please || zac efron ||

Terrified

Charlie's POV

"She's back. Jenna is back." He said and the blood drained from my face. He grabbed my hands and looked down at them.

"What do you mean she's back?" I questioned fearfully watching his expressions and actions.

"My-um my manager wants her and I to fake date." He was visibly cringing with pain. He looked up into my eyes, "I won't do it, no matter what Henry will do because of it. I don't care, it's not important to me anymore." he rushed out in assurance.

"What? No, absolutely not Zachary. If it's something you have to do then you should do it!" I tried to force a smile for him no matter how unsure I was.

"It's not your decision, Charlie. It's mine, and I've chosen what is important to me. I won't lose you again, Dare." he stated in a way that made my heart lurch for him.

"Zac, you won't lose me, ever. I'll be by your side no matter what happens. I promise." He stared into my eyes, flickering between each one. I broke the silence in an attempt to cheer him up, "Why don't we watch a movie or something?" I smiled at him and took his hand, tugging him towards the exit of the room. I glanced back at him when I felt his reluctance to leave the room and my smile fell when I saw what he was concentrated on. His shattered phone. "You don't need to answer the phone anymore, until you are ready to tell him whatever it is you have decided to do."

He turned forward with a small nod and smiled at me. Abruptly he picked me up bridal style and laughed at my surprised sound. As he carried me down to the media room we talked about random things and didn't stop talking when we got to the room. We talked and talked all night until we fell asleep on each other. I need to tell him about Roy, what Roy wants to do to me, but how? How are you supposed to tell someone who you've basically been lying to the whole relationship? I never told him what Roy and Deborah did to me. How will he react? Will he leave me?

----
I woke up and looked around, I wasn't in the media room anymore and Zac was gone. I don't know where I am, but I don't have a good feeling about this. I stood from my lying place on the floor and toured the vacant room I was in. The room hadn't any furniture or any decorations. It was completely empty, besides myself. Spotting a door I went over and grasped the handle, hoping it wasn't locked I turned it slowly. Fortunately for me, it wasn't locked.

I pushed it open quickly and exited the room, not even thinking to check where I was going first in my panic to get out. Once I was clear of the room, the door slammed shut behind me. It had startled me so much I screamed. I looked at the door in shock until I heard a laugh. I noticed my surroundings at this point, I was in the same restroom in my school where Jenna attacked me. I shuttered at the memory and paused when another laugh emitted from a stall. The laughter grew louder when the stall door opened, out stepped Jenna Adams. She was laughing at me, I backed farther away from her until I hit the wall. Her laughter halted when another stall opened. Zac. He looked at me and smirked, villainously, he then looked over to Jenna and grabbed her hand. They smiled at each other and leaned in. Looking between the two of them in horror I said, "No." My heart stopped when their lips connected.

"NO!" I shouted this time, Zac grabbed onto Jenna tightly and she had wrapped her arms around his neck. "NO STOP!" I was crying now, I felt heartbroken and betrayed. He pulled her towards the stall she came from and when they stumbled in she closed the door. I fell to the floor crying, I crawled to the door I had come from and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. I sobbed into the door, continuously trying to open it. This was a nightmare that I couldn't stop. I screamed again and again, crying out for Zac. Nothing.
I felt myself shaking until I blacked out.

Then I woke up again. This time when I opened my eyes I was underneath a worried looking Zac staring at me helplessly. I screamed and rolled out from under him and onto the floor. I stood shakily and backed away, I was still crying. I looked back to Zac, he looked hurt and frightened. I wanted to hug him, but was afraid this was another nightmare. He stood slowly, "Charlie? It was just a nightmare, please." he said carefully as he reached his hand out to me. I stared down at it and sobbed, why can't I say anything?

He noticed my struggle and took another step to me. He moved forward, closer to me until there was only a foot between us. "Charlie, please.." he grabbed my hands in his and all I could do was nod. He quickly let go and threw his arms around me. He brought me into his chest as I cried and slowly stroked my hair. Backing us up to the couch, he placed me on his lap and continued to try and comfort me.

I had calmed down a while ago now, but I was still tightly clutching onto his
shirt. Breathing in his scent.
"What was it about?" He asked stiffly, he already knew it was about him.

"You." I breathed out, it was hurting us both that he had been the villain of my nightmare.

"What did I do to you?" he asked in a small voice, like he was about to break.

"Nothing." I said, quickly, deciding I didn't want to hurt him over a stupid nightmare.

"No, it's not nothing Charlie!" I flinched at the loud volume of his voice, he lowered it and continued, "Tell me what I did."

I gave in and told him everything. He held onto me tightly like he was afraid I'd slip away. When I was done recalling what had happened in the dream, we sat in silence. He had his face buried in my neck and was absolutely still. Since I was pressed against him, I could feel him take shallow breaths. His heart beating with mine. I thought he had fallen asleep until I felt something wet on my neck. I instantly knew what it was, I lifted Zac's face to eye level and wiped a stray tear off his face. "Don't worry Zac, I know you'd never do anything like that. I know who you are and that wasn't you in my nightmare."

"You were still terrified of me when you woke up though." he said softly. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know why it took me so long to understand it wasn't the man from the dream. I slowly leaned in to kiss him and when our lips met I knew everything would be okay in the end. That nobody would ever be able to take him away from me.