Ariana's pov
At exactly nine in the morning, the sound of a car horn yanked me out of sleep. It wasn't just a polite little beep — it was a long, impatient HOOOONK that made me sit up in bed, heart thudding.
I groaned, rubbing my face. "Whoever you are," I muttered, "I hope you step on a Lego."
Dragging myself to the window, I peeked outside. A sleek black SUV was parked by the gate, sunlight glinting off its polished body like it had been freshly waxed. Our gatekeeper opened up, and the car rolled in, smoothly and confidently
Then I saw him — Zack.
I blinked. "You've got to be kidding me."
He stepped out of the car in his usual effortless style — crisp white shirt, sunglasses, and that lazy half-smile that always looked like he'd just told himself a good joke. What on earth was Zack Quinn doing at my house at nine in the morning?
I glanced at the clock. "Nine? Oh my god, I woke up this late?" I groaned again, realizing I'd probably overslept because I'd stayed up too long talking to Harper.
By the time I'd brushed my teeth and thrown on something decent, I could already hear voices downstairs. My parents' voices. And Zack's.
Of course.
I hurried down the stairs, and the sight made me freeze halfway. My parents were sitting in the living room, smiling as if Zack were some long-lost son. My father laughed at something he said, and my mother was offering him tea like he'd been crowned king overnight.
"Good morning, sweetheart," my mother said when she saw me. "Look who's here!"
"As if I could miss him," I murmured under my breath.
Zack turned at the sound of my voice, and that boyish grin spread wider. "Hi, Ariana."
"Hi," I replied, trying to sound normal even though confusion was written all over my face.
He chuckled softly, probably noticing. "You look surprised."
"That's because I am. It's nine a.m., and you're… here."
"Yeah," he said, running a hand through his hair, "I figured I'd drop by. You've been hiding indoors too much. Thought I'd drag you out for a change."
"Drag me out?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Like I'm a houseplant that needs sunlight?"
He grinned. "Exactly."
My father laughed again, clearly enjoying this. "He's right, Ariana. You could use some fresh air."
My mother nodded in perfect agreement. "Go with him, darling. He's such good company."
I shot her a look — the kind of look that said, Are you hearing yourself right now?
But she just smiled even wider.
"I don't know," I began, crossing my arms. "I had plans today."
"Plans like what?" Zack asked, feigning seriousness. "Scrolling through your phone and pretending to read a book?"
I gasped dramatically. "Wow. The audacity."
He laughed, the sound so genuine it was hard to stay annoyed. "Come on, Ariana. I promise we're not going anywhere fancy. No business dinners, no stiff restaurant tables. Just something fun."
I glanced at my parents, who were both now pretending to be invisible but failing miserably. My father was sipping his tea way too fast. My mother was suddenly very interested in rearranging the flower vase on the table.
"Did you two plan this?" I asked suspiciously.
"Of course not," my mother said a little too quickly.
"Absolutely not," my father echoed, avoiding eye contact.
I sighed. "Right. Because it's totally normal for Zack to appear in my driveway at nine in the morning."
Zack leaned on the doorframe, still smiling. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."
"Unwanted surprises," I muttered, but the corners of my lips twitched.
He tilted his head playfully. "Was that a smile? I think it was."
"No, it wasn't," I said, smiling despite myself.
My parents exchanged an approving glance, which only made me want to roll my eyes harder. Zack clearly noticed too — he chuckled, then lowered his voice as if to keep things between us. "Look, if you don't want to go, I get it. But I promise it'll be fun. Just a few hours. You might even laugh."
I exhaled slowly. Maybe he had a point. I had been locked up inside this house for days, avoiding the world and my own thoughts. And honestly, his easygoing charm was difficult to resist.
"Fine," I said at last. "But only because I need sunlight."
"Perfect," he said, beaming. "Go get ready. I'll wait."
"Don't touch anything," I warned jokingly as I turned to head upstairs.
He placed a hand dramatically over his heart. "I'll try to resist the temptation of stealing your parents' antique teacups."
My mother laughed delightedly. "Oh, he's such a delight."
"Yes," I said dryly, climbing the stairs. "A real delight."
In my room, I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair. For some reason, I felt nervous — and that annoyed me. Why was I even making an effort? This was Zack, not some stranger.
Still, I picked out a soft blouse and jeans, brushed my hair into waves, and dabbed on a bit of lip balm. Maybe I just didn't want to look like I'd been asleep five minutes ago — which, technically, I had.
As I tied the last strand of my hair, I caught my reflection and sighed. "You're just going out," I told myself. "It's not a date."
But the tiny smile that tugged at my lips said otherwise.
When I finally came downstairs, Zack was sitting comfortably on the couch, laughing with my parents like he'd lived here all his life. My father was telling some story about their old business trips, and Zack was actually listening, nodding and laughing in all the right places.
"Sorry I took so long," I said, stepping into the room.
Zack turned instantly, and for a moment, his eyes softened. "You look… nice."
I felt a small blush creep up my neck. "Thanks," I said lightly. "So, where are we going?"
He stood up, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
I gave him a suspicious look. "You're not taking me to one of those boring charity brunches, are you?"
He laughed. "Nope. I told you, nothing fancy."
"Good," I said, trying to hide my smile.
He nodded toward the door, eyes glinting with that familiar playfulness.
"Ready to go have fun?"