Story of a Girl

Zack carries my bag from the train to his car. The whole time is nothing but awkward silence. The kind where you want to say something...but can't. He opens the passenger door and closes it after me. I watch him in the rear view mirror as he tosses my bag in the trunk. Then he opens the door to his own seat, sitting down. He glances at me, and I exchange the look.

"You must hate me..." Zacky says.

"I'm gonna be honest with you...I did...but then you made things right." I say.

"I feel like such a fuck up." He sighs.

"No...Zack, you just made a mistake." I say.

"I don't deserve you...your too forgiving." Zacky says.

"Shhh." I say putting my index finger to his mouth.
"Lets just go home." I say.

He smiles lightly and nods his head once. I buckle my seat belt and sit back. Sure I have a little anger behind my sympathy, but right now all I care about is returning to the way things were.

"Well...we're home." Zack says parking the car.

With out a word, I unbuckle my seat belt and grab my stuff from the car. I open the door and step inside the bus. Guess we're alone. I continue on to the back of the bus and place my stuff down on my old bunk. I sit down, open my suitcase, and start unpacking.

"Hey Nick?" Zacky asks.

"Yeah?" I ask looking up.

"Can we talk?" He asks.

"I suppose." I say. Zacky sits down next to me. I look up into his eyes.

"Do you forgive me?" He asks.

"Yeah..." I say.

"Enough to take me back?" Zacky asks.

"Zack..." I say.

"Sorry...never mind." He says standing up, walking away.

"Zack wait." I say following him and grabbing a hold of his hand. I step up so I'm right against his chest, staring into his eyes.
"I love you." I softly say tilting my head to the right and going on my toes. I press my lips to his expecting it to end there, but then he deepens the kiss. When our lips part, I stare deeply in his eyes. He smiles and wraps his arms around my waist pulling me closer.

"I love you too." He says nuzzling the top of my head with his cheek.
"Stay here." He says letting go of me and walking back towards the bunks. I turn around and watch him search his bags...but for what? He walks away from from his bunk with something behind his back.

"Look what I found." He says taking the small velvet box from behind his back.

"That's not...?" I ask.

"It is." He says opening the box with my engagement ring in it.

"You kept it?" I ask.

"I couldn't let it go." Zacky says taking the ring out of the box and holding it between his thumb and index finger.
"But I think I'm ready to give it ...again...to a very special girl." He says slowly getting down on one knee.

"Oh Zack..." I say.

"Nicole Renee Sanders, will you still marry me? Even after I hurt you?" He asks.

I nod my head afraid of if I speak, I'll cry. As he slides the ring on my left hand, I loose it. A single tear runs down my face. I wipe it away and stare at my left hand. No longer does my ring finger look empty...it looks...right. When Zack stands up I throw myself on him, leaving no gap between my monstrous hug.

"I missed this." Zacky sighs.

"Me too." I say nuzzling my face to his chest.