In This Lifetime...

Chapter 11: Chance

(Zac's house later around 3 am)

Zac: I can't stay mad at her... I mean why am I even mad... She's beautiful. She deserves to be in a relationship. Even if it's not with me. But I love her.. She doesn't love me. *thinks of everyone who said she was lying to herself*

Stas: *pulls up to Zac's house and gets out* I'm probably making a really bad decision but you know what.. Fuck it. *walks around to the back of the house and up the stairs to Zac's bedroom door*

Zac: *hears the footsteps and freezes* Ummm...

Stas: *knocks on the door quietly*

Zac: *stays still then cautiously goes to the door and opens it slowly*

Stas: *throws herself into Zac and hugs him nonstop* I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry. I messed up. I know. You can hate me as much as you want but I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. Really I'm so- *stops talking after Zac hugs her back*

Zac: *hugs her tightly* Don't be sorry. Really. I shouldn't be mad. It's okay. Stop apologizing. I'm not mad at you. I don't hate you at all, I could never hate you no matter what. Just shhhhh, my brother's right across the hall.. *laughs*

Stas: *laughs* Poor little Nic, poor thing might think you're being kidnapped. *lets go of Zac and smiles in relief*

Zac: kidnapped ehhh... *locks his bedroom door and turns his music up a little louder then follows Stas outside to her car* I got no where to be for a while.

Stas: Where should we go?

Zac: *laughs and points to the passenger seat* Just get in, I know the exact place to go. *gets in the driver's seat and drives away from his house*

Stas: *watches the street signs pass along the highway* Where exactly is this place?

Zac: it's somewhere.. *laughs* can't tell you. Yet.

Stas: *pulls out her phone and sees the text messages from her boyfriend and stops breathing for a minute* Oh I see *laughs awkwardly and thinks* (to herself) Should I stay with Zac or tell him that I have to get home... *gets another message about her boyfriend being at her house* (to herself again) He's at my house and I haven't lived there for 3 weeks.. Maybe my dad will get him..? *hears Zac talking and snaps out of her gaze*

Zac: I just feel like it's more appropriate, you know?

Stas: *smiles* Exactly! That's definitely more apropriate. *confused as to what he just said*

Zac: *gets off the highway onto an exit that leads to a foreign place* almost there.

Stas: *checks her phone for the time* Will you tell me where we're going yet?

Zac: *speeds up and power slides her car almost to the edge of a cliff* Sure. We're here. *laughs and gets out*

Stas: *puts her phone away and leaves her purse in the car and gets out* Where are we?

Zac: Oh yeah... I don't know.

Stas: So you just.. But you said.. What?

Zac: I felt like we should just get out for the night. Just go somewhere. Anywhere. Away from the world's population of idiots. You know?

Stas: *looks around at all the lights across the city that seems miles away* I see. How perfect actually. I don't care for most of the people in LA anyways *laughs*

Zac: *looks across at the city lights* That's too damn bright for 3 am you know? It's like yeah you're LA, the city of no longer virgins and pot heads but what about the other people who want to sleep? Time to turn down. Sorry Lil Jon. *goes to the trunk and grabs his guitar*

Stas: Oh you brought your guitar.. Nice.

Zac: Yeah I did. Her name is Anastasia. Anastasia meet Anastasia. Anastasia meet Anastasia. *sits on the edge and strums his guitar*

Stas: Why would you name a guitar that name? It's such a h-

Zac: beautiful name. I know *grins* Do you play?

Stas: Me? Nooooo. Not a musical bone in my body *laughs* My dad does. He's pretty good.

Zac: *plays his version of Burn on his guitar* I could teach you. It's pretty easy.

Stas: That'd be like teaching a brick wall how to play..*sits next to Zac and laughs* I'll pass.

Zac: *laughs* suit yourself! *starts sing along to his guitar and plays Burn for Stas*

Stas: *listens to Zac sing and zones out imagining breaking up with her boyfriend*

Zac: *looks over at Stas then back at the city and keeps singing*

Stas: *zones out before Zac finishes and imagines fighting her boyfriend to leave*

Zac: *stops singing and quiets his guitar* I like that song. Do you? Do you like Ellie Goulding?

Stas: *stares off worriedly into the city and ignores Zac*

Zac: *tries taking back his idiotic question by hugging her*

Stas: *hugs Zac back and snaps out of her gaze*

Zac: What's wrong? You don't seem so Stasish anymore...

Stas: It's nothing. It's just 3:37 am and you know I'm just tired..

Zac: People can lie. But not you. I know you're lying. Just tell me. Please?

Stas: Okay fine.. Promise me you'll just listen and not get mad.

Zac: I'm over that. Just please tell me. I want you to be alright. I know worrying doesn't help that.

Stas: *hesitates to explain* Zac... I love you, okay?

Zac: I love you too, and that's why I need you to tell me what's bothering you.

Stas: Alright.. Here it goes...