"Next time we are at you place instead. Your parents seem more understanding about teenagers exploring their hormones." Anna flinches slightly at the mention of her parents but quickly masks it. She steps closer to Zack and whispers in his ear. "At least we will be all alone tomorrow," her whisper reminds him of their plans to go to a motel for the weekend. "Now, kiss me like you love me," she orders lightly, her voice laced with challenge.
Zack's breath hitches at Anna's whispered reminder of their weekend plans. His competitive nature flares up instantly, eager to prove just how much he loves having her all to himself. "Tomorrow can't come fast enough," he murmurs back fiercely, his hands finding her waist again as if magnetized. "I am going to spend the entire drive there thinking about everything I am going to do to you in that motel bed." His lips descend onto hers with desperate intensity, ignoring the possibility of neighbours watching from their windows. It was not just a kiss, it was him claiming her, a promise of future exclusivity. "I love you more than Batman loves Gotham City," he breathes against her mouth between kisses. "And tomorrow night I am going to show you exactly how much." His hands slide down to cup her ass possessively through her white skirt, lifting her slightly against him.
"Whoa," Anna said breathless with a smile. "Your dad is watching." Her cheeks flushed slightly at the idea of being watched while Zack touches her so intimately. Zack's head jerks up instantly, realizing that his father is indeed standing at the living room window watching them. His hands drop from her ass immediately, though his fingers remain tangled in her brown hair possessively. "Shit," he mutters under his breath, backing away just enough to create some semblance of distance while still keeping her close. "He probably has that 'I am disappointed in my son' face going on." He risks a quick glance over her shoulder toward the house. Sure enough, his father's silhouette is clearly visible through the window, arms crossed and expression unamused. "Okay new plan," Zack whispers urgently, his voice taking on the familiar rebellious edge. "You go on ahead home. I will deal with my dad's lecture while you text me later about tomorrow."
"Alright," Anna said with a soft reassuring smile. "I will see you tomorrow." She gives Zack a quick kiss on the cheek and then turns to head home. Zack watches her walk away down the sidewalk; his hands shoved into his pockets to resist the urge to run after her. As she walks away, he memorizes the sway of her hips and the confident set of her shoulders. "Be safe!" he calls out loudly enough for neighbours to hear but low enough to sound casual. "Text me when you get home so I know you are okay." His father's disapproving presence looms larger behind the living room window, reminding him of the inevitable confrontation awaiting him inside. With a final glance at Anna disappearing around the corner, he turns back toward the house with resignation. "Showtime," he grumbles under his breath, marching up the porch steps with deliberate slowness. "Here we go again."
Once inside the house his father sighs loudly. He is still wearing his suit from work, but he looks tired. His tie is skew, and his hair is slightly tussled. "Zack," he said with a soft deep voice. "What the hell were you thinking?" Zack stops dead in the entryway, shrugging off his jacket with exaggerated nonchalance. The familiar weight of his father's disappointment settles over him like a heavy blanket. "I was thinking she is hot, and I have liked her since kindergarten," he answers flatly, tossing his jacket onto the coat rack without looking. "Is that what you wanted to hear? That I am just some hormonal teenager who can't keep it in my pants?" he walks past his dad toward the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge instead of facing the conversation directly. His competitive nature rears its head immediately– he refuses to let his father make him feel ashamed. "Look, Dad, I know you think I am irresponsible, but Anna isn't some random girl I picked up at a party. She is smart, she is kind, and yeah– we are attracted to each other." Zack leans against the counter, crossing his arms defensively.
"And how long until her grades start slipping?" Zack's father askes. "How long until you get her into trouble and ruin her future?" Zack's jaw tightens visibly at his father's accusations, his competitive nature bristling at the implication that he is somehow ruining Anna's life. "That is not fair," he argues sharply, setting the water bottle down with a deliberate thud. "Her grades are fine– better than mine half the time. She gets straight As in Biology and Chemistry while I am barely passing Math. He runs a hand through his blond hair in frustration, pacing the small kitchen space. "And trouble? Dad, we were just kissing on the couch. If that is considered trouble in your book, then maybe you should have been doing more when Mom was alive." The mention of his late mother hands heavy in the air between them. Zack's defiant posture softens slightly as memories surface unwantedly. "Anna knows what she wants," Zack adds quieter now. "She is not some innocent victim being led astray by me. She initiates just as much as I do."
Zack's father sighs heavily and runs his hand through his light brown hair. "It is the middle of the school day Zack," he says quietly. "You think a girl like that, someone as responsible as Anna is okay with skipping school? With getting into trouble?" Zack's defensive posture falters slightly at his father's quieter tone. The comparison between Anna's responsibility and his own questionable choices hits home more than the shouting did. "I know she is responsible," he admits reluctantly, leaning back against the counter. "That is why this is different. Because she actually cares about her future while I am just... reacting." His competitive nature wars with guilt as he realizes how easily he could drag Anna down into his messy lifestyle of skipping classes. "But you are wrong about one thing," he adds, lifting his chin stubbornly. "She does not see me as some loser ruining her life. She sees me as someone worth fighting for."