Expect the Unexpected (Zack Merrick/All Time Low)

Chapter Four

enjoy, please :-) once again just a bit of a filler once we get the big news out, it will get way better I promise

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"Honeys I'm home." Alex called loudly striding through the front door, as he was greeted by Baz.

He was a bit taken back to come home and find Zack's car still in his yard, but who was he to judge? Maybe Zack was trying to be nice or maybe Erika had decided to just come out and give it to him straight up. Unsure of what went down exactly; Alex scratched the small brown and white dog behind the ear and continued through the house.

"Hey." He cracked a smile to find Zack and two girls sitting in living room in front of the television.

"Hey." Zack waved not bothering to look in Alex's direction.

"Hi" "Hello." Erika and Codi said in unison, each giving their host a small smile and a wave.

"Everybody settled in?" Alex asked making casual conversation as he flopped down on the couch next to his band mate and kicked his feet up on the giant coffee table.

Erika and Codi both nodded, Zack had been as helpful as he could in Alex's house getting them settled in until Alex came back. They had been sitting around chatting about this and that when Alex finally graced them with his presence. The topic had moved to the discussion of food, Alex felt the girls would no doubt be tired and probably hungry. If they were like him after any type of travel the last thing they wanted to do was go out of the house.

Listing off places for a decent take out menu, Alex and Zack were interrupted from their debating when an excited body ran into the living room, skidding to a stop in his sock feet and almost knocking into a chair.

"Rian, calm the fuck down!" Alex scolded with a laugh. "What's so fucking important?"

"Dude, you know that hot chick I've been trying to get with for the last like...forever?" Rian asked wide eyed.

Alex and Zack nodded. How could they forget?

"She's having a party, we got the invite. Don't fucking leave me hanging!" Rian rambled on.

"First, calm." Alex continued to laugh. "Second, say hi to our company." He motioned to Erika and Codi.

Turning around the guy with the buzz cut and the whitest smile Erika had ever saw, waved and greeted them, introducing himself as Rian Dawson. Keeping his focus on the two girls, he smiled at them again this time it was obvious he wanted something.

"Do you guys like to party?" Rian asked a bit excitedly.

"Oh, I don't know if they'd want to go to a party, they just got here. Why don't you take Zack and go?" Alex tried to send Rian and Zack off on their own to the party.

"Actually, a party sounds pretty okay with me. How about you, Erika?" Codi asked beaming at her best friend.

Not wanting to deny Codi any little bit of fun she may find on this trip, Erika smiled and nodded. "A party sounds fine."

"Then it is settled!" Rian said clapping his hands together for emphasis. "A party it is!"

Flocking off to get ready, Alex, Codi and Rian left Erika and Zack still in the living room where they had been. Shifting uneasily and sighing heavily, Erika groaned. She hadn't realized it had been so loud until Zack laughed at her and moved closer. A party was not her idea of fun right now, in truth she wanted nothing more than to tell Zack what she'd come to say and leave.

If only it were that easy. Glancing at him sitting about half an inch apart, Erika smiled at him. Honestly, he did things to her that she'd rather not have happen. If she liked him it would certainly help things later on, but what if things went bad? If Zack got upset or didn't want to see her then liking him was not going to help her in any way.