Clash Of The Rockbands
Reignited Passion
Zacky’s POV
One Year Later
I ran one hand through my hair while my other hand made sure my car keys were in my pocket. The guys and I had stayed at the recording studio later than usual; they’d all left a little while ago. Surprisingly, we never ran into The Better Halves at the studio. I wasn’t sure what would happen if we did. I think we all missed them a lot. At least, I missed Ann a lot. I felt like such a jerk nowadays for how I treated her the last few days we were together.
I sighed, dragging my hand through my hair again as I walked down the hall. There wasn’t anything I could do now. The damage had been done; I doubt Ann would ever take me back in a million, even billion years. I sure as hell wouldn’t take me back if I were her.
I suddenly walked right into someone who stepped out of one of the doors. I took a surprised step back as the person turned towards me. I found myself staring into those familiar, gorgeous pale brown eyes with flecks of green splashed within. But she’d changed her hair. It didn’t have the orange streaks or yellow bangs. It was her natural blonde, cut an inch or so above her shoulder with the ends flipped up. I blinked. She looked more gorgeous than I remembered.
“Oh, hi, Zack,” she said, slightly embarrassed. Her pale cheeks flamed faintly pink. She tucked her bangs behind her ear, staring back into my eyes.
“Hi,” I replied.
“Staying late, I see,” she commented, glancing down at her watch.
“Yeah,” I answered. “We’re trying to get another album finished.”
“Well, duh,” Ann replied, rolling her eyes. I felt slightly taken aback. Hadn’t we just been having a polite conversation? “What use would it be if you weren’t trying to get another album finished?”
“Practice, perhaps,” I said sharply. “Practice makes perfect.”
“Not in your case, though,” Ann told me, shaking her head so her hair flew everywhere. “You could never reach perfection, no matter how hard you tried.”
“You should talk,” I retorted. “You wouldn’t be perfect if someone manufactured you in a factory like a Barbie or something.”
“Oh, nice comeback,” Ann hissed scathingly. “Total burn. I’m going to need ice after that.”
“You just said that because you couldn’t think up your own comeback,” I snapped. Ann narrowed her eyes at me. “Oh, no, she’s narrowing her eyes at me. I’m quivering in my sneakers.” I continued sarcastically.
“You’re gay,” Ann said.
“You didn’t think so a few years ago,” I replied.
“You weren’t sure a few years ago.” she informed me. “But now you are, and you know you’re gay.”
“But you still think I’m sexy.”
“But you think Brian is sexy.”
We glared at each other. I knew every chance of me apologizing and her taking me seriously was gone now. Why did she still have to turn everything into an argument? I wanted to make up with her, but if she turned everything into a fight, what was the use? She obviously didn’t want to make up with me.
I dropped my glare and started to walk past her. I wasn’t going to stand there and glare at her for the rest of the night like a child. If we were just going to argue, then I honestly didn’t want to talk with her. Maybe one day she would decide that she wanted to make up with me too. But until then, I would just wait, like I had for the past two years.
I started down the hallway again, but I didn’t get far before I felt her fingers close around my wrist. I turned around to see fire in her eyes. It wasn’t an angry fire; it was a passionate fire.
In that moment, something passed between us. I can only describe it as a spark. It passed between our eyes as they met, igniting a fire in me. I could feel the fire settling in my heart: fire for her. I recognized it, because I remembered feeling it every time we kissed, before our relationship crumbled beneath our feet. Every time I saw her, I would feel that fire erupt in my heart.
We pulled together, our lips meshing with longing. I pressed her against the wall, sliding my hands down her body to rest on her hips. Her hands wrapped around the sides of my neck, pulling my lips harder against hers. The fire roared in my chest, igniting my passion for her once more.
Ann’s hands slid over to my shoulders for a brace as she wrapped her legs around my waist. Then, she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck as our lips continued to move together.
After probably a full minute of making out, we dragged our lips away so we could breathe. Ann closed her eyes and rested her forehead against mine, breathing heavily like me.
“It’s times like these when I hate breathing,” I gasped out, trying to catch my breath. Ann smirked, pressing her lips briefly against mine. Her eyelids fluttered open, her eyes staring straight into mine.
“I didn’t mean any of it,” she whispered, obviously referring to our little argument. “You are perfect, in every possible way.”
“Don’t worry: you are too,” I replied.
“And you aren’t gay either. And you don’t think Brian is sexy,” she continued apologetically.
“Well, I knew that already,” I answered with a smile. She smiled back before pressing another kiss to my lips.
“The girls won’t believe this,” she told me. I laughed before kissing her again. Hey, we had two years to make up for. “They know I still love you, but I don’t think any of them thought I would ever get back with you.” She paused. “I’m really sorry for calling you a whore and all those mean names.” She said it quickly, like she was ashamed of what she’d done.
“It’s okay,” I replied, reaching up with a hand to stroke her cheek with my thumb. “I’m sorry too, you know. I didn’t mean all of it, even though I thought I did at the time.”
“It’s okay,” Ann echoed back at me. She released my neck with one arm and trailed her fingertips gently down my face from my temple to my jaw. “Have you caught your breath yet?”
“Yep,” I answered before pressing my lips hard against hers again. She giggled against my mouth, and I quickly slipped my tongue into her mouth.
After another minute of making out, we pulled away, breathless again. We really weren’t learning anything, were we? Ann released my waist with her legs, setting her feet back on the ground. She leaned forward, resting her cheek against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, swaying slightly back and forth. This felt so much more natural than fighting.
Ann’s phone suddenly rang. She grabbed it out of her pocket, but I seized it before she answered it. She gave me a confused look, and I just smirked as I answered the phone.
“‘Sup?” I answered. Ann pulled it away from my ear and put it on speaker phone as the person on the other end answered.
“Um...hello?” I recognized the voice as Melrose’s. Then, her brain seemed to process that the voice was male. “I swear to God, if you hurt our Ay-May, I will hunt you down, shove a spork up your ass to fish out your intestines, bake your intestines on pavement on a hot summer day, shred them in a blender, and feed them to my pet goldfish.”
“You don’t have a goldfish,” Ann giggled.
“Yeah, well, I’ll find one and feed his intestines to it.” Melrose replied. “You’re fine, right, Ay-May?”
“Yeah, I’m great,” Ann answered.
“Who answered?”
“Me,” I said.
“Who’s me?”
“I.”
“Who’s I?”
“Melrose.”
“Tell me your fucking name!” Melrose snapped, getting a little frustrated.
“Zacky,” I answered with a laugh.
“Oh my gosh,” Melrose whispered, then away from the phone, but still loud enough for us to hear, “GALS! AY-MAY GOT BACK WITH ZACKY! Wait...” Now her voice was closer again. “I didn’t interrupt you guys having sex, did I? I’d feel horrible, I really would.”
“No,” Ann answered with a giggle. “I probably won’t be home tonight, though. I’m sure you know why.”
“Yeah,” Melrose said. “Use protection. Zacky, don’t break her.”
“I won’t,” I replied sincerely.
“You better not, or I’ll stay true to my threat,” Melrose told me.
“We aren’t having sex.” Ann said. I pouted at her, but she just shook her head.
“Good,” Melrose replied. “I don’t have to worry. Have fun, you two.”
“Yep,” Ann agreed. “Bye, Mel.”
“Bye Ay-May...” Melrose paused, clearly trying to decide whether she wanted to say bye to me as well. I wasn’t sure how mad she was at me for acting the way I did to Ann. “And bye to Zacky, too, I guess.” Then, Melrose hung up.
“She sounds different,” I commented as Ann closed her phone and tucked it back into her pocket.
“She’s not happy anymore,” Ann informed me as she laced her hand with mine. We started down the hallway. “She misses Jimmy a lot. To tell the truth, none of us have been really the same since that tour. We haven’t been happy. We rarely laugh or smile. If we do, it’s the weakest, most pitiful thing you’ve ever seen.”
“I don’t want you to be unhappy,” I told Ann, releasing her hand and instead wrapping my arm around her waist. I dragged her against my side.
“I’m not anymore,” she said cheerfully as we stepped out into the warm night air. “Because I’m with you again.” She smiled over at me. I grinned back, pressing a kiss to her lips.
Finally, I was back with my Ann.
One Year Later
I ran one hand through my hair while my other hand made sure my car keys were in my pocket. The guys and I had stayed at the recording studio later than usual; they’d all left a little while ago. Surprisingly, we never ran into The Better Halves at the studio. I wasn’t sure what would happen if we did. I think we all missed them a lot. At least, I missed Ann a lot. I felt like such a jerk nowadays for how I treated her the last few days we were together.
I sighed, dragging my hand through my hair again as I walked down the hall. There wasn’t anything I could do now. The damage had been done; I doubt Ann would ever take me back in a million, even billion years. I sure as hell wouldn’t take me back if I were her.
I suddenly walked right into someone who stepped out of one of the doors. I took a surprised step back as the person turned towards me. I found myself staring into those familiar, gorgeous pale brown eyes with flecks of green splashed within. But she’d changed her hair. It didn’t have the orange streaks or yellow bangs. It was her natural blonde, cut an inch or so above her shoulder with the ends flipped up. I blinked. She looked more gorgeous than I remembered.
“Oh, hi, Zack,” she said, slightly embarrassed. Her pale cheeks flamed faintly pink. She tucked her bangs behind her ear, staring back into my eyes.
“Hi,” I replied.
“Staying late, I see,” she commented, glancing down at her watch.
“Yeah,” I answered. “We’re trying to get another album finished.”
“Well, duh,” Ann replied, rolling her eyes. I felt slightly taken aback. Hadn’t we just been having a polite conversation? “What use would it be if you weren’t trying to get another album finished?”
“Practice, perhaps,” I said sharply. “Practice makes perfect.”
“Not in your case, though,” Ann told me, shaking her head so her hair flew everywhere. “You could never reach perfection, no matter how hard you tried.”
“You should talk,” I retorted. “You wouldn’t be perfect if someone manufactured you in a factory like a Barbie or something.”
“Oh, nice comeback,” Ann hissed scathingly. “Total burn. I’m going to need ice after that.”
“You just said that because you couldn’t think up your own comeback,” I snapped. Ann narrowed her eyes at me. “Oh, no, she’s narrowing her eyes at me. I’m quivering in my sneakers.” I continued sarcastically.
“You’re gay,” Ann said.
“You didn’t think so a few years ago,” I replied.
“You weren’t sure a few years ago.” she informed me. “But now you are, and you know you’re gay.”
“But you still think I’m sexy.”
“But you think Brian is sexy.”
We glared at each other. I knew every chance of me apologizing and her taking me seriously was gone now. Why did she still have to turn everything into an argument? I wanted to make up with her, but if she turned everything into a fight, what was the use? She obviously didn’t want to make up with me.
I dropped my glare and started to walk past her. I wasn’t going to stand there and glare at her for the rest of the night like a child. If we were just going to argue, then I honestly didn’t want to talk with her. Maybe one day she would decide that she wanted to make up with me too. But until then, I would just wait, like I had for the past two years.
I started down the hallway again, but I didn’t get far before I felt her fingers close around my wrist. I turned around to see fire in her eyes. It wasn’t an angry fire; it was a passionate fire.
In that moment, something passed between us. I can only describe it as a spark. It passed between our eyes as they met, igniting a fire in me. I could feel the fire settling in my heart: fire for her. I recognized it, because I remembered feeling it every time we kissed, before our relationship crumbled beneath our feet. Every time I saw her, I would feel that fire erupt in my heart.
We pulled together, our lips meshing with longing. I pressed her against the wall, sliding my hands down her body to rest on her hips. Her hands wrapped around the sides of my neck, pulling my lips harder against hers. The fire roared in my chest, igniting my passion for her once more.
Ann’s hands slid over to my shoulders for a brace as she wrapped her legs around my waist. Then, she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck as our lips continued to move together.
After probably a full minute of making out, we dragged our lips away so we could breathe. Ann closed her eyes and rested her forehead against mine, breathing heavily like me.
“It’s times like these when I hate breathing,” I gasped out, trying to catch my breath. Ann smirked, pressing her lips briefly against mine. Her eyelids fluttered open, her eyes staring straight into mine.
“I didn’t mean any of it,” she whispered, obviously referring to our little argument. “You are perfect, in every possible way.”
“Don’t worry: you are too,” I replied.
“And you aren’t gay either. And you don’t think Brian is sexy,” she continued apologetically.
“Well, I knew that already,” I answered with a smile. She smiled back before pressing another kiss to my lips.
“The girls won’t believe this,” she told me. I laughed before kissing her again. Hey, we had two years to make up for. “They know I still love you, but I don’t think any of them thought I would ever get back with you.” She paused. “I’m really sorry for calling you a whore and all those mean names.” She said it quickly, like she was ashamed of what she’d done.
“It’s okay,” I replied, reaching up with a hand to stroke her cheek with my thumb. “I’m sorry too, you know. I didn’t mean all of it, even though I thought I did at the time.”
“It’s okay,” Ann echoed back at me. She released my neck with one arm and trailed her fingertips gently down my face from my temple to my jaw. “Have you caught your breath yet?”
“Yep,” I answered before pressing my lips hard against hers again. She giggled against my mouth, and I quickly slipped my tongue into her mouth.
After another minute of making out, we pulled away, breathless again. We really weren’t learning anything, were we? Ann released my waist with her legs, setting her feet back on the ground. She leaned forward, resting her cheek against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, swaying slightly back and forth. This felt so much more natural than fighting.
Ann’s phone suddenly rang. She grabbed it out of her pocket, but I seized it before she answered it. She gave me a confused look, and I just smirked as I answered the phone.
“‘Sup?” I answered. Ann pulled it away from my ear and put it on speaker phone as the person on the other end answered.
“Um...hello?” I recognized the voice as Melrose’s. Then, her brain seemed to process that the voice was male. “I swear to God, if you hurt our Ay-May, I will hunt you down, shove a spork up your ass to fish out your intestines, bake your intestines on pavement on a hot summer day, shred them in a blender, and feed them to my pet goldfish.”
“You don’t have a goldfish,” Ann giggled.
“Yeah, well, I’ll find one and feed his intestines to it.” Melrose replied. “You’re fine, right, Ay-May?”
“Yeah, I’m great,” Ann answered.
“Who answered?”
“Me,” I said.
“Who’s me?”
“I.”
“Who’s I?”
“Melrose.”
“Tell me your fucking name!” Melrose snapped, getting a little frustrated.
“Zacky,” I answered with a laugh.
“Oh my gosh,” Melrose whispered, then away from the phone, but still loud enough for us to hear, “GALS! AY-MAY GOT BACK WITH ZACKY! Wait...” Now her voice was closer again. “I didn’t interrupt you guys having sex, did I? I’d feel horrible, I really would.”
“No,” Ann answered with a giggle. “I probably won’t be home tonight, though. I’m sure you know why.”
“Yeah,” Melrose said. “Use protection. Zacky, don’t break her.”
“I won’t,” I replied sincerely.
“You better not, or I’ll stay true to my threat,” Melrose told me.
“We aren’t having sex.” Ann said. I pouted at her, but she just shook her head.
“Good,” Melrose replied. “I don’t have to worry. Have fun, you two.”
“Yep,” Ann agreed. “Bye, Mel.”
“Bye Ay-May...” Melrose paused, clearly trying to decide whether she wanted to say bye to me as well. I wasn’t sure how mad she was at me for acting the way I did to Ann. “And bye to Zacky, too, I guess.” Then, Melrose hung up.
“She sounds different,” I commented as Ann closed her phone and tucked it back into her pocket.
“She’s not happy anymore,” Ann informed me as she laced her hand with mine. We started down the hallway. “She misses Jimmy a lot. To tell the truth, none of us have been really the same since that tour. We haven’t been happy. We rarely laugh or smile. If we do, it’s the weakest, most pitiful thing you’ve ever seen.”
“I don’t want you to be unhappy,” I told Ann, releasing her hand and instead wrapping my arm around her waist. I dragged her against my side.
“I’m not anymore,” she said cheerfully as we stepped out into the warm night air. “Because I’m with you again.” She smiled over at me. I grinned back, pressing a kiss to her lips.
Finally, I was back with my Ann.
♠ ♠ ♠
I have good news!From now on, the rest of the chapters will make you happy (save for one). You will leap for joy, possibly, from how happy the chapters will make you.
Hey, Zacky and AM are back together. Anything's possible now.