Ally I couldn't believe I was ENGAGED to be married. It kind of...scared me. But, on instinct, the first thing I did was pick up the phone and call Raven. I wanted to scream for some reason. I kept thinking about me and Zac...married...and it scared me. It scared me alot. And I kept thinking, 'well, if this scares me, just imagine how it scares him'. That freaked me out even more, so I don't know why I thought it. I guess I kept picturing him backing out on me...and I didn't want that. + "Ally? You up here?" Zac's voice forced me out of my thoughts and I turned towards the doorway where he was standing. I could tell something was up with Ally but I wasn't quite sure what exactly. + "Zac...Zac, wake up..." Ally's urgent voice awoke me at 7:00 in the morning.
"Hello?"
"Rave?" I recognized her voice with just one word.
"Yeah, Al, what up?"
"I'm engaged."
"What!?"
"Me and Zac...we're getting married."
"OHMIGOD! Ally that's so great! I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks." I paused.
"Are you excited?"
"Yeah, I think so. I, um, I'm kinda nervous, though, if you know what I mean."
"So does that mean you two are moving in a new house together? You're gonna stay in L.A?"
"Well, yeah." I responded slowly.
"Do you guys have a date set yet?"
"Nope. Zac and I have to talk about that stuff still."
"Well, you have to give me a call when you get anything planned or ANYTHING new happens, okay? I gotta go to work in ten minutes so I need to get ready, but I'll give you a call sometime this week."
"Okay."
"I love ya Al." Click.
I sighed and slammed the phone down.
+
But why in the world would he back out when he was the one who was going to ask me?
"You're getting the wedding jitters." Kat told me when I explained to her how I felt.
"But we haven't even PLANNED anything yet, Kat, so why am I freaking out?"
"You're just afraid to think you're going to have to settle down and spend the rest of your life with one man."
She was right. That had to be it. Afraid to settle down. But if I was, why wasn't he?
"I'm here." I smiled. He moved forward towards me and pulled me closer to him.
"How are you? Haven't seen you much today."
"You've been gone." I reminded him. He smiled.
"I have." He paused. He moved his hand down to meet mine and squeezed gently. "So anything going on tonight?"
"Nope. Kat's working so I was hoping tonight could be for just me and you." I leaned in and kissed him lightly.
"Yum...sounds good to me." He responded slyly and pulled me towards the couch.
"Zac...can we talk?" I asked as he sat down.
"Sure...about what?"
"Me...and you...and marriage." I said softly.
The look he gave me when he pulled me down next to him was almost a...scared...look.
"What about it?" He gulped.
"Aren't you scared?"
"Scared of what? Committment?"
"No...just...knowing you have to be with me the rest of your life. Thinking about having kids...moving in our own place..."
"No." He responded immediately. "It doesn't scare me at all...because I KNOW that's what I want in my life...to get married to you...to grow old with you...to have kids with you..."
Tears fell down my cheeks as he went on.
"What?" He asked when he noticed the tears and redness of my eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I-I don't know..."
He really wasn't scared. I couldn't believe it.
"Are you still afraid?"
"I don't know."
As if to relieve the tension, he reached over and turned on the radio.
"If I live to be 100
And never see the 7 wonders
That'll be alright
If I don't make it to the big leagues
If I never win a grammy
I'm gonna be just fine
Cause I know exactly who I am
I am Rosemary's grandaughter
A spitting image of my father
And when the day is done my mama's still my biggest fan
Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy
But I've got friends that love me
They know just where I stand
It's all a part of me
That's who I am..."
"You know what Zac?" I asked after a minute. He looked up, reaching for my hand and squeezing it lightly. "I'm not scared. I am not scared to be with you."
"Good...because..." He paused. I looked up slowly. "I've always wanted a winter wedding, you see, around Christmas time. Which, from now, is only about four months away."
"W-what...." I started. "You want to get married that soon?"
"W-well, only if it's alright with you, of course."
"But it takes so long to plan a wedding...a-and..."
"Ally, we can do this. If you don't want to get married so soon, that's alright too. I want to know what you'd like. This is our big day, baby, it's got to be perfect."
"W-well....I just don't think we could get it planned in four months."
"If we could, would you?"
"Yeah, of course. But how would we do it..."
"I am a Hanson, babe." He grinned. "I have connections."
"Oh, right, how could I forget. You can get people to drop at your feet and get you whatever you need." I smiled and stood up.
"I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back in a few."
Zac
"Hey, how was your walk?" I asked when she came into our room.
"Fine. It's really nice outside today." She gulped and sat down on the bed, taking her shoes off. I nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I agree. It is." I paused. "What's wrong, babe?" I sat next to her.
"N-nothing, why?" She looked at me slowly. "Nothing's wrong. Really."
"You seem awfully jumpy today..." I began.
"I-I'm not."
"Is it about the wedding thing? You know we don't have to do it so soon. It's completely up to you. It doesn't matter to me."
"No, it's not that."
"Then what?"
"I-I'm just still a little flipped." She admitted.
"Me too."I said slowly. "But I want this more than anything."
"So do I. I-I guess if you're not afraid...I'm not either."
"Good. I don't want you to be afraid, cause we've got alot of planning to do before December."
"I know."
"I found a perfect wedding song." I said slowly.
"What's that?" She asked, pushing herself towards me.
"It's called The One. It's by Elton John. It's a really great song."
"Okay. I think I've heard it but I'm not sure..." I cut her off by leaning in and kissing her. I pulled away and she had a sly smile on her face.
"What was that for?"
"Just felt like it."
"Do it again." She grinned and leaned in towards me. I smiled slyly, slipping my hands up her shirt slowly. She let me pull it off of her and I ran my hands over her stomach gently. I stood and began taking off my clothes as she watched. I got down to my boxers and moved towards her once again. She leaned in and pressed her lips against mine, falling back and pulling me with her. I managed to get all of her clothes except her bra and panties off within seconds.
"Zac, I love you." She pulled my head down once again and kissed me lightly. She reached down and pulled my boxers down, kicking them away with her feet. I felt myself growing against her and she giggled. "A bit excited, are we?"
My face flushed as I reached behind her to unsnap her bra, a smile crossing my face as I looked down at her. "You're beautiful..." I whispered, letting my hands trail down her sides to her panties and throwing them to the ground. I reached for a condom, laying on the dresser, but she pulled my hand back and shook her head.
"No." She gulped and shook her head again. She sat up and pushed me back on the bed so I was underneath of her. "Is this okay?" She whispered. I nodded slowly, my eyes searching hers and finding nothing but love and need.
She lowered herself onto me and I raised my hips to quicken it a bit. She moaned and I took a hold of her hips as she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine. She ground herself against me, moaning softly. I rolled her underneath of me so I could take some control.
"Zac..." She gulped as her breathing sped up. My thrusts quickened and when she started to shake I knew she was at her peak. "Zac!" She screamed.
"Almost there, Ally..." I buried my face in the pillow as I felt my release inside of her. I pulled out, soft, and rested against her for a few minutes, trying to catch my breath. She stroked my hair, a smile on her face.
"Mmm." I pulled her towards me when I took the spot next to her.
She sat up slowly, the sheets at her chest, and looked down at me. Tears fell down her cheeks and she turned her head the other way.
"What's wrong?" I ran my fingers up her back and then back down.
"N-nothing. I-I just love you so much and I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Don't even think about what'd you'd have to do cause you'll never have to do anything without me."
She gulped and smiled, laying back down, her head against my chest.
"I really hope you mean that."
"Baby, you know I do, right? I really hope you know I wouldn't lie to you. I wouldn't say something I don't mean. I'm not like that. You know that better than anyone."
"I-I know. I've just never loved somebody as much as I love you."
"Likewise."
"Love you."
"Love you too. Night." She cuddled against me and sighed before drifting off in my arms.
"What? Ally, go back to bed...it's early..." I rolled over on my side. She grabbed my arm and dug her nails into my flesh.
"OW!" I screamed, sitting up and rubbing my arm. She'd dug deep...and it hurt. "What was that for?" I glared at her and she leaned in towards me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Well? Why'd you wake me up at seven AM?"
"I think somebody's downstairs." She muttered slowly, gulping.
"Probably just Kat. You know she doesn't get home until early morning."
"I saw her come in at five. Somebody's down there."
"Ugh." I stood and pulled my boxers on, reaching for my jeans and pulling them on as I made my way down the stairs. I cautiously peaked into the kitchen.
"Jessie?!" I exclaimed. "What the hell..." I began. She shook her head.
"Shut up, Zac. I didn't have anywhere else to go."
"Why...what...huh...why?"
"I'm pissed. Don't talk to me right now. I haven't slept in two days and I just want to rest."
"Why...why did you come here?"
"Mom and dad and I got into a fight. They wanted me to go see a psychiatrist. I didn't want to...so I ran off. It was easy."
"Well, I'm gonna call them and at least tell them you're here." I reached for the phone and dialed home before Jessie could protest.
"Hello?" Mom's voice sounded tired and depressed.
"Mom? Jessie's here. No need to worry about her." I said in a quick breath. She gasped.
"Jessie's there? Put that girl on the phone RIGHT NOW." She screeched. I pulled the phone away from my ear when she said that and handed it to Jessie.
"Careful. She's mad." I said softly. Ally came up behind me.
"Zac? Wh...Jessica?" She shot me a confused look. I rolled my eyes.
"She ran off."
"Why?"
"Some fight with mom and dad." I responded. She nodded slowly.
"Well, we don't really have alot of room here, but I think we can pull out the couch bed for her."
"No need to. She's going back home."
Jessie looked up at me at those words. She shot me a pleading, dissapointed glance. I shook my head at her questioning eyes.
"Yes, mom. I'll be home tomorrow." She hung the phone up and let her head fall in her hands. "Thankssomuch, Zac. You're such a great big brother."
"I try to be." I defended myself. Ally wrapped her arm around my waist and looked towards Jessie.
"What happened?" She asked quietly.
"Mom and dad want me to go see a psychiatrist. They think I have problems. And maybe I do, but they're not any problems a normal teenager doesn't have. Sometimes I just hate them. Why can't they just let me live my life like I want to? It's my life, right?"
"They're just trying to protect you, Jessica. They are." Ally smiled reassuringly. "You can go ahead and sleep upstairs in our room, if you'd like."
"Right. Thanks." Jessie grabbed her bag and dragged it up the stairs. I smiled at Ally.
"Sorry for snapping at you. You were right about somebody being down here."
"I'm sorry for clawing you." She turned my arm over carefully and bit down on her lip. "Ouch."
"Yeah, tell me about it." I pulled her into the living room and sighed, falling back on the couch. She fell against me. I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent. "I still haven't told mom and dad about the engagement. I don't want them to make a big deal out of it."
"I haven't told my parents either. I don't see why I should, either, they'll probably just flip out at me or something."
I smiled. "Oh well. They'll get over it eventually. Besides, you kinda need your dad. I think they'll just be happy for you, Al." I leaned in and kissed her lightly. "I'm gonna go out for a walk. I need some fresh air."
"I'll stay here in case Jessie needs anything." She stood up next to me and smiled.
"Okay. Love you." I walked out of the house at that.