1x1 with Maggy and Hazel #2

"Us?"Zach raised his eyebrow, slightly confused.

Ellie
"It's an expression, and stop avoiding the question" I say, looking at him.

"That most certainly is not qn expression,"Zach continued stubbornly.

Ellie
"Zachariah, stop avoiding the question. How did you and Maya meet?" I said.

"I am not avoiding the question."Zach rolled his eyes."We met in a bar. Happy?"

Ellie
"Met at a bar? You're still drinking?" I look at him.

"Errm, not quite,"Zach said, his gaze escaping to a paper pinned to a small pin-board above his desk. It was filled with black, straight lines, grouped in five, like those you see in jail, made by prisoners who count the days inside.

Ellie
I followed his gaze and saw the piece of paper with the tally on. "What's that?" I asked curiously.

"Gimme your best guess,"Zach said crossing his hands.

Ellie
"Hmm. The amount of students you want to strangle to death?" I asked jokingly

"Pfft,"Zach snorted with laughter."Nice try. But far from the truth."

Ellie
"Guessing from the context, is it the amount of days you haven't drank?"

Zach tapped his nose."Precisely. But since it was your second guess, you get no points."

Ellie
"First guess was a joke I should still get points" I complained. I studied the piece of paper "You have done well though" I say with a smile.

"Meh,"Zach shook his head."Fucked up one night, halfway through my goal and had to start all over again."

Ellie
"At least you're trying" I say, returning my gaze to him, but I drop it to the floor a second later.

"Yeah,"Zach said as he looked up at her and smiled."At least."

Ellie
I breath out through my nose before continuing to question him about Maya "So how long have you been dating?"

"Hm,"Zach said absentmindedly counting the fives on the paper."For about four months."

Ellie
"Quite a long time then" I say, not looking up from an interesting part of the floor.

"Maybe, depends on how one wants to look at that. Time is a relative term."Zach shrugged lightly.

Ellie
"For a relationship I would say its a long time." I say turning to look at him.

"Again, depends on the type of the 'fore mentioned relationship."Zach continued stubbornly.

Ellie
I rolled my eyes at him. "So who asked who" I asked.

"I don't remember, honestly."Zach said.