Protection, Zack Merrick, All Time Low

51

Kimberly

"Zack, I have a bad feeling about today." I tell him, my gut wrenching as we pull up to the studio, "I feel like something is wrong."

"Don't worry." He smoothes back my hair, and I sigh. "I can't tell you what will happen today, but I know that if anything happens it's for the best."

I grab a book and we head to the studio, so Nano and I finishing up the plans and the bits can then talk about the album release, which will be next month. Of course there will be a party that night, and it'll be fun, I hope.

My bad feeling won't shake, it's terrifying. Although I'm sure it's just my imagination.

Finally done at work, I get a call from mum, she sounded really scarex, and it worried me.

"Mum?" I ask, "Is everything okay?"

"I need you and Alex to come over tonight as soon as possible, okay?"

"Yes ma'am." I reply. She hangs up quickly, and I start panicing.

I was very glad that we were almost done with everything.

When we finally ended, I told Alex we needed to go over there, and he nodded, probably feeling a little panic too. I explained to Zack, and he felt awful, even though he had no reason to.

I made Zack drive to Mums, because I couldn't keep my eyes focused, let alone my brain.

"Zack, I'm scared. What if it's my dad?"

"I'm sure you're worrying too much." He smiles.

●●●●●●●●

I was not worrying too much, I knew that when I saw my mums face. She was pale as a ghost and trying to hold back tears.

I had let out a breath of relief though, when I saw my dad walking to hand her tea. "What's wrong?" Alex and I ask urgently, multiple times.

Mum doesn't say it loudly, nor quietly, it just didn't register. I thought she was pulling some mean cruel prank, but Mum wouldn't do that. And neither would dad.

"Aunt Lydia and her daughter Hannah were shot last night. Lydia was shot in the heart. Hannah is still alive, but in critical condition, and they don't think she's going to make it. She was shot twice, in both lungs."

Her words echoed through my mind, and I felt numbingly painful. Alex looks at me, worried at my reaction. He didn't cry, he didn't know them as well as I do, he didn't live with them.

"You're lying." I hear myself talk, but I don't feel my mouth move.

"We aren't, baby girl." My dad says.

"No, no, I'm going to call Aunt Lydia, and she is going to answer me!" I scream, begging for it not to be true.

I pick my phone out of my pocket, Zack was trying to console me, rubbing my back and trying to calm me down.

There was no dial tone, it went straight to voicemail.

"Hello, you've reached Lydia Gaskarth, sorry I couldn't come to the phone right now. Please leave a message."

"This means nothing." I deny it, a part of me knowing that she's dead, but I can't think about that. "I'm flying to Msnchester, and I'll prove it to you."

"We're all going to fly there. I already called your bosses, who said you didn't have to come in till next week anyway." Dad says.

It was his sister. I know he's in pain too.

Alex mutters how he should let Lisa know and he considers asking her to stay home, but decides that we won't do that.

"The flight is at 8 AM tomorrow, okay?" I nod sadly, and I hug my parents as I cry into their shoulders. My legs are numb, and I nearly fall.

Zack hasn't been able to say anything, knowing that it's hard for me, but he tries. He's rubbed my back, and he packed my bag, and we cuddled as I ran out of tears.

"I'm so sorry." He frowns.

"It isn't your fault." I say, strictly. It's mine. This wouldn't have happened if I was there. It would have been me and not them.

"I love you." He squeezes my shoulder, and I smile sadly.

"I love you too."

I'm very sorry I have been sucky about updating. I had a lot on my mind and had an awful writers block to make this good. I hope this was okay.
I have had this planned out a while
I hope you guys aren't mad because it's an important part of the story.
I love you 💓
See you tomorrow sometime.