Age Is Just a Number by Jeffery zedd

Chapter 17 

Zara’s POV: 

I wave my hands at William, who merely stands there, staring at us as lan drives away. I turned my attention back to lan, whose hands were shaking on the wheel. “Hey, are you okay?” I ask, placing a hand on his trembling shoulder. 

“W–Was that W–William?” he stutters, I nod, quite concerned that he looks like he’s about to faint any second. “Are you sure the dude doesn’t like you?” 

I release a deep breath. “William only sees me as a younger sister, I mumble. 

lan shakes his head, giving me the dumbest look in the world. “Are you blind, lady? Did you not see that look he was giving me?!” he shouts, placing a hand on his chest, patting it lightly. 

I tilt my head, “What look?” 

“That look, the look that says I’m going to bury you when no one is looking kind of look,” he said. 

I wave him off, staring out the window. “You’re exaggerating, William is probably concerned that his little sister has a boyfriend.” 

“No, I know what I saw, and as a man, I can sense when another man is feeling threatened. He looks like he wants to kill me the moment you ran into my arms. He looks like he’s ready to beat up my face until my mother doesn’t recognize me,” he said. 

One of his twitches. 

“I knew it! I knew I shouldn’t let you be my fake girlfriend! That guy, William, he is your obsessive 

stalker!” he declares. 

I scoffed, “I’m the one who had been stalking him since I was eight.” I’m not afraid to admit my stalking 

nature. 

“You never know Zara, you may think you’re stalking him, but maybe he is playing some mind–fucking game, and it turns out he was the one watching you all along,” he said. stopping at a red light, he turns towards me. “Dun dun dunnnnn, plot twist.” 

I start playing around with his old radio that can barely pick up any signal. “What does that even 

mean?” 

“I have no idea, but that look he gave me makes me want to piss my pants,” he said, resuming his 

drive when the light turns green. 

I roll my eyes, “I thought you said you are a man.” 

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“Yeah, that was before I found out my fake girlfriend has an obsessive stalker who is six feet tall and can potentially mess up my handsome face,” he replies, waving a hand over his face. 

I punch his arm, “Stop saying that,” 

He rubs his arm, “You’re the worst fake girlfriend ever,” he mumbles. I stuck out my tongue at him. 

Three months ago, I met lan in New Jersey during my summer program. He was there visiting his grandparent, who coincidentally lives near Princeton, so we spent the summer together. 

The first month, we were partying our ass off with college students, drinking alcohol when we aren’t supposed to. When we were drunk, things slipped out, and he told me all about Kayla, this girl he loved since elementary school. Apparently, I was just his temporary crush because I’m cute. In return, I told him 

about William, the guy I’ve been crushing on since I was eight. 

I 

In the second month, our party life was over and started inhaling junk food and crying over our unrequited childhood love. We gained a good eight pounds together, but our tears helped us lose all the weights. 

In the third month, we made a pack and hooked up together, forgetting our stupid love. We didn’t really hook up since we never kiss or hold hands. I agree to be his fake girlfriend to make Kayla jealous, and he promised me food and a distraction from William. 

Now, here we are sitting in a car, driving in circles without a particular destination. I sent him a text message earlier when I saw William, asking him to pick me up. lan smacks his lips together, rolling down his window and placing an elbow out. “So, we just pass by the same mailbox eight times. Where do you want to go?” 

I shrug, twirling the cell phone in my hands. “I don’t know, want to go watch a movie?” I mumble, rolling down my window, feeling the hot breeze in the air since lan’s car has no AC. 

He shakes his head, “No, I’m not going to waste money on a fake girlfriend.” 

“But, you’re wasting gas driving us in circles,” I said. 

He stops and rolls into a store parking lot, turning towards me. “Let’s just sit here,” he said. 

“Sure.” 

We sat there, staring at the people passing by us, listening to the music in the background. 

Half an hour later, we accept our pathetic lives entirely. I scoop the vanilla ice cream into my mouth. 

“That ass told me he missed me!” 

lan throws the chicken leg inside his mouth. “I saw Kayla earlier, and all she said was a long time no see, can you believe it?! Long–time no see was all I got At least, William hugged you and told you that he missed you!” he shouts, chicken meat hitting my face. 

We are currently sitting in the back of his truck, listening to sad love songs, eating chicken and ice 

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cream, and crying over those two stupid people. 

“That’s why it’s hard! At least Kayla is purposely ignoring you!” 

I saw a family passing by us, pushing a cart of groceries. “What are you looking at?” We shout at the same time. 

“Never saw two good–looking people bonding over a broken heart before?!” I scream. 

“Yeah! Why don’t you take some photos!” lan yells. 

rds th 

Quickly, they avert their eyes and walk towards their car, shaking their heads. 

“Do you think Kayla is purposely ignoring me?” lan asks in a hopeful tone. 

“How do I know? I never even met Kayla,” I responded, rolling my eyes, shoving a chicken leg inside my mouth to fill up space inside my heart. 

He releases a deep breath. “I don’t understand! I’m handsome! I’m the captain of the football team! I’m the third smartest person at school, could’ve been first if it weren’t for you and Nina.” 

“Well, I’m smart! I’m fucking flexible, and I know guys like that!” I said, and lan nodded in agreement with my statement, “I’m also pretty! Why doesn’t William see it!?” I said, waving the chicken bone around. 

“They must be blind,” lan said, scooping some chocolate ice cream into his mouth. He stands. up, rattling the car, and lifts his shirt. “Look at my abs! How can she resist all this?!” he shouts, a spoon inside his mouth as he waves his hands over his defined stomach. 

has 

We watch as an elder couple pass by, eyes staring at lan’s abs. Quickly, the grandmother covers up their granddaughter’s eyes. “Kids,” the man said. 

“Oh, put your dignity down.” I said. 

He put his shirt down and settled beside me. “So, Monday, do we just go to school and hold hands, doing all that new couple shit?” he said, taking my bucket of ice cream. 

“Dude, aren’t you the captain of the football team? Should you be eating all this?” I ask. 

“I’m mending my broken heart!” he shouts, grabbing another chicken leg. “And so what if I’m the captain of the football team? Do I not deserve ice cream and fried chicken in my life? Do I always have to have abs to please the female and male fantasy?” 

I lean back, away from his craziness. “Yeah, we can hold hands and stuff,” I said, steering the conversation away from whatever we were going to talk about. I stare at the two empty containers of ice 

cream. 

“Wow, you seem over the moon dating me,” he said, throwing the empty container down and releasing 

a burp. 

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I laid my body down and stared up at the clouds, seeing birds passing by us. lan coples my actions, scooting the containers to the side. “Is there something wrong with us? That’s why they don’t like us?” I 

ask. 

He releases a deep breath and throws his arm out, lending it to me as a pillow. I scoot upward, laying my head on his arm, and he placed his hand on my shoulder. “There is nothing wrong with us; they are just missing out,” he mumbles. 

“We are sexy,” he said. 

“We are smart,” I say. 

“We have amazing bodies,” he continues. 

“We are gorgeous,” I include. 

“You’re beautiful,” he told me. 

“You’re handsome,” I return his compliment. 

“Your personality is a one of a kind,” he said. 

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” I ask, feeling a bit chilly. 

He grabbed his jacket and laid it on top of me, then laid back down, pulling me in closer. “Having a one of a kind personality is awesome, it’s boring having the same personality as everyone else.” 

“You use that line to pick up girls, jock?” I ask. 

He releases a snort. “Between football practice, academics, and helping my parents out on the farm. You think I have time for a girlfriend in my life?” 

“You never had a girlfriend before?” I ask. 

He shakes his head. “I’ve been crushing on the same girl since elementary school. Sure I date around, but I never had a stable girl, I guess you can say, you’re my first real fake relationship,” he confesses. 

“Wow,” I respond, not sure what else to say.. 

“What about you?” he asks.. 

“What about me?” I question. 

“You’re Zara Lee, one of the most popular girls at school. I’m quite surprised; you’re still a virgin since everyone claims that you’re not,” he said, throwing an arm behind his head to level it up. 

“Just like how everyone claims you go around taking girls virginity like picking apples from a tree?” I 

retort his statement. 

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“Touche,” he replies. 

I can hear him releasing a deep breath. “High school is so shitty. Everyone is always saying stuff that isn’t true, pushing others down.” 

“That’s deep coming from someone who is at that top of the food chain,” I reply. 

“Yeah, it feels so great having everyone call you a manwhore all because the guys around you play the field a bit too frequently, and I’m not talking about football.” 

“I know how you feel. I got guys calling me out whenever I wear a skirt. I like wearing skirts; it makes me feel pretty,” I mumble. 

“I’m sor 

“I’m sorry, guys can be such jerks,” he said, hugging me tighter. 

I pout, “And I’m sorry for thinking you’re a manwhore.” 

lan exhales breath and messes up my hair. “It’s okay. 

“lan, you’re a great guy, Kayla is missing out.” I said, clinging to his shirt, wrinkling it. 

He smiles, “And you’re an amazing girl Zara, if William doesn’t see it, he must be one blind man.” 

We didn’t say anything afterward, merely laying in the back of his old red truck, staring up at the blue sky, attempting to mend each other’s broken hearts. 

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