Age Is Just a Number by Jeffery zedd
Chapter 26

Chapter 26

MEHON

Zara’s POV:

I skipped school for the week.

I hear another ding on my phone, knowing it’s another message asking me if I’m okay. Everyone thinks I’m crying in despair inside my bedroom because of my break up and I intended to keep them thinking that way.

I grab my jacket to cover up the faint bruises. Holding the powder, I put on the last bit of makeup and looked at the mirror to practice my smile.

“I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”

I pause, inhaling another breath.

“Yes, the breakup was hard, so I needed some time alone.”

I nod to myself. “Good enough,” I mumbled, standing up to go to the grocery store. When I walked downstairs, there was some money in the usual spot. I grab the shoes and head outside. The sun hit my eyes, and I slipped on my sunglasses.

When I hear a car honking, I turn around to see William and Marvin. My heart froze when William gave Marvin a quick word then jogged over to me.

I played with my long sleeves, “H–Hi.”

He bent his legs, concerned eyes staring at me.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

He placed a hand on my arm, and I flinched. “Last week, I thought we were going

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Chapter 26

o bake together, and I haven’t seen you this past week.”

“My dad asked me to do something, so I must have forgotten. Sorry, Muffin.”

He glances down at my bag. “Going shopping?” He asks, and I nod. “Need a

ide?”

I smile, “Please.”

I sat in the car, looking at William and Marvin talking about something. William would turn towards me, waving his hand, which I return. Soon, he slips into the car, and we wave Marvin goodbye.

Arriving at the market, William helped me pick out the food. I push the cart around, wondering what I should cook this week. My feet stopped moving when two hands grabbed the bar from behind me. He held my hands, pushing the cart forward, placing his chin on top of my head.

“I think you need spinach,” he hums, grabbing a bag, throwing it inside the cart.

“If you want to push the cart, you can say so.” I mumble.

He shook his head, “No, I like this position.”

My eyes widened when I saw a few students from the school, and I turned

around.

“What’s wrong?” William asked.

“Th–They are from my school.” I mumble into his chest, feeling his arms wrap around my shoulder, pulling me in.

I can see their shoes passing us, and I held onto him tighter. “Are they gone?” I

whisper.

“No.”

We continue standing there, his chest–beating Inconsiderably loud. My head lifts,

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meeting his browns, staring at me, so seductively. “Iney’re gone, aren’t they?” I ask.

A foolish smile appears on his face. “Maybe.”

I punch his arm.

Soon, we finish, and William helps me with the groceries. I pack the stuff inside the bags, seeing him taking out his card. Instantly, I drop the milk, rushing towards him. “What are you doing?”

“Paying?” he snorts, turning towards the cashier. “Card,” he said.

I shake my head towards the cashier. “No, cash.”

William rolls his eyes. “Card.”

I opened my mouth, but William held a hand over my mouth. “Card,” he told the cashier, who eyes us curiously and nods.

We walk out of the store, and I glare at him. “What?” he asks innocently.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” I hiss, not liking that he paid.

He licked his lips. “Then, I guess you owe me one,” he smiles.

My brows furrow together. “Huh?” I didn’t ask him to pay for the grocery, but he forcefully did, and now I owe him one?

William glances at me and continues smiling like a creep.

A cute creep.

He threw his arm over my shoulder, pulling me closer, and I can hear the beating of his chest. “What a cute couple you two make,” an old lady said.

My mouth opened but William cut me off. “Thank you.”

My cheeks were burning. I want to yell at him, but I didn’t get a chance to do it.

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Chapter 26

“Zara,” lan said.

&

“What do you want?” William said in a tone I’ve never heard before, and it was a slight turn on.

Imagine if we were in bed, and he- stop it!

lan takes a step back, placing two hands in the air. “I just want to talk to her, that’s all.” He looks at me with pleading eyes.

“William, I’ll be right back,” I whisper, handing him the bag.

lan and I walk towards the other side of the parking lot, and I can feel William’s burning gaze. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“For what?”

“For what Kayla said last week. I–I was going to apologize earlier, but you weren’t at school, and you wouldn’t pick up your phone. Zara, that wasn’t Kayla. She would never act that way,” he defends her.

“That’s okay,” I pause. “Everything she said was true.”

lan shakes his head. “You and I both know that isn’t true. Zara, I know you aren’t that type of girl,” he places a hand on my cheek. “You’re a nice girl and-”

“Let’s go.”

I turn to see William standing beside us. He moves all the bags to one hand, grabs my wrist, forcibly pulling me towards his side. “Are you done talking?”

lan places his hands on his side and nods. Quickly, William drags me back to his car, and I turn to see lan standing there, staring at us. William dumped the food into

I

the trunk and unlocked the door. With one last glance, I hop inside.

The music was on low, my eyes scanning the streets we passed by every day. “What did you guys talk about?” William asked, gripping tightly into the wheel.

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Chapter 26

I merely shrug, sinking into the leather seat. “He just wanted to apologize about. what his friend said to me when we broke up.”

His brows pinch together in a disorderly manner as he turns towards me at a red light. “What did his friend say to you?” he questions, tapping a single finger on the wheel.

“She called me some names, but nothing I can’t handle,” I grumble, lying my

elbow on the armrest.

When I feel a hand tangling with mine, I turn over to see William, who starts driving at the green light. “Is that why you didn’t go to school for the whole week?” he questions, and I knew he would know if I lied.

I nod my head. “She doesn’t even know me,” I mumble, feeling a kiss on my hand.

“Don’t let her words get to you. You’re better than that, Angel,” he said slowly, and I scoot over, unbuckling my seatbelt, leaning my head on his shoulder as he pats my hair.

“You should wear your seatbelt. You never know what may happen,” he said, as I wrap my arms around his.

When we got back, William helped me carry in the grocery inside the house. We put away all the ingredients, and I wonder what I should cook for dinner tonight, or if I should even cook. It’s not like dad will be home.

My heart leaps out of my chest, feeling two arms around my waist. “W–What is it W–William?” I ask as he places his chin on my shoulder.

“You owe me,” he mumbles.

“For what?”

“For ditching me last week. I waited and waited, but you didn’t even send a single message,” he dug his face into my neck. “So, you have to make it up. “How are you going to make it up to me, amore mio?” I can feel his lips tracing my ear, waist press against my back.

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Chapter 26

“I–I d–don’t know,” I stutter, feeling his hot breath.

“I have an idea.”

“W–What?”

“This whole week, you belong to me, as a makeup for not contacting me,” he offers, and I swallow intently. “Okay, amore mio?”

Hesitantly, I nod my head as he continues standing there, pressing me against the counter. “You smell good,” he inhales my scent.

It’s definitely getting weird.

There’s a long silence as the clock continues ticking along with the beating of my heart. “I got to go, but I’ll pick you up for school tomorrow?”

Yes, leave me here, all hot and bothered.

I nod, and he kisses my cheek before leaving. I stand there while he walks back towards the front door, a cheeky smile on his lips.

Laying down on my bed, a smile breaks out, and I roll around my blanket squealing. Placing a hand on my cheek, I can still feel his warm lips, and I start giggling, rolling into the ground. It hurts when my face smacks the ground, but my heart was too happy to care.

Morning arrives, and I gracefully get out of bed. I wipe the drool off the side of my lips. I skip towards the closet and pick out a cute outfit. I braid my hair up into a high bun, grateful that the bruises were fading, so I don’t have to wear much makeup.

I hop downstairs, and grab a piece of bread. My phone ding.

Muffin: I’m out front.