From Eden.

It didn't surprise me any. Laura and Matt couldn't understand why a grin was slapped across my face for the drive to Matt’s house. Zacky would be there. The boy who had haunted my dreams since the moment I had laid eyes on him would be there, and if luck had anything to do with it, we would share more than just a passing glance.

Perhaps it’s just me, but it doesn't make much sense when you get down to it. You can admire someone who’s as gorgeous as anything you've ever seen all you want from afar, thinking that there’s no way they could be anymore beautiful, that is, until you see them up close. And then you realize, they are. I had never been face to face with Zacky before, seeing him at Matt and Amy’s house was going to be something short of a roller-coaster ride. My emotions were going haywire, jumping from excited to nervous to terrified to excited right back again.

While Laura and Amy went off to do their own thing, I followed Matt up the stairs and into his room, where the sounds of curse words and things being thrown greeted my ears.

“Hey you guys!” he called out, grabbing everyone’s attention, “I've got someone I want to introduce to you!”

The four boys in the room stopped and looked at me. I suddenly felt like a mouse under a microscope. I looked down at my shoes, hoping that Matt wouldn't force me to talk to anyone else. I wanted all of my attention focused on the god next door.

“This is Delilah, Delilah, meet the guys. Jimmy is the really tall one,” Matt started, pointing at a very tall guy with his hair sticking about two feet up in the air, almost as if it was stretching towards the heavens. He looked like he smiled a lot, that I could see from the permanent wrinkles on the corners of his lips that looked like any minute now he was going to burst into laughter.

“That’s Johnny,” he said, pointing towards a guy, who was much shorter in comparison to the others. He looked to be younger than them as well, perhaps about my age, with short black hair and a nose ring. I wasn't such a fan about the nose ring, considering I’m terrified of needles, but it didn't bother me as much on him.

“This is Brian,” he said, gesturing towards yet another guy. He had striking features; his jawline was so perfectly designed it was almost unbelievable. His eyes were a warm chocolate brown color, only they had a hint of evil in them, almost as if he was up to something. I wouldn't doubt that from the way he was standing. His arms were folded across his chest, which was puffing out proudly.

“And well, you kind of know Zacky,” I chewed on the inside of my lip as I looked up into his eyes that were, to my surprise, looking back into mine as well. It felt like the whole universe, every planet, every star, every living thing, everything with a beating heart and could breathe stopped to watch the two of us. It felt like I could have stared at him forever, admiring him and all of his beauty, and something told me that he could do the same for me.

“Make yourself at home,” Matt said, “I’m used to these guys eating my food,”

“Speaking of food,” Johnny piped up, “do you have anything to eat?”

Matt rolled his eyes, “follow me to the pantry, dipshit,”

We all followed Matt down the stairs, past friends of his younger sisters. I knew I was supposed to be keeping an eye on Laura, but I couldn't get over the fact that I was in the same room as Zacky. It made me want to forget all other responsibilities.

“Jimmy.” The short guy, Johnny, coughed. The tall guy, Jimmy, slapped Johnny upside the head. “Ow!” Johnny cried.

“You had it coming, short shit.” Jimmy shrugged, turning his back to the rest of us and walking into the kitchen, looking through the pantry for something to eat.

Does he really torment him like that? I asked myself, chewing on the inside of my lip.

Yes, he does Matt’s raspy voice answered my question. I felt my cheeks redden. I hadn't meant to broadcast that question out, and I hoped no one else heard it. If what Laura had said about Matt and Amy were true, I could see them being part Fae, but not Shifter. It just didn't seem right.

We ended up migrating back to Matt’s room, our arms full of chips and snacks and drinks. Brian had even brought up a beer cooler and the guys were happily sipping on cheap alcohol as they took their spots in various places. Johnny was sprawled out on Matt’s bed, Zacky and Brian were sitting on the floor, Jimmy was sitting in a beanbag chair and Matt was sitting on his red love-seat, perched right under his window. I looked for a place to sit, hoping I didn’t make myself look silly.

“You can sit here.” Matt said, gesturing to the spot beside him on the red love-seat.

I walked over to him, noticing that this particular spot was the farthest away from the god, who I guess I should start calling Zacky, and sat down beside Matt, keeping my distance.

“Matt! Stop flirting with the new chick!” Jimmy exclaimed, stuffing potato chips in his mouth, he flicked a chip at Johnny.
“I wasn't flirting with her.” Matt stated, his arm rested behind the part of the couch that my back was pressed against.
“Hey Delilah, you want a beer?” Brian asked, opening the blue cooler.

“Uh, sure,” I mumbled, leaning over as Brian handed me the cold beer can. It was wet and felt slippery between my fingers. I popped the tab and took a sip, grimacing at the taste.

“Someone’s a lightweight!” Jimmy exclaimed, stuffing more chips into his mouth.

“How do you not get fat?” Johnny asked, staring at Jimmy “You eat constantly!”

“I have a fast metabolism,” Jimmy stated proudly, puffing his chest out as he stuffed another handful of chips into his mouth.

“That was a pretty big word, Jim,” Brian said, clearly impressed that Jimmy said the word ‘metabolism’.

“Bet he can’t spell it.” Matt chuckled.

I took another sip of my beer, and set it down carefully on Matt’s carpet. When I looked up, Zacky was looking at me. His eyes bore into me, he eyed my beer can carefully and went back to what was on Matt’s TV. I noticed how well Zacky seemed to fit in with these guys, almost as if he had known them for the longest time.

The doorbell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Pizza’s here!” Matt said, jumping up from the love-seat we sat on.

“Fuck yeah, pizza!” Jimmy exclaimed. Everyone else nodded in agreement and mumbled something about how much they were starving. They slowly filed out of the room until it was me and Zacky left.

“So what do you think of my friends?” Zacky asked, causing my heart to jump at the sound of his voice escape his lips in such a smooth velvet way it seemed almost impossible. He was actually speaking to me.

“I-I like them,” I stammered, feeling my cheeks redden. I hated how nervous I was speaking to him.

“Sweet,” he chuckled, grabbing a beer can and sloshing it around, he took a swig before setting it back down.
“I suppose we should go downstairs and join them, they probably think we’re fucking or something.”

He laughed as he walked out of Matt’s room, but the thought of his perfect body pressed against mine made me blush even harder. I wanted him more than anything,anyone else, and I couldn't even have a simple conversation with him. I was infatuated with him.

Are you two lovebirds going to come down and eat? Or can I give your slice to Jimmy?Matt’s voice rang in my head, startling me.

Coming down now. I told him, grabbing my beer can and taking a swallow, hoping the alcohol would give me some courage for the rest of the night.

Notes

please don't be a silent reader! ♡