Page 107 of Spring Awakening

“Yeah, yeah, but like, personal stuff?”

“Oh, yeah. Whatever you want, honey.”

“’Ight.”

It’s quiet for a moment, and she feels him keep looking at her. “What?” she says with a laugh.

He raises his eyebrows a couple times. “I posted something.”

“Do you want me to look?”

Zach shrugs. “If you hate me, just say that.”

Mali stops him in the middle of the pavement. They only made it about twelve steps from where they stopped the last time. She wonders if anyone can see them from their house. She pulls her phone out from her purse, and Zach watches her the whole time. He bounces on his feet, and she’s already excited to see the photo of Buffy. Then, when she gets there, it’s her. Ten photos of her. Photos she never knew he’d taken. Her face isn’t in them, and her hair changes colour most of the time, but it’s her. Photos of her hiding behind her work laptop. Photos of her in the stands while Zach’s at training. Photos of her in the garden. Photos of her. For everyone to see.

The caption reads: “The brightest part of my life. - Shakespeare, probably.”

“It’s me.”

Zach hums. “It’s a soft launch, whatever the fuck that means, but Frankie told me you’d be proud of me.”

She sniffs, and Zach wipes away a tear before it can even touch her cheek. “I am very proud of you.”

“I just wanna show you off all the time,” he says, with a shrug. “But I can’t post you fully because I haven’t even asked you to be my girlfriend yet.”

She laughs. “Why haven’t you?”

“It needs to be romantic, and it’s not even raining, Mal.”

Mali laughs harder, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You are the most romantic person I know.” She moves to kiss him, but he pulls back.

“Wait,” he says, and he pulls her into the corner shop. It’s the only place in town that opens as late as the bar. God forbid people don’t have access to milk at midnight. Zach grabs a water bottle and a packet of fruit pastels, and Mali frowns as they head to the counter. Then she sees the pineapple Fanta and grabs a can. Corner shops always have the most random items; they truly are a treasure. The cashier puts his crossword down, but he doesn’t look happy about it.

He frowns, scanning the items. “Aren’t you Zachariah Azan?”

Zach looks up at him. “Yeah.”

“You gonna get us to the prem this year or what?”

Mali laughs, her hand still securely in his. “Hopefully,” Zach replies. “You gonna come watch?”

“Yeah.” Then he looks at Mali. “This your bird?”

Mali smiles, and Zach pulls her closer. “Yeah.”

“Tight. Two eighty-eight.”

Zach taps his phone, and they leave. He won’t tell her anything until they’re by the river, so she spends the next three minutes giggling every time he tries to make them walk faster.

When they get to their bench, Zach makes her stand on the path, and he goes to place his phone down. She wonders if he’s going to ask her to be his girlfriend right here. She’d say yes, of course. He positions her a few times and then grabs his water bottle, pulling the stopper up. “Hold this, and when I say let go, you gotta throw your arms up and squeeze it.”

She frowns. “We’ll get wet.”

He smiles. “Trust me?”

“Yes.”

Zach does something on his phone, and then he picks her up, spinning them around a few times. She looks at him, the smile on his face, and she kisses him. He spins them around faster, and she squeals. “Go, baby!”

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