Page 72 of Spring Awakening

“Hey.”

“Hey, honey,” she says, filling up the kettle.

Ezra groans. “Am I chopped liver?”

Mali spins to look at him, a blush on her cheeks like she truly might not have realised he was there. “Sorry. Hey, Ez.” He grunts again. “What are you two talking about? It’s a right little mother’s meeting.”

“Zach told me you think he fancies me.”

“Dude.”

Mali’s eyes widen, looking at Zach like she’s done something wrong. Like she had any say in Zach semi-coming out.

Ezra carries on. “And I said, who’s shocked? Everyone fancies me.”

Mali grimaces. “That doesn’t work on you.”

“Right?” Ezra says, with a quick laugh. “Though I’d give it a whirl.”

“Are you gonna come practice?” she asks, wringing her fingers together. She looks nervous.

Ezra snorts. “I don’t do social media.”

“Innit,” Mali replies. Zach smiles because she uses it wrong, but he likes it all the same. “Well, Zach, do you wanna do the collaboration with Sweet Tooth?”

“What collab?” Ezra asks instantly.

“Cam and I are doing a post for the family game day. She said sales are always down around this time, and we agreed half-naked men will sell cookies. Though Ezra Adebayo would sell more…”

“Fine,” he mutters. “Do I need to take them now?”

Mali smiles. “No. At the event, with Cam.”

Ezra blushes. Well, he ducks his head, which is basically professing his love in front of the world. Zach flips through the Shakespeare quotes in his head for something that would make Mali laugh.

“Are you coming over?” she asks, before he can think of one. She’s looking right at him.

“Nah. I’m already proficient at taking half-naked photos.” Mali looks at him with a face. A pretty face, but it has an expression he has no detective skills to decipher. Then, she smiles, as if her prior thought is completely gone.

“’Kay.”

She walks away, and Zach wonders if she knows she forgot to make her tea.

“She’s jealous.”

“Huh?” Zach replies.

Ezra smiles at the floor. He is pretty. “Mali. She thinks you fancy me, and she’s jealous.”

Zach looks over at her, catching the quick way she turns to talk to someone.

“Quick, laugh,” Ezra says.

“What?”

Ezra hits him in the stomach.

“How is that going to make me laugh?!”

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