"Can you quiz me one more time," Mariana asked Callie who was sitting at the computer?

"Mariana, I've already quizzed you twice today," she turned back to the screen.

Today was the big day. Mariana had been studying for it non-stop. Earlier this year, she joined the Anchor Beach Mathlete Team. It would look good on her college app and she needed an after school hobby anyway. She went through her flashcards again.

"Mariana, how long ago did you send this," Callie asked paging down.

"You wouldn't have to look so long if you'd just read it when I sent it to you."

Mariana had sent Callie her college essay months ago and now that she was on break she was finally getting around to reading it. Callie continued to scroll when she was intrigued by a surprising recipient.

"You've been talking to Zac?"

It took her a second to figure how Callie came to that conclusion. "There is no talking," she walked over to look for the email herself. "We talked a couple times…Why are you even looking at it?"

Callie chuckled in unbelief, "you are the one that wants me to proofread your essay; I can't help it if I come across old emails to your ex-boyfriend."

Mariana tried typing Callie's email address in the search bar.

"If you don't want me seeing them, why don't you just delete them?"

"No," Mariana was quick to retort!

"Why not? I mean it's over between you two isn't it?"

"Of course, but,"

"But what?"

Mariana quit searching and looked at Callie. "We emailed right after he left for Arizona. But he hasn't sent me anything in a while."

"Well, why don't you send him one," Callie asked?
"No. We can't keep going back and forth, you know? It's best we just stop talking so we can move on."

"Are you saying you'd still be with Zac if he was here?"

"No that's not what I'm saying," she huffed. "It's just…you know how it's harder to get over someone when it wasn't your choice? Like if they break up with you or…they move away," she said sadly?

"…Yeah I know what you mean."

"I'm not saying I was gonna end up with him or anything," she sighed walking back over to her jewelry box, "but it was nice to have someone, you know?"

"You have people," Callie told her. "Like six."

"It's not the same," Mariana shook her head. "You're off at college, Jesus and Jude have their own group of friends, which besides who wants their only friends to be their siblings, and Brandon's like never here. And Moms, you know, are Moms. I just haven't had a real friend in a while. And it gets lonely, you know."

Callie looked at her sadly, knowing how she felt, but not having anything she could say to make her feel better. She tapped on the mouse, her face immediately forming into a grin.

"Mariana! Are you sure you actually sent the email?"

"Yes, I am sure!"

"Because, I just found it saved in your drafts," Callie stated.

"…Oh," realization came across her face.

"Mom, can I see your keys," she walked down the steps?

"Yeah, they're on the kitchen counter," Lena answered not moving from the couch. "And can you fill my tank with gas please? My purse is also there in the kitchen."

"Yeah, no problem."

"Good luck at the competition."

Mariana pulled her car into Citgo Gas Station and up next to a pump. She got out and went in to pay, but decided she wanted to get a bottle of water before heading to the competition. She went over to the refrigeration section and as she was looking, she glanced over when a black-tee turned the corner. She looked again and this time she froze. She was surprised, confused, and inquisitive all at the same time.

"Zac?"

The guy turned and surely enough it was him.

"Uh, hey," he smiled shyly.

"What are you doing here," she walked towards him?

"I'm in town for the weekend. My dad and I are staying at the hotel up the road and he wanted me to pick up some snacks."

Mariana had trouble finding her words. "…How are you?"

"I'm good," he nodded. "How are you doing?"

"Good. How's everything going; how is school," she asked her questions a mile a minute? "I know you didn't like it much last time we talked."

"Better. I've made some new friends since I joined the Drama Club.

"That's great," she smiled. "I guess some things never change."

"Yeah," he chuckled lightly. "Well, it was great seeing you," he turned to leave.

"Zac!" He turned back.

She might have said something more. She may have asked if they could continue their talk elsewhere. Anything to keep talking to him. But instead she just said:

"It was great to see you too."

So he went on his way and she on hers to the Mathletic competition, where they came in third. As she was on her way home after celebrating with the team, she couldn't help but think about Zac and how she wanted to talk with him again. She got to a light and she, still having his number, shot him a quick text asking if she could come to the hotel as she was in the neighborhood.

"I was surprised when you texted," he said letting her in.

"Do you not want me here," she asked nervously?

"No, of course I do," he was quick to respond.

"It's just, I thought we could catch up."

"Oh, ok," he said surprised, "but my dad is gonna be back soon and we're going somewhere."

She opened her mouth to speak. "Are you…are you trying to get rid of me?"

"No—"

"Because, I've kind of felt like you've been avoiding me. I mean you stopped writing and, today at the gas station…?"

"Mariana, I honestly didn't think you'd want me to keep emailing. I thought I was beginning to be a bother."

"No," she shook her head. "I liked when you wrote. Just to know how things were going. And to keep talking to you" she admitted.

Zac smiled.

"Can we just hang out? Like before. A lot has happened since we last talked," she went to sit down.

"Oh, I actually am going somewhere with my dad, so—"

"Right," she understood heading for the door. "But um, can we hang out before you leave?"

"Yeah, I really want to," he expressed. "I'll text you."

When Mariana got home she changed out of her uniform, got Callie's critique and notes, and now she was taking a break from perfecting her paper. She opened the fridge to grab a snack just before the bell rang. She trudged over to the door and answered it, taken aback by the visitor.

"What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in," Zac asked rushed?

"Yeah sure," she made way for him to enter. "I thought you were going somewhere with your dad," she said closing the door.

"I was going to see my mom," Zac blurted out.

"What," Mariana said totally shocked? "Have you seen her since you left?"

"No. My dad dropped me off at the home she's staying at…but I kinda freaked out. I don't know how she's gonna react or if she's even going to remember me. And I'm scared she doesn't want to see me."

Mariana stayed quiet, letting him get out his worries and talk through his fears.

"Where does your dad think you are now," she asked trying to think of what to say?

"Last he saw me, I was walking into the building. And now I'm here," Zac forced a grin.

Mariana gathered her thoughts trying to figure out what she could say to help him and then she got it:

"When I met with my birth mom, I didn't know what to expect. I was really excited, but also really nervous. And by the end of it, I was left feeling disappointed."

Zac watched her intently, sadness in his eyes, while he still felt uneasy about the meeting with his mom.

"I caused a lot of problems, which is another story. But if I never went to meet her, I'd never know and I'd be left wondering what could have been. You don't wanna have to wonder if you could ever build a relationship with your mom again."

Zac sat nervously staring at the building from the passenger seat of Mariana's car.

"Ok. Here goes nothing." He got out of the car slowly walking up to the double doors.

He walked in going to the check in.

"Hello," the desk clerk said recognizing him from earlier, "what can I help you with?"

"Uh, I um, I'm here to see my Mom. Amanda Rogers."

He was taken back through a long hallway, too long to control his nerves, all the way to her room.

It was like time stopped. He felt so many emotions in that moment. Fear. Concern. Speechlessness.

"Amanda," the worker said causing her to turn away from a window. "You have a visitor."

Her face filled with emotion and then she said it:

"Zachary."

Disappointment covered Zac's face.

"Zac," she repeated. "Zac, you're here," she walked towards him!

"Yeah," he stated letting go a relieved exhale.

"My baby," she brought her hand to the side of his face as she gave a heartfelt smile.

Zac had to wipe a falling tear now. He didn't know how great it'd feel to see her again.

"Hey," Zac stood on the other side of her door for the second time that day.

"Hey, come in," Mariana invited.

"Sorry for not calling, but I wanted to let you know how it went," he said beaming.

"I'm guessing well by the look on your face."

"We talked for hours," he confirmed, "and she's doing…alright. Thanks for talking me into it."

"Hey, it's all you," she shook her head. "Deep down you knew you wanted to see her again. I'm glad it went well."

"But still," Zac said, "thanks. Uh, I should get going. I came right here and my dad's in the car waiting."

"Ok. I'll talk to you later?"

"Definitely"

The next day, on the last night before he went back to Arizona, Zac called Mariana asking if they could hang out at the bowling alley.

"Hey," she walked up with Callie! "I hope you don't mind I brought Callie. She had nothing better to do," she joked in the girl's direction.

They got their shoes and a lane and were setting the names in the computer.

"Hey," she heard someone call over!

She walked over to the group. "What are you guys doing here," she directed towards Jesus in the group of he stood in along with Jude, Emma, and Connor?

"Bowling, what's it look like," he said sarcastically. "So can we join you?"

"Sure."

"Great. I'm on Mariana's team," he told the rest!

They laughed and joked and cheered whenever they got strikes. And Zac had gotten better at bowling…only a little. They had a fun night. And for the first time in a really long time, Mariana felt like she had people. She had people who'd be there for her in her worst moments and when she just needed a good smile.

"Hey, I'm really glad we're hanging out again," Zac leaned over.

"Me too"

"I miss this," he said; "us being friends."

"We never weren't," she assured him. "We are totally friends."

I had a mental battle on how to end this. I understand Zac was not going to be Mariana's only boyfriend and that they weren't extremely serious on the show. To end this one-shot fic, I wanted them to end up as friends who still keep in contact, but for Mariana to have her moment with Callie where she expresses how she's not completely over her first break up. You can interpret it in any way you want and I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the fic. Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, & followed! That is all for this fanfic. Have a marvelous day! (:

One more thing: I named this chapter after a song by The Script. I thought a lot of the lyrics fit the chap. with Zariana, Zac and his mom, and Mariana especially. And unrelated to the song, it goes along with her feeling like she has friends for the first time in a long while.