As Fate Would Have It Ch. 02

"Don't say anything." He said, he took a step closer and tipped her head up, looking down into her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. He held her chin gently with one hand and kissed her lips gently. They broke apart slowly, quiet in the darkness, looking into each other's eyes.

"Jack..." She started.

"Shhh. Don't speak." He said. He turned her around, wrapped an arm around her waist and they walked all the way back to his car just like that, not speaking. He drove her home and she curled up in bed, confusion clouding her mind.

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When Zoe woke the next morning, she decided to take some alone time. She had a lot to think about, but first, she needed to get some fresh air and think about herself a little bit. She drove into the city, stopping by McDonald's to pick up a bacon and egg McMuffin and a coffee on her way. She pulled up a fair way away from the library. The national art library was here favourite place in the whole of London. She walked a few blocks, taking in the smells of the city, looking at the unique individuals walking the streets.

She loved the city, the smells, the sounds, the lights at night. There were more unique people in the city, more individuality. She walked into the huge building, admiring it as she went. London was full of beautiful old buildings, but this one was her favourite. She strolled in, turning to the magazine section. Sometimes she read history, sometimes biography's or science. Sometimes she liked to curl up with a good romance book in a dark corner where people never went and sometimes, she like to read magazines.

She chose a political magazine, addressing current controversial issues. Though by her appearance, Zoe did not look like a girl who read, she was. Sometimes she thought of it as a guilty pleasure, slightly ashamed that she felt the need to hide her love of books. She sat down at a desk and opened her magazine, reading an interesting article about conflicting interests of the USA and Russia regarding the war in Syria and Iraq.

She was so absorbed in the magazine that she barely noticed the time flying by. Before she knew it, it was well into the afternoon, she'd read the magazine, a celebrity magazine, a national geographic and was now into a biography of Che Guevara. She looked up, glancing at her phone. She had several missed calls and a few dozen text messages.

It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon. "Shit!" Zoe swore to herself and almost tripped over her chair in her hurry to get up.

She quickly returned her book and hurried out of the library before she fell into a trap of books.

She paused once she stepped outside. Breathing in the fresh afternoon air. The smell of food and cigarette smoke soon infiltrated the fresh air - not that she minded much. She considered going for a jog through Hyde Park, she had her jogging clothes in her bag and now that she was out of the library was in no hurry to go anywhere.

She hadn't been exercising much lately and decided it was a good idea. She ran to her car and changed into tights, an exercise tank top and joggers. She kept a gym bag in the bag of her car because she often ended up going jogging or too the gym while she was out. She jogged through the streets, music in her ears, focusing on her breath, keeping it steady as her legs and lungs began to burn.

Soon she was in Hyde park. She smiled to herself, books and exercise. The only thing she loved more was music, which was blaring through headphones in her ears as she jogged. She was at piece with the world, with herself. She jogged for over an hour before she made her way back to her car.

She was sweaty despite the cooling air. She knew that men stared at her as she jogged past and opened her car door. She ignored their trailing eyes, somewhat annoyed by it. She knew she was blessed to look the way she did, but sometimes she wished they wouldn't stare at her, that she could just blend into the background and go unnoticed. But it wasn't just the way she looked that made her stand out. It was the way she carried herself, she walked with an air of confidence. She was friendly, funny and hot. And she knew it. Sometimes however, she just liked to escape and become the quite nerdy girl that no one noticed. However, she still walked with confidence, carried herself proudly, more out of habit than anything.

Zoe knew she may come across as stuck up, as a bitch or slut. She didn't care. She rarely dressed like a slut and she was polite to everyone she met. When you got to know her in fact, she was far from what she appeared. Zoe pulled herself from thought and hopped into her car.

She didn't feel much like going home tonight. She wished that she had a place to stay where she could just find herself. She pulled out her phone and dialled.

"Zoe?" a deep familiar voice answered immediately.

"Jezza" she smiled into the phone.

Her older brother Jeremy was a travelling salesman, currently in the USA and due to fly to Italy in a month or so. He had an apartment in central London but was never home.

"How's my favourite sister?" he asked.

"I'm good. And I'd like to point out, if you did have another sister, I would still be your favourite." She smiled

"Of course you would." He humoured her.

"So, what about you? Met anyone yet?" She asked.

Though Zoe's little brother was already shaping up as a playboy, Jeremy was the opposite. He was good-looking, there was no doubt, but unlike Zoe and Eddy, he kept to himself, hardly a socialite. He had a few good friends and enjoyed reading, much like Zoe, however unlike Zoe, he didn't hide it.

Zoe had always thought of him as shy, yet confident. Something, had she never met Jeremy, she would not have thought possible. It made him somewhat charming. He was fiercely loyal and driven. It had broken Zoe's heart when his late girlfriend cheated on him. He deserved so much better than that.

"I've been dating a little bit." He paused. "American girls aren't really my style." He laughed.

Zoe laughed too, "I think I could do an American guy." She half joked.

"Yeah right, if anyone came within a mile of you I'd pummel him." Jeremy had a smile in his voice.

"Anyway," he continued, "Why'd you call sweet sister?" he mocked, already sensing her hidden agenda.

"Maybe I was just calling to hear your voice, see how you're doing." She said, defensively.

Jeremy snorted on the other side of the phone "Yeah right, I'm good then, see you Zo." He said.

"No! Wait, wait, wait." She yelled into her phone, listening to the sound of her brother chuckling on the other end of the line.

"So then, what do you want?" he asked.

"I was just wondering if I could stay at your place a while, I promise I will clean it up after I leave." She told him.

"Of course, no need to clean it up either, it's already in display home mode." He informed her.

She frowned, "You're selling it?" she asked.

He snorted "No silly, I'm going to lease it out while I am away. It's prime time land, no use it just sitting there when it could be making me dosh."

"Oh, right, smart." She said, still frowning.

"Oh, I have been meaning to call you anyway, a contractor is coming around sometime this week to check the place out and add it to his listings. It would actually be good if you could stay there, I don't think he really does appointments." Jeremy told her.

"Ok, that will give me a good excuse to get out of the house for a while. Mum won't argue with you, her favourite child." She smiled.

She could practically feel Jeremy rolling his eyes "Is that all then Zo? Nothing else you want to talk about?" He asked.

"No, but I hope you meet someone soon Jeremy, you need to get over that bitch." She informed him.

Jeremy laughed sadly "Don't worry about me. What about you, are you seeing anyone yet?" he asked.

Suddenly all the thoughts Zoe had managed to ignore all day came flooding back. The image of kissing Jack, of kissing Mr. Oakley.

"Zoe?" Jeremy asked.

"Um, no, not really." She said quickly.

"Not really? What does that mean?" he asked, his interest piquing.

"Um, look, I need to go. I'll talk to you some other time. Love you Jezza." She said.

"Zoe, wait, don't you dare hang up on me -" she heard him saying before she hung up.

She put her phone away and drove straight to his flat, hands gripping the wheel, eyes glaring at the road ahead. Mind spinning with returned confusion of the night before.

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Zoe was curled up on the couch of her brother's apartment, eating pizza and watching some chick-flick on T.V. She'd called her mum to tell her what she was doing, she'd stored some things at her brothers in a room with all his things, locked away from whoever would be renting the apartment.

She knew that her friends would be out. She had a lot of missed calls and texts. Especially from Jack. She didn't care. She didn't feel left out. She just felt content. Sometimes she needed a night in, even on a Saturday.

By the time the movie had finished it was 9.00pm and she decided to do some homework, get it out of the way so she could have Sunday free to do as she pleased, no family, no friends, no school, no work. Just her.

The thought made her smile as she listened to the radio and finished her history paper and the last of her maths homework. It annoyed her but she knew she would need to ask Mr. Oakley for help before the test.

It was almost 11pm when she heard a knock at the door. She frowned and went to see who it was.

She was surprised when she opened the door and found Jack standing there in a dress shirt, rolled up to his elbows, blacks slacks and dress shoes. She suddenly felt under dressed in jeans and hoody.

"Jack? What are you doing here?" she asked.

He shrugged "I went by your place and your mum told me you were staying here for a while. Can I come in?" He had his hands in his pocket and without the permanent smirk on his face he looked almost sad, his sandy hair sticking indifferent directions. He looked tired.

Zoe moved aside, "I guess."

Jack didn't move. "Actually, do you want to go up? I want to talk to you." He said.

Zoe drew in a breath. The roof. They went there and talked sometimes. It was her favourite place in the whole city. Her brother's apartment building stretch high into the sky, giving her a view of the city and other buildings rising higher still around her.

Zoe hesitated. "Ok." She sighed, following him into the hall and locking the door behind her.

They climbed the stairs in silence, there were only a few stories between her brother's apartment and the roof. They burst out into the crisp air of the night. There was no railing on the roof, just a low wall about the edge.

Jack walked over to the edge, putting his foot on the wall leaning on his leg as he looked around, the cities lights twinkling like a sea of stars below them. He had his hands in his pockets and a faraway look in his eyes.

She sat down next to him, then laid down, staring up at the stars, the cold hard concrete on her back. After a moment, he laid down next to her, unspeaking, their fingertips just touching as they laid there and stared at the stars.

They laid there just like that. After a few minutes Jack broke the silence.

"Zoe. I'm sorry." He said.

"It's not your fault." She reassured him.

"I've felt like this a long time now Zoe. I know it doesn't seem like it, the other girls and all. It's just a coping mechanism." He paused. "I don't mean to make excuses; I shouldn't have kissed you. I don't want to lose what we have."

He turned his head to look at her. "You're the best friend I've ever had Zoe and I don't want to lose you."

"Jack. Don't be stupid. You'll never lose me." She linked a single finger with his.

He smiled gratefully at her but looked unconvinced. They lay there a while longer, staring at the stars.

"What about him?" Jack asked.

"What about who?" Zoe asked, but she already knew who he was talking about.

Jack just looked at her and she sighed. "I don't know Jack. I don't know what it is but I feel a... a pull toward him. It's stupid I know, I barely even know him, and the club, the bar, that's all just coincidence." She paused. "It's not like its fate or anything."

Jack shrugged. "I'm sorry I hit him. Honestly. But you understand, don't you? I was a jealous jerk."

She smiled thinly at him. "Yeah. You were."

He laughed lightly.

"I shouldn't like him Jack. I don't understand, I don't want to, it's just... happening." She bit her lip. "I shouldn't be with him Jack. I should be with you." She said, turning to face him.

She saw him, already looking at her, she half expected him to kiss her but he just looked sad. He smiled sadly at her.

"Zoe." He said quietly. "Don't do this to me."

"What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "You're already falling for him Zoe. Don't give me hope that doesn't exist, just tell me it's never going to happen. Don't string me along, don't be cruel."

She felt as if he stabbed her with an icy dagger. She realised he probably felt the same.

"Jack- "she started.

He pressed a finger to her lips, "Shh, I know you don't mean to. We're better as friends anyway Zoe." He smiled sadly and started to get up.

"I'll see you around Zoe Merton." He said, then he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and left.

She lay on the roof a while longer, shivering from the cold as she watched the stars above with cloudy eyes. Finally, she got up, wiping the cold tears from her cheeks and went to bed.