started with a lie ➳ raura revised

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Sorry," he laughs, "didn't mean to make you shit your pants."

I glare. "Don't worry, I didn't."

Zac takes a seat at a random chair in the room and I sit on a random crate on the floor. This is the perfect time to talk to him. I take a deep breath. I can do—

"What did you and Ross talk about outside?" Zac asks suddenly. He's shirtless and his eyes look so vulnerable. His hand shakes a little and he uses his other hand to cover it. Zac is so sweet and he doesn't deserve someone awful like me.

"You saw that?" He nods. "Nothing really." That's kind of true. It was more making out than talking. "Just about how shitty everything's been, you know? And how he wants to be here for me and about our relationship."

"I'm here for you, too, you know that, right?" he asks, his lips pressed into a line. "I'll always be here for you, Laura."

"I know, Zac," I say, smiling the best I can.

"I...I saw you two kissing...before I told you guys to come inside," he confesses. He shuts his eyes tight like it hurts to even imagine it. My heart wrenches for him. "Are—are you guys back together now?"

I stare at my nails. "I-I guess." This is harder than I thought.

"Why?" he whispers. "Why, Laura? He hurt you. He got engaged to another girl! How could you just fall back into him? He's not even that nice most the damn time." He crosses his arms, frustrated. "I...I just don't want to see you getting all happy and then finding out he's a jerk again."

"Zac, I know you're worried for me. But I like him. I really do." How do I explain this whole scenario without telling Zac about the entire fake-relationship in the beginning? "He's a jerk but he's my jerk. I know he has a fiance. We're going to work it out soon. If I get hurt again, it'll be my fault. Not yours."

He gets up and runs both his hands through his hair. "I don't know what you see in him. Is it the money? Is it his fame? I have all that too."

"I-I don't know what it is," I tell him honestly. "I just like who I like. He just draws me to him, like a moth to a flame. I'll follow even if I get burned." I laugh sadly. The washing machine beeps and I stand up. "I'm a stupid moth, okay?"

"You're not stupid, Laura," he whispers. "You just... You're just blinded. You don't know the real Ross. I've known him for a while. He's not that great, trust me."

"People can change, Zac," I say. "He's really nice, he's just protective of himself and doesn't let a lot of people in. I don't know why just yet." I put his shirt in the dryer and turn the button on. It'll take five to ten minutes to dry.

"I'm nice too, Laura." I look away from the dryer just in time to see how close he is to me suddenly. He's basically pressed up against me. His thumb moves away a strand of my hair. I put my hands on his shoulders, ready to push him away. I need him to get the message. "Wait, just hear me out. I know I haven't flat out told you my feelings. But I'm sure you can see it—feel it. I don't just do all these things for anyone else, Laura. The minute you accidentally got into my car, I knew. I knew you were—"

"Laura?"

Shit.

Ross stands in the doorway in his casual white office shirt and black pants. His face—his face, oh my god. He looks broken. His eyebrows are scrunched up together and his mouth is open. His eyes show complete sadness but he quickly composes his face and he's back to the poker face.

I back away from Zac immediately. Zac sees what Ross thinks. "Please think about what I said, Laura," Zac says. "I'm not finished yet. Another time." He kisses my cheek and leaves, casually pushing Ross's shoulder. HE KISSED ME. In front of Ross!