Just One of the Boys

Zack’s POV

I’m beginning to understand why girls hate us guys so much. I mean, take me for example. Here I am blackmailing a girl just so that I can get a date with her best friend, whom I only know by ‘hot redhead friend’. How pathetic is that? I mean, even I wouldn’t date someone like that! Wait, I take that back. If the girl was hot, you betcha I’d date her! But what can I say, I'm a guy!

“Honestly, a blind date? With the boy blackmailing you? Holly, are you completely RETARDED!” I heard Holly’s friend shout as I stood on the front porch. My finger was frozen on the doorbell. I just couldn’t ring the damn bell.

“I will never ask another thing of you, Claudia, I promise,” Holly begged. Claudia, so that’s her name. I love it.

“But seriously, Zack? Why couldn’t you have let Jack see you?” I heard the girl sigh. Panic started to wash over me like a tide. Oh crap, what I am going to do?

“Because, if Jack had seen me that I’d end up being plastered over billboards and living in my closet until I was seventy-nine just to escape the paparazzi,” Holly replied, her voice getting closer. “Where the hell is he?”

I started stumbling to move backwards, but my finger caught on the button and I heard a faint chiming noise echo through the house.

“I’LL GET IT!” I heard them scream, wrestling noises seeping through the door.

“Holly-!”

“No, I’m getting it!”

“Stop it, it’s my date!”

“Which you don’t really want to go on, so let me get the door!”

“Shut up, he might hear you! Just let me get the door!” Something fell over, before what I took to be two bodies slammed into the wood. “Ouch, my spleen!” A burst of laughter echoed through the door before it was muffled into an awkward silence.

“You owe me,” I heard Claudia sigh.

“I promise I’ll get Johnny Depp’s real signature for you, okay?” I heard Holly reply. “Now please, save my butt and go date Zack.”

The door opened abruptly, and I was suddenly face to face with the redheaded girl from the coffee shop. Her short hair had been teased and bobby-pinned back, while her bright blue eyes were gently rimmed with kohl, her lips lightly glossed. Her slightly tanned skin glowed in the porch light, the gentle scattering of freckles standing out. She wore a lacy white summer dress and white leather flip-flops on her tiny feet. WOW

Claudia shoved passed me, headed for the car. She opened the door and slammed it, her arms crossed and her faced pouted. Shame burned across my face, but I ignored it. “Deal’s a deal,Henry Holly,” I shrugged. “Secret’s safe with me.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Holly snapped, arms crossed over her chest. “I’m warning you, you break her heart or do anything to piss her off any more than she already is, and I’ll break your face. I promise you, Zack. Your face will be nothing more than a memory by the time I’m done beating you up.” As stupid as it sounds, I gulped and nodded my head rapidly. “Go, before Claudia runs away.” After an awkward shuffle, I bent over and wrapped my arms around her shoulders before running to my car, jumping in, and starting the engine.

“I hate you, just so you know,” Claudia informed me, her face pinched and lips pursed. “I hate you on principle, and those feelings will not change.” Shit.

Worst. Date. Of. My. Life. Claudia barely spoke three words to me after that riveting conversation in the car. She spent the whole night glaring at me, as well as muttering under her breath about how stupid it was for her to agree to going out with me. She only spoke when ordering her food and thanking the waitress. Finally, after driving her home and nearly dying from the awkward, chillingly cold silence, I snapped.

“Listen,” I snapped, parking my car in her driveway. “I get it. You think I’m some asshole that’s going to rat out Henry—I mean Holly. But here’s the deal, I’m not gonna. I would never do something like that to a friend, period. And the reason why I said I would? It was because I saw you and her talking outside Starbucks, and I wanted to meet you, but I had no balls to do so. So you know what? Hate me, go ahead. Despise my guts, wish for me to die. But don’t you dare even dream that I would do something like that to Holly. I have better morals than that! I’m sorry you were forced onto this date with me, I’m sorry that you think some jerk. But the truth is, Claudia? I really like you. I could tell from you talking to Holly that you’re smart and real and funny and witty and clever, not just a pretty face! So why can’t you--!”

My words were cut off by Claudia forcing my face to face hers, leaning in, and pressing her lips to mine. I swear to god, my heart was beating like a snare drum by the time she had pulled away, a grin on her face.

“See you tomorrow, Zack?” she asked, unbuckling her seat belt. “Oh, and thanks for the date, even though it was awkward as hell.” With those words being said, she climbed from the car, gently shut the door, and jogged up to her house, leaving me still leaning in with my eyes closed.

“And he’s still got it!” I crowed, opening my eyes and smacking the steering wheel. I dance all the back to my dorms, flying on fricking cloud nine. Remind me to blackmail Holly more often...