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

Chapter 46: Ruined

        "Zack," I hiccupped, "Zack, I'm sorry." My words came out soft and slurred together as I leaned on Zack's side. He was helping me walk to my apartment, one arm securely around my waist, keeping me on my feet while I clung to him. I was slipping and twisting in my heels, surprised that I wasn't dragging him down with me. He'd had a few drinks of his own, but you wouldn't have been able to tell. He was walking perfectly, or, as perfectly as he could with me hanging on him. If he hadn't been so strong, I might have pulled him down with me, but he was managing.

        "I don't usually drink," I continued, trying to talk slowly so my words made sense, to both of us. I was trying to focus on making it to my apartment, but my head was spinning and I was seeing double if I moved too fast. "I don't, I don't usually drink a lot."

        "It's alright, Ace," Zack said, stopping as he shook of my apologies. "I don't mind." He was gripping my keys in his other hand, his own in the Range Rover with Stella. She had driven his car here so he could have a ride back after he dropped me off with my car. It only made me feel worse that they were going out of the way to help me.

        I wasn't sure why I'd drank so much. The reason was fuzzy, but a small part of me kept thinking it was Craig's fault.

        We stopped in front of my apartment, Zack's arm still tight around my torso to hold me up. He twisted the key in the lock and pulled it out, holding them as he pushed the door open. He moved me in front of him, one hand resting loosely on my waist, the other on my arm.

        I turned as he led me into the apartment, stopping in the doorway. I leaned into him, throwing my arms around her lazily.

        "Thank you," I whispered, but when I expected him to hug me back or bring me to lie down, he pushed me back instead, only keeping a light hand on my back for stability. I turned as he directed me to, noticng that the lights in the apartment were already on. I looked around slowly, seeing suitcases in the kitchen, and food containers scattered on the counter. The last thing I noticed was the shake of a brown haire dboy standing up slowly from the couch.

        My heart sped up along with my head pounding as I tried to piece everything together. He wasn't supposed to be home today. This wasn't supposed to happen this way.

        "What the fuck?" He growled, moving closer so I could see the way his eyes turned from annoyed to murderous as they flashed between Zack and me. I tried to run my fingers through my hair, but my sudden movement combined wiht my already unstable feet made me stumble slightly. Zack's hand fell to my elbow, standing close behind me to keep me up.

        I could feel how tense he was standing behind me, his hand was gripping my arm tightly.

        "What the hell are you doing, Lauren?" he questioned angirly, moving closer. I noticed that his hair was longer than ever, probably because he hadn't cut it in weeks. His facial hair was the same, and his skin looked a shade darker. what I really noticed was the look he was giving me, giving us, an expression I'd never seen on him before.

        "I -- uh, I," my mouth moved, but I could only repeat the same word. My thoughts were too much of a mess for me to be able to form a proper sentence, jumbled from the alcohol and shock.

        "I was just dropping her off, asshole. She couldn't drive herself home like this," Zack snapped from behin dme, never moving. I couldn't decide if I wanted to move away, or move closer, away from Craig's murderous expression.

        "Why the fuck were you even out with her?" he asked Zack, his eyes blazing. I could see the veins starting to pop out from his neck as his temper rose. I wanted to say something to make him stop, but all I felt like doing was crying. "What the fuck were you doing with him?" the question was directed towards me now.

        "It's none of your business what we were doing," Zack answered for me, his grip loosening on my elbow. I ddn't want to lose his touch, it felt like the only thing that was keeping me standing.

        "So, this is why you weren't even here when I got home?" Craig's finger was pointed behind me, right at Zack. "You were out fucking around with him? And you've been lying to me this entire time? Every time you said you were with Stella, you were with him, weren't you? I should have fucking known since I saw thos epictures that you wouldn't have been able to stay away!" He was screaming, probably waking the neighbors through the open door.

        "Craig," I whimpered, trying to form a sentence but he kept going, not giving me the chance to think. I felt my eyes fill with tears as he continued, his voice echoing in my ears.

        "I came home today! The one fucking day that mattered Lauren, and you forgot because you were out with this douche bag!" This was the angriest I'd ever seen him. I'd seen him mad before, we'd had our fair share of fights, but this was the worst.

        "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I forgot." Was all I could say, all I had the chance to say before Craig spoke again, not yet done saying what he had to say with all the anger he was feeling.

        "After everything too. After every damn thing you said before I left. I thought we were going to pick up where we left off. Did that mean anything to you?"

        I finally stepped away from Zack, stumbling towards Craig, but he took a step away, keeping his distance from me.

        "What was I supposed to do, Craig?" I cried, choking through my tears. I ruined everything. "You were gone the entire summer! So what if you promised me that, how long was it going to last anyway? A week before you found someone else? I can't keep being some girl you sleep with when you want and throw away when you don't. We're best friends, you were my best friend. You can't have it both ways!"

        "Wait, you weren't dating him, and you slept with him?" Zack's voice sounded from behind me. My mouth dropped oen before I pressed it shut, squeezing my eyes together, swearing to myself. I whipped my head around to look at Zack, hating the way he was looking at me.

        This wasn't how this was supposed to come out. I didn't want him to find out like this. To him, I was still the same person I was in high school, the one who'd make a huge deal about sleeping with someone. Maybe things would have been different if I had told him earlier, and he wouldn't be staring at me the way he was now: hurt.

        "I was, I was going to tell you," I breathed, taking a step towards him, but he backed away, leaving my heart feeling like it had just shattered into a million pieces. "I can explain." I couldn't stand the way he was looking at me, with the realization that I was not the same person I'd once been. He looked disgusted.

        "Why fucking bother? He lost the right to know these things when you broke up," he said, to both of us, looking at Zack to add, "She's not yours to control."

        Zack barked out a sarcastic laugh, arms tense across his chest as he took a step back towards the door. "I never controlled anything she did. I let her wait on you hand and foot in high school. Even if I'd said something, it wouldn't have made a difference."

        I was stuck between them, mind still spinning out of control. I had no idea what to do. I had no idea what was going on.

        "Don't you think that says something about the way she feels, then?" Craig said with an obvious satisfaction in his choice of words. I wanted to yell at him to shut up, that he had no idea what he was talking about, but it wouldn't have made Zack stay.

        "Maybe," he shrugged, throwing my keys on the counter. He took another step back, out into the hallway now. He was leaving. I wanted to make him stay, but the words I thought I had were caught in the back of my throat. I could only watch as his cold eyes turned to me, meeting my eyes that were flooded over with tears.

        "It doesn't matter anymore though, you won. She's yours."