Break Your Little Heart

While his cousin was flying over the Pacific Ocean, Zack was being cornered by a very excited Jack. The bassist hadn’t realized that Jack was standing right next to him when he opened his phone, and therefore hadn’t attempted to hide the fact he was talking to Chloe. It wasn’t like Zack intentionally hid things about his cousin from Jack or Rian, but he didn’t like bringing her up, especially when Alex was near. Luckily, it seemed Jack was the only one who heard who he was talking to. Although, that had resulted in him being locked inside of the men’s restroom at the venue with the overexcited man.

“How is she?! What’s she doing?! How come she never calls me?!” Zack sighed in frustration.

“Jack, calm the fuck down. She’s fine. A little pissed off, but good.”

“Why is she pissed off?” Jack asked, confusion painting his face.

Zack bit his tongue. None of the other guys knew about Chloe and Oli. Jack and Rian seemed to have caught onto the fact that Chloe was with someone else, but Alex acted as if he couldn’t care less. He never asked about the girl or seemed to show any interest in her. Zack knew if they Googled her they would probably find a lot more about her than they wanted, including Oli, so he told them just enough to make sure that never happened. Zack wasn’t so sure about Alex looking her up, but he was fairly certain that the singer had absolutely no knowledge of the fact that Chloe was now a model and working with Drop Dead. It was then that he realized since Chloe would now be spending some time with Glamour Kills, chances of Alex learning about her were a lot higher. And she would be in Baltimore as well, which presented a slight problem. However, Zack didn’t want to focus on those things so he pushed the thoughts away. He would worry about Alex later.

“She has to do something she doesn’t really want to…” Zack trailed off, trying to come up with a way to avoid this topic.

Jack wasn’t about to let it drop so easily though, and Zack knew it. He needed a distraction. If Jack found out Chloe was coming back, especially that she would be back in Baltimore at the same time they were, he would completely lose it and end up telling everyone who came within an inch of him and his blabber mouth. True, he had done a good job at staying quiet about everything else Chloe related, but Zack just knew this would put him over the edge. Thankfully his distraction came in the form of Alex banging on the door as if his life depended on it.

“Guys, I have to pee!” He whined. Zack quickly shot to the door and yanked it open. Alex was standing there, hopping from foot to foot.

“Don’t wet yourself, Lex.” Zack laughed. Alex scowled.

“I won’t if you move.”

Zack stepped to the side with a flourish and Alex ran to the urinal. Zack quickly left. He had already seen Alex’s dick more times than he wanted to. To his surprise, Jack followed after him. He slung his arm around Zack’s broad shoulders. And Zack had thought Alex would provide a distraction.

“Soooooo, what’s my little Chlobo doing that’s got her all riled up?”

“How can you still love her when you haven’t seen her in nearly five years?” Jack stopped walking and removed his arm to stare at the boy next to him. Zack shrugged.

“Because she’s Chloe. I know she left for a reason. I’ll see her eventually. And then I’ll rape her face with kisses.” Zack grimaced.

“I would prefer if you never placed ‘Chloe’ and ‘rape’ in the same sentence ever again.” Jack smirked.

“Technically I said I would rape her face, not her.”

“What about what she did to Alex?” Zack was serious again.

“She had a reason for that too.” Jack shifted uncomfortably. “Right?” Zack nodded. Jack nodded as well. “So, she’ll make it better.”

Zack shook his head. He couldn’t understand Jack’s willingness to see past what Chloe had done, or Rian’s for that matter. Zack would, of course, always love her. She was his cousin. There wasn’t a single thing that would stop him from loving her. But even he was frustrated with Chloe’s decision. He understood it completely, but he wished something else could have been done. Jack slung his arm back around Zack and they continued walking again, Jack forgetting his questions about Chloe for the time being.

“All over America fangirl hearts are breaking right now. Their poor, beloved Jalex dreams crushed by the famous Merrick muscle.” Cassadee flounced up to the boys, Rian close behind her.

“You know it!” Jack placed a slobbery kiss on Zack’s cheek. Zack shoved the grinning guitarist away, wiping his face on his sleeve.

“Jack, Matt is flipping balls. You better go sound check your shit.” Rian stated, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend’s waist. Jack pouted and slunk off.

Zack began walking with Rian and Cass who were on their way to the All Time Low dressing room. Zack was glad to see Cass back in Rian’s arms, even though the girl was only visiting for a few days. He liked to think Alex and Chloe would have turned out that happy had they stayed together. He dropped onto one of the couches, Cassadee pulling Rian down next to her on the other one. Zack checked his phone for the millionth time, but there was still no message from Chloe. He knew she wouldn’t be landing for a while, but that didn’t stop him from unlocking his phone every few minutes to see if there was anything from his cousin.

“Did you hear about the new GK model?” Cass was asking her boyfriend excitedly. Rian shook his head. “They’re flying her in all the way from England. Holiday said she did shows and other shoots with her before she moved there. But apparently, she hasn’t worked for anyone except some line called Drop Dead in three years.” Zack’s ears perked up.

“What’re you talking about, Cass?” He tried to sound indifferent.

“There’s gonna be a new model at GK for the next month! Holiday knows her.”

“Holiday claims to know a lot of things.” Zack pointed out.

He was 99% sure who Cassadee was talking about the minute ‘GK’ ‘England’ and ‘Drop Dead’ were mentioned. But he didn’t think Chloe knew Holiday. Just because they were both models didn’t mean they had ever met.

“No, seriously! She showed me her picture. Here!” Cassadee thrust her phone into Zack’s hand.

Zack instantly went pale. Gracing the screen of Cassadee’s phone was a picture of Chloe. Her face was scrunched up with a smile, her tongue sticking out as she stared straight at the camera. It wasn’t one of her modeling pictures, that much was obvious. In fact, Zack recognized it as one that Oli had posted on his Tumblr. He was sure Chloe would be upset if she ever found it, but Zack secretly loved it. He had actually had Oli print it out and send him a copy to keep in his bunk. It was one of the very few times that Chloe had been caught in an unscripted moment.

“Isn’t she so cute?!” Cass squealed, taking her phone back. She passed it to Rian.

Zack took a deep breath as he watched Rian study it. At first, the drummer just viewed it with amusement. But then his face twisted into confusion which was soon replaced with a stunned expression as recognition dawned. He slowly looked up, locking eyes with Zack.

“Is that…Zack, is that…Chloe?”

Zack buried his head in his hands, but Rian’s stare didn’t waver. Cassadee looked back and forth between them, perplexed by the sudden tension and silence.

“Wait, do you know her?” Zack groaned.

“Rian, you can’t tell Jack. And definitely not Alex.”

“But they’d be so excited!” Rian had gotten over his shock and was now practically bursting with excitement.

“Ri, what’s going on?” Cassadee’s voice sounded unsure. Rian squeezed her tightly.

“That girl is Chloe, Zack’s cousin!”

“The one you were telling me about?” Rian nodded happily. Cass smiled.

“How long is she gonna be here?” His eyes darted back and forth between his girlfriend and his band mate. Cass opened her mouth to answer but Zack cut her off.

“Stop, Rian.” He grumbled. “She doesn’t want to be here, okay?”

“What, why not?” The drummer frowned.

“Just leave it alone.” Jack’s preshow screaming came from outside the door and Zack stood. “C’mon, we’ve got a show to play.”

He walked out the door. Cassadee stood and pulled Rian to his feet.

“Don’t worry.” She whispered, pecking his cheek. “I Googled her.” Rian grinned, pulling the girl in for a full on kiss.

“God, I love you.” Cass giggled and dragged him out of the door, not even noticing Alex standing right outside of it.