Zac
Zac was at the shops. He felt horrible about the way he had been lately, especially towards Faith. But it wasn't just Faith he couldn't bear to touch, or be touch by.
It was everyone.
He didn't know why he was so, well, scared. It was senseless. Especially when he found he could be in his room, and think about it, and imagine it so well. But when a chance came... he'd lose his nerve.
Why?
At any rate, Faith had been so patient with him and he really wanted to make it up to her. So he was trying to find an appropriate gift for her.
Desiree
Desiree had to rush down to the shops at the last moment. She'd forgotten it was her mother's birthday, as per usual, and so had to get some flowers.
Almost locking the keys in the car, she dashed inside, found the flowers she wanted, then headed for the counter.
Bumping into someone on the way.
"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, as the bunch spread over the floor, "oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!"
Zac
"Umm, that's okay..." Zac replied.
He hesitated for a moment, then began to help the girl pick up the flowers.
Desiree
"Oh my gosh... I can't believe this happened. Sorry if you got wet."
She gathered the flowers together and wrapped the bottom up again before the shop assistant came over to help.
"Thanks," she thanked the lady.
The lady looked between them.
"Are these for her?" the lady smiled at Zac.
"No, no, no," Desiree amended, "they're for my mother. It's her birthday."
Zac
Zac managed a smile.
"It's okay," he said, before going back to his own looking around.
Desiree
Desiree bought the flowers, then headed back out to her car.
Once in, she started it (with a bit of trouble) then headed off down the road.
Not far away, the car's engine began to sputter.
"Oh no..." she shook her head, not believing it.
Why was her mother's birthday always such an unlucky day for her? Black Firday had been the day before! Yeesh...
She pulled over, and despite any and all attempts to start the car again, it wouldn't start.
Groaning a little, she got out to open the hood. A cloud of steam rose from underneath.
"Oh great..."
Zac
Zac couldn't find anything that said what he wanted it to say, so he decided to try elsewhere. He got into his car and headed off. On the way he noticed a car and pulled over on the side of the road. It looked like whoever it was was having problems, so, being the nice guy he was, Zac pulled over too.
He got out of the car and walked over.
"Need a hand?" he asked.
It was then that he noticed it was the same girl that had been in the florist shop.
Desiree
"I think I overheated it..."
Then she looked up.
"Oh, hey. You again," she smiled pleasantly.
Zac
"Hey," Zac replied. "Second time today."
Zac peered under the hood.
"Well, I can tell you that my mechanical expertise adds up to a grand total of zero. But if you want..." he pulled his head out and picked up his mobile phone. "I can just call one."
Desiree
"Oh, yes please!" Desiree begged, interlocking her fingers.
"I couldn't bear for anything to happen to this car. I love this car."
Then she gazed at him curiously.
"Sorry, but... you seem familiar. And not just from the florist. Familiar, but... not."
Zac
"No problem," Zac replied.
He started dialing.
"I'm in a band called Hanson. That's probaby what it is."
Desiree
"Hanson?" Desiree snorted a little, "yeah right. Pull the other one, it plays Jingle Bells."
She fanned her face, waiting as he spoke to whoever answered the phone.
Zac
Zac concentrated on the call. At last he hung up.
"They can't get anyone here for an hour," he informed her. "Did you have somewhere you need to go? I can give you a lift if you want."
He chose to ignore her disbelief over his being in Hanson. Safer not to pursue the subject.
Desiree
"Umm..." Desiree looked around, "I just need to take the flowers to my mom."
She scratched her head, her bracelets making a lot of noise.
"She's at, um, that cemetery a few blocks that way," she pointed down the road.
Zac
Zac's eyebrows went up.
"I can take you there, if you want..." he offered. "I'm sorry about your mom. She been gone long?"
Desiree
"Almost ten years," she waved him off, "I just... it's her birthday, you know? I normally take down some flowers on her birthday, mother's day and Christmas. Sometimes Easter."
She smiled.
"If you could take me, that'd be so appreciated. I'd be ever so grateful, and I'm sure she would too."
Zac
"No problemo," Zac said. "Walk this way."
Zac started doing a funny walk towards his van.
Desiree
Desiree raised her eyebrows. There was no way her skinny high heels would let her get away with that.
She quickly locked up her car after retrieving the flowers and her hand bag, then followed him and got in once the door was unlocked.
"Thank you. Thanks alot," she smiled, closing the door.
Zac
Zac got into the car and waited for Desiree to get in. He started the car again and started for the cemetary.
"I'm Zac, by the way," he said. "And you?"
Desiree
"Dez, Desiree, either's fine," she smiled with a nod.
Zac... nice...
"I'm guessing that you live around here somewhere. I hope you're not in a rush or anything?" she fiddled with a ring on her finger.
Zac
Zac shook his head.
"Nah," he replied, "was just looking around for a present for my girlfriend."
He pulled into the carpark for the cemetary.
"I can just wait here, if you'd rather visit your mom alone," he said.
Desiree
"Ok," Desiree nodded, slowly getting out.
She eyed him off as she made her way through the gates, doing what she had to do.
When she finally returned to the car, she turned to Zac.
"Back to the car?" she raised her eyebrows.
Zac
Zac checked his watch.
"Yeah okay. Still got half an hour though," he said.
He got back into the van and waited for Desiree.
Desiree
Desiree got back in as well, before they began on their way.
"Listen..." she began quietly, "you've been such a great help to me today, I'm not sure how to repay you. But..."
She took out a piece of paper and pen from her handbag and jotted something down.
"I can invite you to a party one of my friends is holding tomorrow night. You don't have to come if you don't want to. It's nothing big."
Zac
"Aww, you don't need to pay me back," Zac replied. "I'm just a really nice guy."
He grinned cheekily.
"I'll think about it. I'm not sure if I have something on tomorrow night or not."
Desiree
"That's ok," Desiree waved him off.
"If you can't come tomorrow, I think they're having another next week or the week after. I'll leave you my number in case you can't get there tomorrow, cool?"
She wrote her number down on the small slip of paper.
Zac
"Okay then," Zac replied.
He felt a little weird as her pull up back near her car again, about taking another girl's number when he was dating Faith, but it was only a party. It wasn't like he was planning on cheating on her or anything.
"Well, here we are."
Desiree
"Thanks again... Zac..."
Desiree hopped out of the van.
"Guess I'll see you soon?" she smiled back in the window.
Zac
"Maybe," Zac replied, with a smile. "Bye!"
And Zac left.