"It's fine. It is actually kind of adorable," Anna said with a bright smile that reaches her brown eyes. Zack's cheeks flush slightly at her description of him as 'adorable', a rare vulnerability creeping into his otherwise confident demeanour. The compliment catches him off guard, unused to hearing such positive adjustive directed at him beyond physical attraction. "Adorable?" he repeats with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. "Since when do I get called adorable? Usually it is more like 'annoying' or 'troublemaker'." He runs a hand through is bleached blond hair self-consciously, avoiding her direct gaze for a moment. When he looks back up at her, there is a softness in his green eyes that belies his usual tough exterior. "You know what? Keep saying things like that and I might start believing you actually like me for more than just my looks." His tone carries its typical teasing edge but underlying it is genuine hopefulness.
"I do like you for more than just your looks," Anna said seriously and reached across the library table to cup his cheek. Zack's breath catches in his throat at her serious declaration, her hand cupping his cheek sending a jolt of warmth through his that has nothing to do with the coffee he drank earlier. The library around them fades completely, leaving only the intensity of her brown eyes meeting his. "Really?" he asks quietly, his voice losing its usual bravado. "Even when I am being a total asshole and acting like some possessive caveman?" His free hand covers hers on his cheek, holding it in place as if afraid she might pull away. The vulnerability in his expression is raw and unguarded, revealing a side of himself he rarely shows anyone. "God, Anna," he murmurs, leaning into her touch despite the public setting. "You have no idea how much I needed to heat that right now."
"And what about me? Do you like me for more than my looks or my skills in bed?" Anna asked seriously, searching his green eyes. Zack's expression softens completely, the last trace of his usual bravado melting away under the weight of her serious question. His grip on her hand tightens slightly as he processes her words, realising the importance of this moment. "More that your looks? More than how amazing you are in bed?" He laughs quietly; a genuine sound of disbelief mixed with affection. "Anna, I fell in love with you when we were eight years old because you stood up for me when no one else would." He shifts closer across the table, his voice dropping to an intimate whisper that feels stolen from their private world. "I liked you when you were too shy to talk to me but always defended me when other kids picked fights. I loved how smart you were even back then, how you cared about everything from saving stray cars to rescuing stupid angry little boys." His thumb strokes gently over her knuckles.
"Good, because that is all I ever wanted to hear. I have loved you since then too. The brave, tough boy who was ready to take on the world…" Anna said sincerely. Zack's entire body goes still, the words 'I have loved you since then too' striking him with the force of a physical blow. For a moment, he can't even breath, his green eyes widening as he processes her confession. The library around them ceases to exist– the hushed whispers of other students, the distant hum of fluorescent lights, all fade into insignificance. "The brave, tough boy who was ready to take on the world," he repeats softly, repeating her phrase back to her as if testing the reality of it. A slow, incredulous smile spreads across his face, erasing years of cynicism and loneliness. "Is that really what you saw?" He stands up abruptly, rounding the table in two swift strides. Without hesitation, he pulls Anna out of her chair and into his arms, crushing her against his chest.
As he stood up and rounded the table, Anna's brown eyes followed his every move. She doesn't resist when he pulled her out of her chair and into his arms, instead she smiles genuinely. "Yeah, that is what I saw. That is what I still see," she says softly, her hands moving up to wrap around his shoulders. She kissed him lightly on the lips before continuing, "Let me finish the last question of my biology homework and we can go to your place." Zack's arms tighten around Anna, holding her securely against him as if afraid she might disappear if he loosens his grip. The genuine smile on her face and the warmth in her brown eyes send a wave of pure joy crashing through him, overwhelming the years of guarded emotions he has kept hidden beneath layers of teenage defiance. "Okay, okay," he murmurs into her brown hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Finish your stupid biology question so we can get out of here. I am already imagining how many ways I can show you exactly how much I have loved you too." He reluctantly releases her but keeps one hand wrapped protectively around her hand as he leans back against the table edge and she sits back down. His fingers trace idle patterns on her knuckle while she completes the last problem in her textbook. "Hurry up," he urges playfully, checking his phone for the time.
Anna quickly scribbled down an answer and then she closed her biology textbook. "All done," she said casually. She withdrew her hand from his, to pack her pencil in her pencil case and pack everything in her purple backpack. Zack watches her pack her belongings with a sense of eager anticipation building in his chest. The casual way she packs away her chemistry and biology textbook, along with her pencil case, and zips up her purple backpack feels like a formal declaration that their study session is officially over. "Finally," he says with a relieved grin, grabbing his own math book and shoving it into his backpack without bothering to organize it neatly. "Thought you were going to analyse cell structures forever."