"Zoey?"
"Hmm?"
"Zo, I'm going for a run and then to work"
"But it's dark and cold" I can feel myself leaving sleep behind and becoming more aware of where I am and who is talking to me.
"It won't be cold once I get going and I'm going to watch the sun rise" Angus informs me, "Do you want to come?" He asks in all seriousness, I open my eyes and can just make out the shape of him crouched down beside the bed. I pause for a moment, taking in what he's asking of me, Zoey Green, up until a month ago, was not one to run but since joining the gym I can now keep a steady pace.
"Are you going to go fast" I'm concerned I won't keep up or I'll slow him down.
"I'll go at a Zoey pace" He promises, I can hear the satisfaction in his voice that he has won me over. I throw back the blankets and climb out of bed, still somewhat groggy from waking up so early.
"What time is it anyway?" I ask hm out of curiosity, more so that I can tell Tess, for once, I was awake before she was.
"5:20" He laughs and I sluggishly change into my work out clothes
"I'd only do this for you Theodore and only because I'll miss you while you're at work" I tell him
"I appreciate it baby, I'll owe you" He kisses my forehead and we leave the apartment and head out into the cold, dark morning in San Myshuno.
We ran at a moderate pace from outside the apartment all the way up to Myshuno Meadows where we stopped to watch to sun starting to rise over the ocean, it was a beautiful, breath taking sight and I'm so grateful that Angus woke me up to witness it. He wraps his giant arms around me to keep me warm and whispers in my ear, "Thank you Zoey".
"For what?" I ask him confused
"For sharing this with me today, stepping into my world, I know I stole your sleep in and you can go back to sleep once we get back to the apartment or you could come hang out with at work today?" He knows he'll miss me too
"Are you going to make me work out all day with you?" Ugh, I couldn't imagine anything worse.
"No baby, I only have one session this afternoon and that's with You, Tess and the others, I'm just there today to do paperwork, boring stuff but with you there it won't be boring"He tells me and gives me a wink and that cheeky smile.
"Do you coach many classes there?" I ask, only just realising that I've never paid attention to how much he actually does at the gym
"I run the boxersise class on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, Wednesday morning I have body burn class which is basically a lot of working with weights, squats and floor work and then I do a bit of personal training occasionally but try to avoid it now. My plate is full though with running the place, dealing with staff and payroll but I love being my own boss" He explains and I look at him confused
"So why did you take on Tess and I then if you don't like doing it?" I ask him
"To be close to you Zoey" He answers, smile spread across his face, "I could of let Claudia or Justin take you on but I wanted you all to myself, even if that meant I took on your sister who never stops talking too" He laughs
"You like Tess, don't act like you don't, I see how you both like to stir each other" I remind him
"I do like Tess now, I didn't when I first met you both though I must admit" He confesses
"Why?" I ask, Ive never known anyone who doesn't like Tess, even when she's in a bad mood she's still fun to be around.
"I thought she was being mean to you, making fun of your social awkwardness and I didn't like it but when I spoke to her later that night I saw how she really is, she only wants the best for you and she pushes you out of your comfort zone not to laugh at you but to broaden your horizons. It was only that first time I met her that I didn't like her but I got her all wrong, now I find her to be hilarious and I enjoy making fun of her because she gives me the same shit back. I really looking forward to her coming in for work experience too, I've just gotta find something that will keep her busy for a week coz I know she gets bored easily" He explains
"She's really great at painting, she takes Graphic Art as an elective, if you need her to paint you a mural or even to paint your bland office" I laugh at the thought of Tess getting to paint those bland walls, she would love that.
"That's not a bad idea actually" He says taking it on board.
We walked all the way back to the apartment, taking our time, I showered and changed into casual clothes, Angus said to leave my gym clothes for Joanna to wash and just come back that afternoon for them.
"Can I borrow a book to read today?" I ask him, I had been browsing his collection of novels for a while now
"Of course you can Zoey, you don't have to ask" He tells me and I run off to pick one to take with me today, I choose 'Seduction by the Sea' and we set out for the gym.
"How are you going to explain to your staff that I'm there today" I ask Angus, considering it was him that wanted to keep it under cover at work so it didn't cause trouble.
"I'm going to be honest with them, I know I set the rule of no fraternising with clients and I should be setting a good example but I don't want to hide you Zoey" He explains and I take his hand as we enter the gym together, Annabelle is seated at the reception desk.
"Morning Gus, I have 3 messages for you" She greets him, "Hey Zoey, please tell me he's not forcing you to spend the day here?" She laughs
"He's not forcing me Annabelle" I assure her as Angus reads through the messages she's handed him.
"Zoey, do you wanna stay with Annabelle while I just quickly return a phone call?" He asks me
"Sure" I reply and I take a seat next to Annabelle as Angus walks off to his office.
"Annabelle can I ask something and we just keep it between us" I can hear the quiver in my voice and I'm hoping I can trust Annabelle if I open up
"Of course Zoey, what's up?" She assures me
"Was one of the messages from Steph?" I ask, nervous as hell, she takes a long pause before answering.
"What makes you ask that Zoey" There panic in her voice, like she's holding onto information but if she shares it then she's afraid Angus will get angry
"She called him yesterday when we were having breakfast and I know it's not the first time either. Angus doesn't know that I know and I'm not going to bring it up unless I have a reason to worry" I explain, I can see Annabelle relax a bit, like she knows I won't betray her if she tells me the truth.
"She called here this morning, she said he wasn't answering his phone, I'm guessing because he was with you." She confirms, "I don't know why she's calling though, she won't tell me but I know they have been talking a bit lately"
"Should I be worried?" I ask her, panic in my voice
"I know Angus, he's good guy who is there for everyone but he wouldn't stray. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about Zo, he loves you" She assures me
"Worry about what?" Angus asks as he comes walking up behind us, Annabelle and I exchange looks
"Umm worried about having never flown before, I told Annabelle that I'm a little scared to fly and she was reassuring me that we will be fine" I lie to him and I don't feel good about it but I also don't feel good that he's having secret phone calls with Steph either. I am afraid to fly so it's not a full lie.
"You didn't tell me you were afraid to fly baby" He hugs me tightly
"I didn't want you to think I didn't want to go" I tell him
"Annabelle is right, you have nothing to worry about, I've flown heaps, I love it and I'll be there the whole time" Angus comforts me
"See Zoey, I don't think you have anything to worry about" Annabelle says and we both know she's referring to Angus with Steph, I just hope she's right.
"Annabelle I'm going to work up in the cafe today, apparently my office is too bland for Miss Green" He laughs
"Ok, I'll forward calls to your mobile then" Annabelle says in her professional tone but drops it when she talks to me "Come visit me again today Zoey, you make work fun" She smiles at me and I follow Angus upstairs.
"Do you want pancakes Zoey?" Angus asks, studying the menu as we sit side by side in a booth at the cafe.
"Only if you share them with me and we can have strawberries too, I loved those strawberries, they were so juicy" I reply and he places an order, I open my book and begin reading, he opens his laptop and begins working, I rest my head on his shoulder and he places a hand on my knee.
"Do you like the book so far?" He asks me when I'm a few chapters in.
"It's still setting up but it's very lusty but I love romantic novels" I tell him
"I loved it, I've read that book many times, it's got strong characters and a great twist" I can hear the excitement in his voice, like he's sharing something treasured with me.
"Shh, no-one likes spoilers, go back to your reports" I say playfully
"I'm actually putting together next month's timetable, I'm thinking of taking on an extra class too" He corrects me
"What class?"I ask, intrigued
"Spin class, I'm thinking on a Wednesday afternoon, would you do it if I ran the class?"He asks me
"Would you push me to fast" I don't think I could go at his pace
"You can go at whatever speed you want with me baby, you know that" He promises.
His phone vibrates and he answers it, "Hey Justin, I'm upstairs, come up, I've got someone I want you to meet", he gives me a smile and hangs up. A few minutes later we are approached by a tall, buff looking guy, looks to be in his late 30's, I do recall seeing him around before though.
"Justin, this is my girlfriend, Zoey" Angus introduces me and Justin laughs
"I was wondering when we were going to officially meet, hey Zoey." Justin greets us
"You knew?" Angus exclaims
"Everyone knows, we just didn't say anything but it was pretty obvious, leaving together and how you look at the girl" Justin explains and I just look at Angus and laugh.
"Alright, well we are going away next week, Wednesday, coming back Saturday so I'm just doing some shifting around of my schedule, can you take my group on Friday, it's just Zoey's sister, Tess and her boyfriend?" Angus asks Justin
"No troubles" Justin confirms
"Also Imogen is back next week too, on Thursday" Angus says with a smile and I see Justin's face light up, "Justin has been into Imogen since they were in Year 8 together but she's always had a boyfriend" Angus explains to me
"Including Don" I remind Angus, "Does she know that you like her?" I ask Justin
"Not at all, we've just been friends for so long so I doubt she'd see me as anything else" He tells me before adding "That woman is luscious"
"Dude, thats my sister, keep your pervy thoughts to yourself" Angus laughs at him
"She not my sister" Justin replies, winking at me and I smile
"So you two met around 2 years ago but Justin, you've known Imogen all this time?" I ask them both
"Yep, Imogen travels a lot with work so we've been distant friends, keeping in touch through texts and emails but about 2 years ago we caught up for a drink and she brought her foul mouthed, chubby brother along because he had just been dumped by some chick and we hit it off and I told the chubby bastard that he needed to come running with me every morning with the promise of a beautiful sunrise as a reward" Justin explains and I poke Angus in the ribs as he tries to hide his smile behind his hands.
"This is all sounding very familiar Angus" I exclaim
"You're not chubby, you're beautiful, I just wanted company on my run" He kisses my cheek
"I began training him, this kid had a bad attitude but no confidence and I had to break down so many aggressive walls he had up" Justin continues.
"In my defence I had a shit girlfriend who had cheated on me with my best friend for months and this guy yelling at me to get off my fat arse and get motivated" Angus tells me, hanging his head, I take his hand and give it a little squeeze and he looks at me and winks.
"You were never fat, just chubby" Justin reassures him
"So when did you take over the gym?" I ask Angus
"About a year ago, Justin was looking to sell but wanted to stay on as a trainer and I wanted something to keep me busy. Justin taught me everything I know and I'm grateful for it" Angus replies
"He's still got a foul mouth though" Justin laughs
"Zoey loves it, adds to my bad boy charm" Angus tells him
"Bad boy? You? You're a marshmallow, soft and sweet" I inform him.
My phone starts buzzing, I see it's Tess calling
"Heya" I greet her in a perky tone that could easily challenge her own.
"You're awake? At 8am? I'm surprised" She sounds shocked
"Angus made me go for a run" I tell her and I watch him laugh
"He's making you do sneaky exercise, I love it." She replies, "Whats the plan for tonight anyway?" She asks
"We'll shower after training, can you, I want to talk to you privately though before we go to the Stargazer" I'm nervous but it's a conversation I need to have
"Is everything OK Zoey?" She asks concerned
"Everything is great, I just want some sister time, away from boyfriends" I promise her
"Love you Z"
"Love you too T"
"Tess and I will meet you at The Stargazer, we're just going to have coffee together first" I tell Angus and Declan after our training, Angus pulls me in close and whispers in my ear
"If she gets angry at you then you tell me and I'll sort it", I nod and walk to the showers with Tess.
"I brought you some clothes from home" Tess tells me, I love that she knew I needed an outfit for tonight without even asking, she pulls out my favourite red mini skirt and plain black long sleeved t-shirt, she even squeezed my knee high white boots into her backpack. We shower and get dressed then work on make up and hair.
"Black or blue eyeliner?" I ask her
"Black and line your lower lid too" She orders me as she curls my hair.
When we are leaving we dump the backpack with our work out clothes behind the reception desk and make our way to a coffee place across the road, order two mochas, extra foam, we find a seat near the window that overlooks the city, the sun is setting, casting a beautiful red glow between the apartments.
"What's going on Zoey?" Tess asks me suspiciously
"You know I don't like keeping things from you but I'm also somewhat afraid of you when you get angry at me so I'm hoping you'll keep that in mind" My voice is trembling, I love Tess but she can be scary at times. She stares at me for what seems like forever, her face relaxes like she's just figured out how to solve a puzzle.
"When?" She asks me, taking my hand
"A few weeks ago, it was my idea, not his, he didn't push me into it" I tell her
"Are you being careful?" She questions me
"Always" I promise her
"Did you think I'd be angry with you?" She asks me
"Yes, I thought you'd lecture me about how I should have waited or you'd make me feel ashamed" I explain
"Zoey, I love you, if you're happy then I'm happy for you and you can tell me anything. I'm not angry" She assures me, "Now, give me details"
"You're really not angry?" I ask, shocked
"You love Angus, He loves you, you're being careful, we're almost 19, do you need anymore reasons why I'm not angry?" She exclaims, so I give her all the details she desires, how sweet he was the first time, how it hurt, how many times we've done it and how he took me to doctor to go on the pill. Tess is impressed. We talked for another hour about what we'd been up to during the week, she told me how Declan was taking her out for dinner tomorrow night, how she'd completed 2 assignments but has another 2 to go and how Sam told Declan he was thinking of asking Cassie to formal but wasn't sure if she was interested, we both laughed about how blind Sam was to Cassie's hints. I love having time alone with Tess, all my worries have just melted away.
When we walked into the Stargazer we found Angus and Declan sitting with Molly and Annabelle. Molly came running up to me when we approach the table, giving me a hug, I introduce her to Tess and they hit it off as I predicted they would, we get to talking about university and how we are coming to orientation tours first we back of school. We arrange to have lunch when we do our tour. I feel his arm slide around my waist and his lips kiss my neck
"I love this skirt, How is this the first time I've seen you wear it?" He whispers to me, I turn to face him, "Wow, I'm loving this full look" He says, kissing me
"Im loving your look too, very hot" I say, taking a look at the dark jacket, jeans and blue t-shirt, he's a great dresser.
"I got you both a drink" He says, pointing to the table, "How did the talk go?" He asks me
"Really good, she's not angry" I tell him
"I'm so glad" He says as Tess comes bouncing up beside us, she looks at Angus and smiles
"Thanks for the drink and for being good to my Zoey" She says, hugging us both
"You're welcome on both counts" He smiles at her, my two favourite people are friends and I couldn't be happier.
The band starts playing, Molly grabs my hand, I grab Tess' hand and we head out to the dance floor. I love their sound even though I know none of their songs. We dance through 3 songs before I need to go back to the table for a drink. Walking over I see Angus is texting, he looks up, sees me coming and puts his phone away.
"Hey pretty girl, I love watching you dance" He says, kissing me
"I thought you were too busy texting to see" I laugh and he looks at me with shame in his eyes
"I was watching baby" He promises
"Stop watching, come dance with me" I beg him and he obliges, I lead him onto the dance floor where Tess and Molly are. We dance as a group for the next 3 songs, until Tess announces that she needs a drink and Molly complains of sore feet, I use the opportunity to pull Angus in for a dance, just us two.
"I Love dancing with you" He tells me
"You love doing everything with me" I say, confidently and he nods his head in confirmation,
"Are you hungry?" He asks after we've danced together for a bit
"Kinda" I reply
"Only kinda?" He questions
"I am hungry but I don't want to stop dancing to eat but I also know if I don't eat soon I will run out of energy to keep dancing. It's a complicated catch 22" I laugh
"I'll get some grazing plates for the table, that way you can snack and dance" He says, taking my hand and leading me to the bar where we order food for the table and a round of drinks.
"Im getting tipsy" I giggle
"Are you having fun though?" He asks, concerned
"Yep, I love Caleb's band, they've got an awesome sound" I say, snuggling into him, he smells amazing, the scent of freshly washed and aftershave is intoxicating.
We walk back to the table where we find Tess and Declan discussing where we should go after we graduate. It's tradition that graduating year 12s take a holiday somewhere as a celebration for completing high school. So far we had nothing planned and as per usual Tess had volunteered to organise somewhere but she had a lot on her plate already
"I just haven't had time to look but if we don't book somewhere soon we will miss out" I hear her telling Declan
"Where were you thinking though?" He asks her
"Somewhere beachy where we can relax and drink cocktails" She tells him
"And sunbathe" I add, I'm pale and in desperate need of a tan
"How many people?" Angus asks Tess
"Just us, so that's Zoey, Declan, Cassie, Sam and Myself" She counts on her hand, "5 all up"
"I have a house in Sulani, 4 bedrooms, right on the beach, you can stay there if you want" Angus offers and Tess' eyes light up
"That would be perfect, Thank You Angus" She throws her arms around him in joy
"You should join us" I ask him, a week without Angus won't be fun
"I may not be able to do a full week but I could spare a few days" He promises. Our drinks and grazing plates arrives.
"Baby eat, drink and then we can dance" Angus urges me, I pick up a slice of cheese and some salami, drink half my drink and grab his hand to lead him back out to the dance floor, he comes willingly. I can feel myself going from tipsy to drunk very quickly.
"Zoey we're gonna get you some water ok?" Angus suggests and I groan, water means the end of drinking, he walks me to a quiet corner of The Stargazer and sits me down on couch, "I'll be back, don't move". He walks to the bar, gets a large glass of water, he walks back to where he placed me, crouches down and presents the water to me.
"I'm not drunk anymore" I slur my words
"Completely sober" He laughs putting the water in my hands, "Let's just drink the water anyway, just for fun", I take small sips just to appease him
"Can we go home?" I ask him, tiredness suddenly setting in and the room is spinning. He takes the half empty glass from my hand, sets it on a table near by, stands up and holds out his hands to help me up.
"I'll call Tess once we get home, just so she doesn't worry" He says, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me.
Once back at the apartment he helps me up to the couch, pours another glass of water and makes me a bowl of popcorn.
"You barely ate and drank a lot, eat up, I'll call Tess" He tells me
"You love me" I say
'Is that a question or a statement?" He laughs
"Just me, you love just me though right?" I ramble on and he looks at me confused
"Of course just you Zoey" He crouches down in front of me, "Is everything ok Zoey?"
"No but I'm too tired to talk" I tell him as he slips my boots off and picks me up in his arms
"I'll take you to bed Princess" He carries me off to his room and I drift off in a drunken slumber
"Hmm?"
"Zo, I'm going for a run and then to work"
"But it's dark and cold" I can feel myself leaving sleep behind and becoming more aware of where I am and who is talking to me.
"It won't be cold once I get going and I'm going to watch the sun rise" Angus informs me, "Do you want to come?" He asks in all seriousness, I open my eyes and can just make out the shape of him crouched down beside the bed. I pause for a moment, taking in what he's asking of me, Zoey Green, up until a month ago, was not one to run but since joining the gym I can now keep a steady pace.
"Are you going to go fast" I'm concerned I won't keep up or I'll slow him down.
"I'll go at a Zoey pace" He promises, I can hear the satisfaction in his voice that he has won me over. I throw back the blankets and climb out of bed, still somewhat groggy from waking up so early.
"What time is it anyway?" I ask hm out of curiosity, more so that I can tell Tess, for once, I was awake before she was.
"5:20" He laughs and I sluggishly change into my work out clothes
"I'd only do this for you Theodore and only because I'll miss you while you're at work" I tell him
"I appreciate it baby, I'll owe you" He kisses my forehead and we leave the apartment and head out into the cold, dark morning in San Myshuno.
We ran at a moderate pace from outside the apartment all the way up to Myshuno Meadows where we stopped to watch to sun starting to rise over the ocean, it was a beautiful, breath taking sight and I'm so grateful that Angus woke me up to witness it. He wraps his giant arms around me to keep me warm and whispers in my ear, "Thank you Zoey".
"For what?" I ask him confused
"For sharing this with me today, stepping into my world, I know I stole your sleep in and you can go back to sleep once we get back to the apartment or you could come hang out with at work today?" He knows he'll miss me too
"Are you going to make me work out all day with you?" Ugh, I couldn't imagine anything worse.
"No baby, I only have one session this afternoon and that's with You, Tess and the others, I'm just there today to do paperwork, boring stuff but with you there it won't be boring"He tells me and gives me a wink and that cheeky smile.
"Do you coach many classes there?" I ask, only just realising that I've never paid attention to how much he actually does at the gym
"I run the boxersise class on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, Wednesday morning I have body burn class which is basically a lot of working with weights, squats and floor work and then I do a bit of personal training occasionally but try to avoid it now. My plate is full though with running the place, dealing with staff and payroll but I love being my own boss" He explains and I look at him confused
"So why did you take on Tess and I then if you don't like doing it?" I ask him
"To be close to you Zoey" He answers, smile spread across his face, "I could of let Claudia or Justin take you on but I wanted you all to myself, even if that meant I took on your sister who never stops talking too" He laughs
"You like Tess, don't act like you don't, I see how you both like to stir each other" I remind him
"I do like Tess now, I didn't when I first met you both though I must admit" He confesses
"Why?" I ask, Ive never known anyone who doesn't like Tess, even when she's in a bad mood she's still fun to be around.
"I thought she was being mean to you, making fun of your social awkwardness and I didn't like it but when I spoke to her later that night I saw how she really is, she only wants the best for you and she pushes you out of your comfort zone not to laugh at you but to broaden your horizons. It was only that first time I met her that I didn't like her but I got her all wrong, now I find her to be hilarious and I enjoy making fun of her because she gives me the same shit back. I really looking forward to her coming in for work experience too, I've just gotta find something that will keep her busy for a week coz I know she gets bored easily" He explains
"She's really great at painting, she takes Graphic Art as an elective, if you need her to paint you a mural or even to paint your bland office" I laugh at the thought of Tess getting to paint those bland walls, she would love that.
"That's not a bad idea actually" He says taking it on board.
We walked all the way back to the apartment, taking our time, I showered and changed into casual clothes, Angus said to leave my gym clothes for Joanna to wash and just come back that afternoon for them.
"Can I borrow a book to read today?" I ask him, I had been browsing his collection of novels for a while now
"Of course you can Zoey, you don't have to ask" He tells me and I run off to pick one to take with me today, I choose 'Seduction by the Sea' and we set out for the gym.
"How are you going to explain to your staff that I'm there today" I ask Angus, considering it was him that wanted to keep it under cover at work so it didn't cause trouble.
"I'm going to be honest with them, I know I set the rule of no fraternising with clients and I should be setting a good example but I don't want to hide you Zoey" He explains and I take his hand as we enter the gym together, Annabelle is seated at the reception desk.
"Morning Gus, I have 3 messages for you" She greets him, "Hey Zoey, please tell me he's not forcing you to spend the day here?" She laughs
"He's not forcing me Annabelle" I assure her as Angus reads through the messages she's handed him.
"Zoey, do you wanna stay with Annabelle while I just quickly return a phone call?" He asks me
"Sure" I reply and I take a seat next to Annabelle as Angus walks off to his office.
"Annabelle can I ask something and we just keep it between us" I can hear the quiver in my voice and I'm hoping I can trust Annabelle if I open up
"Of course Zoey, what's up?" She assures me
"Was one of the messages from Steph?" I ask, nervous as hell, she takes a long pause before answering.
"What makes you ask that Zoey" There panic in her voice, like she's holding onto information but if she shares it then she's afraid Angus will get angry
"She called him yesterday when we were having breakfast and I know it's not the first time either. Angus doesn't know that I know and I'm not going to bring it up unless I have a reason to worry" I explain, I can see Annabelle relax a bit, like she knows I won't betray her if she tells me the truth.
"She called here this morning, she said he wasn't answering his phone, I'm guessing because he was with you." She confirms, "I don't know why she's calling though, she won't tell me but I know they have been talking a bit lately"
"Should I be worried?" I ask her, panic in my voice
"I know Angus, he's good guy who is there for everyone but he wouldn't stray. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about Zo, he loves you" She assures me
"Worry about what?" Angus asks as he comes walking up behind us, Annabelle and I exchange looks
"Umm worried about having never flown before, I told Annabelle that I'm a little scared to fly and she was reassuring me that we will be fine" I lie to him and I don't feel good about it but I also don't feel good that he's having secret phone calls with Steph either. I am afraid to fly so it's not a full lie.
"You didn't tell me you were afraid to fly baby" He hugs me tightly
"I didn't want you to think I didn't want to go" I tell him
"Annabelle is right, you have nothing to worry about, I've flown heaps, I love it and I'll be there the whole time" Angus comforts me
"See Zoey, I don't think you have anything to worry about" Annabelle says and we both know she's referring to Angus with Steph, I just hope she's right.
"Annabelle I'm going to work up in the cafe today, apparently my office is too bland for Miss Green" He laughs
"Ok, I'll forward calls to your mobile then" Annabelle says in her professional tone but drops it when she talks to me "Come visit me again today Zoey, you make work fun" She smiles at me and I follow Angus upstairs.
"Do you want pancakes Zoey?" Angus asks, studying the menu as we sit side by side in a booth at the cafe.
"Only if you share them with me and we can have strawberries too, I loved those strawberries, they were so juicy" I reply and he places an order, I open my book and begin reading, he opens his laptop and begins working, I rest my head on his shoulder and he places a hand on my knee.
"Do you like the book so far?" He asks me when I'm a few chapters in.
"It's still setting up but it's very lusty but I love romantic novels" I tell him
"I loved it, I've read that book many times, it's got strong characters and a great twist" I can hear the excitement in his voice, like he's sharing something treasured with me.
"Shh, no-one likes spoilers, go back to your reports" I say playfully
"I'm actually putting together next month's timetable, I'm thinking of taking on an extra class too" He corrects me
"What class?"I ask, intrigued
"Spin class, I'm thinking on a Wednesday afternoon, would you do it if I ran the class?"He asks me
"Would you push me to fast" I don't think I could go at his pace
"You can go at whatever speed you want with me baby, you know that" He promises.
His phone vibrates and he answers it, "Hey Justin, I'm upstairs, come up, I've got someone I want you to meet", he gives me a smile and hangs up. A few minutes later we are approached by a tall, buff looking guy, looks to be in his late 30's, I do recall seeing him around before though.
"Justin, this is my girlfriend, Zoey" Angus introduces me and Justin laughs
"I was wondering when we were going to officially meet, hey Zoey." Justin greets us
"You knew?" Angus exclaims
"Everyone knows, we just didn't say anything but it was pretty obvious, leaving together and how you look at the girl" Justin explains and I just look at Angus and laugh.
"Alright, well we are going away next week, Wednesday, coming back Saturday so I'm just doing some shifting around of my schedule, can you take my group on Friday, it's just Zoey's sister, Tess and her boyfriend?" Angus asks Justin
"No troubles" Justin confirms
"Also Imogen is back next week too, on Thursday" Angus says with a smile and I see Justin's face light up, "Justin has been into Imogen since they were in Year 8 together but she's always had a boyfriend" Angus explains to me
"Including Don" I remind Angus, "Does she know that you like her?" I ask Justin
"Not at all, we've just been friends for so long so I doubt she'd see me as anything else" He tells me before adding "That woman is luscious"
"Dude, thats my sister, keep your pervy thoughts to yourself" Angus laughs at him
"She not my sister" Justin replies, winking at me and I smile
"So you two met around 2 years ago but Justin, you've known Imogen all this time?" I ask them both
"Yep, Imogen travels a lot with work so we've been distant friends, keeping in touch through texts and emails but about 2 years ago we caught up for a drink and she brought her foul mouthed, chubby brother along because he had just been dumped by some chick and we hit it off and I told the chubby bastard that he needed to come running with me every morning with the promise of a beautiful sunrise as a reward" Justin explains and I poke Angus in the ribs as he tries to hide his smile behind his hands.
"This is all sounding very familiar Angus" I exclaim
"You're not chubby, you're beautiful, I just wanted company on my run" He kisses my cheek
"I began training him, this kid had a bad attitude but no confidence and I had to break down so many aggressive walls he had up" Justin continues.
"In my defence I had a shit girlfriend who had cheated on me with my best friend for months and this guy yelling at me to get off my fat arse and get motivated" Angus tells me, hanging his head, I take his hand and give it a little squeeze and he looks at me and winks.
"You were never fat, just chubby" Justin reassures him
"So when did you take over the gym?" I ask Angus
"About a year ago, Justin was looking to sell but wanted to stay on as a trainer and I wanted something to keep me busy. Justin taught me everything I know and I'm grateful for it" Angus replies
"He's still got a foul mouth though" Justin laughs
"Zoey loves it, adds to my bad boy charm" Angus tells him
"Bad boy? You? You're a marshmallow, soft and sweet" I inform him.
My phone starts buzzing, I see it's Tess calling
"Heya" I greet her in a perky tone that could easily challenge her own.
"You're awake? At 8am? I'm surprised" She sounds shocked
"Angus made me go for a run" I tell her and I watch him laugh
"He's making you do sneaky exercise, I love it." She replies, "Whats the plan for tonight anyway?" She asks
"We'll shower after training, can you, I want to talk to you privately though before we go to the Stargazer" I'm nervous but it's a conversation I need to have
"Is everything OK Zoey?" She asks concerned
"Everything is great, I just want some sister time, away from boyfriends" I promise her
"Love you Z"
"Love you too T"
"Tess and I will meet you at The Stargazer, we're just going to have coffee together first" I tell Angus and Declan after our training, Angus pulls me in close and whispers in my ear
"If she gets angry at you then you tell me and I'll sort it", I nod and walk to the showers with Tess.
"I brought you some clothes from home" Tess tells me, I love that she knew I needed an outfit for tonight without even asking, she pulls out my favourite red mini skirt and plain black long sleeved t-shirt, she even squeezed my knee high white boots into her backpack. We shower and get dressed then work on make up and hair.
"Black or blue eyeliner?" I ask her
"Black and line your lower lid too" She orders me as she curls my hair.
When we are leaving we dump the backpack with our work out clothes behind the reception desk and make our way to a coffee place across the road, order two mochas, extra foam, we find a seat near the window that overlooks the city, the sun is setting, casting a beautiful red glow between the apartments.
"What's going on Zoey?" Tess asks me suspiciously
"You know I don't like keeping things from you but I'm also somewhat afraid of you when you get angry at me so I'm hoping you'll keep that in mind" My voice is trembling, I love Tess but she can be scary at times. She stares at me for what seems like forever, her face relaxes like she's just figured out how to solve a puzzle.
"When?" She asks me, taking my hand
"A few weeks ago, it was my idea, not his, he didn't push me into it" I tell her
"Are you being careful?" She questions me
"Always" I promise her
"Did you think I'd be angry with you?" She asks me
"Yes, I thought you'd lecture me about how I should have waited or you'd make me feel ashamed" I explain
"Zoey, I love you, if you're happy then I'm happy for you and you can tell me anything. I'm not angry" She assures me, "Now, give me details"
"You're really not angry?" I ask, shocked
"You love Angus, He loves you, you're being careful, we're almost 19, do you need anymore reasons why I'm not angry?" She exclaims, so I give her all the details she desires, how sweet he was the first time, how it hurt, how many times we've done it and how he took me to doctor to go on the pill. Tess is impressed. We talked for another hour about what we'd been up to during the week, she told me how Declan was taking her out for dinner tomorrow night, how she'd completed 2 assignments but has another 2 to go and how Sam told Declan he was thinking of asking Cassie to formal but wasn't sure if she was interested, we both laughed about how blind Sam was to Cassie's hints. I love having time alone with Tess, all my worries have just melted away.
When we walked into the Stargazer we found Angus and Declan sitting with Molly and Annabelle. Molly came running up to me when we approach the table, giving me a hug, I introduce her to Tess and they hit it off as I predicted they would, we get to talking about university and how we are coming to orientation tours first we back of school. We arrange to have lunch when we do our tour. I feel his arm slide around my waist and his lips kiss my neck
"I love this skirt, How is this the first time I've seen you wear it?" He whispers to me, I turn to face him, "Wow, I'm loving this full look" He says, kissing me
"Im loving your look too, very hot" I say, taking a look at the dark jacket, jeans and blue t-shirt, he's a great dresser.
"I got you both a drink" He says, pointing to the table, "How did the talk go?" He asks me
"Really good, she's not angry" I tell him
"I'm so glad" He says as Tess comes bouncing up beside us, she looks at Angus and smiles
"Thanks for the drink and for being good to my Zoey" She says, hugging us both
"You're welcome on both counts" He smiles at her, my two favourite people are friends and I couldn't be happier.
The band starts playing, Molly grabs my hand, I grab Tess' hand and we head out to the dance floor. I love their sound even though I know none of their songs. We dance through 3 songs before I need to go back to the table for a drink. Walking over I see Angus is texting, he looks up, sees me coming and puts his phone away.
"Hey pretty girl, I love watching you dance" He says, kissing me
"I thought you were too busy texting to see" I laugh and he looks at me with shame in his eyes
"I was watching baby" He promises
"Stop watching, come dance with me" I beg him and he obliges, I lead him onto the dance floor where Tess and Molly are. We dance as a group for the next 3 songs, until Tess announces that she needs a drink and Molly complains of sore feet, I use the opportunity to pull Angus in for a dance, just us two.
"I Love dancing with you" He tells me
"You love doing everything with me" I say, confidently and he nods his head in confirmation,
"Are you hungry?" He asks after we've danced together for a bit
"Kinda" I reply
"Only kinda?" He questions
"I am hungry but I don't want to stop dancing to eat but I also know if I don't eat soon I will run out of energy to keep dancing. It's a complicated catch 22" I laugh
"I'll get some grazing plates for the table, that way you can snack and dance" He says, taking my hand and leading me to the bar where we order food for the table and a round of drinks.
"Im getting tipsy" I giggle
"Are you having fun though?" He asks, concerned
"Yep, I love Caleb's band, they've got an awesome sound" I say, snuggling into him, he smells amazing, the scent of freshly washed and aftershave is intoxicating.
We walk back to the table where we find Tess and Declan discussing where we should go after we graduate. It's tradition that graduating year 12s take a holiday somewhere as a celebration for completing high school. So far we had nothing planned and as per usual Tess had volunteered to organise somewhere but she had a lot on her plate already
"I just haven't had time to look but if we don't book somewhere soon we will miss out" I hear her telling Declan
"Where were you thinking though?" He asks her
"Somewhere beachy where we can relax and drink cocktails" She tells him
"And sunbathe" I add, I'm pale and in desperate need of a tan
"How many people?" Angus asks Tess
"Just us, so that's Zoey, Declan, Cassie, Sam and Myself" She counts on her hand, "5 all up"
"I have a house in Sulani, 4 bedrooms, right on the beach, you can stay there if you want" Angus offers and Tess' eyes light up
"That would be perfect, Thank You Angus" She throws her arms around him in joy
"You should join us" I ask him, a week without Angus won't be fun
"I may not be able to do a full week but I could spare a few days" He promises. Our drinks and grazing plates arrives.
"Baby eat, drink and then we can dance" Angus urges me, I pick up a slice of cheese and some salami, drink half my drink and grab his hand to lead him back out to the dance floor, he comes willingly. I can feel myself going from tipsy to drunk very quickly.
"Zoey we're gonna get you some water ok?" Angus suggests and I groan, water means the end of drinking, he walks me to a quiet corner of The Stargazer and sits me down on couch, "I'll be back, don't move". He walks to the bar, gets a large glass of water, he walks back to where he placed me, crouches down and presents the water to me.
"I'm not drunk anymore" I slur my words
"Completely sober" He laughs putting the water in my hands, "Let's just drink the water anyway, just for fun", I take small sips just to appease him
"Can we go home?" I ask him, tiredness suddenly setting in and the room is spinning. He takes the half empty glass from my hand, sets it on a table near by, stands up and holds out his hands to help me up.
"I'll call Tess once we get home, just so she doesn't worry" He says, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me.
Once back at the apartment he helps me up to the couch, pours another glass of water and makes me a bowl of popcorn.
"You barely ate and drank a lot, eat up, I'll call Tess" He tells me
"You love me" I say
'Is that a question or a statement?" He laughs
"Just me, you love just me though right?" I ramble on and he looks at me confused
"Of course just you Zoey" He crouches down in front of me, "Is everything ok Zoey?"
"No but I'm too tired to talk" I tell him as he slips my boots off and picks me up in his arms
"I'll take you to bed Princess" He carries me off to his room and I drift off in a drunken slumber
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