I'm a Walking Travesty

[ZACK'S POV]

For a few months now, I've tried to get Mia's attention. I mean sure, she's my best friend and when I'd call her, she'd give me a portion of her time. It wasn't that hard to capture that kind of attention but it wasn't the one I was yearning for.

When I saw her that day I came back after I heard about what happened to that guy she thought she loved, I knew that something had changed. 

At first, I was clueless. I had no idea what it was that was different because everything still felt the same. But she looked so vulnerable and fragile and that got me worried and protective and it wasn't that protectiveness I was already feeling. I felt protective but not in a brotherly way like I'm used to but in that more than friends kind of way. 

I was scared for a while but when I let the feeling take over me, the situation started to be a lot easier. The weight on my shoulders felt lighter. Everything was going alright but then Ryan had to barge in and ruin everything. I got angry and senseless and she and I grew apart once again. Luckily though that thing she had with Ryan was just a phase. 

Last night, I got the chance to fill up that gap that set us apart and it went well surprisingly. I kissed her and she didn't push me away like I expected her to. 

I thought about how her lips felt against mine -- all smooth and soft -- as I walked up the porch. I went on my usual morning jog and I think I went farther than I did yesterday. 

"Good morning," I heard Peter greet smugly as I walked to the kitchen. 

Mia wad sitting on a stool by the island as she ate her morning cereal. Her head perked up as soon as she heard the greeting and then our eyes connected. I smiled at her as she looked back at her cereal blushing. 

"Morning," I greeted Peter suddenly out of breath. God, I swear feeling like this makes me all cheesy.

I went over to the refrigerator a little quicker than usual. I was trying to hide the awkwardness I was feeling. Peter just laughed before exiting the room leaving the two of us alone.

Once we were alone, I asked, "So how was the rest of your sleep?"

"Better," she said swallowing her cereal before taking a sip from her glass that was filled with orange juice. 

"No more bad dreams?" I asked taking the seat beside her which got her a little startled. 

"Um, no." She seemed really careful like she was walking on eggshells. What was she so afraid of?

"Are you alright?" I asked her placing a hand on her free arm. She almost jerked her arm away but her self-control kept her from doing so.

"Yeah, I'm totally fine," she lied getting up and placing her bowl in the sink. She turned the faucet on and let the water rinse the milk that was left on the bowl.

What did I do now? What could possibly have happened in the last six hours or so that changed her mind about me? But more importantly, should I do something about it? 

I can't believe she's lying right in my face. Doesn't she know that I can see right through her? I mean after all these years can't she tell that lying to me is like holding her breath under the water for a whole day? 

[MIA'S POV]

Last night, when Zack left, I cried even more. I thought about what I was doing and thought about one word to describe it all: wrong. I mean sure, I thought about him more than I was supposed to this past week but am I really supposed to jump into this without thinking a few steps ahead? What am I supposed to do if it turned out all wrong? Is Zack going to be my best friend if something doesn't go right? 

Before Zack came in this morning, Peter talked to me. I told him about what happened last night since apparently I was louder than I thought. He said he saw Zack holding me tightly in his arms. He wanted to jump in but he didn't want to ruin the scene that he said was bound to unfold so instead, he just went to bed.

"So what happened after that?" he asked leaning on the counter right across me. 

"Okay, I'm not gonna prolong your agony," I told him as he straightened up and lifted an eyebrow. "We kissed last night," 

And just like that, Zack came in the kitchen and Peter greeted him. A few seconds later, Zack took the seat beside me and then we started conversating. 

I felt scared and anxious as he spoke to me. It was as if he was this stranger who randomly came up to me and started talking. 

"What did I do now?" he asked as I rinsed the bowl I used to eat my cereal. 

"Um, it's not you," I said grabbing the soap but then I heard Zack get up and I got even more scared. 

"Hey, you can tell me what's wrong, you know," he said twisting me around and cupping my face in his hands.

"I don't want to hurt you, Zack," I started but he just looked perplexed. 

"You could never hurt me," he assured me as he turned the faucet off. He rubbed his thumb smoothly on my cheek comfortingly as he tried to look me in the eye.

"You don't know that," I told him placing my hands on his wrists trying to pry them off of my face but they wouldn't budge.

"Yes, I do," he said smiling to the side, "I've known you for so long and I know what you're capable of and none of which are capable of hurting me. I'm indestructible, remember?" 

I had to laugh at that. If only he reassured me like this while I was with Eric, we wouldn't have grown apart. 

"I don't know-"

"Say no more," Zack said getting even closer. "I love you, Mia and nothing will ever change that."

Those words were thrown around so much before between us two but when he spoke the words, they seemed so different that it was obvious that he didn't mean it as just a brother. 

"I love you too," I said trying to smile without breaking but I couldn't. Luckily, he didn't seem to care.

He closed the gap between us once more as I let the butterflies eat me whole. I just hoped I was doing the right thing. I don't need another mistake that would most likely separate us. I didn't need that mistake.