(Zac’s POV)

I was a fool. A fool for changing; a fool for falling for people; a fool for being so…cheesy—I was just a big FOOL. Period.

I listened to the advice Archer gave me though. The night when I found out Grace was a lesbian and I was drinking away my problems—well trying—I remember him saying that the only way to get Angel back was to tell her I loved her. Only, you can’t win someone back when you never had them in the first place.

I told Angel that I always loved her—because it was true—and she said nothing.

Because you didn’t give her time before storming out, dumba$$.

Whatever. I gave her enough time.

Yeah, if maybe ten seconds is enough time.

It should be. “I love you too” takes less than two seconds to say and she had plenty of time, not that me walking out afterwards would encourage her to say it to me anytime soon…

I was a wimp and a fool. It was just my luck that I was leaving later today to go back to New York, which was my perfect escape. Thousands of miles away from the people causing confusion in my life. So, hours after fleeing from Angel—which I know I shouldn’t have done—I was dressed in my army uniform (it was a pride thing) and had my bag over my shoulder as I walked along the beach with the camo jacket tied around my waist and my beige shoes sinking into the hot sand. Yeah. Like I wanted to be in this sand any longer. I was just lucky it was sand from a sea and not sand from a now-familiar desert area.

Why was I here though? A sane person would know that I surely didn’t need to ever be by water, but I wasn’t very sane at this point…or any. I guess I was trying to see things like Angel does when she came out here. I could see why, too. It was peaceful. Ugh. I needed to stop thinking about her. I was obviously doing it too much because now I was hearing her yell my name, which I would love to hear from her, but she never said it now.

“Hey.” She breathed, standing in front of me out of breath to prove I wasn’t imagining it. She had changed into new clothes, even. I looked away, into the sun, just so I wouldn’t look into her eyes and see my own embarrassment from earlier. “Zachariah Tyler, look at me.”

That’s when I looked down at her. I was just shocked that she was addressing me. My name rolling off the tip of her tongue is what I wanted to hear for so long that I didn’t even care about my embarrassment right now.

“Angelique Hallow,” I replied in the same tone as her. She let out a single breathy laugh, but it was long enough to let her reveal the smile that I loved to see on her face as much as possible.

“I love you.”

I couldn’t stop myself from what happened next, even though it felt like it should’ve been in some romantic comedy. I grabbed her waist and pressed my lips against hers. Just like years ago, I felt a new warmth in my body that no amount of fire could accomplish, but now, it wasn’t just one person doing all the work; both of us were kissing back and this time neither of us would shrug it off as if it didn’t happen. Hopefully. I pulled away and put my forehead against hers.

“I love you so much,” I laughed with my eyes closed.

“It’s about time,” she expressed in a joking manner before I kissed her passionately once more. “And speaking of being ‘about time’…uh, can you do me a favor?”

“Anything,” I said, grabbing her hand and kissing her fingers.

“Stop being the perfect conformist and continue being the sweet-yet-son-of-a-b!tch I’ve known you as my entire life,” she giggled. I laughed myself and then kissed her again after nodding once. That was simple enough, but even if her request wasn’t simple, I’d do it.

I had a lot of rough times in my life, but I was thankful for Angel. We had so much sh!t between each other and even though I swore to myself that leaving everyone I knew was right, she was still there. That’s the only reason how I could open up to her and that’s the only reason that silver, handmade necklace is around her neck right now.

***

When we got to the airport, it didn’t take long to meet up with Streeter, Archer, and Lulu. Our flight was at the same time and of course Lulu was going to see him off. And of course she was the one pathetically clapping when Angel and I approached them at security together. We weren’t even holding hands.

“It’s about time you two acted like adults,” she commented as we were finally acting civil and tame for once.

“Not really,” Angel smiled sarcastically.

“So…?” Lulu asked, wanting the newest information and drama as fast as possible.

“So…it’s time for us to be heading out,” I covered. I didn’t want to keep our new relationship a secret, but I just wanted Lulu to be stunned for once and out of the loop. Angel felt the same way when we were talking about her need to know all, in the ride here.

“I guess you’re right,” she said, before spinning around to Archer, who wore the same army uniform as me.

“I’ll see you in New York,” Archer said.

“Of course. Now it’s your turn to wait for me to get back,” she teased before wrapping her arm around his shoulders and reaching up to kiss him. I was glad they were so serious about each other…because in all other aspects of their life, they weren’t serious at all. Unlike Streeter, who was too busy with getting through security to take his place on the plane back to America…ha?

I turned to Angel.

“What happens when we’re both back home?” I asked her.

“What do you mean?” she frowned, but I reached up to wipe her wrinkles away and her face relaxed.

“I’m flying back to New York and you’re going back to Rhode Island,” I reminded. I was not going to do the long distance thing. Too many things changed that way. But right now, I was guessing that was all we could manage because she was stuck pondering it as well. I poked her waist and tried to produce a nice smile that came out crooked. “Never mind. We’ll settle it later.”

“Alright…” she said, doubtful, but she shook out of it. “Have a night flight.”

“You too,” I said, lost in her eyes, but then realized how stupid it sounded. “I-I mean…when you leave in two days—with Lulu, Grace, and Mia, not right now, b-because we’re the ones leaving now—”

I sounded like an idiot, and that was probably the only reason why she reached up and kissed my cheek. It felt tingly where her lips touched my cheek and I stopped stammering. I sounded like the times when Archer talked to Lulu over the phone when we were on duty. Pathetic.

“Have a nice flight,” she wished again, starting over the conversation like my rambling never happened.

“Thank you,” I smiled like an embarrassed child. I didn’t know what to do from that point because I was still mentally cursing at myself for stammering like an idiot at her. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand. I looked down at it before looking at her.

“And what do you think you’re doing?” I asked, slowly and tilting my head away from her as if in confusion.

“Oh, shut up. You know you like it,” she teased. I grabbed her other hand and then moved them to lock around my high neck. Besides the deal we had to shock everyone about us, I still wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me, forcefully. She looked up at me shocked at first, but then I smiled to mimic her own expression.

“I knew it!” Lulu yelled. I rolled my eyes along with Angel and then she reached up to press her lips to mine.

“First call for slight F872 to Angel Island, California, USA,” the intercom spoke. Angel laughed and I think I knew why.

“Why are you boys flying into California when you need to be in New York?” she asked with a humored expression.

“It’s the quickest way to America, there’s a two hour layover which is good because we want to chow down on the various missed only-American food,” I answered seriously. It was silent and then I started laughing. “…and because Archer thought it was funny to fly there because of the name. But I have reason to believe it was Lulu’s doing.”

“Oh really?” Angel smiled, causing me to kiss her quickly once more and feel the same tingle of fireworks. Then I felt someone roughly pat my shoulder and pull me away from her like an a$$hole.

“Time to go home, lover-boy,” Archer said, massaging my shoulders once. I rolled my eyes and punched him in the stomach in order to kiss Angel once more. When I finally pulled away from her, I looked to Lulu.

“You were right all along, okay?” I said because I knew it was what she wanted to hear this whole time.

“It’s about time you realized that,” she smiled. I rolled my eyes, playfully and still gave her a hug goodbye.

However, before I really left, I jogged over, quickly spun Angel’s waist, and planted a kiss on her before leaving her. I heard “Kiss thief!” being yelled after me, but I still smiled to myself because I was her kiss thief.

***

(Angel’s POV)

“That’s so cute,” Lulu cooed when I told her what all happened earlier.

“Yeah. Well best wishes to you two,” Mia smiled.

“Thank you.”

How I felt right now was like how I felt when Zac left from home at the end of junior year. I know that he wasn’t here with me, but I still loved him and felt him here with me. It was bitter-

“Angel,” Grace called, walking in and she held a phone up to me. “Zac’s on the phone.”

I took the phone happily and skipped into the empty bedroom.

“Couldn’t stay away?” I teased.

“Whatever,” he laughed.  

“What do you need?”

“To see your voice and hear your face,” he said. I paused. “Wow. I really must be tired.”

“I’ll say,” I laughed.

“Can I tell you something?” he asked. “And it’s not the thing I just told you, smart a$$.”

He knew me well.

“Sure.”

“Stop going back on your word,” he said. I paused.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, my smile dropping.

“Last time I checked, you weren’t usually the type of girl to give second chances, and I believe I’m well over my chances,” he teased. I rolled my eyes.

“You’re worth it,” I smiled. He was the best chance I’ve ever taken.