It's funny how people you don't even know personally can drive you to do something. They're just acquaintances- who may not even be liked. But something drives you to do something they had requested. It bugs you, pulls at the corner of your brain until you give in, defeated.
This is how it was with Ginger. She spent months passing by the telephone, glaring at it, hoping it would stop crying out for her. Why did she feel this way? It was unknown to her because she had met him but once, didn't like him, never seen him since. But her strength was breaking down. The little voice in her head kept saying, CALL HIM. Ginger was stubborn. Really, she was. But apparently not obstinate enough.
Ginger sat at her desk, hands neatly folded in her lap. She stared at the cordless phone for what seemed like years, but were only mere minutes. Finally, she picked up the phone, and started to dial. The rain outside pounded on the glass window and thunder rumbled in the clouds' tummies. Not one to like rain or thunder storms, Ginger ran to the window, still holding the phone to her ear, and closed the curtains quickly. The downpour made Ginger even more nervous than she had been before. A colony of butterflies were in a mad rush in the pit of her stomach.
One question seemed to be glued to the front of Ginger's head. Why am I calling him? What exactly drove her to call Zac? He had just been a guy that happened to notice her. He also had a girlfriend just like Ginger, apparently. Why had Ginger's so-called twin been so lucky as to snatch him up before her? But you don't like him, she reminded herself. You called him a little brother from hell.
Ginger was about to hang up when someone finally answered. "Yo, how can I help you?" a deep male voice sung into the phone.
"Um, hi, may I please speak to Zac?" Ginger inquired shyly. She was not used to calling people who she didn't know.
"Yeah, may I ask who's calling?" the guy asked smoothly.
"Ginger,"
"Ginger…" the guy repeated. "Just a sec."
Ginger sat on the other end, tapping her fingers at her desk. Thunder boomed and she began counting. She had not reached ten when lightening struck. Oo, that's close!
"Yeah?" a voice asked. Ginger immediately recognized the cocky vocals of Zac.
"Well, you got what you wanted. I called," Ginger explained flatly.
Zac cackled. "Ah, so it is you. I knew you couldn't stay away much longer."
"And what gave you that idea?" Ginger demanded.
"Your type. You always end up calling."
"Right. The only reason I was calling was because-" Thunder stopped her short and she squealed. Ginger knew she was being wimpy, but she hated thunder and it was so loud!
"What?" Zac asked, alarmed.
"Oh. It's the thunder," she whispered.
"Why are you whispering?"
"I don't know."
"So, the only reason you are c-"
"AHHH!"
"My God, calm down! Don't you know what thunder is? It's only heat meeting cold. Don't you have a roommate or anything?"
"No, I got a single room."
"Oh my God," Zac sighed. "What is your room number?"
"226, Rice Hall."
"Gotcha. I'll be right up." Zac hung up, and Ginger soon followed suit. She could not believe herself. Although just the thought of having another person with her- even if it was Zac- calmed her down quite a bit. Normally, however, if Zac had asked, she would have denied and refused the offer. Too many things were possible in a situation like this, and that's what kept her nervous.
Ginger skidded into the bathroom and ran a brush through her hair. She started to wash her face, but then took a good look in the mirror. Wait a minute, she thought. Why am I brushing my hair and washing my face? I'm turning into one of those preppy girls from high school, Ginger thought disgustedly. She finished washing her face anyway, however, and patted her skin dry.
No sooner, a knock was heard and Ginger ran to open the door. There stood Zac, sopping wet in baggy cargos and a plain black shirt.
"You're all wet!" Ginger exclaimed, laughing at him. Zac marched in, dripping.
"No, really?"
"Let's get you dried off," Ginger chuckled, going for towels. Zac laughed as he pulled off his shirt and rung it out onto her floor. "Zac! You're cleaning that up, you know. You made the mess."
Ginger handed him some towels and took his shirt from the floor to hang it up. She was glad she finally had a companion, but still jumped out of her skin at the next boom of thunder.
"You're worse than Jessica!" Zac exclaimed, laughing as he pulled off his pants. He had no problems with Ginger seeing him in just his boxers. It didn't bother him in the slightest, but he laughed when Ginger looked away, red in the face.
"Who's Jessica?" Ginger asked, sitting down on her bed. Zac sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall and sighed.
"My little sister."
"Cool, how many siblings do you have?"
And so started the night with Zac. They had a good time, which surprised Ginger. The two spoke for hours on end, talking about nothing and everything. Zac realized somewhere through out the evening that Ginger had been serious. She had never heard of him or his band, Hanson. So he decided not to tell her.
When they woke in the morning, Ginger was surprised to see him still there. She stretched and smiled at his sleeping face, which was resting on an extra pillow. They had spent the night on her bed, curled up next to one another. Through out the entire evening, Ginger had seen qualities in him that she had never in her wildest dreams expected. He was perfect for her. Zac was her other half. And she intended on keeping that other half.
Suddenly, a thought dawned on Ginger. Zac had a girlfriend. Her perfect man, who was sleeping quietly beside her, was not, in fact, single. Why does this always happen to me? Ginger thought, sighing. Zac's eyes fluttered open and Ginger smiled at him.
"Hey," she whispered.
"Good morning," he whispered back.
"Did you sleep well?" Ginger whispered.
"Like a log. Why are we whispering?"
"I don't know," Ginger shrugged, still whispering.
"Okay, let's stop," Zac laughed, talking in his normal voice.
Ginger laughed and then stopped, looking sadly at Zac. "Zac, what about your girlfriend?"
Zac frowned, and then sighed. "There isn't a girlfriend, Ging. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you."
Ginger's face lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah," Zac blushed.
Smiling, they both stared at each other. And slowly, Zac leaned into her, and their lips met in a first kiss.