Chapter 2

Living with my mom...SUCKS! She doesn't know what the words "personal space" mean. Anytime I've texted Zach this weekend, she's asked who I'm texting. It's none of her damn business. That's what really makes me mad.

 

But it's true. Zach and I have been texting since the day he gave me his phone number. Turns out that all his siblings are adopted. He is also adopted. I find that sad and lucky that he doesn't know his real parents.

 

Well, it was Sunday and I was in my room listening to music and texting Zach. Then guess who walks into my room. Do I need to lock my door from now on? "Hey hunny! Who are you texting?"

 

"Mom, I've told you that I'm texting a friend."

 

"Okay, well we are having a birthday party for Chad." Chad's my mom's boyfriend. His birthday is today and honestly I didn't get him anything. I really don't care about him.

 

"Alright I'll just be in here all night."

 

"Well we were wanting you to come down and be part of the party."

 

"UGGHHH!!!!!"

 

"You can see if your friend wants to come over."

 

"Alright!" Now I was excited. Once she left, I texted Zach about the party. MOM'S HAVING A PARTY 2NIGHT. WANNA COME????

 

WHERE??? He texted back.

 

MOM'S HOUSE. I CAN TEXT YOU THE ADDRESS.

 

KK SURE! Did he really just say that he would come to my lame mom's boyfriend's birthday party just because I asked him to? This was going to be the best night of my life.

 

When he said sure I almost screamed but that would have scared the crap out of Mom. So I just kind of jumped excitedly on my bed. Now I have to find something decent to wear. The only problem with finding something decent to wear at my mom's house is that I don't have anything decent to wear at my mom's house. I pretty much threw out everything that I own. Finally, I found my blood red V-neck tee, my black skinny jeans, and my combat boots. I put my hair up in a sloppy bun, I figured if I couldn't be myself why should I even bother trying?

 

When I came downstairs, my mom was surprised to see that I tried my best to look somewhat decent. "Katie, why are you so excited for this party?" She acted like I never looked nice a day in my life.

 

"My friend is coming. Remember the one I was texting upstairs."

 

She gave me a look like she just found out that I lost my virginity or something. "Does this friend have a name?"

 

I rolled my eyes. "His name is Zach and before you say anything, we are just friends." I never talk about boys with either of my parents. It's none of their business who I like or who I'm dating. That's the reason I tell myself when the reality of it is that there are no boys to really talk about.

 

Just then the doorbell rang. I went to answer it. Everyone that Mom and Chad invited were already here. The only person to come was Zach. For a split second in my mind I worried that he wouldn't come. That I was just imagining things. I took a deep breath and opened the door. He was breathtaking. There has never been a guy in my whole life who I've felt this way about. I was beginning to think that I never would feel this way until Zach pulled up. "Hey Zach! Come on in!"

 

He stepped in the house. I tried not to hold my breath but honestly acting normal around him is physically impossible. He is just too amazing to even attempt it. He had on a dark red, collar shirt, black slacks, and plain black sneakers. Everything about him screamed, "I'm hot and single." I truly didn't even know if he was single or not. I was just kind of hoping.

 

"I'm glad I found the right place. I thought I was lost a little ways down the road." My mom kind of lives in the middle of nowhere. Unless you're looking for her house, there's a good chance that you will get lost.

 

"Yea, after five years of coming here to drop me off, my dad still gets lost too." I'm trying my best to act cool. Again that is really hard to do.

 

Just then my mom came up to us. I just rolled my eyes and whispered to Zach, "Watch out the most annoying mom on the planet is coming toward us." We both laughed. He actually thought I was funny. That was amazing.

 

"Why hello! You must be Zach! I'm Angela. I'm Katie's mom!" I just put my head in my hands. Being around Zach is hard enough, now I have to try to act normal and try to have my mother not scare him off. This night could possibly end in disaster.

 

"Zach, you obviously know now that this is my mom and this is her boyfriend Chad." Zach shook hands with both of them and then, finally, they both walked away.

 

Zach leaned over and whispered to me, "Do you wanna go for a walk?" I couldn't think of anything more exciting and needed. I shook my head and then we walked out the door.

 

"I'm so sorry for my mom. She just loves to make absolutely everything about her. It really annoys me and my dad. I actually think that is one of the reasons they got divorced."

 

"That's okay. Katie, you don't need to apologize for your family. Trust me, I know what it's like to have a crazy family." What could he mean by that? It sounded like he was hiding something. I honestly didn't care really. It just made my night that he was here. He then took my hand and held it. Having his hand in mine was probably the best feeling that I've ever had in my life.

 

"You know, you're the nicest guy I know." I didn't know what amount of time I should wait to start to flirt with a guy so I figured a week was long enough to wait. All I knew was that I liked him a lot.

 

He laughed and said, "I find that hard to believe."

 

I nudged him in the side and said, "No I'm serious! All the guys that I've ever met are jerks to me! It kind of sucks knowing that you don't fit in like everyone thinks that you should."

 

"Katie you have to know that they are jerks to the wrong person. In fact, I don't even know why anyone would want to be a jerk to you. Within the past week, I've gotten to know you and find out that you're the prettiest, smartest, funniest, and kindest person I know." I was taken aback. I couldn't believe that someone like him would say that about someone like me.

 

Ever since I was a little kid, I always dreamed about growing up and finding someone who I felt this way about. I never thought that I would because most of the guys who live in my town are the complete opposite from me or vice versa. It kind of sucks. There was an awkward period of silence. I wasn't sure what else I should say. I didn't want to just stop the conversation because it was going so well. There has been something that I've wondered since we've met. "What made you come up and talk to me your first day?"

 

He took a minute to answer. It seemed as though he didn't even know how to answer. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know. You kind of stuck out to me as someone I could get along with." I gave him a huge smile. I had no idea that he would say that. It got awkwardly silent again. It also took me a few minutes to realize that he was still holding my hand! As we were walking farther away from my mom's house Zach asked me, "Won't your mom wonder where we went?"

 

I laughed and shook my head. "Nope. Once right after their divorce, I ran away for three days without my mom or my dad knowing where I was." I actually did this. I was kind of proud of myself that I could hid from my parents for so long. Every time I thought about it, it made me laugh.

 

He laughed and asked, "Where did you go?" I laughed to myself. I actually went to the park but I was afraid he would think that it was stupid. I didn't know what to say. "Come on, tell me where you went!"

 

"Okay okay! I went to the park." This time we both laughed so hard that my stomach hurt.

 

Zach looked at me after we calmed down and said, "Do you know what will make this walk complete?"

 

I looked at him with a skeptical look. "What?"

 

He smiled at me. I was really nervous that he was going to do something that I didn't want him to do. He didn't say anything. He looked at me. He pulled me into him. Even though I was scared a little bit, I've actually never felt safer anywhere else than I did when he put his arms around me. The he leaned into me. I actually didn't think that this was going to happen. He then kissed me. You know in movies when they say your first kiss makes you feel like there are fireworks going off? Well, it feels that way right now. I loved it.

 

After it was over, I was speechless. "Katie?" I didn't say anything. I just stood there smiling like an idiot. "Katie, are you okay? I know I probably shouldn't of-"

 

"No!" I interrupted him. I didn't want him to think that I didn't like it when in reality it was amazing. "I liked it." I smiled and pulled him in for another kiss. As we were standing there, I got a text from my phone. I let out a sigh and looked at it. Of course it was from my mom.

 

WHERE R U???

 

I laughed, kissed Zach, and said, "We probably better get back."