***in' Perfect
Tell Me
Alli POV-
I pulled into Zack's driveway and walked slowly to the door. I felt like I should knock, but I knew better. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Icky and Moot came running, jumping all over me. "Hey guys," I said, reaching down and petting them. "Hey Al," Zack said. I looked up and smiled. "Hey," I replied. "Let's go in the office and talk," he said. I followed him slowly into the office and shut the door behind me, sat on the couch, and looked up at him as he faced me in his computer chair. "What's up?" I asked. "I think I need to uh...sign over my rights as Belle's father. I'm not cut out for this, Alli. I'm sorry," he said. My head was spinning."What?" I said. "I just...I wasn't ready for this. I know I should've thought about it before we had sex but...I wasn't thinking. I just...I'm sorry. I can't do it," he told me. "You can't do what? Be her father? Zack, she looks just like you! You're her daddy!" I said, hot tears pouring from my eyes. "I know, Al. I know," he replied. "Don't fucking call me Al. It's Alli," I snapped. "Alli...I'm sorry. I just think it's for the best. I mean she called Craig 'daddy'...and I never see her. I'm not a very good dad. Craig's got experience, he's a good dad. I'm not cut out for this. I like to party way too much. Being a dad just isn't my thing," Zack said. "Craig likes to party too, Zacky. He parties. I party. We just know our limits and our kids come first. But it's fine. If this is how you want it to be then fine. Have your lawyers draw up the papers. You don't have to deal with me or Belle anymore. We won't be a part of your life if you don't want us to be," I said. I picked up my purse and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind me. "Alli," Lexi said, grabbing my arm. I was fully sobbing by then, barely breathing. "He doesn't want her," I said. "I know. I'm sorry," she said, pulling me close. "Lexi, please don't let this affect us. I already feel like we're drifting apart and I don't like it. You're my best friend, Lex. My sissy. I can't lose you. Please don't let this change us," I plead. "It won't, Al. I promise," Lex said. "I've gotta go. I can't stay here," I said, wiping my eyes. "I'll call you later," Lexi told me. "I love you," I said, hugging my sister tightly. "I love you too."
I left Zack and Lexi's in tears. I was so upset that I barely made it out of Huntington Beach before I had to pull over. I started to dial Craig's number, but I stopped on the B's when I was scrolling through my contacts. Brian. I hadn't called Brian in a while and I was missing him. "Hello?" Brian answered. His voice sent me into body shaking sobs. "Bri," I choked out his name. "What's wrong Al? You okay? Did something happen with Craig?" he asked. "Not Craig," I answered. "Then what's the matter sweetheart? Talk to me. Breathe," Brian said. I tried to calm myself down to no avail. "Alli, sweetie...where are you?" he asked. "HB," I answered. "Where in HB?" Brian said. "Corner of Main and PCH," I replied, wiping at my eyes. "I'll be there in a minute. Don't go anywhere. We'll go get something to eat and talk. It's been a while."
I hung up the phone with Brian and moved my car into a parking lot instead of the shoulder of the road. Not even five minutes later, Brian's Charger pulled in next to my car. "Hey beautiful," he yelled out the window. "Hey Bri," I said, forcing a smile. Brian frowned as he opened his door. I opened mine and grabbed my purse even though I knew I wouldn't need it with Brian, and stepped out of the car. "Come here," Brian said, holding his arms open. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he squeezed me tightly. It was like he was squeezing out my emotions, because I broke down again, right there in his arms. "What happened, Al?" he asked, rubbing my back. "Zack doesn't want Belle," I told him. "What the fuck do you mean he doesn't want her?" Brian asked. There was a sharp edge to his voice. "He wants to sign over his rights to her," I said, my voice breaking. "That's bullshit. Total bullshit," Brian said, hugging me again. "Can we just go eat...get a drink? Please just take my mind off of this. I don't want to talk to Craig about it, and if I go home that's what I'll have to do," I begged. "Yeah, kiddo. Come on," Brian wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we walked down Main Street until we reached his favorite Thai restaurant. He'd taken me and Lexi here for my birthday and it was insanely expensive, but so good. I knew the price wasn't an issue for him, but I felt guilty whenever he did things like this. "Brian," I said protestantly. "Allison," he replied, opening the door. "I look awful," I said. "You look beautiful, now go in," he told me, gesturing. I rolled my eyes and walked into the restaurant. "Quit pouting like a three year old. You're acting like Johnny," Brian said, nudging me with my elbow. "Shut up, Syn," I said, fighting a laugh. "You love me and you love the food here. Stop pouting. We never see each other anymore and you know that besides Lexi, I'm your best friend," he told me. I glared at him, but cracked a smile. Brian smirked and wrapped an arm around my shoulders and laid a kiss on my temple. We enjoyed our meal together and talked for what seemed like hours before my phone rang, interrupting our chat. "It's Zack," I groaned, hitting ignore. Seconds later, Brian's phone rang, too. "Do you care if I answer it?" Brian asked me. "Go for it," I replied. Brian answered his phone and instantly, his expression changed. He threw a hundred dollars on the table and told me that we had to go. Instantly, I knew it was Lexi. I felt this horrible feeling wash over me like nothing I had ever felt before. I felt sick, and empty. "Brian," I said, my voice shaking. "Come on, baby girl. Come on," he said, grabbing my hand. I shook my head and fell to my knees, crying uncontrollably. "Tell me I'm wrong, Bri, please," I plead. "What? Al...come on, let's go," Brian tried to calm me down to no avail. I didn't want to believe what I was feeling was true, and I knew that the only person on earth who would never lie to me was sitting in the restaurant floor with me while I cried. "Tell me, Brian. Tell me she's not gone," I said. Brian looked me in the eyes, his face tear-stained. "I wish I could, baby girl. I really wish I could."
I pulled into Zack's driveway and walked slowly to the door. I felt like I should knock, but I knew better. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Icky and Moot came running, jumping all over me. "Hey guys," I said, reaching down and petting them. "Hey Al," Zack said. I looked up and smiled. "Hey," I replied. "Let's go in the office and talk," he said. I followed him slowly into the office and shut the door behind me, sat on the couch, and looked up at him as he faced me in his computer chair. "What's up?" I asked. "I think I need to uh...sign over my rights as Belle's father. I'm not cut out for this, Alli. I'm sorry," he said. My head was spinning."What?" I said. "I just...I wasn't ready for this. I know I should've thought about it before we had sex but...I wasn't thinking. I just...I'm sorry. I can't do it," he told me. "You can't do what? Be her father? Zack, she looks just like you! You're her daddy!" I said, hot tears pouring from my eyes. "I know, Al. I know," he replied. "Don't fucking call me Al. It's Alli," I snapped. "Alli...I'm sorry. I just think it's for the best. I mean she called Craig 'daddy'...and I never see her. I'm not a very good dad. Craig's got experience, he's a good dad. I'm not cut out for this. I like to party way too much. Being a dad just isn't my thing," Zack said. "Craig likes to party too, Zacky. He parties. I party. We just know our limits and our kids come first. But it's fine. If this is how you want it to be then fine. Have your lawyers draw up the papers. You don't have to deal with me or Belle anymore. We won't be a part of your life if you don't want us to be," I said. I picked up my purse and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind me. "Alli," Lexi said, grabbing my arm. I was fully sobbing by then, barely breathing. "He doesn't want her," I said. "I know. I'm sorry," she said, pulling me close. "Lexi, please don't let this affect us. I already feel like we're drifting apart and I don't like it. You're my best friend, Lex. My sissy. I can't lose you. Please don't let this change us," I plead. "It won't, Al. I promise," Lex said. "I've gotta go. I can't stay here," I said, wiping my eyes. "I'll call you later," Lexi told me. "I love you," I said, hugging my sister tightly. "I love you too."
I left Zack and Lexi's in tears. I was so upset that I barely made it out of Huntington Beach before I had to pull over. I started to dial Craig's number, but I stopped on the B's when I was scrolling through my contacts. Brian. I hadn't called Brian in a while and I was missing him. "Hello?" Brian answered. His voice sent me into body shaking sobs. "Bri," I choked out his name. "What's wrong Al? You okay? Did something happen with Craig?" he asked. "Not Craig," I answered. "Then what's the matter sweetheart? Talk to me. Breathe," Brian said. I tried to calm myself down to no avail. "Alli, sweetie...where are you?" he asked. "HB," I answered. "Where in HB?" Brian said. "Corner of Main and PCH," I replied, wiping at my eyes. "I'll be there in a minute. Don't go anywhere. We'll go get something to eat and talk. It's been a while."
I hung up the phone with Brian and moved my car into a parking lot instead of the shoulder of the road. Not even five minutes later, Brian's Charger pulled in next to my car. "Hey beautiful," he yelled out the window. "Hey Bri," I said, forcing a smile. Brian frowned as he opened his door. I opened mine and grabbed my purse even though I knew I wouldn't need it with Brian, and stepped out of the car. "Come here," Brian said, holding his arms open. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he squeezed me tightly. It was like he was squeezing out my emotions, because I broke down again, right there in his arms. "What happened, Al?" he asked, rubbing my back. "Zack doesn't want Belle," I told him. "What the fuck do you mean he doesn't want her?" Brian asked. There was a sharp edge to his voice. "He wants to sign over his rights to her," I said, my voice breaking. "That's bullshit. Total bullshit," Brian said, hugging me again. "Can we just go eat...get a drink? Please just take my mind off of this. I don't want to talk to Craig about it, and if I go home that's what I'll have to do," I begged. "Yeah, kiddo. Come on," Brian wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we walked down Main Street until we reached his favorite Thai restaurant. He'd taken me and Lexi here for my birthday and it was insanely expensive, but so good. I knew the price wasn't an issue for him, but I felt guilty whenever he did things like this. "Brian," I said protestantly. "Allison," he replied, opening the door. "I look awful," I said. "You look beautiful, now go in," he told me, gesturing. I rolled my eyes and walked into the restaurant. "Quit pouting like a three year old. You're acting like Johnny," Brian said, nudging me with my elbow. "Shut up, Syn," I said, fighting a laugh. "You love me and you love the food here. Stop pouting. We never see each other anymore and you know that besides Lexi, I'm your best friend," he told me. I glared at him, but cracked a smile. Brian smirked and wrapped an arm around my shoulders and laid a kiss on my temple. We enjoyed our meal together and talked for what seemed like hours before my phone rang, interrupting our chat. "It's Zack," I groaned, hitting ignore. Seconds later, Brian's phone rang, too. "Do you care if I answer it?" Brian asked me. "Go for it," I replied. Brian answered his phone and instantly, his expression changed. He threw a hundred dollars on the table and told me that we had to go. Instantly, I knew it was Lexi. I felt this horrible feeling wash over me like nothing I had ever felt before. I felt sick, and empty. "Brian," I said, my voice shaking. "Come on, baby girl. Come on," he said, grabbing my hand. I shook my head and fell to my knees, crying uncontrollably. "Tell me I'm wrong, Bri, please," I plead. "What? Al...come on, let's go," Brian tried to calm me down to no avail. I didn't want to believe what I was feeling was true, and I knew that the only person on earth who would never lie to me was sitting in the restaurant floor with me while I cried. "Tell me, Brian. Tell me she's not gone," I said. Brian looked me in the eyes, his face tear-stained. "I wish I could, baby girl. I really wish I could."