30. Zayn
Zayn
When I first started planning this day for Annie, I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I didn’t know the first thing about what all should go into a date, or whatever this special day is supposed to be. So, I did the only thing I could think of.
I contacted Marcy.
Since we both work in the same place, it was easy to find her. Although she’s still getting used to me. Every time I see her, she glares at me, doesn’t wave, just continues walking. But that’s typical Marcy. So I had to yell after her.
When I told her I needed her help with something for Annie, that finally got her attention.
She stopped walking for long enough to tell me a few of her favorite foods.
I already planned on the beach, I knew it had to be there, but I had no idea what to get.
I didn’t know her favorite snacks, since Annie buys groceries without me, and that’s something that you need for a picnic.
“You did all of this?” Annie asks, walking up to the picnic blanket lying in the middle of the sandy beach.
“I might have asked Marcy a few questions, but yes.” I let go of her hand so she can continue looking around what has been set up. I had to hire a company. Did you know that there are companies that set up picnics? I didn’t, but now I do.
“But why the beach? Isn’t this the last place you want to be?” Annie looks up at me, concern in her eyes. She’s thinking of me, even now, when this day is for her.
“I figured it was time I made new memories. Better memories. Ones that make me smile when I think of the beach.” I shrug, trying not to make a big deal out of it. But it is a big deal.
This beach holds a lot of negative memories, but every time I'm here with Annie, new memories pile on top and the past starts to look smaller. I remember the bad times less. They’re still there, like a scar that will never go away, but it doesn’t hurt.
It’s there as a remembrance of who I was and what I thought I’d lost. In all honesty, I never lost anything.
If I loved Marissa back then, then what I feel for Annie is ten times the amount of that.
“I love it, Z.”
“Good. I was hoping so. Open the basket,” I say, taking a seat next to her on the blanket.
“Oh my god, Zayn. You didn’t.” She opens the basket and a hand shoots to her mouth. “Did Marcy tell you about all this?” She looks at me, still awestruck by the contents of the basket.
“Yeah, is that bad?”
“Bad? Oh, no, this is great. I can’t believe you went to all this effort.”
“It wasn’t any effort at all, Annie. I did this because I like you. Remember, I don’t need to do anything. I wanted to.”
Annie starts pulling out the items in the basket. A packet of peach rings, crackers with goat cheese and raspberry jam, dark chocolate covered pretzels, a dark chocolate bar with caramel, popcorn, a blueberry muffin, and her favorite non-alcoholic wine.
“Zayn, you’re going to make me cry. No one has ever done something like this for me.” Annie looks at me and her bottom lip is formed in a pout.
“Come here.” I reach out for her and she moves to me, wrapping an arm around my back and snuggling into my side. “You deserve so much more, Annie. You deserve to be treated right.”
“You sure there aren’t any photographers? You’re being awfully nice to me,” she teases.
“No, Annie, this moment is just for us. There might be a few stragglers, but I haven’t seen any cameras.” I place a hand under her chin and tilt her head back until she’s close enough for me to press my lips against hers.
Annie relaxes into me. I’m seeing the way my words affect her. She’s smiling more, laughing, and it’s not because she’s trying to impress me. It’s because she wants to be here, and I love that she’s giving me more of her.
We spread out the food around us and start snacking, alternating between the crackers and the sweet treats.
We finish the first bottle of wine, so I’m grateful I packed two.
It’s still only mid-afternoon and we have a bit of time before we will head home.
I plan to spend the next little while just chatting and getting to know Annie.
“Will you tell me about your mom?” I ask.
“My mom? Oh, um, there’s not much to say.
She wasn’t the biggest fan when I decided to follow Cassie out here five years ago.
It’s always just been the three of us, so when she didn’t support Cassie moving out here, I didn’t know how she’d take me moving.
It was rough for a little while, but she came around.
Once she knew I’d be with Cassie, and they made up their relationship, and when she found out Cassie was in a serious relationship, she actually started making an effort.
She comes out here two or three times a year, otherwise we just catch up on the occasional phone call or text. ”
“Does she support you now?”
“Yeah, she says she’s proud of me and all the things parents are supposed to say.
Does it mean anything? Not sure, but yeah, she doesn’t think I’ve thrown my life away for a useless career.
It’s been nice to repair our relationship over the years and to show her how much progress I’m making with my job,” Annie says, taking a bite of a peach ring.
She closes her eyes and lets out a soft moan.
“Good?” I ask, laughing.
Her eyes snap open and she joins my laughter. “Yes, it’s been a while, okay? Don’t make fun of me.” She tries to push me backward into the sand, but I grab her wrist for stability and hold myself close to her. I plant a kiss on her forehead for good measure. “How are your parents?” she asks.
“They are fine, I think. I haven’t talked to them much since last year, but I’ll be visiting over Thanksgiving.
” My parents always saw Marissa as a daughter, and I think when we broke up, they felt like they lost a child.
They always assumed we’d get married, they became best friends with her parents, and they didn’t know how to talk to me when I didn’t have her by my side anymore.
“You’re going there for Thanksgiving?”
I nod in response.
“Alone?”
“Yes, I didn’t think you’d want to come with me.”
“Why?” Annie asks, her head tilting in confusion.
“Well, my brother will be there.”
“If you asked, I would go to be there for you, Zayn.”
“Well, do you want to go, Annie?”
“I would love to.” She smiles.
“It’s a date.” I reach over and squeeze her shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about Dan. You’re mine. You’ll be there with me, and I’ll make sure to let him know you’ll be there ahead of time.”
She just nods, and I know she’s worried or maybe just anxious, but she needs to trust that I have her.
“If he says anything to you, I’ll punch him,” I say.
“You wouldn’t do that.”
“I would. Don’t you know by now that I would do anything for you?” I plop a peach ring in my mouth.
“Yeah, I do,” she says, her voice practically a whisper.
This time at the beach is different. It’s not just because there are barely any photographers either.
The air feels lighter around us, our bodies naturally draw together, and I can’t stop feeling the urge to touch her.
Touch her anywhere: her shoulders, her hips, her knee, her arms. It’s like there’s a magnetic pull from her that keeps attracting me, and no matter what I do, I keep coming back. Again and again.
We stay at the beach for another hour, talking, watching the waves, just enjoying each other's company. Today is already starting to replace the bad memories of a year ago, and it’s all because of Annie.
“Want to get out of here?” I lean over, drawing her chin to mine to plant a kiss to her lips.
She leans into me and uses a hand to grab the side of my face to pull toward her. She kisses me slow and deliberate, savoring the time alone we had.
“Yes.”