Water Doesn't Wash Away Everything (Zack Merrick)

Water Doesn't Wash Away Everything 3

As soon as Megan disappeared down the hallway Zack shook his head and sat down on the couch. He wasn’t paying attention about whatever was on the tv but had Megan on his mind. When she had been the one that opened the door he let the first thing that came into his head blurt out of his mouth.

Of course she’s not Alex! he yelled at himself.

He didn’t know much about Megan. All he knew was that she was best friends with Alex, was from England, and knew someone named Tony. Who was Tony? A boyfriend? A friend? A relative? Zack didn’t know but he didn’t want to ask.

“Will you give me the remote back?!” Alex yelled at Jack.

“God, chill bro! But no, I won’t give it back.” Rian threw a pillow at the both of them. They just sat there staring at Rian in shock, leading Rian to start laughing. Zack stood up and wandered off into the kitchen, searching the cabinets for something but also nothing. He opened the fridge and sighed.

“Alex you have absolutely nothing here,” he said walking back into the living room.

“I have everything.”

“What about food?”

“Now, that, I don’t have much of.”

“Alex!” All of their heads snapped towards the direction from where the scream came from. Alex darted up from his seat and ran down the hallway. He slammed the door of the guest room open to see Meg standing clutching her phone.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Tony’s in the hospital.”

“Oh, Meg,” he said softly bringing her into a hug. “What happened?”

“Mum left a message on my phone that—“ her voice broke off and she tightened her grip around Alex.

“It’s ok. He’ll be ok. Remember what I said earlier, he’s a strong kid.”

“This why I didn’t want to leave,” she whispered while a few tears escaped. “I didn’t want to be gone if something happened.”

He stroked her hair gently and continued to hug her. “Tony’s going to be perfect. When you go back home he’ll be smiling just like you left him, missing a tooth,” he laughed softly trying for her to also. She did and leaned back, wiping her tears away.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime Meg.”

“I’m, I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh, and tell the guys I’m sorry for screaming.”

“Hey, there’s no reason to say sorry. See you tomorrow.”

She nodded and went to her suitcase. When Alex walked back into the living room all three guys were staring at him.

“Is she ok?” Zack asked from his seat on the floor. Alex nodded and sat back down on the couch.

“Her little brother’s in the hospital. He has cancer but I forget what’s called, I’ll ask her tomorrow. I don’t know the whole story but her mom just left her a message saying that Tony was in the hospital.”

“Tony’s her brother?” Rian asked. Alex nodded. Zack wanted to go kick himself in the butt. Why was he wondering who Tony was earlier? It was her little brother that had cancer, not some boyfriend of hers. And it’s not any of his business anyway.

A couple hours later the guys had pizza on the island counter and music playing. Meg stumbled out of bed and into the hallway. She walked into the kitchen groggily and looked at the guys. Alex and Jack were dancing around the kitchen with cups in their hands. Zack and Rian were leaning against the counters laughing at them.

“Will you turn that bloody music down?” she grumbled then looked at the boys dancing. “They’re plastered aren’t they?”

Rian and Zack looked over at her and Rian reached over to turn the music down.

“Why’d you do that?” Jack asked Rian then saw Meg. “Oh, um, sorry Megan.”

She shook her head and grabbed a piece of pizza. “I’m going back to bed. Could you keep it down a bit?”

Alex looked at her worried but she shook her head again before walking down the hallway, taking a bite of the pizza.