Sparks Fly

Thursday afternoon I arrived home from school to find Mum and Don dancing together and kissing in the kitchen. Tess and I are very much used to seeing our parents public displays of affection towards each other so this was nothing new to me. 
"We are celebrating Zoey" Don announces to me as I try to push past them to get to the fridge.
"What are we celebrating today Mr and Mrs Lothario?" I ask, it feels that we are always celebrating really.
"I've asked your mother to re-marry me" Don enthuses 
"Say no Mum, it's not too late" Yells Tess as she comes barging in the front door "Actually, say yes so Zoey and I can be Bridesmaids again but this time we can drink the champaign"
"Ofcourse I said yes girls, Don is my soulmate" Our mother swoons and Tess makes vomit noises.
I'm just glad everyone's in good mood coz it makes what I'm going to ask a little bit easier for them to digest.
"Angus and I are going out somewhere fancy tomorrow night so I may need to buy I nice dress for the occasion" I ask
"And shoes" adds in Tess
Don stops dancing, reaches into his pocket, pulls out his credit car and says with a smile "Go nuts".
"Thank you, Thank You, Thank you" I scream, hugging him, as step dads go, Don is the best. 
"As long as you get you're homework done tonight and over the weekend I don't see a problem with taking one night off" He tells me
"There's one more thing I need to ask too" I say nervously, "Angus wants to know if I can stay over on Friday night too, I'll come home early Saturday and do my chores and and study hard" I promise them.
Don and Ruth exchange looks.
"We like Angus honey" explains Mum, "but we don't want you getting distracted, you're so close to the finish line with school and university is just around the corner and We don't want you falling behind"
"I won't, I wouldn't, I promise, I'm still me and I'm still going to study and get good grades and go to university next year, I can still do all of that and see Angus, he understands that my studies are important" I plead with them
"Does he though?" asks Don
"what do you mean?, ofcouse he does" I reply, trying to choke back tears, this conversation is not going in the direction I thought it would
"I just mean, he didn't go to university so he may not understand the amount of work it's going to take to get in" Don continues and I can feel the tears running freely down my cheek.
"Why is it ok for Tess to have a boyfriend and not get the 'you're going to get distracted' lecture, why am I the only one who can't just be a normal, teenage girl?" I wail at them
"You don't think we had this talk with Tess? We did but we also know Declan is heading to university to study law next year so we know he's keeping Tess on track" Don fights back
"I won't get distracted, I promise" I plead with them again
"Sex is a distraction Zoey" My mother yells at me and we both blush.
"I'm not having sex Mother!" I yell back
"Well maybe not now you're not but why else would a 22 year old man ask his 18 year old girlfriend to sleep over, come on Zoey, I know you're naive at times but really?" She says, trying to drive home her point that distractions for Zoey mean having sex with Angus.
"He's not like that at all, he just wants to spend some alone time with me because all the time we do spend together right now features my twin sister, no offence Tess" How do I get out of this conversation?
"None taken Zoey and for the record Mum and Don how about you trust your daughters judgement for once, Zoey says he's a good guy and I believe he is too, he's not a player, he's decent person and so what if he didn't go to university, he owns a fucking gym and his family is loaded so he doesn't need a degree, he's doing what he loves" Tess comes in swinging as usual, on my side, "Come on Zoey, let's go buy you a really sexy dress that will look great on Angus' floor after he's deflowered the golden Green girl" ok, I probably could of done without her teasing our parents that I'm going to lose my virginity Friday night but still she has my back.
We storm out and up to the train station.
"We are going to the shopping district Zoey, we are buying you the hottest free, one that will make Angus be eating out of the palm of your hand" Tess announces loudly, other passengers start to look at us but we don't care. I throw my arms around her and hug her tightly
"I love you Teresa Green"
"I love you too Zoey Green"

Delicate

On Wednesday afternoon I walked into the gym and for the first time ever I actually wanted to be there, I think it was both parts of that I had Cassie and Declan there now and I also I felt I was starting to get better, I can now run at a fast pace on the treadmill and I don't complain (as much) when we do squats. I pre-warned Declan and Cassie that there is to be no mention of Angus being my boyfriend, that we are to be professional at all times and they understood. 
Angus was leaning over the desk telling Annabelle a funny story and she was in fits of laughter, "You're 4pm is here Gus" she's trying to tell him but she's struggling to get the words out through her own laughter. Angus turns around and looks over the group, stops when his eyes meet mine and gives me a wink, I blush a little and look away.
"Tess and Zoey can you two start warming up, I'm going to take the others to my office first" He asks
"The office of bland" Tess teases, "how exciting for them, c'mon Zo"

Tess and I start warming up and then jump on treadmills about 15 minutes later the others join us.
"Oh wow, I half expected to come out and find you two just standing there gossiping but you proved me wrong, loving that self discipline" He says proudly and we laugh. Our routine today included treadmills as well as lifting weights, squats and crunches. It was actually fun because Declan, being athletic, could easily keep up with us but poor Cassie struggled a bit.

When we were done we showered at the gym, us three girls were absolutely buzzing when we hit the stalls. 
"How boring is that office Cassie?" Tess calls out over the shower stalls
"You guys made it sound like there was nothing in there but I saw a photo of Zoey and Angus framed on the desk so it's not completely undecorated"
"what????" Tess and I cry out in unison
We shut our showers off, get dressed and meet Cassie out near the sinks
"Are you sure it was of Zoey and not of his Grandma?" Tess questions Cassie
"Unless his Grandma is 18 and looks like Zo, haha" Cassie says, describing the picture in detail, it was from our day at The Sand Bar.
"Is it up there for everyone to see?" I ask, a bit of panic rising inside me, I don't want Angus to get into trouble because of me
"No, it's next to his laptop, I only saw it because I went that side to sign my contract" Cassie explains.
When we come out from the shower block we find Declan and Angus in deep conversation about the Llama's, our town's soccer team.
"They've had too many injuries this season to have any chance of wining the cup" Declan tells Angus
"Yeah but they could come back, remember how they were doing poorly 2 years back abut put in the extra training and came second"
Sports, yuck!

We walk to Angus' apartment as the cold evening air is just setting in, I forgot to pack a coat this morning as it was warm when I left home, Angus takes off his own jacket and puts it around me, it smells like him, that scent of aftershave and mild sweat. 
"Thank you" I whisper to him, he pulls me towards him and kisses my the side of my forehead.
"Now, when I said 'Im cooking' I really meant 'Im ordering in' just so you all know" Angus informs us
"You can't cook can you Angus?" Tess teases him
"Honestly....No, I'm skilled at many things but cooking is not one of them" He explains
"So Mister Perfect has flaws, dump him now Zoey, if he can't cook he's no good to us" Tess cries out
"I'm far from perfect, I've got skeletons in my closet like everyone else" Angus insists
"you're still perfect to me" I assure him

Angus gives the group a tour of his apartment and I notice in his room, on the bedside table there another photo of us framed. I can hear Declan in the loungeroom, getting excited about the size of the TV so I join them "I imagine watching the game on this would be next level?" He asks like a kid on Christmas who has just discovered the presents
"Finally, someone who I can watch the matches with, next Sunday we are on" Angus matches his excitement while us girls exchange looks.

Dinner was amazing, it was garlic butter chicken and veggies. 
"Im a great cook" Angus says after we've finished and we all agree, he can "cook" for us any time. At 8pm Cassie lets us know that she has her town car coming to collect us.
"Do you wanna stay the night?" Angus whispers and I am very tempted to say yes but I remember that I have no spare clothes there
"Another time?" I ask
"Ofcourse" he replies "I'll get you a drawer to keep your things in and some other things, just to make it feel like home. Don and Ruth will be alright with you staying right? I just figured after Friday night and talking with Ruth that they know I don't have bad intentions for their good girl"
"I think they will be ok, Tess stays at Declan's some nights and they don't have a problem with it so they should be ok. Friday night I could stay over if that's ok?"
"I'd love that, I'll take you on a date, somewhere special" He promises
The town car arrives, I kiss him goodbye and go to remove his jacket
"Keep that on baby, you'll be freezing otherwise"He warns me, kissing me on the cheek.