Falling to Pieces

Chapter 11 - Prince Charming

Get excited for lots of Zach in this chapter!!

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 “What on earth,” Zach mumbled, as the rain pattered against the glass windows of his car. “It’s only the end of September.”

                I peered out the window and looked towards the empty streets. What am I supposed to do now? My ex-best friend is doing drugs, my Uncle is a drug dealer, and his girlfriend is the mistress of drug business. How did it all come down to this? I mean, what do I do now that I know this? My head was pounding, and all I want right now is to forget—to forget that I’m Jessica Hayes and forget what was going on in my life.

                Zach let out a grunt. “Crap, I don’t think I have an umbrella.”

                I jerked, Zach’s voice jarring me from my thoughts. I lifted my head and gazed outside, realizing immediately that we were parked just outside the Bryan residence. 

                “We don’t need an umbrella,” I reasoned while turning to look at Zach, “It’ll take us literally a second to get inside.”

                Zach had been spun around in his seat, frantically searching through the mess in the back of his car. “I don’t live here,” he remarked. “I live in the guesthouse out back. It’ll take a few minutes to get there.”

                “Guesthouse?” I questioned, furrowing my eyebrows.

                “You think my Dad would let me live there?” Zach asked, turning his head briefly.

                I shook my head in confusion, “But you’re his son…”

                “Believe it or not,” he muttered, “Parents can be ridiculous sometimes.”

                I bit my lip. I could never imagine my parents treating me this way… how could Zach’s parents do that to him? He was a great guy—or at least from what I can see. “He’ll come around, hopefully,” I murmured.

                “Nah, that’s pretty unlikely,” he replied softly, while still shuffling through the backseat.

                Guilt aroused in me as I realized that he was probably doing all this for me. “Zach, its fine. I really don’t care if I get wet.”

                Zach slowly turned his head, a smirk growing across his face. “Who said the umbrella was for you?”

                “O-oh,” I stuttered in embarrassment. “I—”

                “I’m just messing with you, Jess,” Zach chuckled as he retrieved himself from his fruitless search. He placed both hands on his thighs and then flickered his eyes towards me, the unreadable expression crossing his face again. He stared for a few seconds, but quickly his gaze dropped. “Hold on,” he said, his voice soft. I watched as he slipped off the jacket of his tux. “Here,” he handed it to me, “I don’t want you to get wet.”

                “No, no, it’s fine,” I hesitated.

                Zach narrowed his eyes. “Take it, Jess,” he asserted, his voice hard.

                How could I say no to that? Obligingly, I took the jacket it from him and wrapped it around my body. My nose flooded with Zach’s scent, and my body was warmed by the lingering heat in the jacket. Inhaling, I turned to face him again.