A/N: Hey my lovelies! I'm officially back. Woot woot! First chappie after my one year hiatus, how bout that? ;) Anyways, I just wanted to THANK YOU ALL for the support and encouraging reviews you sent my way when I announced my return (oh my gosh I sound so business-like) and to the fanfic community for welcoming me back with open arms...or eyes? Lol I dunno, I'm weird ^^ Anyways, thank you thank you thank you everyone, and here it is...without further ado...dun dada dun!
- Oh wait, who watches boxing? Anyone? Lol. Pacquiao vs. Bradley fight today...it was interesting? No knockouts though...
Ok, now back to the story, before I get sidetracked again :D
Disclaimer: You guys have seen this enough times in countless stories. You know the gist ;)
CPOV
December 30
I breathe in the gingery scent emanating from the kitchen. I remember visiting the Baxter's home back in San Francisco and noting how welcoming everything felt. Plus, Bex's mom is really cool. I hear Macey and Bex in the dining room, arguing over the shirt Liz bought yesterday. Macey wanted her to buy the satin, crimson shirt, but Bex suggested she go with the pale blue. It's true that the shirt Macey chose was beautiful, but the pale blue was more like something Liz would wear.
As expected, Liz chose the pale blue shirt. Let's just say the fashion aficionado didn't like it when her expertise were ignored.
"Seriously Liz, why would you even listen to her", Macey said snootily.
"Alas, she holds a grudge." Bex replied, shaking her head in disbelief.
Speaking of Bex…
"Becky, can you get me some hot chocolate!" Grant hollered from the living room where the guys were playing on the XBOX.
"Just because we're dating, doesn't mean you can call me Becky!" Bex glared at Grant's head through the wall. I know he was in the other room, but he could probably feel her steely gaze.
"Pretty please Becky?"
"No."
"Come on!"
"Get it yourself!"
"Bex, please?" Grant said dejectedly.
"That's better." Bex smiled smugly to herself, proud that she won the argument.
I roll my eyes at the couple, not quite believing that they'd end up together. I still remember how everyone found out they were together. To say we were shocked would be an understatement…
*flash back*
"So…guys…" Bex was obviously awkward.
Still trying to get the fact through my head. Grant and Bex…dating?!
"If anyone needs me, I'll be in the bathroom. Stupid Zach…" Macey said annoyed, walking out of the room, probably to clean herself up after Zach spat water at her out of shock.
"I'm sorry," Zach mumbled, "It's not like I did it on purpose."
"But you have to admit man, it was hilarious!" Aaron McHenry said, trying to stop himself from laughing, but definitely not succeeding.
"We're waiting Bex." I waited for an explanation.
Bex began to explain as Grant continued to stare at his shoes.
"Well Grant was being really annoying so I charged at him threatening to knee him in the…where it hurts. And so he ran away from me and I caught up. Then I attacked him, and we ended up stumbling into the closet. Then this idiot over here got us locked inside –"
"You sure he didn't plan it?" Zach teased as Jonas and Darren tried to hold back a laugh. Grant looked up to glare at Zach for only a second before returning to his obsession with his shoes.
"Though that does sound very Grant-like, in this case I'll have to say no. It was an accident." Bex replied. "Anyway, one thing led to another and before you know it…well…there you guys were."
"I still don't see where the dating thing started?" Liz piped in.
"Yeah," Macey added walking back into the room. "Where did that come from?"
"Well uhmm…it kinda happened…in the moment…you know…" Bex averted her gaze to the floor, shuffling her feet awkwardly.
"So you guys literally just started dating a few minutes before we interrupted you?" Zach clarified.
"Yeah," Bex quickly replied. "I didn't even realize what happened until you guys confronted us. It was almost like an out-of-the-body experience."
Grant tensed up and moved his eyes to Bex.
"You…you didn't even realize? So you didn't mean it when you said you'd be my girlfriend?" Grant asked, his eyes full of hurt.
"No, that's not what I meant!" Bex said hurriedly, "I just meant that, you know, it happened so fast! Even I was shocked."
Grant stayed silent for a bit, a serious look on his face. Actually, the whole room was silent, sensing the tension in the air. After what seemed like forever, Grant broke the silence.
"Do you regret it?" He asked, his tone broken, probably expecting the worse. The whole room held in a collective breath. My heart went out to the poor guy. He looked so torn.
Bex lifted her eyes to Grant, gave him a soft smile and uttered one word that changed everything.
"No."
*end flash back*
"I said don't call me Becky!" Bex shouted sauntering into the living room.
"Ow! That hurt!" Grant exclaimed a minute after.
I shook my head, a smile on my lips.
Ok…maybe some things didn't change.
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"Gallagher girl! The movie's starting!" Zach called from the living room.
The girls and I were currently in Bex's room, just chatting and hanging out as we waited for dinner. Looks like the boys wanted to watch a movie beforehand.
Well, it makes sense. After all we were going to have a late dinner, around 8:30 pm, and it was only 6.
"Coming!"
We all flew down the stairs and into the living room.
"What movie is it?" Bex asked.
"Elf." Jonas responded with his quiet voice.
"Elf?! But I've watched that movie several times already!" She complained.
"Exactly," Zach replied, "It's a classic."
Bex sat dejectedly next to Grant on the sofa, curling up into him.
"What's Elf?" Liz asked timidly.
Every single person in the room turned their eyes to Liz incredulously. (A/N: Personally, I have watched Elf hundreds of times so I probably won't be able to comprehend someone not having watched it. Even in school, it seems to be a common movie for teachers to play on those last few classes before Winter break. So yeah, lol :D )
"Ok, we are definitely watching this movie." Zach said with a determined tone.
Everyone began finding a spot in the living room. Macey sat next to Darren on the loveseat. I plopped myself next to Zach who was also sitting on the sofa on the other side of Grant. Liz sat next to Jonas who was sitting on the carpet. I noticed how hyperaware they are of the proximity of the other. I'm not sure if they'll be able to pay attention to the movie.
"Remind me again why we're watching a Christmas movie when it's almost the New Year." I asked.
"Because we were too busy recovering from our injuries during Macey's Christmas party to watch a movie then." Grant replied, cringing at the memory.
"Oh come on, it's not like you didn't have fun." Darren said winking.
"Shut up." Grant glared at him. I tried to hold back a giggle.
"Shhh…" Macey said focusing on the screen, "It's starting."
Bex gave her a weird look.
"What?" Macey said defensively, "I'm just thinking about Liz…"
Sure Mace, whatever you say…
I placed my head on Zach's shoulder, as the movie started to play.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Mhmmm, dinner was so good Mrs. Baxter!" Grant exclaimed excitedly.
"Suck up", Zach murmured under his breath. Grant discreetly elbowed Zach as Bex laughed to herself.
I smiled to myself, thinking I'm so lucky to have made friends like these.
"Who wants dessert?" Mrs. Baxter, bringing out the ice cream cake.
"Oooooh me!" exclaimed all the boys, trying to outrun each other as they rushed to Mrs. Baxter and the cake.
"One at a time now boys!" Mrs. Baxter replied, laughing as she tried to calm the boys down.
"Ughh, boys are such pigs." Macey said disgustedly.
"Like you don't want some cake?" Bex taunted.
Macey stuck her tongue out in retaliation. It was obvious she wanted cake too.
"Race ya!" Bex challenged. Macey and Bex raced to the cake, just like the boys had earlier.
"Liz, want some cake?" I said as I turned to Liz. She and I were the only two who were not stuffing our faces with cake yet.
"Uhmm…it's ok. Jonas said he'd get me some." She said shyly, avoiding eye contact.
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"Oh really…Jonas huh?"
Liz quickly raised her head, her face filled with alarm.
"It's not what you think. Jonas is just really nice to me. He-he's a nice guy and the cake was just a friendly gesture. And maybe he knows I'm slow and might r-run out of cake and I know that he may not seem athletic but he's pretty fast maybe it's the small frame and long legs and lighter weight in comparison to the other guys and –"
"Liz," I said, cutting off her rambling. "It's ok. You don't have to explain. It's just cake, I get it."
She breathed a sigh of relief and gave me a shy smile.
I shook my head at Liz's tendency to get overly nervous at everything. But even though they might not know it yet, I'm pretty sure there was more to it than just cake.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
After eating a slice – or two – of cake, I walked out onto the back patio with my hot cocoa. I pull my cardigan tighter around me, as I take in the beautiful, starry night sky.
It got pretty messy in the house. Grant started getting ice cream cake on people's face. Bex was able to avoid most of the attack, leaving Macey as the open target. Of course, she would seek help from Darren, who'd willingly help her, so it became a cake was between Darren and Grant. It's a good thing the fight stayed strictly to the kitchen, otherwise the whole house would be in shambles!
I can faintly hear Mrs. Baxter scolding the guys and I laughed inwardly at the thought of them being forced to eat the kitchen.
Boys are such pigs…
Perhaps Macey wasn't too far off. But hey, the boys – well, Darren at least – were just being chivalrous.
I smiled as I pondered.
Ahhh, chivalry wasn't dead.
"Hey Gallagher Girl…" Zach said quietly, "Am I interrupting your peace?"
I turned around to see Zach walk towards me. He stood next to me, enjoying the cool, night breeze as well. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath of fresh air and sighed with satisfaction.
"No," I chuckled, "It's fine Zach. Though you're right. I don't think I can have any peace when you're around."
Zack laughed. We both stared out into the vast night, staying silent and enjoying each other's company. Then, out of my peripheral, I notice Zach turn towards me.
"Hey Cam…" Zach whispered.
I noted how Zach used my real name. Must be serious, I thought.
"Yeah?"
"I know this might sound extremely cheesy. But…I never thought I could meet someone like you. I mean, the guys are great friends, don't get me wrong. But you…you make me feel, I dunno, different. Like I could be completely real and comfortable around you. So thanks." He said smiling at me.
I gaze into his bright green eyes and smiled.
"Where is this coming from?" I ask dubiously.
"I dunno! Gahhh I'm being so mushy. So…like a girl." Zach said with a weird look.
"Wow Zach. Thanks." I said sarcastically.
"Come on. You know what I mean Gallagher Girl." Zach said with a toothy grin.
I giggled at the stupid look on his face and shook my head.
He can be such a dork sometimes.
"Anytime Zach," I said, reaching out for his hand. "Anytime."
"Hey Gallagher Girl."
"Yeah."
"Remember when I told you that one day you'd fall in love with me. And you said only when pigs fly." He said glancing at me with a mysterious look.
"Yeah?" I asked with an amused expression, not seeing what his point was.
Why was he bringing this up? That was ages ago, and frankly, I knew he was just teasing.
Zach leaned in close, so close I could feel his breath trickle down the side of my face. My breath hitched as he whispered in my ear.
"Don't worry. You won't have to wait too long. I've been training a pig to fly. And, well, I'm sure he's getting there." With that said, Zach walked back into the house, leaving me outside, my head spinning from his close proximity and my brain confused as ever.
That pitter patter of my heart grew louder, making it harder to ignore.
Heart, what are you trying to say?
Tada, and there it is. I put some Zammie in there..we're getting close, don't worry guys. Already planned it..hehe ;) but I wanna take my time. Don't wanna rush their relationship. Because come on, let's be honest, where is the fun in that? :P
Okay so please REVIEW, FAVE, ALERT...it means the world to me, honestly :)
Thanks my lovely readers.
Oh, and let's see if we can get 400 :D Or more! Even better :DD
*Woah, Ana, slow down. Don't scare the readers..*
K, signing out. Till next time! Mwahhhh :) 333
~ Ana xx