover my drink and stormed out. As soon as I was out of the restaurant, I called Alex.

“Hey man, what’s up?” he asked when he picked up.

“I’m coming over,” I said simply and hung up, getting into the car and driving off as fast as I possibly could.

It was official, I was done pining after Arianne.

--

Arianne’s Perspective

Although the date had gone really well and Aaron was really kind and cute, I stopped returning his calls and texts and he soon got the hint and stopped trying.

I know it’s stupid to blow any chance I have at moving on, but I couldn’t let Zack go.

I spent the next few days at Cora’s house. We’d do that sometimes, go over each other’s houses and have sleepovers. And since I quit at The Greene Turtle, I could stay as long as I wanted. Currently we were curled up under her big blanket, drinking big mugs of coffee, watching MTV.

“Next up: Backseat Serenade by All Time Low, followed by an interview with the band,” the female announcer said.

“Oh, I love them!” Cora gushed.

The video was odd, with alternating scenes of the band members running around in animal suits and then performance shots, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

And one of the band members looked strikingly familiar.

“Hey Cor, who’s that?” I asked, pointing to the right side of the screen.

“Oh that’s Zack, the bassist,” she told me.

Okay, that meant nothing. The lighting in the performance shots was dim, so it could’ve just been a trick of the light and wishful thinking. Plus, Zack was a common name.

The video finished and then they showed an interview with the band. Butterflies filled my stomach when I saw Zack on my screen, along with three other guys and the female interviewer. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, so I just sat and watched.

“Hi everyone, I’m here with the band All Time Low. Now let’s go around and tell everyone your name and what you do in the band,” the interviewer said.

“I’m Alex and I sing and play guitar,” one said.

“I’m Jack and I play guitar,” another said.

“I’m Zack and I play bass.” At that, I choked on my coffee, coughing and sputtering. It was Zack.

Cora thumped me on the back and I finally stopped coughing.

“What’s up?” she asked.

“That-that guy-that’s Zack!” I stammered.

"Yeah I know, I just told you," she replied sarcastically.

"No that's my Zack!" I said more urgently.

“What? Oh my god!” she squealed.

“I know!”

“Give me your phone!” she commanded.

“What?” I asked.

“Gimme!” she cried.

I tossed her my iPhone. She did something and then handed it back to me.

“Okay, now you’re following him on Twitter. It’s only a matter of time.” She grinned.

"Well he has tons of followers. How will he know that it's me?" I asked.

"Oh please. Your name is in your display. He'll figure it out."

"You're right." I nodded.

Notes

Title: Catch My Breath, Kelly Clarkson

Oh dang!

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xoxo

Hayley