Zoë

Cold rain poured over Carden and Zoë as they ran down the street toward her house. The cold liquid slid down their skin, the wonderful scent calming her nerves.

She loved thunderstorms. Everything from the rain hitting her hand when she stuck it out the window to the boom's of thunder and the crackle of lightening, the rare moment when those two elements combined, and of course, the smell of rain.

They stopped in front of Zoë's house. The rain had darkened Carden's hair to a near black and it was plastered against his forehead while his adorably attractive eyes, that made her heart flutter, sparkled. Raindrops dripped from his long eyelashes and onto his tan cheeks.

"Hey Zo?"

"Hmm?" She gently looped her arms around his neck and his arms wrapped around her waist gingerly.

"Have I ever told you that you're absolutely gorgeous in the rain?"

Zoë felt a soft blush erupt on her face. "Nope. Have I ever told you that your hair looks ten times better in the rain?"

Carden faked a look of shock. "How dare you insult my hair! It looks amazing when it's dry! It's terrible when it's wet!"

She ran a hand through his hair, laughing when he scowled. "Let's agree to disagree."

He rolled his eyes with a playful smile and tucked a piece of her soaking wet hair behind her ear. She couldn't even imagine what she looked like right now. Her hair was probably sticking out in every direction and curling like it did when it was wet and her makeup had probably started to run.

He studied her face. "Whatcha thinking about, Zo?"

"Just about how terrible I probably look like right now."

Carden laughed deeply. "Babe, you don't look terrible. Sure, you look like a hobgoblin but a very beautiful hobgoblin. One that I would totally ask out if she wasn't already my very beautiful girlfriend."

And therewas that word that never ceased to make Zoë's heart flutter when it come out of his mouth.

Girlfriend.

After what seemed like a lifetime of "dating," Carden had finally asked Zoë out on a real date and that was when Cam deemed Zarden officially canon. It was after a month or two that acting didn't feel like acting. It felt real but now that Carden was holding her in the rain, it was real.

He was her's and she was his.

"What?" Zoë asked when Carden didn't say anything and just stared into her eyes. She rubbed her mascara stained face. "Do I have something on my face?"

Carden didn't say anything but did something else. He leaned down and kissed her gently. His hand gently cupped her cheek and she felt the heat rise in her face even more.

He pulled away a moment later, eyes on his feet and his face bright red. "I'm sorry I just-"

She gently raised his head so he would meet her gaze. "Car, it's okay."

He breathed a sigh of relief before kissing her cheek. And that was when he muttered the three words that would change her life. "I love you."

Zoë's breath caught as she looked into Carden's eyes. "What?"

"I love you." He stared into her eyes so intently, she knew the words were true. "You don't have to say it back right now but I want you to know that I do. I love you."

She took a deep breath and leaned her head against his chest. "I love

you too," Zoë whispered as she shot up in her bed. The room was pitch black and thunder rumbled loudly outside her window. The dream had felt so real. She could've sworn she felt the rain dripping onto her skin and Carden's gentle kiss.

But it was fake. Just like everything else was.

Carden would never kiss her.

He would never say those three little words to her.

She blew a breath out her lips and collapsed into the warmth of her blanket fort again. Why was her heart so set on Carden Ash? There was no way they'd work out, no matter what her heart thought. After the truth of their relationship came to light, he would leave her behind. Just another pawn in his life.

Zoë squeezed her eyes tightly, tears gently leaking out of the corners and trailing down her cheeks. She shouldn't be crying over a boy. Especially a boy like Carden.

She rubbed her palms against her eyes. "No more crying."

"About what?" a deep voice rang out groggily from her phone.

Zoë shrieked, wrapping her blanket around her and falling out of her bed. Oh right. Carden had insisted they'd call before she went to bed to make sure Alec didn't show up and she must've fallen asleep before hanging up.

Carden laughed quietly and she could almost see him sweeping back his hair from his forehead and his eyes sparkling. "Did I scare you, Zo?"

"You don't just say something in the middle of the night when a girl's asleep!" Zoë hissed as she crawled onto her bed. "That's just plain weird."

He snorted. "Well, you should've hung up then."

"Why didn't you?"

"I fell asleep too."

She raised an eyebrow at her phone. "At the same time?"

"Yup."

"Whatever you say Captain Flirt."

For once in her life she was beyond thankful for voice call. She couldn't imagine Carden's smirk and sassy remarks if he saw her with a messy bun that was falling apart. Not to mention her tank top with white hearts scattered along it and hot pink shorts. She'd never be able to live that down.

"Anyways," Carden said casually, "what were you crying about?"

His voice almost seemed so sincere, Zoë almost told him but he would laugh. Laugh at her feelings. Laugh at what she thought. Laugh at what she hoped. So she went with a better answer.

"Alec."

Carden went silent. "Can I do anything?"

Zoë buried her face in her pillow. "I wish. I just want him to leave my life but my mom...she still loves him but she needs to let go. She needs to so that we can both be happy."

The sound of a pillow being flipped met Zoë's ears. "Things will work out Zo. Even if it doesn't seem like right now, it will someday. Just keep on hoping, alright?"

But what if I'm not hoping Alec will leave my life. What if I'm hoping to be with a boy like you? Someone who actually cares about.

"Alright," she whispered instead. She wasn't ready to tell him what she was truly thinking about...at least not yet.

"You know, your snores are super cute."

Zoë's cheeks went bright red and she buried her face in her pillow again, Carden laughing when she groaned loudly. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Hey, it was cute!"

"Can I die now?"

"Nah, you've still got to come to the Homecoming Game this week! I can't play without my number one supporter!" She imagined him winking.

"I thought Chloe was gonna be there anyways," Zoë teased. "And all of her minions! You'll have a whole support group!"

"Sometimes I wonder how we're friends."

"Me too, me too."

"But you have to come!" Zoë was pretty sure he had his puppy dog face on and was begging. "You can wear one of my jerseys and stand front row with all the special seniors! Pleaseeeeeeeeee!"

"But what if I don't want to wear a sweaty football jersey?" Zoë laughed.

"I'll wash all of my jersey's and you can choose your favorite! Please?" His tone was soft and he was begging.

"Not happening."

A loud thud sounded from his end of the call. "Oh, come one Z! I'm on my knees." Her phone chimed with a text from him. He actually was on his knees with very good looking bed head and a shirt that fit him just right and-

"Zoë, hello? You still there?"

"Yes." She couldn't take her eyes off the picture. Was it creepy?

"Zoë Flynn," his voice went deep, "are you checking me out in the picture I sent you?"

"Yes-WAIT NO!" She yelled over his hysterical laughter. She was officially the biggest idiot to ever exist. She had just fueled his ego even more.

It turned into an endless cycle. Zoë would yell, "Shut up!" Then he'd start laughing so hard he'd startcackling, "I THINK I'M GONNA PEE MYSELF! OH MY GOSH THIS IS THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!" Then the laughing would continue again.

"Fine! You've got yourself a deal!" Zoë snarled to get him to shut up. "But I'm not sitting front row. I'll sit where I want, got it?"

He wheezed for a moment then laughed, "Deal. But I've got my own circumstances."

"I'm not wearing a shirt that prompts your ego."

"That's not what I was going to say but thank you for the idea." He paused for a second. "You have to sit somewhere I'm able to see you, okay? Promise me that at least?"

"Promise." Her heart fluttered.

Zoë could tell he smiling by what he said next. "Perfect. I'll see you later today, alright Zo?"

"Course."

"Night Zoë."

She yawned loudly, Carden laughing sleepily. "Night Carden."

But Zoë never reached for her phone to end the call and neither did Carden. It wasn't until Carden's deep quiet snore met Zoë's ears that she started to drift off.

*****

Shoot. Shoot. Shoot.

Zoë struggled to pull the back of her shoe up over her heel as she hopped on one foot towards the school. Her alarm never went off and she hadn't gotten up until Carden's voice had told her it was 7:20.

Now it was 7:50 and Carden had wanted her to pick a jersey before school but she was to late. She rushed down the hall towards the commons, shoe still not on fully.

She appeared in the commons, locking eyes with Carden a couple yards away. He offered a grin and she was about to walk over to him when she stumbled over her own stupid shoe and someone walked into her, sending her backward.

Zoë closed her eyes, bracing for impact and losing the ability to breathe for a moment but a hand clasped her own quickly. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Car."

"Well, I'm not 'Car' but you're welcome," said a new voice. It certainly wasn't Carden or any other guy that she knew. In fact, she didn't even know anyone except for Louis Partridge and Danny Griffin that had British accents.

She opened her eyes to look at the boy. He had tan skin and a blinding smile. His brown eyes sparkled mischievously, like Carden's. He was dressed in fitted jeans and a polo shirt and a necklace with a two beads around it. "Dean. Dean Hamilton."

"Zoë Flynn."

He pulled her up to her full height. "Well, pleased to meet you, Miss Flynn."

"Yeah." She pulled her hand away from his, quickly realizing that they were still "holding hands" and stuffing it into her denim jacket pocket. "I haven't seen you around before. Are you new?"

Dean forced a laugh. "Yes, ma'am. My mother moved me and my older brother here to the States. You see, I used to live in the U.K. It was a pretty nice place. Have you been there before?"

Zoë smiled. "Yeah, but like a long time ago. All I remember is that the summers aren't that bad. Florida is pretty hot in the summer."

He laughed. "That's very true, Miss Flynn."

"Umm, please, just call me Zoë."

Zoë stood there awkwardly, her heart and head screaming for her to get away from Dean and run over to Carden but she couldn't leave him here by himself. He was new after all.

She was about to invite him to join her and the jocks on the steps when Andrew suddenly asked, "Can I have your number?"

"My number?"

"Yeah." He paused. "I know we just met but I don't have very many friends and you seem nice and now I'm rambling so stop me before I say something embarrassing."

Zoë swallowed a no but reluctantly handed him her phone. Dean grinned wildly and handed her phone back. "Thanks Zo."

No, don't call me that. Only Carden can.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder, glancing at Carden. His eyes were on the two of them and she noticed ice in his eyes, his hands balled into fists. Zoë locked eyes with him and tilted her head slightly towards them.

Thankfully, he got the message.

Carden casually walked over, hands in his pockets. "Hey Zo, whatcha doing?"

Zoë laughed, leaning into Carden as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Just talking to Dean. He's new here."

"Oh, he is?" His eyes met Dean's gaze. "Well then, welcome. Glad to know Zo can make friends wherever she goes."

Dean looked between the two of them. "Are you guys a thing? Excuse my bad manners. I'm just wondering."

"Yep," Zoë informed him. "This is my boyfriend, Carden." She emphasized the word and Carden even planted a gentle kiss on her cheek to make sure he got the hint. She didn't need another guy hitting on her and she was sure Carden wouldn't like that either.

"Oh." He paused and was about to ask her another question when the bell rang. Dean sighed. "I'll see you at lunch, Zo?"

Carden's grip tightened.

She nodded and he gave her a grin, walking away towards the locker room hall. Once Dean was out of earshot, Carden turned to her and put a hand to her bruised cheek. She had put concealer on her cheek this morning and the blood had dried so all people could see was a small cut on her cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. My face feels-"

"Zoë." The way Carden had said her name and the way he was looking into her eyes made Zoë's gut do flips. "Are you okay?" He glanced down the hall where boys were yelling and going to the gyms.

"Is someone jealous?" Zoë teased as they started walking towards the steps up to their first hour.

"Zo, I'm serious. Did he do something?" Carden asked, totally blowing off her question.

"Besides catching me, no. I even thought he was you at first." She laughed to try and lighten the mood. "You're the only guy who would willingly catch me if I fell."

"He called you Zo," he whispered as they sat in their desks. "Nobody calls you Zo except me, your mom, Ambi, and Cam."

"Well, not really Cam. I mean sometimes-"

Carden reached around and took her hands, Zoë's heart beating a million miles an hour the second their hands touched. "You're Miss Dedicated. My girl. No one can take you from me while I'm still around."

"Did you say 'my girl?'"

He blushed. "You know what I mean."

Zoë smiled at him as the bell rang and he turned forward, letting go of her hands in the process. She stared at her hands. He had been holding them. He told Dean to leave her alone. He said "my girl."

Did he really like her?

A moment later, a note slipped onto her desk, written in his neat handwriting.

Maybe I was a little jealous.

She giggled quietly, slipping the note into her phone case.

Maybe.