Clumsy Little Heart

The next morning finds Zack back at the North Shore Animal League. Somehow, he managed to convince himself that this is the right idea. The thought that Martin might not be volunteering today doesn't cross Zack's mind until he's standing in front of a cage with a six month old puppy sleeping inside. This is where he met Martin yesterday. Maybe he only volunteers one or two days a week? Or maybe he volunteers Monday through Friday and keeps Saturday and Sunday to himself? Or maybe -

"What are you doing back here? Thinking about making an adoption of your own?"

Zack freezes, biting his lower lip. Okay. So Martin's here today. Now what? Zack didn't exactly plan out what he was going to say.

"Or, are you more interested in adopting a cat, maybe?"

When Zack finally turns around, he finds himself face to face with Martin, who's smiling at him just as he was yesterday when they first met. He's wearing a different color t-shirt today, with a pair of grey jeans and blue converse on his feet. His hair is much less styled today, slightly covering his eyes. "You look surprised to see me," he points out with a laugh.

"Sorry," Zack apologizes, thankful again that he doesn't blush. "I um. Wasn't expecting you to be right behind me, that's all."

Martin shrugs and reaches past Zack to unlock the cage behind him. He lifts the furry black and white puppy up and out and into his arms, hands keeping a tight hold on it. "Sunshine here is my favorite puppy in this room. I'm not sure why nobody's wanted to adopt her yet but I'm guessing it's only a matter of time."

"She's pretty cute," Zack says, reaching out and scratching behind its ears. "I'd take her, but my parents would kill me if I brought a dog home."

"I've already got two dogs that I can barely handle so I can't take her either," Martin says, sounding sad about that fact. "I have a half hour break right now. Wanna join me?"

Zack doesn't bother asking what exactly he's joining Martin for before quickly saying yes and shoving his hands into his pocket. The grin that Martin gives him tells him that coming here today was definitely the right decision.

Martin doesn't put the dog away, just walks towards the door and motions for Zack to follow him. And Zack does, following quickly and closely behind, all the way across the building to another set of doors. He holds the door open for Zack, and Zack steps inside, finding himself in one of the few penned in areas where the animals can be let lose to interact with.

"I figure since a half hour isn't enough time to go out for lunch, I usually just come over here and play with Sunshine and chill out until my presence is needed again," Martin explains. Putting the puppy down on the floor and quickly following it, crossing his legs underneath him and looking up at Zack. "Better than just sitting around and doing nothing, I guess."

Zack hums in agreement and sits down on the floor across from him. The puppy is pushing a small rubber ball around on the floor, clearly happy to get of her cage for a few minutes. "I would do the same thing."

"So, why'd you really come back today, if it's not to adopt a cat or dog?"

There's a hint of a knowing smile on Martin's face. He already knows the real reason that Zack is here, he just wants to hear it from him.

So Zack shifts, doing his best to keep himself from looking too embarrassed, and opts to go with the truth. "I guess I kind of wanted to talk to you again."

And as it turns out, going with the truth was one of his better ideas, because Martin smiles even more. "Honestly, I wanted to talk to you again too."

It's easy to talk to Martin, Zack learns quickly. He's talkative and volunteers information about himself easily. Over the time span of fifteen minutes, Zack has learned that Martin volunteers at the shelter every day during the week from ten to two and he also works at CVS two or three nights a week from seven until eleven.

"I live with my best friend Jack. We rent a house about a half hour from here in Freeport. He works at the community college in the biology labs. He's a huge science nerd," Martin says, rolling the ball across the floor for the puppy to chase.

"It must be fun, living with your best friend. I'm going to be rooming with mine at Pace University once August comes around."

"Yeah I mean, we get along really well so it works. Do you know what you're going to major in yet?"

Zack nods and sighs, "Yeah, I'm going to be a business major. My dad's an accountant so he kind of wants me to go into the same sort of field eventually."

"Well...is that what you want to do?"

Zack swallows. Nobody's ever asked him that before. His parents have always just assumed that he'd follow in their footsteps, never asking Zack outright what he wanted to do. And Zack has never bothered to try and convince them otherwise. "I don't really know what else I'd do," he finally says after a few moments of silence.

Martin nods, "Well, you have a whole summer to really figure that out I guess."

"Yeah...yeah I guess so."

By the time Martin's break is over, Zack has learned a few things about him, including that he really loves the band Green Day and he's been best friends with Jack for five years. And the best part about the whole thing? Martin gives him his number.

"Text me or call me tomorrow? Maybe we can hang out, or something. I don't volunteer or work on weekends so I'll be free."

"Yeah definitely," Zack agrees, pushing his phone back into his front pocket. "I'll be around all day, so."

"Awesome. I'm glad I got to see you today. I was kicking myself for not giving you my number yesterday, if I'm honest."

And now, Zack is blushing. He feels the heat creep up his face and he knows he needs to get out of there before he embarrasses himself further. "Okay, so I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Martin nods, waving as Zack backs away.

He doesn't really want to leave, but he knows he has to. He can't be a distraction to Martin while he's working. But, as surprising as it is, he's leaving with Martin's number in his phone and the promise of hanging out the next day.

*

"How do we know this is his actual number?" John asks, flinging Zack's cell phone across his mattress. It thankfully stops just before it falls over the edge. "What if he just gave you the number for the reject hotline?"

"Wow, John, can you stop being so damn optimistic for Zack?" Sierra snaps, rolling her eyes. She crosses her legs and shifts in her seat in John's computer chair, reaching for the cell phone. "Your negativity makes me want to drown myself sometimes."

Zack shrugs to himself, watching her push the buttons on his phone. "What are you doing?"

She smiles and pulls out her own phone, dialing a number. "Proving to your best friend that you are fully capable of getting a real number from someone."

"I never said he wasn't capable!" John protests but Sierra ignores him and puts her phone on speaker.

It rings twice, before a guy picks up and Sierra grins.

"Hello?"

"Oh hi, I just wanted to order a pizza? For delivery?" Sierra says sweetly, adding an unnecessary southern accent on.

"Uh...sorry but I think you have the wrong number..."

Now, it's more than obvious to Zack that the voice belongs to Martin. He can tell, simply by the sound of his voice and that should probably be concerning. But he shakes it off.

"I do? Who is this?"

"Um. My name's Martin, this isn't-"

And with that, Sierra ends the call and crosses her arms over her chest. "Well there you go. Now that we've decided it's actually really Martin's number, let's figure out what to do next."

Zack sighs and falls back against John's pillows. He came here right after dinner with his family and Sierra, who happens to live just across the street, joined him. He explained what he was up to earlier that afternoon and Sierra was excited while John was skeptical. Zack doesn't totally blame him - he's just looking out for his friend.

"Listen, I'm not saying Zack isn't capable of getting a guys number. I am saying that we don't know Martin from a hole in the wall. He could be an asshole!"

Sierra sighs dramatically, throwing her head back and staring at the ceiling. She says, "I understand that Zack is a precious, fragile little flower after the douche bag Saporta broke his heart. However, I feel it's best if we let him make his own judgments about the guys he's interested in."

Zack tries to protest, "I'm not a fragile flower-"

Sierra is quick to shake her head and reach out and take his hand with a sympathetic smile. "Zack, baby, yes you are but it's okay."

"Fine," John says, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I'll ignore the bad feeling I have about the guy and keep my thoughts to myself. Zack, call the guy tomorrow and ask him out. I guess...what do you have to lose?"

And that's exactly what Zack has been thinking since he got Martin's number. He has nothing to lose. He doesn't know Martin very much at all, aside from the fact that he volunteers at an animal shelter, lives with his best friend and is the nicest guy Zack's met in a long time. If it goes badly, what's the worst that could happen?