California Girl's

Three days. It had been three full days since Zack had talked to Grayson. She had tried, man had she tried, to get a hold of him, but he had been avoiding her at all costs. Alex and Jack strayed away from the subject when ever Grayson tired to talk to them about it. They knew she was hurt, but it wasn’t there place to say anything and when Zack was ready (if that ever happened) he could tell her.

“Annabelle!” Grayson shouted from her room on the second level of her house. She heard her little feet run across the wooden floors and the little blonde appeared in her older sisters door way.

“Can you do me a favor?” Grayson asked.

“Sure,” The little girl said as she looked at her sisters large black suitcase that was sitting on the bed.

“Can you run downstairs and get my gray hoodie from the back of the couch?” Grayson asked as she folded a pair of skinny jeans.

“Sure!” The energetic five year old shouted as she ran from the room and by the time Grayson had folded another pair of jeans the little girl was back holding the requested hoodie.

“How long are you going to be gone?” Annabelle asked as she climbed up onto the large bed.

“I will be home Wednesday night,” Grayson told her. “Are you excited to hang out with Alex and Jack for a couple days?”

“Yes!” Annabelle exclaimed. “Jack said I was going to help him pick up chicks, is that bad?”

Grayson placed her hand on her forehead and shook her head slightly. “We will have to wait and see.”

“How come you get to go home?” Annabelle questioned as she played with the several silly bands that were around her tiny wrist. Jack had bought them for her the other day and the little girl was fascinated by them.

Grayson sighed and sat down on the bed. She knew she was going to have to explain what really was going on at some point. Annabelle knew that her parents had passed away; she just didn’t understand why they couldn’t go back to the home she had grown up in.

“Annabelle,” Grayson sighed. “This is our home now; you know that.”

“Why?” Annabelle mumbled as she twisted a dinosaur silly band around in her little hands.

“Mom and dad left me in charge of you; I’m your guardian now.” Grayson tried to explain. “I live here.”

Annabelle looked up at Grayson slowly as tears became visible in her bright eyes. Grayson sighed giving up on trying to explain things to her; she didn’t know how else to tell her. Annabelle got off the bed quickly and walked out of the room and Grayson soon heard the door to Annabelle’s room slam shut.

“Great.” Grayson mumbled as she lay back on top of her purple comforter. Now Annabelle was going to ignore her to.

Grayson stood up and walked towards her large bay window and looked out into the ocean and she almost immediately spotted a familiar figure sitting on the beach with a surf board lying next to him. Before Grayson registered what she was doing she was practically sprinting through the house towards the back door that led to the beach.

~x0x~

“Why did you let that bitch get into your head?” Alex scuffed as he sat across from a sulking Zack. Jack was sitting on top of the kitchen counter next to Alex eating a apple loudly.

“Alex, back off.” Rian said as he entered the kitchen.

“No, dude.” Jack piped up. “You let her in your head and now you’re hurting Grayson.”

Zack flinched at the girls name because it hurt to know he was hurting her. He knew he was completely pushing her away, but he couldn’t help himself.

How is he suppose to let someone into his heart, when his heart was so deeply wounded?

He wasn’t sure of an answer to that, but he knew he cared for Grayson a lot, but that still didn’t stop him from pushing her away.

“What about New York?” Alex questioned. Zack let out a long sigh as he ran his fingers through his short hair.

“I forgot about that.” Zack admitted.

“You’re an idiot, bro.” Alex scolded him.

“Paige is a fucking bitch and I can’t believe your letting her affect you like this!” Jack exclaimed loudly as bits of his apple flew out of his mouth.

“Ew,” Rian exclaimed as some of Jacks chewed food and saliva landed on his bare arm. “Guys, can I talk to Zack alone?”

“Whatever,” They exclaimed simultaneously and exited Zack’s large kitchen.

“Bro,” Rian started. “There right.”

“You think I don’t know that.” Zack mumbled.

Rian sighed. “Just make sure you think about what you’re doing.”

Zack nodded slightly and headed towards the back door grabbing his surfboard that was leaning against the wall and headed out towards the beach. He needed to clear his head but once he was out in the hot sun the furthest he got was the water’s edge before he collapsed into the wet sand and rested his forehead against his bent knees.

Paige was a manipulative bitch, and he was well aware of that, but he couldn’t deny that she still affected him in a major way. Zack had let her pretty much ruin a potential relationship and he almost couldn’t handle it.

He really liked Grayson and she needed him, yet he had been avoiding her like the plague for the last three days. He was a fucking idiot, but he was hurting. What Paige did to him not only complete destroyed him, but also altered the way he dealt with females and he hated that.

Grayson was different or at least he tried to convince of that. She was sweet, outgoing, and beautiful, everything Zack could ask for in a girl, yet he was pushing her away.

“Zack?” A quiet, timid voice asked from behind him. He jumped, startled and turned his head around to see Grayson standing several feet away from him.

In his eyes she looked absolutely beautiful in her jean shorts and tank top. It seemed the simplest outfits fit her best and he loved her long blonde wavy hair.

She may have been blonde like Paige, but hers looked more natural and she didn’t need to dress like a slut to actually get peoples attention. She was nothing like Paige.

Zack stood up quickly and grabbed his board as he suddenly felt the need to get the hell away from her. His feelings were all over the place and he really needed time to figure everything out before he even attempts to talk to her.

“I got to go.” He mumbled quickly and began walking quickly back towards his house not looking back once at the crushed girl he left on the beach.

Grayson couldn’t believe he just did that and she couldn’t figure out why it felt as if her heart was breaking. She hadn’t even known this boy for a month and he was affecting her in ways no other person had before.

Silent tears fell from her bright blue eyes as she watched Zack’s quickly retreating figure.”I guess I have to make this trip by myself.” She mumbled quietly.