Now I panic?

Kortney's POV

"Zach no! Absolutely not. I refuse. You're going to have to drag me onto that... that thing."

Zach grins, gripping my arm. "I'd happily do exactly that. Just once, Kortney. Once, and I won't make you get on anything else if you don't want to. Please?"

His smile is seriously catching me off guard. It's getting hard to say no. Unlike his brother, he apparently came dressed down. He's wearing a white t-shirt under a black leather jacket, with plain black jeans. But on him, it's like he's wearing all designer clothing. And he has on some sort of cologne that's making me take very deep breaths to smell more of it.

After we left the party, Zach got us a taxi and actually blindfolded me, until we arrived. When I pulled it off, I was greeted by hundreds of thousands of carnival lights. I didn't even know that they had carnivals in Cali.

I shiver slightly, then try to cover it up. It's chilly, but I don't plan on Zach knowing that i'm-

His jacket is over my shoulders almost instantly, making me jump in surprise.

"Nice try, but I'm watching you very closely right now. I don't want you sick on my watch. Now come on."

Still stunned, I follow after him, clutching his jacket to around me, and slide my arms into the sleeves. It hangs off my shoulders loosely, reaching down to mid-thigh on me. It smells like his cologne, and I resist the urge to press the fabric to my nose and just breathe it in.

He's taking me up to my biggest fear. You know that ride, that's hundreds of feet tall, and it takes you up slowly, before dropping you like a sack of bricks? That's the one. I don't even like to look at it, let alone ride it.

"Zach... this really isn't a good idea... I just had dinner before we came to the party and... i'm wearing really expensive clothes right now so..."

He doesn't pause in stride, actually walking a bit faster. "You wont throw up, Kortney."

"Can you see the future? If not, you might not want to say that."

Finally, we reach the ride, and Zach practically pushes me down into a seat(he has to, because i'm busy trying to escape), and secures the restraints around me. Then he takes a seat next to me. We start to rise almost instantly.

I feel all the blood drain from my face in absolute terror. I feel Zach's eyes on me, and turn to him. He gives a reassuring smile. "Just relax. It'll be fun."

And for a second, I believe him, and as we reach the top, I marvel at the scene below us, all the people and side carts...

Then we drop.

.....................................................................

I rest on the couch, my head in Zach's lap, my eyes closed. He gently massages my temples with his fingers.

Josh is still laughing at me, sitting across from us on the other sofa with a beer.

After Zach and I had gotten off that demon ride, I had promptly-as I had warned- thrown up. Twice. Luckily though, both times I had made it to a trash can in time, and didn't get any on myself, or Zach.

I had to lean on Zach a bit for the walk over the small bridge, because I was still wobbly on my feet from the shock of the ride. I hadn't minded though- Zach had to put his arm around my shoulders to support me, giving me a good smell of his cologne.

We'd then gotten a taxi to his house(now my house too), and I had went to brush my teeth. Then we wound up here, in the living room, in this position, though I don't remember how.

Josh showed up a few minutes later, with beer, and Zach just had to tell him what happened. And Josh hasn't stopped laughing since.

"You should know not to take a girl on that ride, Zach. What were you thinking?" He says this in short bursts between his laughing.

Zach is obviously trying not to smile too. "I wanted to see if she could take it. Guess she... couldn't." He chuckles now, and I sit up, utterly embarrassed.

He pulls me back into him, my back against his chest. "I'm sorry. It's not funny."

"It's not funny," I mumble, burying my face in my arms. "I tried to tell you."

Josh finally goes somber, looking at us in amazement. "Don't move, you two. I'll be right back."

Confused, Zach and I stay frozen, not moving an inch.

Josh runs back in the room with a camera, and Zach and I look at it blankly. He snaps a picture just like that.

"Now smile."

I look up at Zach, and he looks down at me. Neither of us knows what's going on. The camera flashes again.

"That was even better. Now kiss her, Zach."

At this, Zach's face flushes, and he looks at his brother. "What in the world are you trying to do? I'm not going to kiss her in front of a camera."

Josh grins, snapping another picture. "I knew that. I was trying to get you looking annoyed. As for what i'm doing..."

He walks over, holding out the camera to me. I take it, looking at the screen on the back.

It shows Zach and I... but it somehow looks... really... intimate. We're looking at each other, like we're not paying attention to anything else. It's a really good picture.

"You guys just looked really good together. I thought i'd get some pictures." Josh walks back to his seat, leaving the camera with us.

I smile. "Thank you. You're actually a good photographer."

He shrugs. "That's what I went to school for. Photography. But it turned out to be not for me. I still like to take pictures though."

My cell rings suddenly, and I jump, before scrambling to reach my purse. Zach leans over me, grabbing it for me, and hands it to me.

I smile at him, before pulling out my phone.

"Hello?"

"Kortney darling, where you and Zach run off to?" Mom sounds half suspicious, and half excited.

I hide my smile from Zach, ducking my head. "We're at his house. don't worry though! Josh is here too, so..."

"Alright then dear. Your father and I are heading home. We'll see you later okay? Be nice to him."

I hang up, not saying goodbye. I know she just wants to make sure things work out with us, but she could show some concern for me too...

Zach's arms tighten around me. "You okay?"

I nod, yawning. "I'm just tired. I'm gonna head up to bed."

He stares at me, silent for awhile, before leaning down, and kissing me on the edge of my mouth. "Goodnight."

I don't answer at first, standing up, and making my way to the stairs. Will he even remember tonight by tomorrow? Does he really care?

I look back, to see his eyes still on me. I can only hope so.

"Goodnight Zach."