For weeks, Leah had been gushing over her new boyfriend, hook up, partner? Whatever, her new special friend was certainly the only subject she was able to talk about. From how fancy his cars were to how big his home was. It was only ever him, only she had yet to disclose a name or a photo..

"When will I finally meet this unicorn?" I ask her as she rushes around her bedroom, tugging on clothes.

"Soon, I promise." She vows. "What about this?"

She pauses enough time for me to point out the wine stain, leaving her to tug it off the throw it in the direction of the trash can.

"We can salvage that dress." I tell her, but she's in too much of a flap to hear me.

I'm currently laying on her bed, on my front using my elbows to hold my head up, watching her. My source of entertainment. I had offered to help but she almost bit my head off and demanded that I sat on the bed and helped find the right outfit instead. I can do that..

"Where are you goin'?"

"I don't know. He didn't say."

I frown "Would kinda help, especially with outfit planning. Try the red dress.."

She responds with an exasperated sound before the dress is tore from its hanger.

"What time is he coming to get you?"

"10 minutes ago!" She shouts from the wardrobe.

"Time keeping isn't great.." I mutter quietly.

"Well lucky for me!" Obviously it wasn't quiet enough.

When Leah stomps back out and looks in the mirror, I see her face shift. "Nope! Nope! No!"

I lift a brow as she goes back inside the wardrobe to demolish the rest of the clothes inside.

Another few minutes pass and after a scream (because almost every girl does it) , she storms back out and heads for my room. I roll my eyes and get up to follow after her.

I had offered my clothes over 45 minutes ago, but Leah is stubborn and won't admit that I do have the better clothes.

"Try the black dress, side slit." I tell her, picking up my phone to check social media.

"Shoes?!"

Because she owns nothing, clearly.

"Strappy black pair. Third shelf." I say as I enter my room. There's a few crashes and thumps before she comes out holding the dress. "Dress before shoes."

"Well it's not working out so great. Is it?" She huffs, taking it off the hanger. A piece of me is glad that she hasn't yanked it off the hanger.

When the doorbell chimes, we both freeze and trade looks.

"Shit. Shit! That's him!" She hisses.

"Chill, I'll get it. You focus on getting dressed. Okay?"

"But-"

"On the way!" I sing as the door goes again.

I'm typing out a message of congratulations to a friend on her gender reveal when I open the door.

"She's running a little late." I answer, hitting send on the message.

When I look up, I freeze.

"Hey Belle.."

My heart does a skip, my stomach goes into a fit of flapping butterflies as I stare at the guest. I can feel my face getting warmer and my heart trying to recover from the sudden change. But nothing could have prepared me for this.

Seeing him.

Seeing him after all this time.

Looking so perfect, whilst I stand opposite him looking like a thrift store reject with colour blindness.

This can't be... Surely this isn't Leah's..

"You look good."

Really? You look fucking incredible.

The sudden deep laugh makes me jump and I clutch my phone tighter in my hand, almost enough to crack the screen.

"Thanks." He smiles lifting his hand to fix his hair. Freakin' hell, I said that out loud!

I don't miss his chest puff out a little, like a pigeon trying to woo another. My back straightens in response, whatever is happening, whatever tension we have just created. It needs to stop. Now. Before Leah comes out.

"I uh- come in. I guess."

Zak smiles and steps into the apartment, looking down at me as he passes. There's no doubt that he heard my gulp, or the sigh that came after that, at the smell of his cologne.

Stop it Belle. It was a long time ago now, put the feelings away. The past should stay in the past. It needs to stay in the past!

"How uh, how is the show going?" I ask, heading for the kitchen as my escape.

"Brilliant, we are hitting our 22nd season."

"Woah, that's incredible. Do you want a drink?" I ask, fiddling with the cups, trying to ignore the pressure in the air.

"No thank you."

"Cool."

"Belle.." Zak speaks when a silence fills the air.

"She won't be much longer." I answer quickly.

"I wasn't going to ask- Look at me."

The demand in his tone makes me bite the inside of my lip, defiance threatening to take a stand, but I don't. Knowing how stubborn he used to be in return. Looking over, I find him with his head tilted, staring at me.

"Belle." He repeats, putting a little french accent onto my name. Like he used to do, when he found out that the name meaning behind Belle meant beautiful in french.

It takes me back to a time where we were inseparable, crazy and lovingly sick to each other.

"Please don't." I whisper back.

"Why?"

"You know why." I bite before grabbing the surface wipes.

"You still clean when you're nervous?"

I shoot him a look as I slap one onto the side. I hate that he remembers that..

"Belle, I know it's wrong to say it. But I'm going to. I've missed—"

"I'm ready!" Leah announces, cutting off Zak and my impending heart attack. "Belle, Zak. Zak, Belle."

I give her a soft smile, hiding the fact that we already know each other, a little too much...

"Star struck? I know you're a huge fan of Ghost Adventures." She smiles, unknowingly digging me a grave and tossing me straight into it.

I don't miss the smirk on Zak's face. It says everything and nothing. It says that I still think about our time together, that I've not told Leah, but also that I haven't forgotten about him..

"Yeah." I laugh awkwardly, scrubbing the side a little harder at the non-existent stain.

"Well we gotta go, we are late already." Leah says, before rushing off to grab her bag.

As soon as she leaves, Zak steps closer and places his hand over the top of mine, stopping me. I look up at him, my eyes almost begging for him to leave.

"Stop." He whispers, removing the wipe from my hand with his long fingers.

When Leah calls from the other room, he steps back and I look away completely. Chiding myself for being weak, for almost falling into the trap of his allure. Bad Belle, bad!

I sense his body move away, taking the warmth I was washed in and leaving a chill to the air, I shudder.

"See you later!" Leah shouts to me as they leave.

I think I reply, I can't be sure. All I know is that he's back. He's back in my life and nothing has changed. I'm still as mad for him as I ever was. But now he's not my Zak.

He's someone else's..