True Love

"Tell me again-" Reese groaned, tugging off her apron before tossing it onto the counter. "why are we preparing for a cookout rather than a date?"

Mia rolled her eyes as she pulled down the door to her stacked oven pushing a toothpick into the cupcake, smiling as it came out clean. Mia grabbed the pink oven mitt off the counter, not paying any attention to the attitude Reese was clearly giving.

It had been like this since Reese had walked in the door- thought it was (kind of) technically Mia's fault. Mia had called Reese from the show to tell her that she was thinking of telling Zack everything, but somewhere between the after party and the long bus ride home it just never happened and honestly, Reese seemed more worried about it than Mia did.

Mia pulled the pan out, sitting it on the cooling rack before she took a butter knife- twisting it around each cupcake, working it free from the pan.

"Because," Mia mumbled, placing the now empty pan in the sink so it would have a chance to cool. "Zack's parents invited us. We could hardly say no to that. Not after the woman spent the past fourteen years hating my guts-"

Reese kinked a brow, filling her wine glass for the second time. "You think cupcakes are going to make her hate you less?" Mia turned to her, shrugging.

"Well I made red velvet with creme cheese frosting- and!" Mia huffed, "I also made my sugar cookies-"

"Oh! Well!" Reese huffed dramatically, "Since you made cookies too..."

"Come on Reese, be a little more supportive?" Reese narrowed her eyes at Mia.

"Well excuse me for hating the woman who made my sisters relationship hell. Do you not remember how mean that woman was to you?" Mia was silent as she began to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. "In case you don't remember, she was awful. She was convinced you were the devil in the flesh. She treated you like garbage! No, come to think of it- I've actually seen her treat garbage better."

That was probably true.
Maria had always hated Mia.
She hated the way Mia dressed, she hated the way she did her eye makeup, the car that Mia drove, the people Mia hung out with- she even hated that Mia was in honors classes, effectively making less time for Zack. But most of all, she had always accused Mia of using Zack.

They ran in two completely different circles in high school- Maria had spent the better part of their relationship accusing Mia of being a groupie.

Had Zack's career been established, Mia could have seen it- but all those years ago Avenged Sevenfold was nothing, they couldn't even get a gig at Chain Reaction.

Mia huffed, dropping the piping bag to the counter, her hands on her hips.

"Reese, I know. I remember better than anyone- but things are different now. Not only are we adults, but I have two children with her son. Like it or not, we are connected. It's just easier to be nice to her. Trust me, I'd love to bake her some ex-lax brownies- but I am 30 years old. I have two kids and frankly, I don't have the energy to fight anymore. It's not worth it. If nothing else, I need to be a good person, for Emma and Kenzie."

Silence filled the kitchen, but not for long because through the awkward silence they heard the front door slam.

"It smells good in here!" Gavin's voice boomed through the house as he and Zack traipsed into the kitchen, decked out from head to toe in full golf attire. "Oh!" he perked, reaching for a cupcake, but Mia smacked at his hand.

"No! Those are for this evening..." she hissed before she began packing them into her cupcake carrier.

"How was golf?" Reese asked as she began stacking dishes in the sink.

"Your dad handed my ass to me." Zack moped before wrapping Mia in his left arm, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"I shot a 96-" Gavin beamed as Reese handed him a cupcake (while Mia wasn't looking). "Zack shot a 101!" Reese rolled her eyes, turning to Zack.

"Did he gloat the whole way home?" Zack huffed, his hands falling at his sides.

"Are you kidding? He stopped in the Pro-Shop on the way out and bought a glass case to put that shit in. He made me sign the ball and everything."

Gavin smiled wide, holding up the small glass box, a Titleist ball sitting atop a red tee- sprawled across the ball in black sharpie was in fact- Zacky V.

"This is why Jason refuses to golf with you!" Reese huffed before turning her gaze back to Zack, "I actually don't know what he does worse, win or lose. It's pathetic, really."

Gavin rolled his eyes, shoving the last bite of the cupcake into his mouth, "What are the girls up to?"

"Upstairs, both of them took a long nap- they had their last day of physical therapy this morning." Mia spoke, her head resting comfortably on Zack's chest, "Which reminds me, dad- Emma has cheer-leading tryouts on Monday the 17th, do you think you could take her? I got my schedule and I'm on call that week, I was hoping you didn't have a meeting."

Gavin didn't even have a chance to respond- "I'll take her."

Mia's brows furrowed, her gaze falling to Zack. "You'll take her?" disbelief littering her every word. Zack just shrugged.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Um..." Mia mumbled running her hand through her brunette curls, "well for starters, you hated cheerleaders in high school."

"Not true," he grumbled, "I liked you-" Mia just rolled her eyes, of course her liked her, she had sex with him. "look, I'll take her. She's my kid, and I'm not in high school anymore. They can't be too cool to sit by me."

"Okay..."

Zack looked at his watch, huffing under his breath. "I need to change so we can get going- we don't want to be late. You know how much my mom hates that."



Sometimes in life people experience a moment, a moment when you become a first-hand witness to every ounce of anger, hurt and misery you've caused someone.

That moment, for Mia was longer than an eternity.

Because what are you even suppose to do in that moment aside from being consumed with guilt?

That moment when you're standing in the living room of your ex-boyfriend's parents house, watching them wrap your children in their arms. Watching as they slather their faces with kisses. Watching them embrace them like they had just returned home from war.

The tears.
The hugs.
The hurt.

It was all her fault.

Mia's eyes started to burn, a lump forming in the back of her throat- but just when she thought she'd cry- a set of arms wrapped firmly around her.

Maria was hugging Mia- so tight she'd swear she would stop breathing, "thank you." Maria whispered, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. Maria pulled away- but only slightly as she still grasped Mia's shoulders, "I have to introduce you to everyone!"

And before Mia could even speak she was standing on the wooden deck- she would meet Zina (again), her husband, and their children, Gavin and Gianna. She would then be re-introduced to Matt, the baby of the Baker children.

Matt pulled her into a tight hug, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek as he pulled away. "It's really good to have you back, Mia..."

Mia's pink lips pulled into a smile. "It's good to see you too Matty..."

A pretty blonde would soon enter the room, making Matt's smile go even wider.

"Mia!" Matt called, grabbing at the girl's hand, "This, is my fiance Gabby-"

She was that genuine beautiful- the kind that made other girls jealous.
Her skin was smooth like porcelain, her cheeks a rosy-pink, her eyes a deep chocolate color. Her hair fell in loose curls, and she was tiny- not an inch over 5'3".

But the way Matt looked at this girl said it all.

Mia couldn't help but smile, and truth be told- she was a little jealous.

"It's so good to meet you!" Gabby cheered, holding her hand out for Mia to shake.

"You too! I can't believe my little Matty is getting married!" Matt's cheeks flushed a deep red as his dimples pulled deeper. Matt shoved his hands deep in his pockets. "It seems like yesterday we were locking him out of Zack's room!" Matt's eyes went wide as Gabby let out a giggle.

"I'm not thirteen anymore, Mia..." he huffed.

Mia rolled her eyes, ignoring him. "Can I see your ring?"

Gabby's smile went insanely wide as she shoved her left hand towards Mia.

Mia could help but let out a small gasp, taking Gabby's hand into hers so she could examine the ring. The clarity, the color, the cut- "Matthew." Mia huffed, looking to the boy, "Tiffany's?" Matt offered a half-smile, shrugging.

"It was her dream ring."

"It was a total surprise..." Gabby mumbled, staring at the ring.

"It's so beautiful Matt," Mia looked up to Gabby, "you are a lucky girl..." Matt's face fell. His eyebrows furrowing- his eyes finally meeting Mia's.

"You could've had the same ring, if you had said yes to Zack..."

Silence.
Deafening silence.
A silence unlike any Mia had ever experienced.

"What?" Mia asked, her brows furrowing as her arms crossed firmly over her chest.

"When Zack proposed. He bought you the same ring, it was a carat smaller but-"

But before he could finish, Zack huffed over, slapping him across the back of the head. A loud 'thwack' sounded through the room.

"[j]Jesus Christ, Matt! Keep your fucking mouth shut!"

"Zachary-" Mia growled, glowering at a suddenly guilty Zack. "what is he talking about?" Matt's face fell as he looked to Zack.

"You told me she said no!" he chanted, "You didn't even ask her, did you?" Zack pursed his lips as he scratched at the back of his neck.

"You were a kid, Matt. I couldn't tell you Mia was gone, telling you she said no was the only option."

Mia's heart dropped to the floor. "You were going to ask me yo marry you?"

Her question interrupted the spat between Zack and Matt.
Zack's green eyes glossed over.

"Yeah..."

Every single pair of eyes fell to Mia.
She felt them burning through her.
Her cheeks flushed hot- her hands shaking.
Her eyes burned at the tears that were begging to fall.
The weight of the world sitting on her chest, suddenly suffocating her.

She was embarrassed.
She was hurt.
She was angry.
How could he have not told her? He had plenty of time. Better yet, he let her walk into this situation blind.

But like a sign from God, her phone began to ring.

Mia broke her stare with Zack, wiping the tears from her cheek as she fished through the bag, pulling out the phone.



Mia let out a sigh, placing the phone in her bag. "I have to go. There's been a fatality on the 405. Zack you can just drop the girls off at my place later."

"Mia, wait!" Zack called, following after her as she slung the bag over her shoulder, taking off for her SUV. Mia picked up her pace, Mia stopped, her hand gripped tight on the handle as Zack grabbed for her free hand.

"Just leave me alone, please." she cried, yanking her arm away before locking herself in the white SUV.

She couldn't look at Zack, not as he begged for her to stay from the other side of the tinted glass. She would fight the sobs the entire ride to the hospital.

Mia was suddenly thankful that she had driven herself, knowing all too well she couldn't have stood a car ride with Zack.

But she was even more thankful that she had never made the time to tell Zack the truth.