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

Zac Character x Reader: Double-Standard

Author's Note: Alright guys. This is the first of four Zac Efron Character x Reader ideas I had. If you like this one and want this to chapter to be made into a full Character x Reader book, then vote or comment.

Voting will end when this book is finished.

Background: Ever since Zac Efron had a very public breakup with his ex-girlfriend, Sami Miro, in 2016, he's had a series of "almost" relationships with Alex Daddario, Olympian Sarah Bro and even ex-girlfriend Halston Sage, but none lasted more than a few months.

With most of his friends involved in serious relationships, Zac had resigned to being a bachelor forever, until his best friend, Ryan Rottman, set him up with (Your Full Name).

After an awkward initial meeting, sparks immediately flew between the two, but they struggled to define their relationship status.

When (Y/N) refuses to accept Zac's double-standards in their relationship, he is forced to make a choice...change everything he believes about relationships, or lose her forever.

*~*~*~*

"Come on, man. Just one more stop, then we can go grab lunch," Zac's close friend, Ryan Rottman said as they walked along Robertson Boulevard in West Hollywood.

"Where are we going again?"

"One of my really good friends, just moved here from New York and she's opening her own store. Some sort of natural skin care or something. She's super cute. You'll like her."

"Fine. Then lunch, I'm starving."

"It won't take long, I just wanted to pop in and see how things are coming along," Ryan said as they stopped in front of a modern-looking, but small store front that said "nourish" on the front door and awning.

They were immediately welcomed by a delicious, citrusy aroma as they walked inside a sleek, black and white, modern-industrial space bustling with people and activity. A group of construction workers who were hanging shelves turned to look at them as they walked in, but quickly went back to work.

Zac's eyes laser-focused on a set of the most perfect, long, bronzed legs he'd ever seen, standing in a group of men wearing jeans. He scanned up, taking in the petite frame of a stunning (your hair color), who was wearing a pair of cutoff denim jeans and an oversized, chunky-knit, white sweater that was hanging off one of her shoulders. Her hair was pulled up in a messy top-knot and she was wearing tortoise-shell glasses.

She was reviewing blue prints with an older gentleman, and was pointing throughout the small retail space and then back to the blue prints as she provided some sort of instruction.

A sly smirk crept across Zac's face. Ryan was right, she was super cute.

"(Your Name)!" Ryan yelled out.

She looked up from the blue prints and smiled wide when she connected the voice to a familiar face.

"Ry!" she smiled as she practically ran over to him, carefully jumping over stacks of lumber on the floor as she did, before locking him in a warm embrace.

"The place looks amazing!" Ryan said, looking around the busy space.

"Thanks!" she tucked her hands in her back pockets. "It's starting to come along," she glanced around the room, surveying the progress, before her eyes locked on Zac.

"Oh, (Y/N), this is my friend Zac. Zac, this is (Y/N)," Ryan said as she extended her hand out to him.

"Nice to meet you," Zac said as he shook her hand firmly, blushing slightly.