Jump | Zach Mitchell

five

THERE isn't a cuss word strong enough to convey my feelings at that moment.

I turn around on my stool, terror tightening all my muscles.

Gray is standing right behind me, mouth dropped open and eyes wide.

"Jonelle?" Mom says slowly, voice crackling in my ear and snapping me back into reality. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," I squeak out, still staring at Gray. Here, but I wish I was anywhere else.

"Honey, if you like Zach, then you should tell him."

I bite my lip. "You have no idea how much I can't do that." The words come out slightly hushed. I doubt she can hear me well over the hustle and bustle on my end.

"Of course you can. He's your best friend-"

I have to cut her off before we get too deep into the conversation. "Mom, I've got to go. I'll call you when we get to the room. I love you." I hang up before she can say anything in response.

I feel like a dick for it – for all of it – but I can't think about that right now.

Gray knows my secret.

My mouth is incredibly dry, but I can't bring myself to drink from my bottle. "How long were you standing there?" I demand. "How much did you hear?"

"Just that you like Zach." His eyes catch the lights in here, making them darker. They match the blue stripes on his shirt. "Nothing else, I swear."

I groan and run a hand over my face. "What are you even doing in here, Gray? I thought that I told you to stay with Zach."

"He was talking to a girl and told me to leave," Gray explains. "So I decided to come and find you."

Damn. Okay.

"Take a seat." I pat the stool beside me. "We need to talk."

Gray climbs up. "About what?"

"About what you just heard." I nudge the water bottle towards him, encouraging him to take a sip. I don't want it to go to waste, and I sure as hell can't risk having anything in my stomach right now. I feel more and more like throwing up by the minute. "You can't tell anyone, okay? Especially not Zach."

"Why not?" Gray asks.

"Because it's embarrassing!" I blow up. "It was a secret, and no one was supposed to know about it! Because it's stupid, and because..."

"It's not stupid," Gray says. His brows furrow and he stares at me intently.

"Yes, it is." I prop my arm on the counter and rest my cheek on my palm. "He has a girlfriend, or whatever the hell she is." I'm pretty sure Zach told his family that Kelly is his girlfriend. You can tell your best friend that you're with a girl strictly for hooking up purposes, but you can't tell your mom that. That's just... a no go.

Gray makes a face. "You and I both know that he doesn't like Kelly."

I sigh roughly. "That doesn't matter. He's still with her, isn't he?"

He considers this for a minute. "Yeah, but he's not happy with her." Gray pulls the wrapper off the water bottle. "He never smiles around her like he does with you."

I grimace. "That's because we're best friends, Gray. Best friends make each other smile and laugh." Plus, in my opinion, Kelly has no personality. She's fake, just acting the way she thinks people want. If she weren't dating my best friend (and crush) then I might feel bad for her.

He winds the plastic around his finger. "Girlfriends and boyfriends are supposed to do that, too. You would make a better girlfriend for Zach than Kelly."

"I think so, too," I say, heart squeezing at the thought. Then I scrunch my nose and shake my head. "I shouldn't even be thinking this way."

"Why not?" Gray frowns.

"Because it's never going to happen! So why bother getting my hopes up and thinking about it only to get my heart broken?" I fight the urge to throw my hands out. I almost feel bad for having this conversation with Gray. He's younger than me. He doesn't have the answers. I shouldn't be venting to him like this.

But Gray is smart for his age. He proves it by what he says next.

"You're already getting your heart broken," Gray points out. "And you can't be sure that it's never going to happen."

"Oh, believe me, I'm sure." I cross my arms. "I mean, have you seen the kind of girls that Zach goes for? They're all so pretty."

Gray pokes my arm. "I think you're pretty."

I bump his leg with mine. "Thanks, buddy. You're sweet."

He nods. Then he says, "I think you should tell Zach that you like him."

I'm shaking my head before he even finishes the thought. "No. No way. Uh uh. Not happening. Negative, Ghostrider, the pattern is full."

"What?"

"Never mind." I shake my head. The kid seriously needs to be cinema-educated. "My point is that I'm never telling Zach."

"But how will you know if he likes you if you don't tell him that you like him?"

"I don't want to risk messing up our friendship, Gray." I swing my legs, letting the tips of my shoes knock against the sides of the bar. "He's everything to me."

"He's mean to you a lot," he says. "Boys are mean to girls that they like."

I frown. "That's stupid. Gray, if you ever like a girl, be super nice to her."

"Okay," he says. "But don't change the subject."

"I'm not changing the subject!" I insist. "All I'm saying is-"

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome to Isla Nublar: home to Jurassic World. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable stay with us."

It's like Gray has been electrocuted. "We're here!" He screams, toppling from his stool. "Come on, Jonelle, let's go find Zach!" He bolts for the exit doors, moving faster than I've ever seen him go.

"Gray!" I yell after him, hopping down and grabbing my bag. "Gray, wait up!"

Of course, he's nowhere to be found. Huffing, I wheel my luggage for the doors.

This vacation is off to a great start.