Weightless

How long they sat like that neither of them knew. Chloe didn’t move, Zack’s heartbeat flowing through her. He held her like one would hold a baby. She was just as fragile, just as tiny. Just as in need of protection. Zack’s stomach suddenly rumbled again, startling both of them into the present. Zack, once again, glanced at the clock. 3:00.

“You’re hungry.” Chloe stated.

“I’m only eating if you do.” He responded.

Chloe sighed. She knew he was serious and she knew she would give in. She always did when it came to Zack. She nodded meekly and he grinned so wide she thought his face was going to fracture. He placed her on the ground and together they ventured into the kitchen.

Chloe was nervous, but she always was when she went into rooms with food. Zack had obviously already started making something and then she realized her screams must have interrupted his lunch. Guilt flooded her veins, but she didn’t say anything. Zack would refuse to let her feel bad about something like that. She sat on the counter top as he pulled out all of the things needed to make a fruit salad. Chloe caught sight of his phone on the table, next to his uneaten lunch, and jumped as it buzzed. She flipped it open.

From: Jack
ANSWER YOUR DAMN PHONE BITCH!

“Zack?”

He turned around at her voice, and she held up his phone.

“You’ve got a text message.”

She tossed it to him. He sighed. There were multiple missed calls from Jack as well as a few from Alex. Rian had sent him two texts, one commenting on Alex’s bullshit excuse about homework and the other telling him practice was still on. He also noticed a voicemail notification. He glanced at Chloe who immediately began nibbling on an apple slice. Keeping his eye on her, he dialed his voicemail.

“ZAAAAAAAACK!” Jack’s voice poured into his ear. “Rian said you were trying to bullshit your way out of practice too. Not cool, man. Not cool. If you’re not at Rian’s by 3:45 we’re coming to getcho ass!”

Zack’s eyes widened. The clock was now telling him it was 3:25. Before he could do anything about that a second message came through his phone.

“Zack.” Zack was confused. Why had Alex left him a message. “I uhhh I just wanted to check on you…and Chloe…I just wanted to, you know, make sure everything was okay. I tried to stop practice, but I couldn’t. I’m sorry.”

Zack forgot all about practice as the message ended. What the fuck was going on with Alex? Before he had time to think it over he caught sight of Chloe grabbing another apple slice. She smiled at him, but he was staring at her wrist. Her sleeve had ridden up, revealing an ACE bandage wrapped tightly around her wrist. His stare hardened.

“Chloe, what is that?” He pointed at her arm.

Chloe flushed a deep red.

“It’s nothing, Mop. I tripped down the stairs.”

“Do not try that with me, Chlo. You know it doesn’t work.”

Zack’s voice was heavy with unspoken meaning. Chloe dropped her gaze to the floor. She knew he hadn’t meant to hurt her, but his words stung. As if she hadn’t been thinking about her past enough today, he had to go and drag that back up. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Zack’s shoulders sagged. He pulled her into his arms.

“I’m sorry, Bo. I didn’t mean it like that. Just, please, tell me what happened?”

“You have to promise not to get mad, okay? I swear to God it was my own fault.”

Zack gave her a skeptical look. Chloe held his gaze until he nodded. She took a deep breath.

“When I was walking to school this morning, Alex saw me. He pulled over to talk to me, and he saw me smoking. He said something about it killing me and I don’t know, I got angry I guess. I walked away from him and he came up behind me. He was just trying to take the cigarette away, I promise, so he was holding onto my wrist. That just made me even more mad and I pulled away but my wrist popped. He wasn’t even holding on that tightly. Please, don’t be too mad at him.” She rushed, pleading with her eyes.

Zack clenched his jaw. He didn’t want to be mad at Alex, but he was. Actually, mad was an understatement. He was furious. But not only at Alex, at himself. He had failed her once again. Chloe had gotten hurt and Zack hadn’t been there to save her. He felt a small, cold hand on his shoulder.

“Zack, please calm down.” Chloe whispered. “He didn’t mean to. He freaked out actually. He tried to take me to the hospital but I wouldn’t let him. It’s not the same. I wasn’t weak this time, I didn’t let him hurt me. It just happened.”

Zack looked down at his miniature cousin. Tears were gathered at the corners of her eyes again. He sighed. She was weak, just not in the way she was talking about. But Zack knew that would just hurt her, and by the looks of it he already had by forcing her to bring up the past again.

“Okay, Chlo. I won’t do anything, I promise.”

He gathered her into a hug. Over her shoulder he caught sight of the clock on the oven. 3:40. Fuck. Jack wasn’t known to wait until the last minute to do something. He was constantly early, especially when it came to fucking with his friends. Rian didn’t live that far away from Zack and if it was Jack driving, which it would most definitely be, Zack knew he didn’t have much time.

“Chloe, look, the guys are probably going to be here and second. Don’t freak out okay. Everything will be fine. They won’t touch you and I’m not leaving you.”

Just as the last words came out of his mouth the door slammed open. Chloe jumped and Zack held her closer. Jack bounded around the corner with RIan right behind him.

“You, sir, are going to practice. We already had to kidnap Alex, don’t make us do it to you.” Jack threatened. Rian rolled his eyes.

“No, but seriously Z, Rian found us a gig. We gotta get our shit on lock!”

It was at that moment that Rian caught sight of Chloe peeking around Zack’s back. Her face looked paler than it had yesterday, and her eyes looked a little puffy. Things suddenly made a lot more sense.

“Maybe we should just practice tomorrow, Jack.” Rian suggested.

Jack gasped and looked at his partner in crime. Rian shrugged and Zack looked relieved.

“Uh-uh. No way. We spent enough time getting Alex in your car, we are going to have this practice.”

“It’s okay, Mop, go.” Came a quiet voice from behind Zack.

“Who’s that? And who’s Mop?”

Zack ran a hand through his hair. Chloe cautiously stepped out from behind her cousin. She had known it was Jack by the sound of his voice, and she didn’t want a repeat of yesterday. But she also didn’t want to be seen as a pathetic little girl anymore, so she cleared her throat. Jack’s eyes zeroed in on the skinny girl. She smiled a little and he remembered she was Zack’s cousin.

“The cousin is back!” He exclaimed, rushing towards her.

The panic he saw fill her eyes stopped him though. He took a step back, remembering what had happened yesterday. The fear faded and he grinned. Jack found himself absolutely loving the girl. She was so tiny, he just wanted to carry her around in his pocket.

“You have to come to practice! You fell asleep yesterday so you kind of owe us.”

Chloe’s smile faltered slightly. As nice as Jack seemed, his exuberance still scared her slightly. And she wasn’t exactly in the mood to see Alex either. She told herself it was just because she didn’t want Zack hurting him, but a voice inside argued that she just didn’t want to see him because he had been so sweet with her. Plus, he had actually gotten her to open up, which no one besides Zack had ever done. But she did feel guilty for falling asleep yesterday, and she knew Zack wouldn’t go if it meant leaving her home alone.

“Okay.”

Jack’s grin got impossibly wider and Zack just looked at her. He seemed torn. A part of him was happy because he wanted to share this with his cousin, but the other part of him was worried by her decision. He didn’t want her to do this just for him, especially because she’d already had an emotional day.

“Are you sure, Bo?”

Zack’s eyes probed Chloe’s for any sign of guilt or fear as she nodded. He found no emotion other than a touch of sadness, but that was always there so he nodded as well. Jack squealed and Chloe jumped slightly. Rian just shook his head, turning for the door. Zack went to take Chloe’s hand but found Jack reaching for her instead. Chloe stared at the guitarist’s hand for a few seconds before slowly placing her bony one in it.

“Damn, Chlo, your hand is fucking freezing!” He shuddered.

“It’s Chloe.” She snapped reflexively, her voice sounding harsher than intended. “Sorry.” She backtracked quickly. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Jack looked at her for a moment before shrugging and heading out the door, the blonde haired girl in tow. Zack followed quickly, confusion clouding his thoughts. He sincerely hoped that Chloe wasn’t doing all of this to make him feel better. Yes, he wanted her to be comfortable around his friends. And yes, he also wanted her to be able to befriend them. After all, Jack had obviously already taken a shine to her and Alex seemed to like her as well. And Chloe needed some friends, and he trusted his band mates to look after her at Dulaney since he couldn’t. But Zack also knew Chloe, probably even better than she knew herself. Chloe didn’t open up to people, didn’t trust them the way she used to. In fact, the only person she even spent time with was Zack. He didn’t want her to force herself to deal with uncomfortable situations just to make him happy.

Zack watched as Jack dragged Chloe into the back seat of Rian’s car, sandwiching her between him and Alex. He saw her glance at Alex, giving him a look Zack didn’t understand, before turning and sending a small smile his way. Zack ran a hand down his face, sighing, and hopped in the passenger seat. He caught Jack’s bright smile and Alex’s worried one. Quirking his eyebrow in confusion, he buckled up as Rian pulled away from the curve.