swore i'd never fall in love again but i fell hard

@ Jackson Teller;

Zacky got in the driver's seat and sighed. He looked over at Matt, "That was Charlotte. The one that the gang decided to do the shit too." He said staring his charger up and backing out. He pulled out onto the road heading to his house to get everything ready for the cook out.

---

Ariana laid on her bed hearing Brian come up the steps and into her room. She looked at him, "Do you just walk into my house when you want?" She asked him causing a cheeky grin to come on his lips. "Yeah. Get use to it." Brian laughed. Ariana shook her head.

"Look will you come tonight? Dad wants you too." Brian looked at her pleadingly. She sighed shaking her head, "Bri." She sighed. She knew he wasn't going to give in as she nodded, "Ok." She said lightly.

Charlotte headed home, telling her mom about who she bumped into while she was at the store. She was still angry and upset that she saw him, but her mother reminded her that there was always going to be a chance of bumping into him while back in Huntington. She mentioned the barbecue that Zacky was holding, and her mum suggested that it might be a good idea to go. Afterall, she couldn't hide Christian forever. Soon enough, Zacky would figured it out. She reluctantly pulled out her phone, finding Zacky's name in her contacts. She couldn't really explain why she kept his number after all that time.

What's your address? Its Charlotte, by the way.

She sent the text and then left Christian with her mother while she went upstairs to change.

---

Matthew raised his eyebrows in surprise when Zacky said it was the chick they'd all messed with during school. "Didn't she disappear?" He asked, an eyebrow raised. "And was that her baby?" He asked his friend as they drove home. He got out of the car when they pulled into his drive. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, showing a text from Brian saying that Ariana was going to Zacky's. He couldn't help the smile from appearing on his features. "Ariana Haner is coming as well," he told Zacky.

Zacky looked at Matt in questioning. "Your ex is coming?" Zacky asked seeing him nod. Zacky shook his head lightly and sighed. He smiled, "Maybe you'll get a second chance." Zacky told her as he took and bit down on his lip feeling his phone go off. He'd gotten everything inside the house and saw Matt going for the grill. He saw the message and texted Charlotte back a grin going across his lips, 6661 North Shore Line.



Ariana got changed and heard Brian coming up the stairs. She sighed walking out of her bedroom and headed out to Zacky's place with him. She hoped she was doing the right thing.

About an hour or so later, Charlotte decided that she was ready. She'd messed around with her hair and eventually decided just to leave it in her long, auburn curls. She was incredibly nervous to see Zacky, but not the good nerves she felt like the night of the party. She was scared about him meeting Christian. Of course she changed Christian's outfit too. If Zacky did realise that Christian was his son, he had to be looking his cutest. She then left for Zacky's house, driving towards the address he gave her in the text.

---

Matthew couldn't keep the grin off his face, thinking about what Zacky had said. A second chance. That would be amazing. Even if she didn't ever want things to pick up again, Matt would be happy just to have her as a friend. It would hurt him everyday knowing that she didn't feel the same as he did about her, but he'd take anything if it meant she could be in his life again.

Zacky took and saw the grin on Matt's face and laughed lightly. He took and saw everyone coming into the cook out and smiled. He walked out onto the porch and waited on Charlotte to arrive. He couldn't help but to wander who her son's daddy was.

---

Ariana took and walked into the cook out with Brian. She sighed feeling very weird being here. She rubbed her arm lightly. She saw Jimmy look right at her with a goofy grin. He came running and picked her up shaking her a little as he held onto her. "Hi Jimmy." Ariana said lightly.

Charlotte sighed as she pulled up to Zacky's house, seeing a bunch of people walking in, knowing that at least some of them were his little gang - the guys that collectively thought it would have been funny to ruin Charlotte's high school life. She eventually got out of the car, heading around to the back to get Christian out of his seat and then walked up to the house, spotting Zacky standing in the porch. "Hey," she murmured, as she got closer to him.

---

Matthew was cooking away at the grill, wearing a ridiculous 'kiss the chef' apron. Jimmy had handed him a beer earlier, so he was sipping away at that as well. His eyes widened a little when he spotted Ariana walking in with Brian and straight away headed over to the pair, calling out to Johnny to watch the food. He passed a beer to Brian before looking at Ariana with a smile. "Thanks for coming," he said, his smile widening a little.

Zacky took and smiled at Charlotte. He walked to her and smiled. "I'm glad you could come." Zacky told her smiling. He saw her son and picked at him hearing him let giggles out as he smiled. "Your son is really cute." Zacky said and smiled at her.

---

Ariana looked at Matt and shrugged, "Yeah." She said lightly looking at him. "I didn't really have a choice." She pointed at Brian and saw him grin. She looked back at Matt and saw his apron. "Cute apron." She gave a soft smile.

Charlotte smiled hesitantly at Zacky, feeling a little uncomfortable that he was interacting with his own son, but had no idea Christian was his. "Thanks, he's really amazing," she said fondly, kissing the top of Christian's head. "So, um, how was your tour?" She asked. Her mom kept her up-to-date on some things to do with the band while she was away. She didn't really approve with her leaving, insisting that Zacky needed to know.

---

Matthew let out a little laugh when he saw her pointing to Brian, and he grinned over at his friend. "Well then I'm glad Brian forced you to come," he said, nodding his head. "Thanks," he laughed and then leaned in, turning his cheek to her. "You have to kiss the cook, the apron says so." He said, grinning cheekily, dimples and all.

"Alright." Zacky smiled at her as he took and led her inside, "So this is my place." He said showing her around a little. "Want something to drink? I have beer, iced tea, water, soda..." He took and looked back at Charlotte and smiled. He looked at the kid and smiled at him getting him some apple juice as he grinned handing him a small sippy cup. "I was hoping you'd come so I got him a cup and some apple juice, hope that's alright?" Zacky smiled.

---

Ariana rolled her eyes and grinned, "Of course Jimmy would put something like that on you. Knowing I was coming. I think I was set up." Ariana teased. She lent up and pressed her lips to his cheek. "There you go." She said lightly. She couldn't deny how amazing it felt kissing his cheek. She swallowed hard.

Charlotte followed Zacky inside, looking around, eyebrows raising in surprise at how nice it was. "Uh, soda please," she said, unable to stop herself from smiling a little when he handed Christian a sippy cup. "That's really sweet, you didn't have to," she murmured, looking down at her son who had shoved the cup into his mouth and started drinking from it. "His name is Christian, by the way." She added, biting down on her lower lip.

---

Matt only shrugged, a guilty smile on his lips when Ariana said she was set up. "Thank you," he murmured, when Ariana kissed him on his cheek. God, he missed her. "Do you want a beer?" He asked, before taking a sip of his own one. "Or I think Zacky got some soda and stuff, if you'd prefer that?"

@ Jackson Teller;

ignore

Zacky got her a soda and handed it to her, "Christian." He smiled at the little boy. "Hey do you wanna see a really lazy dog?" Zacky asked as he smiled at the tiny boy. "Do you mind? He won't hurt. He's a big baby himself." Zacky smiled.

---

"Water." Ariana smiled at Matt as she took and saw Jimmy bring her one she laughed. "Thank you." She smiled opening it up and taking a sip of it. She looked around Zacky;s back yard and bit down on her lip lightly.

Charlotte thanked him quietly when he handed her the soda, looking down at her son who was smiling brightly up at Zacky. "Sure, he loves animals," Charlotte said with a little shrug. She kept hold of her son, not comfortable enough to just hand him over to Zacky. She wasn't about to bring up that the baby was his, so she just stayed quiet about it instead.

---

"What did you study at NYC?" Matt asked, walking towards two empty chairs that were in the sun. He figured Johnny could handle the rest of the food, he'd rather spend his time catching up with Ariana. He was still in shock that he'd actually bumped into her. He was under the impression that he'd never see her again. He'd had other girls while they were away - but seeing Ariana again made him realise what he'd let go.

Zacky smiled and led them down to the small game room he head. He opened the door stepping aside to let them in. He smiled seeing Ichabod come over and wag his talk at them. "This is Ichabod." He told the two and watched Ichabod go over and sniff Charlotte's leg as he wagged his tail happily. "He likes you." He smiled.

---

Ariana sat down beside of him and looked at him, "Nursing." Ariana said. She gave a light smile to him and sat there picking at the him of her shirt she had on. She glanced around the party lightly seeing all of their old friends there. She then caught a glimpse of a blonde, the blonde that had ruined her relationship with Matt. She felt the rise up as she felt the tears building up. "What's that slut doing here?" She asked angrily looking at Matt. Valary had ruined everything for her.

Charlotte laughed quietly when the dog circled around her legs, tail wagging happily. She knelt down on the floor, sitting Christian down in front of her. Christian let out a happy squeal when Ichabod licked his cheek, making Charlotte laugh. "He's lovely," she said, grinning up at Zacky before petting the dog, letting him lick all over her hand.

---

Matt nodded when she said nursing, remembering glad she went to NYC to do what she always wanted to. "Do you have a job back here now?" He asked, before following Ariana's gaze over to Valary, eyes widening in shock because fuck, he didn't invite her. "Uh, I didn't invite her, I swear," he said quickly, panicking that Ariana would leave. He and Valary never got together after the party, but whenever he was home for a week or so, they did hook up. They ended that a while ago though, on good terms as well. "Zacky must have, or Michelle maybe, I don't know."

"He's a big baby." Zacky smiled at her and watched Ichabod with her. He smiled admiring her son's laugh. He took and glanced at a picture he had up of him and his mom. He had to admit that Christian looked like him as a baby. But it couldn't be. He figured at least Charlotte's mom would've let him know. But then again he wouldn't blame them." He sighed a little and looked at her. "So where's your husband or boyfriend?" Zacky asked curiously.

---

Ariana narrowed her eyes seeing Val's eyes lock on hers. She hated Val no matter if Brian was with Michelle or not. She got up and narrowed them. She stormed right at her as she saw Brian come rushing towards her along with Michelle. "Ari, don't." Brian yelled out. Ariana got to Val and punched her hard in her nose, "That's for that night you fucked my world up you slut." Ariana growled before punching her one more time and storming out of the backyard and running down to the beach and away from the party. She was glad Zacky lived near it.

Charlotte watched her son reach out to touch the dog with his chubby hands, watching Ichabod lay down beside Christian, head resting on the boy's leg. She looked up at Zacky when he spoke again, biting down on her lower lip lightly, before shrugging her shoulders. "Don't have one," she said, "His father isn't really in the picture, never has been." She said, looking back down at her son. She didn't need him in the picture - she had managed fine by herself so far, and would be fine in the future.

---

Matthew's eyes widened when he saw Ariana get up and storm over to Val, yelling at her to stop before rushing after her. He watched as she punched the blonde in the face twice before running off down towards the beach. "Val, fuck, I'm so sorry," he said to her before quickly running after Ariana. He followed her down onto the beach, slowing down slightly as he neared the water. Fuck, he felt awful.

Zacky looked at her nodded, "He's an amazing little dude." Zacky smiled watching her son with his dog. He took and rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at Charlotte, "So what do you do? Job wise." Zacky asked her lightly.

---

Ariana took and kept running till she dropped to her knees. She felt the cool water crash into her knees as she dropped her head. She felt the tears falling faster. She looked up looking out at the water. She knew this was a huge mistake to come here. She sighed wiping her face looking down at her knees. She should've stayed in NYC and not came back period.