Jump | Zach Mitchell

twenty-four

"TOOK you two long enough."

Zach rolls his eyes and shoves his little brother's shoulder. "Shut up, Gray." His other hand stays locked with mine, squeezing gently when I laugh at their antics.

"Don't tell me to shut up. That's not nice," he nags.

"Yeah, Zach. Don't be such a dick," I tease.

He scoffs playfully. "Don't tell me what to do."

Gray groans. "Stop flirting."

I frown. "We're not. This is how we usually talk."

Zach smiles sheepishly. "...he has a point. I'm never not flirting with you."

"Oh my God, you're so lame."

"At least I was able to fess up to my feelings."

I roll my eyes. "Do you really wanna go there? I've got more dirt on you than a casket has keeping it in the ground. I'm your best friend, remember?"

He grunts and pulls a face but drops it. Smart kid.

"Hey, guys?" Gray interjects, turning to face us while walking backwards. "Does this mean that you guys are going to... like..."

"Have sex?" Zach asks, smirking.

"You horny turd," I snicker under my breath.

"I was going to say 'kiss all the time in front of me.'" Gray's cheeks turn pink. "If so, it's going to be awkward."

I laugh. "It doesn't have to be. We won't-"

Zach removes his hand from mine to throw his arm over my shoulder. "Actually, we will. The answer to your question is yes, Gray. We're going to make out all the time. If you don't like it... don't look."

Seeing Gray's face turn bright red, I poke Zach's side. "Zach..."

"And so much sex," he continues, beaming. "We're going to be having sex at least twice a day... so you should probably just stop hanging out with us."

"Zach!" I laugh, shaking my head. "Gray, he's joking."

"Am I?" Zach strokes his chin playfully.

"You better be with that 'twice a day' bullshit," I tease.

He playfully glares at me. "Once a day." Before I can say anything, he already downgrades. "Hand job." When I start laughing, he drops even lower. "Flash me. I will literally take anything I can get from you. I've waited too damn long for you and I know you're just as much of a horny fucker as I am."

"You know, that was almost romantic." I smile at him. "But maybe we can discuss the details of our sex life later, when we're not lost in the middle of a dinosaur-populated jungle with your little brother."

Gray pipes up. "Yes, please!" He turns away from us now, returning to watching where he is walking. "I do not want to hear any of this."

I giggle as he hastens his steps, trying to put as much distance as possible between his older brother and himself without it being dangerous.

"I'm serious, you know."

Zach's sudden change in tone has me quickly looking to him, slightly confused.

"I'll take whatever. Like, if you just want to keep it to hand holding and kissing, that's fine. I'll do whatever you want."

"There it is! That's romantic."

His brow furrows. "Wait, it's that easy? I just have to say nice shit? Like, tell you my feelings?"

"Yes, dumbass!" I smile at him. "And for the record, I definitely want to have sex with you. You don't have to worry about that. I'd just prefer it to be... I don't know... in a house... not in the jungle..."

He chuckles, looking at his feet. "Yeah, I'd prefer my bedroom. Or yours. I'm not picky about that."

"Yeah, see? Those are good ideas. Or a shower-" His head whips toward me in record time, eyes nearly popping out of his head. I'm laughing before I can even finish the sentence. "I'm kidding!" I say. "Well, maybe." I clear my throat and push my ponytail over my shoulder. "None of it matters until you end it with Kelly and ask me out."

"Jonelle-"

"You're not getting out of this, bud. Sorry-"

"-be my girlfriend."

I stop walking. "Wait, what?"

He sighs. "Be my girlfriend." He won't look at me, staring at the trees. "Please," he adds. "You're really funny and smart and pretty and you get me. You make my heart beat really fast and you make me sweat a shit ton under my armpits and you make my dick rock hard-"

"Okay!" I shout, laughing. "I mean... I guess I will... since you asked so nicely and made such a convincing case."

Zach grins, biting his lip. "Romance, bitch!" He holds his hand out for a high five.

I stare at him, an eyebrow raised. "Seriously?"

"High five me, asshole. You have to. We're dating now."

I groan and roll my eyes, but I still smack his palm. "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about, baby!" He laces our fingers together and we start walking again. "See, was that so hard?"

"Funny, I could ask you the same question about finally asking me out."

"...shut the fuck up."

I bump his hip with mine. He returns the gesture, sending me sprawling into the grass. "Hey, you jerk!" I laugh. I push myself onto all fours, prepared to good-naturedly cuss him out, but then I see it: a white helmet, split in half and covered in blood.

I freeze, captivated by the sight. Part of me doesn't believe that I'm actually seeing it.

"Oh, come on, you big baby. I didn't push you that hard," Zach says. He pauses, waiting for me to respond. When I don't, he shuffles closer. "Jonelle? Are you hurt or something?"

There's quite a few different things I want to say, but I decide on the most important one. "...how far away is Gray?"

He doesn't say anything for a minute, probably checking the location of his baby brother. "Not too far. Why?"

"Um..." I sit back, legs folded beneath me. "Look."

I feel his body heat when he squats next to me, hovering over my shoulder. Slowly, his finger comes out and touches the surface of the helmet. When he pulls away, his hand is stained red.

Fresh.