(3) Not the Same: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 39: Messed Up

        I was back to studying on my bed, flipping through one of my notebooks with a sigh. I didn't think my head could handle any more information for the night. It was becoming way too much.

        It'd been two days since I did anything besides study, go to work, and suffer through class. I couldn't pull myself away from my paper the night Stella wanted me to go over; I had too much to do. Zack had to stay late at the studio tonight, and wasn't sure if he was going to be able to stop by. As pathetic as it was, I missed him.

        I had barely noticed the opening and closing of my apartment door until it shut loudly enough to shake the entire place. My heart stopped and my body froze. Who the hell was in my house?

        "Laur?" Zack's voice floated into my room through the open threshold, and I let out a sigh of relief. I ran a shaky hand through my hair, pulse pumping once again.

        "Should I be concerned with how you got in here?" I called out with a smile on my lips. I heard his chuckle for a moment before he appeared in the doorway, leaning his shoulder against the frame. He crossed his arms over his chest while he grinned at me.

        "One of your neighbors recognized me and let me in," he said, meeting my gaze. I nodded, knowing that I never locked my door when I was home. It was an awful habit that I should fix.

        For whatever reason, I realized I liked the fact that my neighbors realized exactly who Zack was.

        "What do you want to do?" I asked, lifting my hand to close my book. He stopped me, lifting his index finger in the air. I paused while he walked away and back into the kitchen for a few seconds before coming back with a brown bag and two plates from the cabinet. 

        "Eat," he said with a breath. I laughed, picking my stomach off the mattress to sit up. I crossed my legs in front of me, laying my head on the headboard. He walked over to the other side of the bed, sitting on the edge, placing the plates and forks next to my leg while opening the bag.

        I was surprised to not see take-out in the bag. Instead he pulled out a zip-lock bag of carrots, another with bread, and a plastic container with chicken. I raised my eyebrows, and he shrugged.

        "I'm sick of eating out," he said, opening one of the containers. I rolled my eyes at him with a smile. He distributed each portion on the plates without spilling anything. He handed me a plate, before standing and stretching.

        "What do you want to drink?" he asked, but before I could answer, he was walking towards the kitchen. He came back with two bottles of water. He placed one next to my leg, and I shook my head with another grin.

        "What's with the royal treatment?" I asked curiously, forking a piece of carrot into my mouth. He settled into the other side of my bed, lifting his plate into his lap. He looked at me and shrugged.

        "I think from now on I can assume you don't eat," he said raising his eyebrows at me. I mimicked him, biting off a piece of chicken. He paused for a moment before speaking. "Does Craig know this happens?"

        I hesitated, glancing up to see his face. Zack has never mentioned Craig before in all this time of us being together. He seeme to avoid the thought or conversation, skipping over his name if I ever brought it up accidentally. He hated Craig, completely and honestly hated him.

        "We barely have an hour of time to spend together when he's in school, so I don't usually see him much," I mumbled uncertainly. I wasn't sure what he wanted to hear, but he nodded nonetheless.

        "What does he go to school for?" he asked again.

        "Business," I said slowly, biting the inside of my cheek.

        "Does he work?"

        "Yeah, he has a construction job that his friend's dad owns here," I said undecidedly, still trying to figure out his intentions. "What's with the questions?" he thought for a second before shrugging.

        "Curious, I guess," he said quietly. "He's been part of your life for six years. I just wanted to know."

        "Oh," I nodded, taking another bite of chicken. We ate in silence for a few moments, but it wasn't anything awkward. It was the silence that would fall over us in high school, without having to say a single word.

        After finishing, I reached for his plate, stacking it on mine and putting it on my table. When I lifted my head to sit back up, Zack's face was there to greet me. I laughed softly while he pressed his lips to mine for a moment.

        "Thanks for dinner," I murmured, fingers touching the side of his face. He gave me a toothless smile, one small dimple appearing on the side of his mouth.

        "Anytime Ace," he smiled, allowing me to lean forward and kiss him again. His fingers trailed my hips, tugging me closer to him. My hands traced the hem of his shirt, reminding me of the times I would do that in high school, and the same way I did that to Craig after Zack was gone.

        I tried my hardest to push the thought of Craig out of my head, but he was there. Even if he wasn't in the forefront of my thoughts, he lingered somewhere int he shadows. My heart ached at the thought that he was still there, even when kissing Zack.

        I really was messed up in the head.