Our Fighting Chance

Part Four - Rings & Chains

Zac's POV // 

We ate together, talking about anything but our past relationship. I could tell she was thinking about it in her head, I mean so was I but nothing came out our mouths. 

"Alright Carlos, how much do I owe you for everything?" I asked, seeing him with his chin in his palm, smiling at us. 

"What? you're not paying for my food" Ana scoffed, nudging me. 

Her touch, it still tingled whatever part of my body she touched. 

Carlos scoffed at the both of us, shooing us. "Please, you gave me more than I ever need" 

We both looked at each other, tilting our heads confused. I grabbed a fifty from my wallet, stuffing into the tip jar. 

"Okay thank you Carlos, we gotta go" I said quickly, waving as we walked out before he could give it back to me. 

Carlos is an amazing man, generous beyond measures and caring. He cares so much. 

I stood by my car, looking at Ana who stood there fiddling with her phone, I didn't notice that she wasn't carrying her keys. 

"C'mon, let's go" I chuckled, opening the door for her. 

She smiled at me, getting into the car. She must live close then, she hates walking long distances. 

I began driving, silence between us. "That's where I live" She spoke up, pointing at a tall building. 

I smiled, glancing at it. She looked so proud, so happy with it and that makes me happy. 

"Your birthday's coming up" I spoke softly, seeing her tap her fingers against her knee. 

She's nervous. The reason something's off with her is because of her birthday, something happened. 

"As if you remember my birthday" she chuckled nervously, looking out the window. 

How could I ever forget? I remember everything about her, the scar down her chest from surgery when she was five months old, she has a weird obsession with raccoons, cries watching Disney movies and had a 5 Seconds of Summer phase. I won't lie, she had me listening to them too, they're not bad... 

"January 13th. For your seventeenth birthday we went to your parents' beach house, that's the weekend you got that scar on your knee because you tripped over Kian, hitting it on the corner of the table" I reminisced, smiling at the memory. 

She gasped, turning to me and tapping my arm. She did that whenever she got excited. "And Kian threw up near Flynn because he saw the blood" She laughed.

Her laugh, fuck. It was so soothing and contagious. You make her laugh once and you're addicted, you try everything to make her laugh again just to hear it. 

"So, what are we doing this year? I'm sure Mila already planned something"  I asked, parking in front of Flynn's house. 

She looked away, shaking her head. "I don't really celebrate it anymore, just me and a cake" 

My heart sank, what happened on her birthday? What took away the spark? she used to stay up every night until 12 then we'd do something extravagant. Alone. Not even her family? 

I want to ask her about her family but she wasn't ready so I'll wait. Maybe they just went separate ways or maybe we didn't know them at all. 

We got out the car, making our way inside. Idiots didn't lock the door. 

Her arm, left arm; 222 tattoo. I glanced at my right arm, 222. We've got the same tattoo. Maybe it's just a coincidence but mine was dedicated to her. 

She walked ahead of me, hearing our friends cheer until I walked in as well. I knew exactly what they were thinking. 

"We ran into each other at Carlos', I walked there so he gave me a lift" She quickly explained, looking at Kara. 

She didn't care, she was taking a photo of her green smoothie. 

Mila put her arm around Ana, grinning. "Since it's your birthday in two days, Kara took the liberty of getting us a VIP table at LUX"

Oh no. She doesn't want to celebrate, this isn't gonna go well. 

"Let's gooo" Kian chanted, flailing his arms like an inflatable air dancer at the dealership. 

Ana forced a smile, trying to seem excited. She was really going to do it. 

"Wow thanks Kara, can't wait" She was a total liar, how was I the only one seeing it. 

*2 Hours Later* 

My alarm blared, startling everyone making me laugh. 

"Alright I've gotta train, Ana you need a ride?" I asked, standing up. 

She nodded eagerly, "I've gotta call my family" 

So they are still in contact? Maybe she just lost the excitement for her birthday. 

We said our goodbyes to everyone before heading back to my car. I could tell she was overthinking something; chewing on her bottom lip, tugging on her necklace and her ring. Her ring. She stills wears the ring. 

She caught me looking at it, smiling lightly. "You know me, I can't seem to part with things. I freak out when I don't have my ring on" she chuckled. 

I began driving, trying not to blush. She stills wears the promise ring I bought her, on a different finger but it still counts. 

I pulled my chain, the dog tags grabbing her attention. "Me too" I smiled. 

'It's us against the world' engraved on it, part of my ritual. Before and after each game, i'd listen to the voicemail, kiss the necklace and take it off or put it back on. Because it was her. With the necklace she bought me and the voicemail; I was unstoppable. 

I parked in front of her apartment complex, turning to her. 

"It'll be okay and I'll be there. If you want I can pretend to be sick so we can leave" I assured, seeing her smile. 

She nodded, flickering her eyes from the chain to my eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow, bye Z" 

I lowered the window, watching her walk toward the door. "Tell them I said hi and I miss them" I called out.

She laughed, shutting the front door, waiting. She was waiting, just like all those years ago. 

Once I made my way to the locker-room of the gym, I took my hoodie off and unclasped the necklace, kissing it gently. 

"In the end, it'll always be you and I. It's us against the world"