"Anyway," Evan says quickly, trying to change the subject. "I am going to Haltek. My parents already decided, and I got a football scholarship. Maybe you guys should join me. I will need someone to make sure I don't turn into a boring, typical football player. Or return to my playboy asshole ways..." Zack's expression shifts from casual to genuinely interested, his grip on Anna's hip tightening slightly. "Haltek? Holy shit, man, you actually pulled off that scholarship?" He leans forward, elbows on the table as he studies Evan with newfound respect. "Football scholarship to Haltek- that is impressive even for you." Turning to Anna with excitement sparkling in his eyes, he asks, "Would you even consider applying there? It is one of the toughest engineering schools in the country." Anna considers his words and nod lightly. The idea of all three of them ending up at the same university clearly appeals to him- not just as friends but as a united front against whatever challenges college life throws their way. Evan nods eagerly at Zack's enthusiasm. "Yeah man, picture it- we could share an apartment off campus. I would pay for most of it since my dad is loaded anyway." He grins confidently.
"You don't want to share an apartment with us, we are painting the walls pink," Anna says playfully and looks at Zack with a meaningful glint in her eyes. Zack's eyes widen for a split second before he catches on to Anna's joke, letting out a loud laugh that draws attention from nearby tables. Evan wrinkles his nose at the suggestion. "Pink? Absolutely not. My teammates would never let me live that down. They would probably stage an intervention." Despite his protests, there is a genuine smile on Evan's face as he watches Zack interact with Anna so comfortably. It is clear how happy his friend seems since finding someone who understands him so well. "So, what colour scheme are we actually talking about?" Evan asks curiously, leaning for with interest. "Something cool- grey and black maybe? Or are we going for a minimalist vibe?"
Anna looks at his, welcoming this new side of Evan. For a moment she recalls the botanic camp, how she saw different sides of him then. His interest in nature and botany, comes to mind. She quickly shakes her head and says teasingly, "I did not know you had an interest in interior decorating, Evan." Evan blushes faintly at Anna's teasing remark, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "Hey, I watch HGTV sometimes when I am bored. Plus, my mom always drags me to those fancy furniture stores downtown." He shrugs defensively trying to maintain his tough-guy image despite clearly enjoying the domestic conversation. "Besides, if we are going to share an apartment together for four years, I figure I should have some say in how it looks." Zack snorts into his drink, clearly entertained by his friend's sudden interest in home decorating. "Since when do you care about these kinds of things? Last week you were arguing with me about whether black or brown leather was more 'manly' for your car." Evan glares at him but can't help grinning. "Shut up. At least I am trying to be civilized instead of painting everything black like some goth teenager."
Anna laughs loudly. "That does sound like Zack," she says leaning against Zack beside her. Zack wraps an arm securely around Anna's shoulders, pulling her flush against his side as she laughs. The sound of her amusement makes his own smile widen, and he presses a kiss to the top of her head. "Hey, black is a classic colour choice. It goes with everything and makes everything look more bad ass," he argues playfully, though his tone is anything but offended. Evan rolls his eyes dramatically. "Bad ass? Dude, your bedroom looks like a vampire's lair. All dark furniture and those weird band posters." He takes another bite of his pizza, still grinning at their friendly bickering. Anna giggles. "I am just saying, if we are going to live together, we need to compromise. Maybe some blue of grey walls to balance out your goth aesthetic."
"I don't have a problem with blue, and I will try not to make the place too girly," Anna says playfully. Then the bell rings, indicating the end of their lunch break. Zack's expression softens at Anna's compromise, his hand squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "See? I knew you had good taste deep down." He stands up reluctantly, pulling her with him since their classes are in the same direction. "Come on, let's walk together. I can't focus on Tourism without seeing you face anyway." Evan watches them leave the cafeteria arm in arm, feeling a pang of envy, he quickly pushes down. It is clear how serious things have become between them- college plans, apartment discussions, public displays of affection... As he gathers his own things, Evan finds himself thinking about what Zack said earlier- about how he needs to be less of a jerk. Maybe sharing an apartment with them would be good for him. Force him to act like a normal person instead of just the delinquent jock everyone sees him as.
After school Anna and Zack meet in the parking lot by Zack's motorcycle. "Hey," Anna says with a smile and kisses him softly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Zack's face lights up instantly at the sight of Anna approaching his motorcycle, his earlier tension from class melting away completely. The soft kiss she initiates makes his heart race, and he responds immediately, deepening the kiss with a low groan of satisfaction. "Fuck, I have been waiting for this all day, you have no idea how hard it was sitting through Tourism knowing you were just down the hall," he murmurs against her lips, his hands sliding to cup her face possessively. He pulls back slightly to look into her eyes, his thumb brushing over her cheek affectionately. "So, study session at your place? I am already thinking about what rewards I can earn for being a good student." His grin turns mischievous as he helps her onto the back of his bike. "Or maybe we should just skip studying altogether and go straight to the reward part. I have been thinking about how good you looked spread out on that table..."
"No, no. studying first. Don't tempt me mister," Anna says playfully. Zack lets out an exaggerated sigh, pretending to look disappointed even as his eyes sparkle with amusement. "Fine, fine. Responsible Anna wins today." He swings his leg over the motorcycle and settles onto the seat in front of her. "But you are driving a hard bargain. Knowing I am going to spend hours staring at calculus equations while imagining your legs wrapped around my waist..." His voice drops to a husky whisper as he revs the engine, the sound vibrating between their bodies. "Just warning you, my concentration levels are going to be dangerously low." Without waiting for her response, he takes off out of the parking low, one hand gripping the handlebars while the other rests casually on Anna's thigh as she sits behind him. The late afternoon sun catching in his blond hair as he navigates through traffic toward their neighbourhood.