Expect the Unexpected (Zack Merrick/All Time Low)

Chapter Thirty Two

sorry it's a tad short. I think there is two more updates after this.

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"Toronto?!" Jack shouted in disbelief.

There was absolutely no way he was hearing this. There was absolutely no way he was allowing this. There was absolutely no way he could stop this.

Sitting at the kitchen table, Erika nervously chewed her bottom lip and nodded. "I think it may be best, if I just move back home." She confessed.

"No." Jack shook his head in protest. "Why? I mean, you're more than welcome to stay in Baltimore. Plus, your roommate is here and I highly doubt Codi is leaving Rian. Your child's father is here. Toronto is an insane idea."

"Jack." Victoria spoke in a calm tone, placing her hand on his arm. "If Erika wants to go and if this is what she feels is best, then we can't stop her from doing what is right."

How could Erika just walk away like this? Jack grumbled to himself, pushing away from the kitchen counter where he was leaning and leaving the room. If Erika, a grown woman, really wanted to leave then he couldn't stop her, logically Jack knew that. It was selfish, but he didn't want to lose a friend. Uneasily Victoria shifted in her chair; sometimes her boyfriend was a completely selfish asshole.

"He didn't mean it." Victoria didn't know why she was saying this. Erika knew Jack just as well as she did.

"I know." Erika answered with a soft smile. Gently running her finger over the rim of the mug sat in front of her, she lowered her gaze. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

A loaded question, to say the least, Victoria wasn't entire sure she could answer that. If the other girl wanted something, then who was Victoria to stop her? Mulling it over, she simply shrugged. It wasn't as if she had ever been in this position, who was she to make a decision? Victoria couldn't imagine being in this position. Erika held herself together well, with the Alex drama and then Zack's bullshit.

"You do what you have to, I suppose." Victoria answered softly.

"I suppose." Erika echoed. Giving up on the mug, she placed her hands folded on the top of her stomach. "I don't know what else to do. Alex said I can stay, but things have been awkward since..." she paused.

Since Alex had told her that he was letting her go, things had become somewhat distant between them. Erika had expected things to grow apart, but she hadn't expected it to become the way things were. Alex had hardly spoken to her in a week, unless it was something that he couldn't get around conversing over.

"Have you talked to Alex or Zack about moving?" Victoria asked.

"I told Alex that once the baby was born I wouldn't be in his way long. I'm going to see Zack tonight. I guess it will come up then." Erika replied.

"Do you think they'll take it well? How did Codi take it?" It was natural to assume Erika would have told her best friend.

Shrugging, Erika hung her head. If she told Codi, then she'd only try to talk her out of it. Erika didn't need people trying to change her mind, what she wanted and needed was a little support on her choice.

"She doesn't know yet. I have to tell her and Rian."

"Well, you know Rian is only going to tell you to do what makes you the happiest." Victoria commented with a tiny smile. "He really never sees the bad in anything does he?"

It certainly was a plus side to Rian being with Codi, he always helped his girlfriend see the better side of things, which in turn helped Erika immensely. Moving back to Toronto virtually left Erika on her own, with a baby to raise, it terrified her. Staying also terrified her.

Her conversation with Victoria and Jack's reaction didn't easily leave Erika, nor did it ease her. If Jack got upset, how would Zack react? It wasn't as if she actually expected Zack to be upset. If anything, she felt that he would show a sense of relief. The random girl he got pregnant wanted to pack up his illegitimate child and move back to her own home town, what wasn't to love? If she was back in Toronto, with the baby, it meant Zack didn't have to think about it.

On the other hand, he had been trying to come around. The last few times they had spoken, Zack has really tried to be supportive and understanding, not that it helped calm Erika's worries any. Here she found herself standing in the way of his front door, knocking gently and taking a step back to wait his answer. Huffing, a wet haired, shirtless Zack, clad in a pair of jeans finally answered the door.

"Sorry." He apologized ushering her inside. "I was hoping to finish my shower before you got here." Zack informed her, his hand running through his wet hair nervously.

"I'm early." Erika confessed, her gaze landing everywhere else in the room except for on Zack.

He looked good. Zack always looked good. It's partly what got her into this mess.

"Uh, did you want anything?" Zack asked, pointing in the direction of the kitchen. "I can..."

"I'm fine, but thank you." Erika replied with a shy smile. "Um, new tattoos?" Zack smiled and nodded. Erika paused motioning toward him. "Maybe you should finish getting dressed and then we can talk."

"Oh, right!" Zack chuckled awkwardly, darting down the hall toward his bedroom.

Taking a seat on the soft sofa, Erika waited while Zack finished getting dressed. Seeing him running around, half dressed really seemed to get to her. She was rather thankful he had agreed to getting dressed before talking. Sure, they had seen each other in less, several times, but it would have made things awkward.

The last thing Erika needed was awkward.

Appearing, this time fully clothed, Zack took a seat in the arm chair that sat diagonal from the sofa, giving him a perfect view of Erika. Clasping his hands together, he leaned forward in his chair.

"How are you?" he asked casually.

"I'm good." Erika answered coolly.

"Of course, I mean why wouldn't you be? That's great, you look great!" Zack babbled.

The sudden wave of nerves that had taken over when he'd seen her at the door had completely blindsided Zack. Zack was never nervous around Erika, yet here he was trying to form words.

"I want to move back to Toronto." Erika announced. Biting her bottom lip, she waited eagerly for her reply. There was no sense in dragging this out. Why should she?

Talk about being blindsided. This girl had him two for two. Zack nodded, letting it all sink in. He couldn't say that he'd thought she'd stay in Baltimore, not after the gossip he'd heard about her and Alex. From what he'd been told, they were over. Then again, it was only a rumour and Zack had come to realize words were cheap.

"If it's something you want, then I won't stop you. I don't like the idea of it, but I haven't really earned much of a right to tell you otherwise." Zack spoke. "Are you sure? Don't you want to stay here? What about Alex?"

"What about Alex?" Erika questioned him. "Alex and I aren't together, I live there, but that is it."

"So, you're not together?" Guess the rumours were true.

Zack didn't know what to make of this, Alex had been so hell bent to get the girl. Now he was letting her walk away?

"No. He and I had a long discussion and it was just sex. Like us, it was just sex. Plain and simple." Erika said.

"Does this mean, maybe, you and I could possibly work something out?" Zack knew not to get hopeful about this.

"As much as I want to give you a chance, Zack, I don't think I can." Erika answered firmly.

Zack hunched his shoulders; his hands suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world as his gaze fell on them. "That's it? You just have the baby and move? It doesn't give me much of a chance does it?"

"You can visit any time you want, Zack. I'm due in six weeks; if you want to be there I won't stop you. I'll never stop you from seeing your child. I just need to think about me for once and not how to please everybody else." Erika noted. Standing up for herself felt kind of nice.