62| Freaking Out

Zoey and Zachary were sitting under the maple tree, waiting for the rest of their group to arrive. Sitting cross legged, she was staring at the cheerleader preforming their routine in boredom. Beside her, Zachary was scrolling down his Instagram when his eyes stopped at the new upload of Maya. It was a picture of her sitting in a garden, smiling at the camera. Her fiery curls were ruffled because of the wind and some free locks were falling on her face.

"Stop stalking like a creep and just talk to her." Zoey said as she peeked at his screen.

"I tried talking to her and she is giving me silent treatment since then." Zachary groaned.

"So do the same. Girls go crazy when a guy ignores them. Believe me." Zoey suggested.

"I don't want to ignore her. I just want her to talk to me. Her presence makes everything bright and special." Zachary said and Zoey stared at him in confusion. She couldn't imagine that it was the same guy who was never seen with a girl two days in a row.

"Man, you really are whipped." She said and earned a frown from him.

"What is it about me? Why do all the girls I like ends up friend-zoning me? First you and now Maya." Zachary stated, heaving a sigh.

"My case was different. But Maya, that girl is a gem Zach. Don't let her slip through your fingers." Zoey said and that's when she found Travis passing by the ground. All the other thoughts left her mind and her focus shifted to him.

He looked so cute as he walked past her with his eyes zoomed in on his notebook, a confused frown plastered on his forehead. He was unknowingly biting his lips, something he did very often, not that she minded. His light brown hair was falling on his forehead and she felt the urge to push them back and uncover his beautiful face.

A cough broke her trance and she stared at Zachary who was sheepishly smirking beside her. "So who is the whipped one among us?" He asked and Zoey blushed hard.

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes and he chuckled in return.

"These two have created a havoc in our lives." He muttered under his breath and Zoey nodded in affirmation.

For the next few minutes, they remained silent until Ethan's car finally stopped behind them in the parking lot. To their surprise, Ethan didn't walk out alone. Instead, he opened the passenger seat for someone and after a brief moment, Althea stepped out.

Together, they both walked towards the ground where Zoey and Zachary was sitting. Their locked hands turned some heads but both of them remained oblivious. As usual, they sat down at their usual spots, ignoring Zoey and Zachary's widened eyes.

"Is someone going to explain what the heck is going on?" Zoey asked.

"Nothing." Ethan said calmly.

"Really? So why is your hand glued to my sister's back?" Zachary pointed towards Ethan's arm that was around her waist.

"Stop being so curious. It's not a big deal. Ethan and I are a couple now." Althea replied as if it was an insignificant detail.

"What?" Zoey and Zachary yelled in synchronisation.

"When did that happen?" Zoey asked.

"Last night." Althea shrugged.

"But... But how?" Zachary asked. "I mean, you couldn't even stand in the same room as him a week ago."

"Things change. Get over it, brother." Althea shrugged again and Zachary exchanged a confused glance with Zoey.

"Well, as your brother, it's my duty to warn Ethan but knowing you, it's him I am worried about." Zachary teased.

"Hey, she is my girlfriend now. You can't make fun of her." Ethan defended her and earned a slap on his back from Zachary.

"She is my sister first. It's my birth right to tease her." Zachary said, pinching Althea's cheeks who growled angrily in return..

Zoey who was silently listening to all this, added, "Althea Harper has a boyfriend. I didn't think I would live to see this day. May God be your saviour, Ethan O'Connell!"

"Shut up, you both." Althea said in annoyance and stood up to leave for her first class. "Are you coming or not?" She asked Ethan.

"Yes, babe." Ethan followed her like a tail in no time.

"Okay, I take my words back. Now that's what we call whipped." Zoey commented as she stared at their retreating figures.

"Hate to agree but you are right." Zachary agreed.

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"How is this one?" Travis asked, showing Zoey the white button-up shirt.

"It's nice. Pair it with some black pants." Zoey advised as she munched on the Cheetos that she found in his kitchen downstairs.

"I don't have black pants. Can I wear brown?" He asked innocently, jutting out his lower lip.

"You can stay naked for all I care." Zoey winked at him and he narrowed his eyes in a playful glare.

"Close your eyes now. I have to change." He said and turned around. He didn't have an attached bathroom and he was in no mood of leaving the room to change.

"I've seen it all." Zoey said.

"Close your eyes!" He ordered and heard a small groan. Angling his neck, he checked if her eyes were closed and then changed into his work outfit. He checked his appearance in the mirror and a very different version of him greeted him.

"Do I look professional enough to impress the CEO of a multinational company?" He asked, brushing his hair back.

"You look hot enough to impress his daughter." Zoey said as her eyes fixated on his toned butt.

"I am not joking, Zoey. I am seriously freaking out." He turned around and then put his hands on his hips.

"You don't have to worry. It's just a stupid internship." Zoey said.

"In your Dad's company. I don't want him to think of me as some dumb kid." He said, frantically pacing to and fro.

"You are not dumb, Travis. You are going to Harvard. Only smart people go there." Zoey tried to console him.

"I need his approval." He whispered in agitation.

"No, you don't. You have my approval and that's enough. I don't care what he thinks of you." Zoey said.

"I do." Travis replied.

Leaving his bed, she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked deep into his beautiful eyes and lowered him so she could hug him.

"You don't look like a hugger." She heard Travis say.

"I am not. But I will make an exception for you." She said and let him rest his face in the crook of her neck.

"Thanks." He said. She moved her fingers inside his silky locks and the action calmed him immediately. All the stress left his body and he felt like sleeping in her embrace.

Before she could make him late on his very first day, he parted away and pecked her on her forehead. "Come on. I'll drop you home before going to office." He said.

"Okay." She pouted.

Together, they both left the house and after dropping her at her house, Travis made his way to Richard Crawford's office. The receptionist led him to his destination and he kept looking around like a lost puppy. There were people everywhere, rushing here and there, like animals running in jungle. It wasn't anything like he expected. In his mind, it was supposed to be a peaceful and serene place like movies where everybody calmly works their job but the unexpected hustle and bustle freaked him out.

"Are you Travis Anderson?" He was looking around when a middle aged woman asked him and he nodded. The woman eyed him from head to toe and then said, "Follow me."

"Where are we going?" Travis asked, trying to keep up with the woman's pace.

"You will be observing our finance department this week." The woman said.

"Oh. Can I meet Mr. Crawford?" Travis asked.

"Sweetie, do you really think he meets every intern personally?" The woman replied and Travis felt himself burning in embarrassment.

The woman led him to a desk and he put his suitcase there. It was a small hall filled with almost ten people, all of whom were busy in their respective work, their eyes fixated on their computer screens.

"Gary will teach you how things work here." The woman pointed at the creepy looking guy sitting to his left. Travis hesitantly offered him a smile which he didn't return.

Once the woman left, Gary angled his neck and said to Travis, "If you face any issue settling in, don't ask for my help. I have better things to do than babysitting a high schooler."

"Oh God, where did I stuck myself?" Travis thought to himself.

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