Chapter 4
"Zac…Zac…oh god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean, oh how can I make it up to you. I’m so sorry…" her words were slurred from exhaustion and her cheeks were flushed a deep pink.
"No…it’s okay…it’s my fault really." He sighed. Maybe it was his fault. He was the one who had originally upset her.
"Zac…it’s not your fault and you know it." She sighed bitterly and wriggled until she was no longer on her back, but sitting upright next to Zac. "I owe you an explanation."
"No, you don’t need to explain anything to me. It’s okay." He reached over and put his arm around her slim shoulders. She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"My dad…he um…well…" Madison began. "He…he…" she sighed. It was so hard. Zac just waited. He knew that when she felt she could, she would tell him. "He…he…um…well…abused me. And that’s why I ran away. And when you said he loved me, it just…it brought back some painful memories…" she sighed again and wiped the fresh tears forming in the corner of her eyes. It was so hard to share that with him…it had been something she had been denying since the first day her father had hit her. She was finally opening up with someone and she was so afraid that he wouldn’t understand, that somehow…he would think it was her fault.
"Oh Mad. I’m so sorry. I had no idea…I’m…oh…I’m sorry…" his voice was soft and full of sorrow. He pulled her in closer and closed his eyes.
"It’s okay Zac, really." She whispered and pressed her forehead against his. "You had no idea. It’s okay…" she hoped that he believed her fore it was true. It wasn’t his fault and she wanted him to understand that. She sighed. Why was opening up to someone so hard?
"I just…oh Mad. Why would anyone want to hurt you?" his voice was soft and he seemed utterly confused.
"You sound like a little boy." She giggled and brushed her hand against his cheek. He blushed and smiled.
"You’re so beautiful." He whispered, displaying this by putting his hand on her cheek. Madison smiled.
"You are too." She whispered, closing her eyes. Zac sighed contently and slowly shut his eyes. He began to lean in and opened his eyes a crack to see Madison do the same. His lips parted and he moved his hand to her neck, drawing her in even closer.
"Zac! Madison! I figured you guys would be here!" Zac’s eyes fluttered open and he gently pushed a startled Madison away.
"Taylor. Hey!" he said nervously, standing up and wiping his hands on his pants.
"It figures you’re here. You love this place." Taylor said breathlessly as he reached Zac. Taylor sighed. He hadn’t meant to interrupt anything, but it was pretty urgent.
"What time is it?" Zac asked confused.
"Past eleven. You better come home now. Ike is upset."
"And you’re not?"
"No, I figured you guys were here. And I know you never wear a watch so I thought you had no clue. Looks like I was about to interrupt something too…if you know what I mean…" Taylor laughed and Zac shot him a pointed look. Taylor shrugged.
"No, actually I don’t." Zac said, grabbing Madison’s hand and pulling her towards his jeep. "Let’s go." Madison nodded and grabbed the blanket following Zac towards the jeep, smiling at Taylor on her way by.
Taylor sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. Zac and Madison seemed pretty close…maybe a little too close. This wasn’t going to be pretty. He turned up the radio to block out his thoughts about what Zac would meet once he returned home with Madison. Yes, Isaac was angry, upset, and even a little scared. But not for the reasons Zac thought. Taylor and Isaac had seen something on TV…something that would change the course of Zac and Madison’s relationship. He sighed again, his hands shaking slightly as he let go of the wheel and leaned back once the car had stopped at a red light. This was going to be harder than he expected. What you don’t know can’t hurt you wasn’t true anymore…what you don’t know can kill you…Taylor shook his head. Why God thought that Zac could handle this was beyond him. Why he thought any one of them could handle it was beyond him. They were in over their heads, and soon, they were going to drown. "This is where being nice gets you." He thought as he pressed his foot on the gas pedal and lurched forward, closer towards his destination, closer towards hell.
"I wonder why Isaac is so upset?" Madison wondered allowed glancing over at Zac who was staring straight ahead, his mouth set in a straight line.
"Don’t know." He answered.
"You aren’t mad at me, are you?"
"No. Why?"
"Well, you seem sort of…upset."
"Of course I’m upset…Ike is pissed, Tay seems happy, and you’re just confusing the hell out of me!" he pounded his fist on the steering wheel and glared straight ahead.
"Okay…Ike I can understand. It’s late. Tay…well, Tay is just weird. And me, why the hell am I confusing to you?"
"You’re a girl. That says it all."
"Oh right. Us girls are just made to be confusing. So we can fuck with guys like you. That’s it Zac. That’s all it." Her voice dripped of sarcasm and Zac flinched. He had never heard her talk like that before.
"Look, I’m sorry okay? I like you…maybe a little too much and right now I don’t think I’m ready to deal with those feelings."
"Oh, and you think I am? I didn’t come to Los Angeles looking for you and expecting to fall in love. I didn’t come here so that you could take me in. I didn’t come her for anyone to take me in. I came here for a new life. To leave the past behind, and if that’s a crime, then shoot me!" Zac slammed on the break and cut across two lanes of traffic before turning into an empty parking lot. He turned the ignition and leaned his head back.
"Okay, repeat what you just said." He whispered, closing his eyes.
"Wh…What?"
"Repeat what you just said."
"Isn’t Ike…"
"I don’t care. Repeat it." He said, agitated.
"I…I said that I didn’t come here looking for you and I wasn’t looking to um…fall in love…" she whispered the last part as she realized what it meant.
"That’s what I thought." He whispered, unbuckling his seat belt.
"I…I…" Madison was abruptly cut off by Zac’s lips hungrily being pressed against hers. She jumped, before realizing what was happening and began to return the kiss. His hands found the back of her neck and he began massaging it. His touch brought shivers and she groaned softly.
"I love you too…" Zac whispered a smile playing at his lips as he slowly pulled away from Madison. She smiled and hugged him, pressing her body against his.
Chapter Five
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