Brittany stood up suddenly, pulling Zack along with her, "Bedroom," she said simply, her eyes secretive.
Zack snuck up to his bedroom, with her, her hand in his. They were quiet, not wanting Rae and Nick to hear them.
~ * ~
Rachel laughed, watching them, through the kitchen door, run upstairs, "They're pathetic..."
Nick watched her eyes twinkle, as she turned back to him. He fingered the rim of his glass with his forefinger. "You're okay... um, right, Rae?"
She turned her eyes back to him, the smile that had once been directed towards her brother and his girlfriend was now faded as she grew serious, "Uhmm... since when has it mattered, Nick?"
He frowned, "I'm trying to figure that out myself," he whispered, before looking back up and staring at her, intently.
~ * ~
Brittany straightened up and cleared her throat, "Zack, I need to talk to you about something I was thinking about earlier today."
Zack sighed and looked away, "Brittany, I really don't want to talk about this again! We've had the same d*mn argument a thousand times!"
She sighed, "You don't even know what I was gonna say and you're already yelling at me! Gosh, Zack, chill out!"
He sighed, before muttering, "Sorry. What were you going to say?"
Brittany suddenly felt like kicking herself, wishing she hadn't made it sound like his assumptions had been wrong. "Um, well..." she trailed off, feeling stupid.
"I knew it! Brittany, why do you always have to bring this up?!" he got up from the bed and stood in front of her, his hair a mess and his shirt off. It had been thrown somewhere across the room at some point in time.
"I just don't understand why you won't just talk to Shannon! I hear she's really depressed..." Brittany trailed off, looking down to the ground.
"Stop bringing them up!!!"
She glared at him, suddenly, "SHE'S NOT THEM, ZACK!!!"
Zack stared at her, before abruptly snapping himself, "SHE IS TOO!! SHE'S ONE OF THEM! IF SHE COULDN'T GIVE UP THAT GROUP FOR MY FRIENDSHIP, THEN WHY SHOULD I GIVE ANYTHING FOR HER?!"
Brittany's eyes softened, "Oh, Zack... Why didn't you just tell me that's how you felt, before?"
"Because it's stupid of me to feel that way! And it's stupid of you to keep pushing me to another girl! That is f*cked up, Brittany! I don't understand you!!"
"Well, I don't understand you either! And it's OBVIOUS you don't understand me! How can you not understand how horrible I feel for doing this to her! You were her only real friend, Zack! And because of me that all ended!!" she suddenly stopped for a breath, and her chest heaved with every ragged breath she took. "And suddenly... suddenly I feel like another friendship is being ruined."
Zack's head shook back and forth, his eyes filling with sorrow, "Don't say that, Britt. Please, don't say that." he walked towards her and stood in front of her as she was still kneeling on the bed. "I don't want to ruin our friendship..."
"I don't either," Brittany whispered, placing her hands on his face. "Maybe we should... you know..."
"...go back to being friends."
She nodded, tears in her eyes. "Yeah... that."
"I love you," Zack whispered, pulling her into a tight hug.
"I love you too."
"And that's why we're doing this."
Brittany nodded, before breaking from his embrace, "I should go home..."
Zack led Brittany down the stairs and to the front door, "I'll see you tomorrow?"
She lingered in the doorway, before nodding, "Sure, Zack... Bye," with that she left, feeling as if her heart no longer existed.
Zack walked back upstairs and to his room, shutting his door behind him. A few minutes later, Rachel appeared in his doorway, a concerned look on her face.
"Zacky, what's wrong?" she asked quietly, before walking into his bedroom and sitting down next to him on his bed.
"I... um... Britt and I just broke up, I guess. We felt like we were ruining our friendship."
She watched as tears fell from his eyes, "Oh, Zack, I'm so sorry... It'll work out though, I promise."
He nodded, not knowing if she WERE right, "Thanks, Rae..."
Rae stood and hugged him gently, before kissing his forehead, "Love you, Zack..." she walked from his room quietly.
Zack laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling, for two hours, before finally falling asleep.
