California Girl's

“Paige is my ex-girlfriend.” Zack mumbled as he stared into Grayson’s pretty eyes. “We broke up almost two months ago.”

Grayson kept her hands around his neck as she played with the back of his hair gently, as he continued talking.

“We were together for over two years and I though she loved me as much as I loved her.” Zack “I was so happy with her that I didn’t listen to anyone when they told me she was bad news. I didn’t want to believe that the girl I loved could hurt me, but she did.”

Zack paused as he took in a shaky breath and looked into Grayson’s eyes once again. This was really hard for him to do and really painful, but he wasn’t going to back down now.

“She lived with me. She didn’t pay for anything, but I never complained. I came home from tour a day early all ready to surprise her, but I found her having sex with some guy in our bed.” Zack paused as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly as the painful memories came flooding back. “She simply smirked at me once she noticed I was in the room. She didn’t apologize or try to explain, she just smirked at me.”

Grayson’s eyes had widened as realization started to set in. Seeing Paige had stirred up something in Zack. What Grayson really wanted to do was find Paige and punch her in the face.

“After the guy left she simply sat down on the couch and acted as if nothing had happened. When I confronted her, she told me that she had been cheating on me for the better part of our relationship. I loved her and had actually though I wanted to marry her and to find out she really could have given a shit about me hurt.” The tears he had been trying not to let fall finally started to fall down his face as Grayson quickly brushed them away with her thumbs.

“Now I know that the signs were always there. I should have realized she was just using me.” Zack paused as he choked back a sob. “I was her puppet and she knew I would have done absolutely anything for her. I broke up with her and kicked her out of the house, but she didn’t seem to care at all.”

“Zack, I-“ Grayson started, but Zack cut her off.

“When I saw her the other day it just opened up an old wound that hadn’t fully healed. She got under my skin because she saw that I was actually happy. I thought I could keep her out of my head, but she still has a death grip on me and in a sick twisted way she took pleasure in that.”

“Why do you let her get to you?” Grayson mumbled.

“I don’t know,” Zack started as he whipped at his eyes roughly. “I try not to but I loved her, or well though I loved her and she pushed me around for so long that she will always know how to get under my skin.”

“Are you over her?” Grayson asked quietly.

“Feelings wise, yes.” Zack started. “But she still had this hold on me and I don’t know how to get lose. That hold she has in turn made me hurt you and that was the last thing I wanted to do.”

Grayson’s heart fluttered as Zack confessed that he didn’t want to hurt her. She completely understood why Zack had done what he did and she didn’t blame him. He was hurting and the wounds were slowly healing, but he was still broken.

“She changed my outlook on life pretty much.” Zack said. “I didn’t want anything to do with females, but then I met you.” Zack started as a small smile finally shown through on his tear stained face.

Grayson smiled as well and pulled him into her chest and held him tightly. She was happy to know that she was able to help him out of his funk and that he was actually happy when he was with her.

“I only met you two weeks ago, but I like you Gracie.” Zack mumbled as he pressed his forehead against hers. “I really like you, but I’m scared.”

“Zacky,” Grayson breathed out as she wrapped her arms back around Zack’s neck. “Not everyone is going to be like Paige, I can promise you that. What she did to you was sick and she better hope I never see her again.” Zack chuckled slightly.

“I’m not planning on hurting you.” Grayson mumbled as her nose brushed against his. “I’m still hurting myself. You take the hurt away and you have no idea how much you have helped Annabelle’s and mines relationship.”

Zack smiled brightly at her, happy to finally have all that off his chest and to know that he was helping her just as much as she was helping him.

Grayson now had tears of her own falling from her bright eyes and Zack brought his hands up and placed them on her either side of her face. Moving his lips ever so slightly forward he pressed his to Grayson’s lightly as Grayson gripped his hair in her small hands.

Grayson pressed her lips onto his harder as she tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss. She couldn’t remember the last time kissing someone held this much meaning and she was sure if she wasn’t sitting on the fence her knees would have buckled.

Zack pressed his tongue past her slightly parted lips slowly as Grayson smiled slightly and let his tongue into her mouth as he ran it over the roof of her mouth.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn’t realize that one of the large horses had made its way over to the pair and when it let out a loud ‘nay’ Zack pulled away from Grayson with a start as Grayson laughed at him as she ran her fingers over the horses large head.

“Aw,” She cooed as she reached out for his hand and pulled Zack back towards her. “Did Jazz scare you?”

Zack chuckled slightly as he leaned up and pressed his lips to hers in a short kiss. “Yes, she did.”

Grayson gave him a cute smile before she hopped off the fence and landed in front of him. Zack looked down at her now and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her tightly.

“Thank you for telling me.” Grayson mumbled into the fabric of his sweatshirt.

“Thank you for listening.” Zack said as he kissed the top of her head that just reached his shoulder.

~x0x~

Zack and Grayson were currently washing the dishes from the delicious meal Theresa had made them. Grayson had made sure to put way to much soap causing the dishes to be lost in a mountain of suds. The front of Zack’s t-shirt was wet from the splashing and he was laughing as Grayson blew a handful of bubbles at him.

“Stop it!” Zack laughed. “Were never going to get this done!”

Grayson just shrugged and went back to cleaning the dishes. Through the entire dinner Theresa and Matt had tried to start conversations about her parents and each time she would change the subject or completely ignore them. She knew they would have to talk eventually, but she really wasn’t ready.

She wanted to savor the moment her and Zack had had earlier and not cloud her mind with those painful thoughts.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Grayson asked as they stacked the last plate back in its proper place in the cabinet.

“Sure,” Zack said as he let out a loud yawn. “Can we cuddle?”

Grayson blushed as she headed towards the stairs and to the room they were staying in. Zack watched Grayson head to the bathroom to change as he took off his socks, jeans and shirt and found the remote to the large flat screen television that was mounted on the wall.

He went to the On Demand movies and began searching through the new releases as he sprawled across the large bed. He stopped on Avatar and waited patiently for Grayson to finish getting changed.

Grayson opened the bathroom door now dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Zack lying on the bed. Sure she knew he was good looking but seeing him now in the dim light that the lamp was creating over the room took her breath away.

“Take a picture it will last longer.” Zack said as Grayson jumped and blushed furiously.

“Sorry,” Grayson mumbled as she scampered over to her suitcase and dropped her clothes in.

“It’s okay,” Zack said as he sat up on the bed. “Your aloud to check out your boyfriend.”

At that statement Grayson’s head shot in his direction as their eyes locked. Zack had a small smirk on his face as he watched Grayson stumble over her words.

Zack chuckled as he held his arms open signaling for Grayson to come to him. Grayson walked to him slowly and climbed next to him on the bed as Zack immediately pulled her into his strong arms.

“You’re okay with that right?” Zack asked as he cuddled her closer to his body.

“Yes,” Grayson squeaked out, still shocked at what he had said.

Zack chuckled and placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up and placed his lips gently against hers. Grayson melted into the kiss as realization dawned on her.

She was kissing her boyfriend.