"Fuck yes, I would," Zack answers without hesitation, his voice dropping to a low growl. "I would take you places you have never been before, show you what that engine can really do when it is pushed hard." He leans in closer, their faces now mere inches apart. The classroom noise fades into background noise as Mrs. Wayne dismisses students and collects papers from the front row. "You are playing with fire saying shit like that during school hours," he warns with a predatory smile. "Unless you actually mean it." His hands slid onto her thigh beneath the desk, fingers pressing firmly against the fabric of her skinny jeans as if testing how much further he can push this game. "If you were a car, I would ride you all night long," Anna whispers into his ear, her breath hot against his ear. Then she pulls back. "But first, I got chemistry, and you have history," she says casually and picks up her books from the desk.
Zack's green eyes narrow slightly at her sudden retreat, her casual dismissal of their charged moment leaving him simultaneously frustrated and intrigued. The whisper of her breath against his ear lingers like a phantom touch, igniting a hunger that won't be easily sated. "That is cold, Anna," he murmured, his own voice husky with restrained desire. "You can't just say shit like that and then walk away." He stands abruptly, grabbing his own bag with more force than necessary. The zipper snags on his rushed movements, earning a curse under his breath. As students file out of the classroom, he steps closer to her, his presence dominating despite the crowded hallway. "You owe me for that," he says quietly, his lips brushing against her ear. "Don't think I will forget about riding me all night long." With a final smoldering look, he turns and strides away, leaving her standing amidst the bustle of students changing classes.
After sitting through a history class, where they did a recap lesson for the next day's test, the bell rang for lunch time and Zack headed down to the football field. He doesn't immediately spot Anna. He watches a group of smokers sneak behind the gym and some football players following the football coach into the gym. After a few minutes he spots Anna emerging from the main building, her purple backpack contrasting sharply with the gray concrete. She is carrying her purple backpack on her back and carrying a brown paper bag in her hand, presumably with something to eat. She smiles brightly when she sees Zack. The sight of her bright smile sends an unexpected warmth through his chest, cutting through the lingering irritation from their exchange in English class. He adjusts his grip on his own lunch bag– a plain brown paper sack containing a sandwich he barely remembers packing. He starts walking toward her with deliberate steps, his green eyes fixed on her approach. Other students stream past them in both directions, but his focus narrows to just Anna. The midday sun shines brightly overhead, illuminating the football field behind them. "Took you long enough," he calls out as she gets closer, his tone carrying more amusement than accusation. "I was about to send out a search party. Did chemistry teach you how to make acid or something?"
"No," Anna said exacerbated. "I stopped by the cafeteria and got us something." She casually takes his hands. Zack's green eyes flicker down to where Anna's hand rests on his, a jolt of surprise mixed with pleasure coursing through him at the newness of the act. Her touch is warm and confident, sending a pleasant hum through his veins. He flexes his fingers slightly, lacing them with hers without conscious thought. "They had fries, so I thought we could share some before your nap," she said with a soft smile. "Fries? You bought me fries?" he asked slightly surprised. His voice carries genuine gratitude, the earlier irritation melting away completely. The idea of sharing food with her– something so domestic and intimate– feels strangely significant. "You are trying to bride me, aren't you? First with study sessions and poetry help, now with greasy cafeteria food." He lets her lead him toward an empty bench under a large oak tree near the edge of the field. The shade produces relief from the midday sun beating down on them. Once they sit side-by-side, he opens his own lunch bag with one hand while keeping his other hand linked with hers.
"I don't know if I would say bribe…" Anna says hesitantly and sits down beside him, placing her purple backpack on the ground besides the bench. She placed the brown paper bag with fries on the bench between them and then she gently pulled her hand way from his, to unzip her purple backpack and take out a lunch tin with sandwiches. "If I was bribing you, would it be working?" she asked curiously. Zack watches her hands move gracefully as she retrieves her lunch tin, the brief loss of physical contact leaving him oddly bereft. Her question hangs in the air between them, playful but with an underlying current of genuine curiosity. "Bribing me?" he repeats with a low chuckle, opening up his own sandwich wrapper. "Hell yes, it is working. You offering food is basically my weakness." He takes a bite of his turkey sandwich, chewing thoughtfully before speaking again. "But it is not just the food. You know exactly what buttons to push." His green eyes follow her movement as she arranges her own meal beside the bag of fries she brought specifically for him. The domestic intimacy of his shared lunch feels both familiar and charged with new possibilities. "So, what is that fancy tin?' he asks between bites, nodding toward her lunch container. "Hope it is something better than whatever mystery meat they serve in the cafeteria." "Well, I am not trying to press you buttons one purpose, must be a newfound talent of mine," she said with a playful smile. Then she opened the lunch tin. "It is a chicken mayonnaise sandwich. Want some?" she asked hopefully.