Age Is Just a Number

Zara’s POV: 

I sat on the swings, kicking my legs back and forth as I stared at the blue sky, wondering if Mr. and Mrs. Yi knew about this. 

“Why are you here?” a familiar voice asks. 

I dug my shoes down on the wood chips to see Pamala and Kayla, along with a few of their friends. 

Us?” 

My eyes roamed over to see lan, who was holding back Pamala. “Are you stalking 

My brows furrow together. “I think I was at the park before you guys.” 

“Pamala enough, let’s go,” lan hisses. 

Kayla takes a step towards me, but Carol and Devon, holding her back. “I just want to talk to her,” she said, and they hesitantly release her. Kayla walks towards me while lan, along with the two other guys, drags Pamala away, shouting something about ripping intestines out and choking me with it. I don’t think she likes me very much. 

“Mind if I take a seat?” she points at the swing beside me. 

I nod. 

“Are you okay?” she asks. 

“What?” 

“When Pamala knocks you out, does it still hurt?” 

1 

( 

1/8 

After some time, I realized wild sie was coming 

“Oh, I’m fine.” 

I’m sorry for what Pamala did. She is just very short–tempered, particularly when it comes to friends,” she said, as I glance at Pamala, who was arguing with lan. 

She inhales a deep breath, kicking her legs slightly. 

“She isn’t fond-” Kayla stopped talking. 

“Of girls like me,” I finish for her. 

She nods, “You and Nina reminded her of her older sister-” she tucks her lips over her teeth. “perfect.” 

I grip tighter onto the metal swing. “I’m not perfect.” 

“To everyone else you are,” she smiles sadly, “even to lan.” 

After some time, she stands up. “We won’t bother you anymore,” she gripped her hands tightly into fists. “So, please stay away from us,” she inhales a deep breath, “including lan,” she said, before walking away. 

I sat there, staring at them as they went back into lan’s truck. lan stands there, staring at me, and I noticed he takes a step, but his friends shake their heads and pull him back. Hesitantly, he glanced at me once more as I raised a hand, waving at him, a smile on my face. He returns the smile and walks away. 

Dragging my feet back to my house, I continued staring at the ground. “William is in the mafia,” I mumble, “Probably Drew and Marvin too.” 

When I feel a car zooming past by, tires squealing in front of William’s house, I stop walking. My arms were dangling on the side as I watched a man step out of the driver’s side, scurrying his fingers through his dark hair. He licks his lips, throwing his sunglasses inside the car as my eyes meandered over to see a woman walking out. Red hair blew in the hot air as her heels clicked on the grey cement ground. 

Her eyes locked on mine as a smile broke out on her red lips. “Zara!” she shouts, click–clacking her heels towards me as she threw her arms around my body. 

9/0 

“Michelle?” I question, scanning her body as she threw out another hug. Michelle is Anthony’s younger sister, rebellious and crazy as fuck. When I was younger, I used to look up to her because she had this cool leather jacket that made her so badass. She doesn’t look badass, but she is badass. 

The man walks towards me, his signature smirk on his lips. “Long time no see Anthony,” I threw out my arms for a hug, but he placed two hands in the air, taking a step back. “Still not a hugger, I see,” I said, and he chuckles. “Why are you guys back in America?” 

They glance at each other, then Michelle smiled at me. “We are back here to see William and talk about some things,” she said. 

She places two hands on my arms, twirling me in circles. “Look at you! You’re so grown up now! You got boobs! Oh my gosh! Did you and Wil-” Anthony nudge her waist, causing her to bump slightly to the side. “Anthony! Why the fuck did you-” she stopped as Anthony shake his head. After some time, she nods an: “Ohhh” sound leaves her throat.. 

“What is it?” I ask, not quite following. 

“Oh,” she giggles. “Nothing.” 

“Bu-” 

“Come on!” she said, taking my arm and dragging me towards William’s house with Anthony behind us. She rang the doorbell, tilting her head towards me. “So, how is everything?” she sang. 

“Um, good.” 

The door opens, revealing William with a folder in his hands. My eyes went from his down to his neck, seeing the water dripping down, indicating he had just taken a shower. The single droplet laced down his collarbone towards his chest, further down to his chiseled work of art, and down and down and d- 

“Zara!” Michelle shriek. 

3/8 

I held my ear, tilting my body to the side. “What?” 

“I asked if you want to go shopping together since it’s your birthday tomorrow.” 

“How did you know?” 

“William, just mention how the two of you are spending your sweet 16th tomorrow.” 

“He did?” I question. I chuckle, taking a step back. “Y–Yeah I–let go,” I clear my throat and turn around, hearing Michelle heels clicking after me. 

She grabbed my arms, a smirk on her perfect lips as she tugs her brows. “Shut up.” I mumble. 

Standing in the dressing roll, I flatten out the dress, the tenth dress I’ve tried on. I creaked the door open to see Michelle and Nina sitting on the chairs waiting for me. “Ready?” Nina shouted. 

“Yeah!” 

Slowly, I walked out, seeing them applause, the same thing they did for every dress. “I love it!” Nina gives me two thumbs of approval. 

“Loving it!” Michelle screams, hollering with Nina catching many people’s attention. “Let’s get this one too!” Michelle pounds her fist on her palm. 

“I can’t afford all these dresses,” I point at the other dresses in Nina’s lap. “And I only need one.” 

Michelle stood up while Nina stared at her lap. and then nodded to herself, indicating that she will stay where she is because she will not carry all the dresses. “I told you, Zara! It’s on me! I’m rich!” she smiles brightly, then grabs half of the dress with Nina behind her. 

Nina turns towards me and smiles, “She is rich! Take the dresses!” 

We held the bags walking out of the mall. Nina bumps into Michelle. “I would 

4/8 

& 

marry you if you were a man,” she smirks, holding up the load of t–shirts Michelle brought her. 

“If I was a lesbian, I take you as my mistress because damn Nina, five–set of t–shirt gets you to say I do? Really?” she laughs. 

“They are good t–shirts!” 

“They were on sale!” 

Nina giggles, “Sales are amazing!” 

After we finished, Michelle took us back to hang out at Nina’s house since most of her siblings are at their friend’s place or some activity. Adjusting her glasses, Nina poured out the popcorn while Michelle turned on the tv, as I poured out some sodą for each of us. 

“Did you decide which dress to wear?” Miche asks. 

I shook my head and took a sip of the soda. 

Nina flopped down beside Michelle. “So, you and William are spending the whole day tomorrow?” she asks. 

I nod. 

“So, anything happening between both of you?” Michelle eyed me curiously. 

“Nothing, he still just sees me as a younger sister,” I mumble. 

She lifted a brow. “Oh, really,” her voice sounds, almost overly sarcastic, dripping with disbelief. 

I hung my head back on the couch, grabbing a handful of popcorn. “I told you before, William doesn’t see me as a woman.” 

Michelle snorts, “I wouldn’t say that so soon.” 

4/8 

“What do-” 

“Woah, hottie alert.” I said, diverting the topic pointing at the tv. 

& 

“Welcome, I am Sally Bodem, and I have the privilege of interviewing none other than the amazing bachelor Matthew Greyson,” she smiles as the camera zooms out, showing a man who was sitting there with an uncomfortable smile. 

“Woah,” Nina said, throwing some popcom into her mouth. 

He nods, “Hello.” 

“The things I would do to him,” Nina mumbles, chewing on her lower lips 

Michelle glances at me, and I smirk, then we elbow Nina’s waist. “You have a boyfriend!” Michelle reminds her. 

She rolls her eyes. “That guy is way off my radar, not like we will ever meet,” she said, switching the channel, searching for a movie as we shake our heads. 

When we finished watching mindless movies and gossiping, I went back to my bedroom. getting ready for a night of good sleep. 

Unraveling my mini bun, I change into my bunny pajamas. When I heard my phone ringing. I picked it up. 

Muffin: Window. 

Throwing my cell phone on the bed, I threw open the curtains to see William. He had his chin resting on his palm, lifting a brow when he saw me and stopped twirling the cell phone in his hand. Raising a finger, he made an upward motion, and I slipped my window open. “Hello, neighbor,” he sang. 

I eyed him curiously. “Yes, neighbor?” 

“Guess what?” he whispers, tilting his head forward. 

“Did you kill someone?” those words accidentally slip out, and I mentally slap 

5/8 

myself for saying such words. 

He narrows his eyes, the frown on his face was wiped off, and he suddenly started bursting into unfit laughter. After some chuckles, I followed him and started laughing despite my need to pee my pants, knowing he potentially has a gun in his 

room. 

After some time, his laughter died down as he shook his head. “No, no, I didn’t kill anyone today.” 

I stop laughing–today. 

“W–What is it then?” 

He let out a low humming sound as he looks at me with what I can assume as adoration, but that can’t be possible. “I get to spend tomorrow with this amazing woman,” he smiles playfully. “And I just couldn’t wait.” 

I stood there, staring at him as the light breeze blew across his hair, blocking his deep hazel as the thumping sound inside my chest refused to halt. The wind stopped, giving me a chance to meet his eyes, and it wasn’t filled with unbearable chills rather, warmth, filled with unknown promises, the promise of never hurting me. The blood flows swiftly towards my face as I grip tightly onto the frame of the window. 

“10,” he whispers. 

“9.” 

“8,” 

“7.” 

“6.” 

“5.” 

“4.” 

6/8 

“3.” 

“2.” 

“1.” 

品 

“Happy 16th Birthday Angel.” 

The memories were engraved inside my mind, how the blood stained his clothes. The smoke that escaped his body, covering his structural features. How he licked the corner of his lips, tasting the cigarette. He elegantly walked towards the streets, pushing his dark hair back, revealing his gorgeous orbs, lungs inhaling the warm summer air. It was absolutely- 

Exhilarating. 

8/8