SURVIVORS ↠ ZACH MITCHELL ✔️ [EDITING]

Chapter 29

     "Thank god," he mumbled out in a deep croaky voice, almost as if he hadn't used his voice in a while. "Oh thank god." He shook slightly with laughter and tightened his grip around her. Marlo let out a small laugh and balled the back of his shirt in her hand.

     He let out a groan and slowly placed her back down on the ground.

     "My old dinosaurs are right there," he spoke quietly but with a smile.

     He turned around with his left arm around Marlo's shoulder and looked towards his parents who had been watching them.

     'Well, at least he didn't call them dinosaurouses.' She thought to herself.

     Gray was sitting next to his mum smirking at the two older teenagers, he knew something was bound to happen between them.

     His mum was shocked, she never knew him to be so soft around someone. Not even his girlfriend, or possibly ex-girlfriend, was treated that way. He barely took the time of day to notice her or hug her yet here he was clinging onto a girl—one who she didn't know—with so much passion it made her believe that it possibly wasn't her son she was seeing but someone else.

     His dad sat there with a smile on his face, this was the son he knew he had, rather than the one who blocked out everyone and anyone for nothing. Here he was blocking everyone and anyone for this one person.

     Marlo felt her face warm up slightly as she gave a small wave to the two adults, she was never shy around people.

     Never.

     She looked up to Zach, who was already looking down at her, and gave him a small smile. Zach motioned his head towards his parents and Marlo gave a tight nod back, which was barely noticeable, and he pulled her towards them.

     "Mum, dad-" He started stiffly. "This is my, uh, this is my..." He scratched the back of his neck and closed his eyes trying to find the right name to give her or right label.

     Marlo noticed how he was the one to become nervous so she stuck her hand out to his mum and smiled.

     "I'm Marlo Grady. I work...I mean worked here at the park. I'm the one who, well I'd like to think I'm the one, who kinda helped your sons survive?"

     She wasn't sure whether she could really say she helped Zach and Gray survive when she barely survived herself. She felt a warm hand slip into hers and looked up to see their mum smiling back at her.

     "It's nice to meet you, Marlo." They both shook hands and his dad stepped up after to offer his hand as well.

     "We've heard some interesting things about you over the past four and a half hours." Their dad shook her hand as well and Marlo smirked as she looked over to Gray then up to Zach. "Quite the, how did they phrase it? Oh yeah, 'badass dino slayer'." Marlo stifled a laugh and looked down to the ground.

     "Dad." Zach groaned and closed his eyes as he pulled his head back. "Stop talking." He let out an annoyed sigh and Marlo laughed at him. "Stop laughing." Gray had now joined in. "Stop laughing!" He groaned again.

     Marlo quietened down and wrapped her arms around his waist, he quickly wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers, she was about to pull back.

     "Stop resisting," Zach mumbled as he tightened his grip.

     It wasn't long before Gray interrupted.

     "Group hug," he spoke and walked to Marlo and wrapped his arms around her while accidentally hitting Zach in the stomach. Marlo moved her arm to pull Gray in closer. "I said group hug," he said loudly and two more bodies joined in. They stood there for a minute until it became even warmer.

     "What's going on?" Owen asked as he wrapped his arms around Marlo confused.

     He joined the hug not knowing why.

     Zach grumbled and tried pulling away from everyone but Marlo hung onto him, he looked down to her and she looked up with a smile, he smiled back at her. His hands were low on the small of her back, her right arm bunching the back of his shirt while her left brought Gray closer.

     "What's going on?" Owen asked again, Marlo and Zach looked towards him and saw him stare down at them. "Zach, keep your hands higher, don't touch her there." Marlo groaned and Zach quickly moved his hands. "Good, now can we let go of each other?"

     Marlo nodded. "Yes." Before she tried escaping. Once everyone, but the two boys, let go of the hug Claire spoke up.

     "I'm glad to see you're doing better." Marlo looked up to thank her but noticed she was looking at Zach who had a red face. "Not as clingy as earlier I'll give you that." Zach glared at her slightly. "Okay let's give these two some space to...Talk." She pushed Owen.

     Owen replied to her quickly, "It better be just talking." While the others slowly walked away.

     "So...How about that-" Marlo was cut off by Zach pulling her chin up and placing a kiss on her lips.