"I need the bathroom really quick," Anna said casually as she stretched her hands over her head, causing Zack's plain blue jersey to ride up a reveal a strip of her bare stomach. "Go ahead," Zack said, his voice thick with barely contained desire. "I will watch your stuff to nobody steals you precious chemistry notes." He winks at her as she gathers herself to leave, making no attempt to hide the way his green eyes track her movements across the library floor. the quiet corner suddenly feels to public, too distant from the private sanctuary of his bedroom where he plans to properly appreciate every inch of her. While Anna is gone, he drums his fingers impatiently against the table surface. After a few minutes, she returns with two cups of take-away cappuccinos. She places one cup in front of Zack and sits down across from him again. "Now I just have to finish my biology homework, then I am all done," she says softly and takes a sip of her cappuccino.
Zack's eyebrows lift in surprise as Anna reappears with coffees, a grateful smile spreading across his face. The gesture feels incredibly domestic and intimate, like something couples do after a long day rather than teenagers doing their homework. "Hey, you didn't have to get me anything," he says, picking up the take-away cup and taking a careful sip. The warmth of the drink seeps into his cold hands. "But thanks. Cappuccino isn't exactly my favourite… but it is nice." He watches her settle back into her chair, noticing how the steam from her coffee cup creates a delicate halo around her face in the fluorescent light. The simple act of sharing drinks in the library feels more significant that it should. As Anna opened her biology textbook to the homework exercise, Zack finds himself less distracted by his own math problem.
"What was I going to do, be a jerk and only get myself something? Not my style," Anna said casually. Zack's smile broadens at her casual mention of getting him a cappuccino. The simple act feels more meaningful than it should, a small gesture that speaks volumes about her kindness and consideration. "Not your style indeed," he agrees, leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on a neighbouring chair. "You have always been too nice for your own good." His green eyes follow her movement as she opens her biology textbook, watching the way her fingers trace along the page. The library's quiet atmosphere seems to amplify every small sound– the rustle of paper, the soft scrape of her pencil against the desk. "You know," he says conversationally. "My dad keeps bugging me about college applications. Keeps asking if I have any idea what I want to major in." He takes a sip of cappuccino, studying Anna's profile as she reads through the homework questions.
"And?" Anna asks curiously and picks up her pencil and writes something in her textbook beside one of the questions. "And what?" Zack counters with a raised eyebrow, clearly amused by her direct question. "Are you trying to psychically guess my future career plans?" He set his take-away cappuccino aside and leans forward with elbows on the table, creating a more intimate space between them. The library's ambient lighting catches the gold flecks in his green eyes as he considers her question. "My dad wants me to apply for business admin or accounting programs. He says they are stable fields with good job prospects." His tone suggests he finds the idea laughable. "Me? Stuck behind a desk crunching numbers all day? Sounds like hell." His gaze flickers back to Anna's hand moving across the page with the pencil, noticing how focused she appears even while engaging in their conversation.
"Yeah, an office job just won't really suit you. You are more hands on," Anna says and writes further. Zack's expression brightens at Anna's observation, a genuine grin spreading across his face. "Exactly! Hands on is my specialty." He gestures enthusiastically with his hands. "Building things, fixing stuff, even playing sports requires actual physical effort." Anna takes out a calculator from her pencil case. "What about engineering?" she asks casually as she calculated something. He leans forward again, resting his chin in his palm as he considers her suggestion. "Engineering sounds way better than business admin. At least engineers get to design bridges or build robots or whatever. That is real work." His green eyes light up with interest as he watches her write down an answer with her pencil in her textbook and place the calculator besides her textbook. "What kind of engineering are you thinking about? Civil? Mechanical? There is electrical too, but I doubt I would be happy wiring circuits all day." The idea of pursuing a field that aligns with his practical nature seems to energize him. He picks up his math textbook again but doesn't open it, instead tapping it against the table absently while contemplating their conversation.
"Well, you like motorcycles and fast cars. Perhaps mechanical engineering would suit you," Anna says, looking up at him as she spoke and smiling at his excitement. Zack's green eyes light up at her suggestion, a genuine excitement replacing the earlier frustration. He sets his math textbook aside completely, giving her his full attention. "Mechanical engineering? That is actually brilliant." He leans forward, his voice dropping to an excited murmur. "Designing engines, working on transmissions, maybe even customizing motorcycles. That is exactly what I am talking about." His enthusiasm is palpable as he gestures animatedly with his hands. "I could actually use my hands for something useful instead of just pushing papers around an office. And think about the practical applications– designing better suspension systems, improving fuel efficiency…" he stops himself mid-sentence, realizing he is probably getting ahead of himself. A sheepish grin spreads across his face as he runs a hand through his bleached blond hair. "Sorry, I get carried away when I talk about stuff, I am actually interested in." his gaze softens as he looks at her. "It's fine. It is actually kind of adorable," Anna said with a bright smile that reaches her brown eyes.