The Broken Road - A Zac Efron Novel (18+)

Chapter 18 - Closing Time

When my brain finally caught up with my body, I was completely overwhelmed with what had happened.  Zac and I had been dancing around our feelings for weeks and that one kiss caused our emotions and feelings to boil over.

It was too intense and too soon and I was overwhelmed by too many emotions coursing through me.  So I did the only thing I knew to do...I ran.

I tucked myself away in the bedroom of my suite, trying to dissect everything that had happened when, almost on cue, Anna sent me a FaceTime request.  I connected the call.

"Hey" I said as I tried in vain to hide the fact I had been crying.

"Soo.... I called to give you a big, fat, "I told you so," and to scold you for holding out on me, girl.  But you've clearly been crying.  What happened?"

I responded by burying my head under the covers and whining, "I don't even know how it happened."

"Huh?"

"I don't even know how it happened," I repeated after removing the covers from my face. "We were at the Ranger game," I told her.

"Well, yes. I see that," she said in her normal sarcastic tone.

"Oh god!  Is it on Twitter?"

"Honey, you kissed Zac Efron on the Kiss Cam at a Ranger game...it's on everything."

I cried out and threw the covers back over my head again.

"Jess, it's going to be ok.  Start at the beginning.  How long has this been going on?"

"I don't really know.  We've always had chemistry with each other...but since I've been back from LA, it's been on a different level.  I've been trying to fight it, I really have.  And tonight, it all came to a head.  You're going to think I'm crazy."

"If our years of friendship haven't got me thinking that you're crazy yet, I think we're in the clear."

"I'm being serious, Anna," I said as I shielded my eyes with my hands.  "I think I'm falling in love with him," I said as I separated my fingers just enough so I could peek out and watch her reaction.

She smiled wide and let out a hearty laugh.

"I'm sorry," she said, straightening her face.

"It's not funny!"

"No!  No, it's not.  I'm not laughing at the fact that you're falling in love with him...I'm laughing at the fact that you're finally admitting it.  Are you just figuring this out now?"

"That I'm falling for him?"

"Yes!"

"I mean...there have been signs and feelings the last few weeks, but it's a recent development, yes."

"Oh honey..." Anna cooed.  "So, if you're falling in love with him...why are you crying?"

"It's too much.  It's too soon.  And now, it's going to be all over the news.  The press just started to calm down, and now this is going to make it ten times worse."

"Well, yes.  You two are going to attract a lot of attention, no doubt," she said as she opened a bottle of wine and began drinking straight from the bottle.

"Really?  Not even going to get a glass?" I asked sarcastically.

"Really?  You want to judge me right now?"

"Point taken."

"So, tell me what's going on.  What have you been feeling?"

"I can't explain it Anna. Even before the Aaron thing happened, I've always felt...I don't know.  Lighter?  I feel lighter when I'm with him.  We always have had the best times together, and since I've been here, there's just been these...I don't know...little moments? We'll lock eyes with each other and there's an energy I can feel. And he's just a really good guy. He's caring, generous, a good listener.  He did the nicest thing for my birthday, and he didn't even expect anything in return.  He just did it because he's one of those guys..."