Pieces

It was nice to be able to fly somewhere where our problems didn't exist. The moment Zack and I stepped off the plane, it was like we didn't have to worry about anything. I could wander the city without worrying about Craig being around. Not that I wanted to leave Zack's side anyways. I always wanted to be near him.

"We have a few hours before the show. Wanna go explore?" Zack asked the minute we got into the hotel room and I laughed.

"We haven't even been here five minutes. Shouldn't we unpack first?" I questioned and he shook his head.

"We can unpack later. There's an entire city waiting. Let's go!" He exclaimed and I gave in. I couldn't say no to the excited face he gave me. It made me happy to see him happy. I hadn't seen him stay this happy for this long since... well ever. Usually Amber stepped in to mess it up. To see Zack as the happy person he should be was the best feeling in the world.

He wasted no time in hailing a taxi in the front of the hotel before asking him to take us to the best place to get food. The driver, a citizen for his entire life, suggested a small diner down the street. The driver also gave us different sights to see and visit during our stay.

Twenty minutes later Zack and I were ordering the most delicious looking burgers we've ever seen in our entire life, "You look a lot better," I noted as I studied him from across the table.

The bags under his eyes were gone and his eyes were an illuminating green that I could spot through the fog of Northern California. He was once again concerned with his hair, and not just rolling out of bed with it a mess. His entire demeanor was different.

"I feel a lot better," He smiled, "I feel the best I have in my entire life. I feel like this is the first time I've felt truly happy," He stated and he paused, "I've... I've grown a lot since you've showed up," He noted, "I mean... I don't even remember half of my life before you came along, I was always so drunk."

"Zack, it's okay," I stated softly and he shrugged.

"You know my entire life changed when you showed up? I don't know what I would've done without you. I don't know what the guys would have done," He scoffed, "I never even went to the studio. I was always out with Amber getting drunk, coming home alone because she'd leave with someone else. I was a mess, Vi."

"But you're okay now, Zack," I assured him.

"I felt like my life wasn't fulfilling. I mean, sure, I love the band and traveling. But I was missing something else. I just wanted someone to love, and that's how I found Amber."

"You didn't love Amber, Zack," I said softly and he shrugged.

"At one point I did, and I was sure she loved me. I had been with tons of girls over tour, but none of them were what I wanted. I wanted to settle down and just be simple. All of them wanted that rockstar life. But Amber was different."

"She was different because she could care less what you did, as long as you payed for everything," I noted and he sighed.

"Yeah," He ran a hand through his hair, "I know. And i realized it, I just didn't want to believe it. She was the closest thing I ever had to having someone love me. And I kept having hope that one day she would change."

I looked at my hands, twirling my thumbs with each other, "Do you think people change?" I asked, "I mean... Do you think someone so horrible could actually change? Is it even possible?"

"No," He stated firmly, "Before Amber I thought that, but not anymore. I think some people were just born that way, and they can't change," He shrugged.

That hurt a lot more than I expected. But before I could say anything the waitress came by and gave us our food, walking away to leave us to eat. I had suddenly lost my appetite, but continued to eat just to please Zack.

"I can't thank you enough, Violet," He stated when he pushed his plate away, "You've been the only one to stick around. Even the guys were getting sick of my shit," He laughed.

"Well, you were getting kind of annoying," I joked and he smiled.

"Let's get out of here. We have sights to see," He grinned and left a hundred on the table before grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the booth, off to see the city.

-

Two hours later and a hell of an argument with a very confused taxi driver, we found ourselves sitting at the edge of Folsom Lake. It was the only place that we could visit, seeing as all the museums and attractions were closed. We had spent a good hour wandering in a taxi trying to find something that was open before we settled for the lake.

Zack was surprisingly quiet as we sat at the edge of the lake, the water barely kissing the tips of our shoes. We sat side by side in silence as the moon shone high in the sky. There weren't any lights on the lake, just the natural light from the sun. I had never seen anything like it before, and it was beautiful. In Orange County everything had lights. Vegas was nothing but lights as well. Sitting in nature without any distractions was a beautiful experience I wanted to cherish forever, "You're awfully quiet," I noted, not looking over at Zack but keeping my eyes fixated on the calm water in front of me.

"I'm thinking," He stated softly.

"I don't like when you think," I said, "It's surprisingly not good for you," I poked at him and I could almost hear his smile.

"It's great here," He said suddenly, changing the subject, "So different from home. But nothing can compare to Huntington."

"I love Huntington," I smiled, admitting my love for the city. I loved it more than Vegas and San Francisco. I never wanted to leave.

"Good, because you'll be there forever right?" He asked and I shrugged, "You're not?" He questioned and I felt him facing me.

"I don't know. What if some huge design firm in New York wants to hire me?" I wondered, not daring to look over at Zack. I didn't want him to see what I was planning. It wasn't good for him.

"So... you would leave me?" He asked, his voice resembling a small child's. I always thought Zack was a child. So vulnerable and innocent. His soul didn't seem old yet. I wondered if he would stay young forever, and I hoped he would.

"Well, I don't know," I muttered and he grabbed my shoulder, turning me so I could face him.

"Y-You can't leave me, Vi," He stated firmly, "Violet, please believe me when I say you can't leave me."

"Zack," I smiled, "We'll still be friends. But I'm replaceable. It's not that hard to find an assistant."

He shook his head furiously, "No. You're so much more than assistant. Violet, you practically are my life," He stated and I laughed.

"You swear like you can't find someone else, Zack. You found me right?"

"But no one will be you," He whispered.

"Zack," I went to chastise him but the look in his eyes stopped me.

His green eyes seemed even brighter than the moon. Big and round and full of curiosity and disappointment. He was desperate. I could see it in his eyes. I suddenly felt a wave of doubt. Could I even leave Zack behind? How miserable would I be without him? But it wasn't like I had a choice. I had to protect him. How could I protect him if Craig was always around me?

Zack leaned in closer, scooting forward so he was directly next to me, our shoulders touching. He looked down at me, bringing a hand up to cup my cheek will his other arm wrapped around my shoulders, "I need you," He whispered before I felt his lips on mine.

I don't know what came over me. Perhaps it was because I needed him too. What ever it was, I was kissing him back just as desperately as he was. My arms snaked around his neck, pulling him closer as his grip tightened on me. For the first time since Craig, I felt loved. In the moment of that kiss, I realized that what Craig and I had was never love, no matter how much I wanted to believe it. Craig never loved me. With Zack I was wanted and needed, something I craved even more than the expensive clothes and jewelry.

Maybe that was what I wanted all along.

Reluctantly, Zack pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. I felt his fingertips trail from my cheek and down my jawline, stopping so he could gently grip my chin so I continued looking up at him, "I've been waiting to do that for a long time," He whispered.

"How long?" I asked.

He bit his lip, "Since the day I hired you," He whispered and my eyes widened, "I... I just always had this attraction to you, Vi. As time went on I realized that I wanted you more than I wanted Amber."

"Then why did you stay with her for that long?" I questioned.

"Because you had seen me at my worse," He confessed, "Why would you want some lovesick hopeless romantic? I was pathetic and I never thought you would see anything in me. But these past couple days..." He paused and looked at me deeply, "Holding you in my arms every night, Vi, is the best feeling in the world. I feel complete again. I feel like my life is fulfilled. I don't feel empty anymore."

"Zack..." I trailed off, unsure what to say.

"I was scared, Violet. I didn't want to lose you. Once Amber was gone... I only did it for you, you know?. Moving all her stuff out that morning and letting you stay with me. It was only for you. I... I've only ever been happy around you. That night when I held you in my arms for the first time, I just knew that it was you. I knew you were the person I had been hoping for."

"You wouldn't have lost me, Zack," I whispered and he smiled, gently placing a kiss on my forehead, wrapping his arms around me completely. I leaned into him, closing my eyes as I inhaled his scent and took in everything about him. I was in Zack's arms and I was happy. I happier than I'd ever been in my entire life.

And suddenly, I bit off more than I could ever chew. I had no idea how I would get myself out of this one. I couldn't leave him, but I couldn't stay as long as Craig was around. I was suddenly hopeless.

Hopelessly in love with Zack Baker.