You Think it's Over but it's Just Begun - (Jason/Zacky) - Version Two.

Chapter Sixteen.

Here's sixteen! Thanks again for still reading <3 I'm loving writing again.

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**

Two days later, I found my mood plummeting down, detaching itself from the optimism that had held me up since I'd caught up with Marie.

I had been fine upon waking up; sun streamed through my window, birds sung outside, the pleasant smell of my dad's cooking wafted up from the kitchen. I had been fine whilst getting ready for the day; it was the last day of August (my least favourite season, Summer, would be over before I knew it), and a double date with myself, Luca, Ash and Jack was on the horizon that evening, an event I was particularly looking forward to now that I was settled in and relaxed. I was fine when I opened the door to Luca's beaming face, ready to spend the day together before our evening plans.

I stopped being fine when my dad's company arrived sometime later in the morning. It was as Luca and I laid sprawled out on my bed, an abundance of records spread out in front of us, and music playing softly through the room, that I the heard booming greeting that occurred in the foyer. The voice that travelled upwards and through my open bedroom door was unmistakeable; I wasn't sure how to feel about having my ex-boyfriend and current boyfriend in my house at the same time.

It wasn't up to my dad to tell me, of course, because this was his house, and Zacky was his best friend, and he could invite him over whenever the hell he wanted without consulting me first. Immediately, though, I felt myself dip. I wanted one day away from keeping up some sort of appearance. One day of being able to relax without paranoia of who was saying what, and to who.

"Is that Zacky?" Luca asked during the silence between a track change. He seemed intrigued - curious. It caused panic to pool in the pit of my stomach.

"Uhuh. Why?" I tried to remain casual, changed the record over as we spoke and slid the vinyl disk back into its pouch.

"Can we go down and talk to him?"

More panic flooded through. "Uh...why? What for?"

Contrary to me, Luca was entirely calm and collected, shrugging as he made a neat pile of the records. "I felt like he was who I spoke to the least at the meal," He explained. "Just wanted to get to know him a little better."

Alarm bells rang so loudly in my head that I was sure I physically winced; he didn't seem to notice though. The smile I shot him was contorted, polite. How could I possibly refuse such an idea without giving myself away?

"If you want to...I guess..." I told him tightly, and that was enough for him to jump up and yank me with him.

As always, he reminded me of an excitable puppy whose energy was relentless. He dragged me through the long hallways of my house until we were downstairs and striding through the foyer, he far more comfortable than I. There still seemed to be no sign of nerves that I expected - and had expected on the night of our Welcome Home dinner, too - that would be natural and typical for anyone newly interacting with the family of their significant other. It was just same-old Luca; sometimes, it seemed like he lived in a dream world, something I knew could, more often than not, be a hindrance. He'd decide straight off the bat that everything was going run smoothly, perfectly; it usually resulted in him being severely knocked back when it didn't.

The volume of my dad's and Zacky's voices increased as we rapidly approached the kitchen, Luca bounced ahead with me reluctantly in tow. Upon our entrance, they both looked up curiously, and my dad's expression quickly moulded into a warm, welcoming smile. Zacky looked from me and then to Luca, and his expression was blank, indifferent.