It changed for the better. A Zack Merrick Fanfiction.

Chapter 21.

Author's Note: Firstly, I'd like to thank you for being so patient *hands you trophy*. My boards are finally over so I can sit and write without anything bothering me.  Secondly, I'd like to thank you for reading my works. I mean I don't think they're anything great but they mean a lot to me. Okay now this has started to sound like a fucking award acceptance speech. Also, I'd like to share with you how awfully sad and disturbed I am about My Chemical Romance breaking up. They mean a lot to me and I wasn't really expecting this.. no one was. But we deal we deal.

OKAY. Back to Zack and Olivia. xx

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So here I was at Alex and Jack's appartment , armed with some booty shorts and a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Did I really want to do this? Was I ready to let these people know about the.. the issues I have? At that moment, I looked at my arm as Zack gave it a reassuring squeeze and then I realised, YES! I was going to do this. I had to. I mean Zack was only trying to help, and after all, the guys wouldn't think of me any different.. would they? I was so fucking nervous. And you'd never think that being in a jacuzzi with the members of All Time Low would be such a stressful thing to do.

"Liviaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" I heard Jack yell as soon as he opened the door. My failed attempts of saying Hi to him just sounded like faint sounds because they were muffled while he hugged my face close to his chest. I don't care what you say , to me, Jack Barakat is a 5 year old boy.. and I love that! He finally let go of me and I gasped for air. "Sorry about that.. little too tight eh?" he asked me with a lopsided grin on his face. "You know Jack, as much as I love meeting you , I also do like breathing" I said to him and chuckled. Who was I kidding.. I didn't really like breathing... maybe I did now.  Jack then began talking to Zack. You know, for best friends... they are awfully lovey dovey sometimes. It's adorable. 

I made my way through the short corridor and saw Rian and Cassadee on the couch  there. "heyyy" I said to Cassadee while hugging her tight. She might just be my first ever real 'girlfriend'.  I bent down to give Rian a hug too and then made my way into the kitchen to meet Alex. "Olivia!" he said and hugged me tight... but not as tight as Jack though. "Hey" I said to him. "Do you want to grab a beer?" he offered. I really didn't like alcohol much and it's pretty obvious why. But one odd beer didn't hurt anyone did it? "Sure" I said while sliding my hands into my pockets. 

Suddenly , I felt Zack's arms around my waist. I looked up and pecked him on his lips. I saw Jack walk in behind him and stick his finger in his throat and make gag noises at us. I chuckled. "Hey you" said Zack. "You're okay right?" he asked me. "Why wouldn't I be?" I said and gave him a smile. "I might just get through this." I thought to myself.

"Hey we're gonna head out" said Rian . I turned around to see his head poking into the kitchen door and Cassadee tugging on his arm. "Be right there!" said Alex. They left soon and now it was just Zack and me in the kitchen. "um.. why don't we go get changed?" he said. I didn't respond. I just walked into the nearest room. Why was I so scared?

When I walked out, I could feel the cold air on my skin like a thousand needles all at once. Why was this happening to me even though the heating was on? Nervousness. I walked into the kitchen to see Zack there waiting for me in nothing but swim trunks. My jaw literally touched the ground at seeing him like that.. so bare. So perfect. He looked at me up and down as though he were inspecting me. He came a little closer to me and tugged my all time low 'GET LOW' booty shorts down. Man I wouldn't have worn these in public in a million years. I looked down to see that a few of them.. the scares were still visible. I tugged them down too with trembling hands as I felt my face turn hot and tears forming in my eyes. "Olivia, nothing is going to happen okay? Trust me" said Zack and joined my lips with his in a soft comforting kiss. I smiled at him when it ended We took our drinks and I grabbed his firm muscular arm with nervous and shaky hands and proceeded into the room with the jacuzzi.

Everyone was busy when we walked in so we quickly eased ourself into the water. Zack was right. No one noticed. My secret was safe. I wasn't a freak to them... yet. The guys finally realized that we were there and began to chat with us.. and I was actually having a lot of fun. 

I quickly gulped down the last sip of my beer. "Olivia, will you have another?.. I'm going to get more" asked jack. "No I'm cool with just one.. I don't do good with alcohol." "Huh. I wonder how you guys are a couple. One of you hates alcohol and the other.." he said and smirked at me. "The other what?" I asked jokingly. "Let's just say that once Zack gets started.. it's hard for him to let go ,Eh Zacky?" he said and chuckled. I just laughed along with them. I bet Zack wasn't THAT bad. 

We went back to talking. Rian and Cassadee were fooling around in the corner. Jack was back with the drinks and the rest of us began to chat. I felt Zack's arm around me in the water , pulling me closer to him. I moved up till my back was resting on him and I rested my hand on his chest. He turned my head around and pecked me on my lips. "Aw look at you too. Lovebirds" said Alex. "Aw shut up man!" said Zack . These guys were the cutest when it came down to playful fighting.... when it came down to anything actually.

After a while, everyone thought that they had enough of the water but I sort of liked it. Also , th thought of me getting out of the water infront of all these people almost made me shudder. Maybe I wouldn't be so lucky while getting out . Zack asked me if I'd be okay and went out to chat with Rian. Jack and Cassadee went away too for some crazy drinking bet. Now it was just me and Alex in the warm water. When was he going to leave? I didn't want to come out in front of him.. he'd...see.

"So... you had fun today?" he asked me to break the awkward silence. "Yes I sure did" I replied. "You  know... aahhh .. wel fuck it" he hesitated. "I know what? come on tell me!" I egged him on. "I know you didn't wear those for fun  Livia." he said pointing to my shorts. Where was he going with this. "What what are you talking about? I just don't own swimsuit bottoms and I didn't have time to go shop-" he cut me off. "I don't think you remember this .. but I do. You.. uh you handed me a letter at the meet an greet.. it had your problems in it and also the way we've affected your life. It really moved me Olvia. That's how I remembered your name. I could never forget such a moving story. I couldn't help but imagine what pain such a beautiful girl must have gone through... that lead her to hate herself. I'm sure Zack is helping you. Don't worry he hasn't told me anything but I know Zack and I know that he must be.. but if you ever need anything... anything at all, you come to me okay?" he said to me. Wow I really wasn't expecting this. A tear rolled down my cheek "Um.. " I was chokng up trying to hold in the urge to cry. "Alex.. I for-forgot about that.. I guess now that we know each other... like REALLY know eachother... I didn't want you to know.. to judge me." "Hey hey shhh! Who said that I'm going to judge you? Any of us for that matter. We would never do that to anyone Olivia. Fan or no fan. And you.. you're Zack's girl and he's head over heels for you and you're really special to us so don't ever think that okay? Now come on. Let's go in ." he said and rubbed my shoulder. I gave him a weak smile. Alex Gaskarth was such an inspirational human being.

After going back inside, things got a bit crazy. Everyone got.. more drunk... except for me. Zack  was wasted and he passed out on the couch... Rian and Cassadee were super drunk too and they both tripped and fell all the way to Jack's bedroom like 5 minutes ago and the sounds coming from that room right now... oh man. I wonder where Jack and Alex were.

After a while, I got up from the couch next to the one on which Zack was sleeping and walked up the stairs to the toiled. I needed to pee. While I was washing my hands in the loo, I could here giggles in the corridor just outside the door and so I peered out of it to see Jack and Alex standing there... stark naked. I gasped and that made them turn around. Boy were they drunk! "Uh you too?" I asked. "Shhhhh" said Jack while putting a finger to his lips that were formed in a lopsided grin and then he grabbed Alex's hand and led him into the nearby bedroom. I laughed to myself. Jalex. I fucking new it.