"Eva, darling", I heard Dad call to me. I blinked furiously as my eyes tried to adjust to the sunlight. Once that was fine, I looked out of the window.

"Walter Dance Acad-", I mumbled, reading off a board.

"Oh shi-", I muttered. I quickly unbuckled my seat belt. I heard Dad clear his throat.

"You're welcome?", Dad suggested.

"Oh God! Thank you Daddy!", I offered in my sweetest voice. Dad just shook his head

"You know, its been so long since you've called me Daddy", he said, still shaking his head, the corners of his mouth pulled up. I gave him a sheepish smile.

"Go on now", Dad urged.

"Yeah, sure", I rolled my eyes. I got out and opened the back door to take my bag. As I shut the door, I waved to Dad and he drove off after animatedly waving back.

As I walked to the class, I looked around for a trashcan to put my used foil in. I spotted one a few meters to the right of the entrance. I walked towards it, kicking the small rocks off the pavement.

"Uff!", I was sure I felt the impact before I head the sound. Rock hard. I knew that I bumped into a boy before even I looked up. Despite myself, I felt -felt. Not heard, thankfully- myself gasp. He looked so much younger than me... With such an angelic face...

Eva, he is at least three years younger than you.
Stereotypical, I know.
But...
*shudders*

The guy, most definitely, didn't notice my reaction. He rubbed his chest as he let out a cough. Then he shook his head.

"Sorry", he mumbled, and waked away. I stared at his back.

Say sorry, Eva!
???
Oh right.

"Sorry!", I called out. Not expecting a reaction, I walked a few more steps till I finally reached the trashcan. I carefully dropped the foil into it and this time, while waking back, I made sure to look where I was going. I found myself, unconsciously, looking for a certain blond head, but when I couldn't find it anywhere, I just shrugged to myself and picked up my pace. I climbed up the stairs to the academy and pushed the tinted glass. It felt so good to be in the cool room.

The class wasn't even half full. Only three people were there, for including me. Mrs. Verte was no where to be seen. I felt myself gasp, once more, when my eyes laid on a certain boy. One with blond hair that wasn't set, but still looked good. He had a loose, plain, black T-shirt on with black sweat pants. The sweat pants complimented his slender legs and the shirt looked like it was hiding a perfect body.

Well, I was sure it was hiding a perfect body, because I could still feel the faint throb in my head and shoulder.

Socialise. Socialise. Socialise.
But I can't...!

Yes, you can!
...
My self motivation sucks
Ugh, well here goes for nothing.

I walked upto him. As I neared him, he looked up and his eyes momentarily widened. Then he straightened his back and raised his eyebrows expectantly. As I hesitated, I felt the thick air of awkwardness settle in.

20 seconds of insane courage.
Thanks Ben!

"Hi. I'm Eva", I says, with a little uncertainty. I extended my hand, as an attempt to cut through the still present awkwardness. He gave me a small smile.His right cheek broke into a dimple.

"Zach", he said as he took my hand and gave it a firm shake. I nodded and returned his smile.

"Sooo, you new around here?", he asked, a little uncertainly.

"Yeah, I only started yesterday", I told him.

"Oh, I had some work yesterday", he said. I nodded my head like I understood, though I had no idea why I was nodding. I felt the need to say something more but I had absolutely no idea what to say.

I just stood there next to him, watching two other people do the hand movements of a song.

Ask him what he likes to dance to, Eva!

"Do you have any favorites?", both of us asked each other at the same time. We stared at each other, wide eyed. Then I looked down.

"Sorry", both of us said at the same time, again. With that, the awkwardness fully lifted and we burst out laughing, oblivious to the incredulous glances from the rest of the people.

And that, my friends, is how I met Zachary Parrish.

====================
PRESENT DAY

I shut my diary and remove my glasses. My eyes are sore from reading for so long. I put the book on the side table, turn off the lights and pull the sheets over me.

As I close my eyes, my phone rings. I jump upon it as I always have in the past 10 years. But it isn't him.

The caller id flashes: Dr. Zachary Parrish. I sigh as I pick up the phone.

"Hello?", I ask

"Ohmigods you actually picked up the phone", Zach gushes.

"What is it Zach", I ask, a little annoyed.

"Wow. Someone is really annoyed. What happened?", he asks.

"You happened. Its midnight", I complain

"If the time is the problem why aren't you asle- Oh you're reading that shit diary of yours again, aren't you?", he asks accusingly.

"Um... Maybe..?", I try.

"You know, sometimes I wish that night you asked me to get someone over, I hadn't gotten him over", he says, sadly.

"Zach, how many times do I have to tell you?! I knew him before even you brought him home. His parents were close to my parents, he was my neighbour, his sister was someone I met often. Zach, I knew him way before you brought him over", I preach. But now I don't feel so good.

"Eva, you have repeated this every single time I say I'm sorry", he says.

"Sorry, its just... Urgh, I don't even know what to say. Its just I want to read it. Not about him, specifically", I try to console him.

"Eva, who are you trying to fool? Everyone knows that you are reading it to just remember him and figure out what you did wrong. Eva, please. Don't do this to yourself. Ten years is too long a time...", he ends, trying to tell me something I already knew.

"I know, Zach, I know. But I just... can't. It haunts me day and night, that I could've done something different and the one thing that I really want, I would have it", I pour out. I'm on the verge of tears now. I really don't know what I had done to deserve this.

"Eva, please. I can't help you like this. I tried all these years, but I'm sorry I failed you", now I can hear the hiccups in his words. I feel really selfish because Zach thinks he has failed because of something I cannot do.

"Zach, I'm sorry, really. You have not failed me. You actually stuck by me. You helped me. You are the only reason I'm actually doing some work, and not drinking my life out in a cheap bar. You are someone who actually matters to me. I can't let you think that you have failed me, while you have done the opposite", the words just pour out of my mouth.

"Eva...", Zach seems lost for words now. I just sigh.

"Ok, just get some sleep now. Kay?", he asks.

"Yeah", and I cut the call.

I know I should really get some sleep now, but that day is stuck in my head. I need to read that entry now. I reach over to my side table, turn on the lights, put on my glasses and pick up my diary again. I take a deep breath as I flip the pages.

I ready myself as I find the page. I remember Zach's words but I just have to read this. I fully open the page and read the first word:

Peterson's?

I quickly shut the book. I had completely forgotten that this page contains things about the other person as well. Now I don't really feel like reading about that day.

But I have to... I just feel like reading it again. Maybe I'll skip the part with the other person... But I can't. Now I have to read the first part again.

Urggh! I'm so confused now.

I just open the book again and start reading it, despite myself.

===================

A/N: Sup ppl?
*cowering from all the rocks u guys r throwing at me*
Sorry!
I have no idea why I didn't update for so long. But I'm here now...

For the people who didn't get the 20 seconds of courage thing... its from the movie We Bought A Zoo

Please vote and comment, i would love to hear what you thought of this chapter!