Again

Chapter 25

Kayla sat in her car and stared at the prescription she'd just received from Dr. Frankie.  Anti-anxiety medication.  Her doctor assured her over and over that it was safe for her to take them while pregnant.  Kayla still wasn't convinced, however she figured the levels of anxiety she'd been feeling the past few days couldn't have been all that great for the baby either.  It had been 2 days since Kayla had left Georgia.  She knew the guys, with the exception of Taylor, were due back later that evening and all she felt was dread.  As mad as she was at Taylor for telling everyone she was pregnant, she knew her anxiety wasn't his fault.  He was trying to do the right thing.  The situation she was in was less than ideal, however she knew that the band-aid had been officially ripped off and that was what she had really been dreading all long.  Or so she thought.  She sat in her car, replaying over and over the looks on everyone's face when Taylor confirmed to Zac's face that Kayla was pregnant.  Replaying the things their mother had said about her.  She wondered to herself if she believed whether or not Diana had really meant what she'd said, or if she was simply speaking out of anger.  There was a part of her that hoped never to find out.  

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, she stuck her key into the ignition and fired up the car to life.  She began the short drive home in silence.  Usually music, or any background noise, helped her calm the thoughts that swam around in her head.  Today, everything sounded like white noise over faint whispers. No matter how much she tried or how much she strained, nothing made sense.  She was about half way home when her phone began to ring.  She grabbed it from the passenger side seat and looked at the caller I.D.

Incoming Call From
ZAC

Kayla hit the side button, silencing the ringing phone, before tossing it back onto the seat.  She wasn't ready to talk to him.  She knew she'd have to eventually, but she still had a few more hours before he'd be home and she had every intention of ignoring him until that time came.

She pulled to the front curb of her home, and placed her car into park.  She grabbed her purse as she reached for her phone.  Once in her hand, she saw the front screen illuminated.

New Text Message From

ZAC

I really hope that you are ignoring me and that nothing's happened to you.  I've been calling you since you left and you haven't picked up or replied to any texts.  Taylor said he can't get a hold of you either.  Not cool.  We obviously have a lot to talk about.  But for now please let someone know you're alive.

Kayla felt bad, instantly.  She hadn't even realized what they must have been going through not being able to reach her after she'd left the wedding.  She'd returned to her hotel room and had asked the concierge to arrange to get her on the first available flight back.  She hadn't thought about what Zac had gone through when he returned to their room and she and her things were gone.  

She hit the "reply" button on her phone and stared at the blinking cursor for a moment while she gathered her thoughts.  She typed a quick message before shutting the phone and making her way towards her front door.  Once inside she put her things on the couch and went into the kitchen.  She grabbed a water bottle and twisted it open a she walked back into the living room.  She took a drink of water and sat down on the couch.  She took a few deep breaths before turning on the T.V. and laying her body down.  She felt her eyelids getting heavy and allowed herself to close them.  Exhaustion began to take over and she allowed herself to relax for the first time in days.

**********

Zac jumped when he felt his phone buzz as he was putting it back into his pocket.  He'd been calling and texting Kayla constantly for the past two days with no response to either, so he certainly wasn't expecting to hear back from her almost right after sending his last text.  He pulled out his phone and flipped it open, revealing the text she'd sent him.