It surprises her just how easy it is with Zach Mitchell.
She’s sixteen and surly, angry at her family and the world when she meets him. He’s a whirlwind of sass, and he keeps her on her toes. Their friendship consists of tossed insults in the hallway at first, until one day they actually speak to eachother. It takes her a year to finally figure it out, but pretty soon she can’t imagine her life without his dumb face. There were no defining steps, no clear stages of their relationship. They melted into one another until she couldn’t remember a time where she wasn’t stupidly in love with him. There was no difficulties, no obstacles. It was easy.
Later is no different. It’s been years since they graduated. She still remembers the day he left for the Army, how mad she was. How hurt she felt. They’d ended things a long time ago, and after the first year she had come to terms with his absence. She’d thought she’d never see him again. Until, suddenly she did.
He’d gotten taller, rougher, and she barely saw the boy she knew back in high school when she saw him at first. She was worried about who he was now, what he’d become. Six years is a long time to go without somone. She wondered if he would even want to see her.
But it turned out she hadn’t needed to worry. Within a few days of meeting again, they picked up right where they left off. They grew closer with each passing week, and though they’d just remained close friends so far, she could feel herself falling right back into step with Zach.
She can feel the shift from friend to something more happening slowly, organically. Lingering touches, meaningful looks. It’s the best kind of deja vu, and she makes the decision that she’s going to see what happens next with them. When he finally makes a move to cross the line, it’s as if no time has passed bewteen them. It’s effortless, like breathing. She doesn’t know how she’s lived without it for so long. It's easy.
But as she’s standing in front of Jo and Zach (her favorite person and her best friend), with the chorus of Happy Birthday ringing in her ears, she realizes things will never be easy again.