Come Back To Me

"You didn't have to tell my grandmother you were my boyfriend you know." Hollis said as they climbed into Zacky's car to head back to Hollis' apartment, "I mean I know that she's infuriating and you wanted to shut her up but there were other things you could have said. I know how you feel about the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing and I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Hollis if I've told you once I've told you a thousand times - you have a real problem with word vomit." Zacky said with a laugh, "And you don't have to worry about it. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it, even if I did just want to shut her up. You've been really patient and really good to me these past weeks and I think that I want you to be my girlfriend."

"Have you talked to Brian about this?"

He nodded, "He's happy for me. And for you, he knew how the news of his engagement upset you."

Hollis couldn't help but smile. After a hard day, this was possibly the only thing that would be able to cheer her up. His hand moved from its resting place on the gear shift and took her small hand in his as he continued to drive towards her apartment.

"Boyfriend?" She asked with a smile plastered to her face.

"Yes?" He asked with a light chuckle.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say it out loud."

He shook his head and leaned over and quickly placed a kiss on her cheek before returning his attention to the road ahead of him before he saw her apartment coming into view. He parallel parked outside her apartment and they both climbed out of car, walking into her apartment and getting changed out of their funeral attire.

Zacky was sitting on the sofa, dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a sleeveless black t-shirt aimlessly flipping through the channels. Hollis, freshly changed came out of the bedroom, glasses on and her hair in a messy bun atop her head. She plopped down on the couch beside Zacky, who quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

"Hollis?" He asked and as she turned her head to face him he quickly captured her lips in a kiss. It was a sweet and innocent kiss, but Hollis felt so much passion in it. She smiled as their lips were still together and the smile stayed on her face after he pulled away, resting his forehead on her own, looking into her eyes.

"Are you staying over tonight boyfriend?" She asked as she settled herself into his side, as if they were two pieces of the same puzzle.

He kissed the top of her head, "As long as you'll have me, I'll be here. Girlfriend."

"Say it again."

"Girlfriend."

**
July 17th

"Hollis! Where are my flowers!?" Her mother called as Hollis was running back and forth between her mother's room and the room where her future step-dad was getting ready in. Holding her skirt up as she ran back to her mother's room, searching frantically for the bouquet, knowing that they were going to need to be ready soon.

She ran from the room once more, to emerge a few minutes later holding her mother's arrangement as well as her own.

"Here mom." She said, handing her the flowers and kissing her cheek, "You look beautiful and everything's going to go perfectly so just relax."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I'm a doctor that's why. A soon to be published doctor."

She laughed as she pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, "I suppose you're right." She said, mostly to herself. There was a knock on the door and Hollis and her mother knew that it was time to get started.

Hollis stood at the doors of the church, waiting to hear the music begin - her cue to walk down the aisle. She walked at the slow gait she had practiced the night before, keeping her eyes ahead, stealing a glance at Zacky as he sat in the front row of the bride's side as she stood beside where her mom would stand at the altar.

The wedding ceremony was short and simple but not lacking any measure of love. Hollis' attention was torn between paying attention to the ceremony and stealing glances at her boyfriend who, after some argument, was wearing a suit and tie.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the pride." The priest said as they kissed and made their way out of the church and outside to take pictures before the reception began. Hollis hung behind and stood with Zacky at the church door, holding hands and looking at her mother and stepfather happily talking to the small amount of wedding guests, holding hands and kissing every so often.

"I'm so happy everything worked out." Hollis said, smiling brightly and waving as her and her mother caught each others eye.

He squeezed her hand, "Of course everything was going to work out. Anything you do always works out, you should know that by now."

She kissed pressed her lips to his for a moment, before pulling away with a smile on her face, "You always know just what to say Zacky."

"Do I?"

She nodded, "You always have the perfect thing to say to make me happy. I don't know how you do it."

"Well I actually have a filing cabinet of situations and perfect things to say at them and I read up on it before I go somewhere with you just so I'm prepared." He said in a matter-of-fact voice, causing her to laugh and shove him playfully.

"Is that so?"

"Of course, I never lie."

She laughed again, "Well what is your perfect thing to say today?" She asked in a challenging tone.

He turned her slightly so she was facing him, looking into her eyes before taking a deep breath. "I love you."