Bekah

In the following days and weeks, Zack and I did well with the moving on process. I did my best pretending it didn’t happen. I didn’t want to worry about it or cry about it. I wasn’t going to let it happen again, and there was no way to change the past so why let it bother me?

I did, however, have a break down a few days after the incident when I realized how Jake – or whoever – was able to get into the house and bypass the security alarm - I didn’t set the alarm. I kicked Zack out and instead of getting up and setting the alarm I just cried and went to bed. I’m a fucking idiot. Jake – or whoever – was able to get in the house and bypass the alarm because there was no alarm. I’m a fucking idiot!

I did, however, have a break down a few days after the incident when I realized how Jake – or whoever – was able to get into the house and bypass the security alarm - I didn’t set the alarm. I kicked Zack out and instead of getting up and setting the alarm I just cried and went to bed. I’m a fucking idiot. Jake – or whoever – was able to get in the house and bypass the alarm because there was no alarm. I’m a fucking idiot!

None of it matters because I can’t change the past and so there is no use worrying about it. It doesn’t matter that I’m a fucking idiot, correction – I was a fucking idiot because I’m not going to let anything stupid like that happen again.

“Why are you staring at me?” Zack popped one green eye open briefly before closing it and pulling the blankets tighter around him.

I moved closer to him and pecked him on the lips. “Because you’re kind of cute.”

He smiled slightly. “You’re a little cute yourself.” Zack pulled me closer to him and puckered his lips.

I kissed him again, but this time the kiss deepened before we parted. After the kiss, Zack laid his head back down on the pillow, his eyes still closed. “Wake up,” I whispered, shaking him slightly.

“Why are you awake so early?” Zack mumbled.

I smiled, rolling my eyes. “The wedding is today, baby.”

“What wedding?”

I touched his side softly. “Our wedding.”

That got his attention. His eyes popped open and he sat up quickly. “Wait, what?”

I laughed pulling him back down to me. “Your sister’s wedding, love.” He was always so funny when he first woke up.

He narrowed his eyes at me. “I hate you,” he whispers before kissing me.

“You love me,” I peck his cheek before sitting up and reaching for my shirt on the floor.

Zack clumsily grabs it as I try to pull it over my head. “Wait, wait, wait.”

I give him a look. “What?”

Zack stretches exaggeratedly. I stifle a laugh as he twists and turns before he turns back to me. “I think we should do something to help me wake up.”

I smirk. “I’ll go get some coffee ready.”

He smiles before kissing me and pulling my naked body against his. His lips move from my lips to my jaw, neck and then collarbone. A slight moan escapes my lips and he lightly nibbles my shoulder. Zack takes one of my nipples into his mouth, gently sucking and teasing. I begin to stroke him beneath the covers and Zack finds my hip bone with his hand and squeezes it.
Zack and I started having sex again earlier this week. Before, he was scared, more scared than he was before when it came to sex. He was afraid that I would have flashbacks, and he wanted to wait. We had a long conversation, longer than the first one we had. I explained to him how safe he made me feel and how much I loved him and wanted to be with him physically. And my God, I did. Sex with Zack was amazing. Amazing because of how he made me feel, I’ve never been with another man who made me feel as special, loved and important as he did. Sex wasn’t just sex with Zack, it was so much more and I loved it; I needed it; I craved it.

“We have stuff to do,” I tell him, biting my lip because even though my lips are suggested we stop, my body wants nothing more than to continue. “You’re going to make us late.”
Zack grinned. He knew me all too well. “I’ll make it quick,” and with those four words he pushed himself in with me. My eyes roll into the back of my head with the first thrust and I dig my nails into his tattooed arms.

“Not too quick,” I breathe.

Zack chuckles, gripping the pillows above my head as he quickens his pace. My hands caress as much of his body that I can reach. He buries his head into my neck and I run my hand through his thick black hair. He nibbles, sucks and full-on bites my neck as I wrap my legs around his waist and bite his shoulder.

He raises up and smiles at me. He squeezes my breasts and slows his pace. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

I chuckled. “Momma always said not to trust boys that only compliment me during sex.”

Zack snorted. “Shut up.”

“Especially if they have pretty eyes,” I grin.

Zack shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. “I’m never complimenting you again.”

I run my hands down his arms and allow them to linger on his which were still on my breasts. He lets go and entangles his fingers with mine before pressing them into the pillows on the side of my head. “Oh, I’m sure we’ll have sex again at some point,” I remark.

“God, I hate you,” Zack tells me before kissing me.

---

A few hours later we were dressed and heading for the wedding. Zack’s sister, Zina, and her fiancé, Michael, were getting married at noon on the beach. Neither one of us were in the wedding so we were looking forward to day drinking, and making out in the bathroom – oh, and sending off the newlyweds.

“I can’t believe they’re going to Bora Bora,” I exclaim. “I’m so jealous.”

Zack had his left hand on the wheel and his right was holding mine over the car’s middle console. “Babe,” he smiled, “you do realize we can go to Bora Bora if you wanted, right?”

I shake my head. “Aren’t you afraid I’m using you for your money?”

He shrugs. “I only tell you you’re pretty when we’re having sex; you’re using me for my money, I think we’re a pretty great couple.”

I laugh. “Shut up.”

We arrive at the beach and walk the little ways to where the wedding is being held. It was gorgeous. The couple decided on a wedding that was more laid back, and instead of dozens of chairs, there were cushions strategically placed in front the most beautiful archway which was draped with lace and flowers.

Zack and I slip off our shoes near a sign with decorative arrows that reads: Shoes here; Vows there; Love everywhere and move towards the group of people. Zack brings my hand to his lips and I sign our names to the guest book.

“Mom,” Zack calls, he winks at me before letting go of my hand and walking over to his parents who are talking to other family members. I finish signing our names and look out into the group of people. The wedding didn’t start for another half hour so everyone was still standing around in conversation.

“Hey, gorgeous,” I hear from behind me. I turn, grinning when I see a familiar dimpled smile.

“Matt,” I pull him into a hug immediately as Val begins to write in the guestbook. “How was your trip?”

“Beautiful,” Val answers. “I love Ireland.”

Matt nods. “She wants to move.”

“What?” I ask, shocked.

Val steps back into my view, shaking her head. “I want to buy a vacation home.”

“Same thing,” Matt shrugs. Val waves a dismissive hand before waving to someone far off and dismissing herself. “So, how have you been?”

I nod. “Really good. Things are going back to normal which is all I want.”

“I’m glad,” He told me. “Has Zack mentioned that they’re wanting us to leave for tour again?”

I nod again. He had told me. He had also told me he didn’t want to go because he didn’t want to leave me. “Yeah,” I reply. “He wants me to come, I told his he’s being foolish.”

“No,” Matt gives me a look. “He’s not being foolish, Bekah. Look at everything that has happened to you in the last year. He would be foolish to not want you to come.”

“I can’t live my life in fear, Matt. We have to move on.”

Matt places his hand on my shoulder. He takes in my face for a moment like he’s trying to recognize me before opening his mouth. “I know that, Bekah. He’s not trying to make you live in fear, I think he’s the one scared. Maybe he’s the one living in fear but you can’t blame him. He just wants to make sure you’re okay at all times. He loves you.”

“I know.” I break my gaze from him and he pulls me into a hug.

“We all love you, Bekah.”

“I love all of you as well,” I murmur into his chest.

We pull apart and he gives me another dimpled smile. “I better go find Val. I’ll talk to you after the wedding, okay?” I nod, smiling and watch as he heads off in search of his wife.

I look around, trying to find Zack in the mass of people. Finally, I find him standing near his brother and a long-legged brunette which I suspected to be his brother's date. I begin to make my way over to them when my phone begins to ding repeatedly. Confused as to why my phone was in a frenzy, I pulled it out of my purse and looked at it. Eight, nine, ten, fifteen text messages from a blocked number.

If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave him.

I read the message over and over again. I’m in the middle of reading it for the umpteenth time when my name is called. I look up to see Zack walking up to me. Quickly, I lock my phone and shove it into my purse.

Zack kisses me briefly. “We should get seated.” I nod as he takes my hands and leads us to a couple of cushions close to the front.

“Did you threaten the groom yet?” I ask him with a smile, attempting to distract myself from the text message.

Zack grins devilishly. “Only for the last few days.”

I smile but don’t reply. I go over the text message in my head again as if there was some sort of secret message in it I hadn’t understood before. I didn’t know who sent it, or why they sent it. It’s probably just someone’s way of a sick joke. A really, really sick joke.

Maybe it was just some fan who just happened to get my phone number and is jealous. Yeah, that’s it. No big deal, no reason to freak out or mention it to Zack. It’s not a big deal; just some stupid joke. I’m going to delete the message as soon as I can and move on, forget about it.
The wedding was beautiful and Zina was the most gorgeous bride. Zack kept staring at me throughout the ceremony and I wondered if he could sense something wrong with me. I would turn to him, give him a small smile which he would return and we would turn our attention back to the ceremony only for him to start staring at me a few moments later.

“Let’s go out tonight. We can go out to dinner, go watch a movie. We haven’t had a date night in a really long time.” Zack suggested as soon as the bride and groom sealed the deal with a kiss.
I turn to him, grinning. “The wedding has you feeling a little romantic, huh?”

Zack chortled. “I guess you could say that.”

I kiss him, first gently and then it deepens. “I’d love to go out with you tonight,” I mumble.

---

Zack and I haven’t been on a date night since the break in, so I was excited, to say the least. I loved date night with Zack, I loved romantic settings and really, I just loved being with him. He was able to get us into our favourite restaurant too, which just made the date so much better. Both of us loved to dress up, so he wore a grey long sleeve, button up shirt with a black tie and black slacks and dress shoes; and I wore a black lace dress that reached my mid-thigh and had a slight plunging neckline and nude heels.

“God damn.” Zack arched a brow when I walked down the stairs to meet him in the living room.“How the fuck did I get so lucky?”

I laughed, grabbing my clutch and kissing him on the cheek. “Such a gentleman.”

Zack pulled me back to him when I pull away and kisses me on the lips. “You look beautiful,” he murmurs against my lips before kissing me again.

We’re seated at the restaurant right away. The table is in a more secluded part of the restaurant, near a corner out of view from most windows. I wondered if Zack requested this table for any certain reason but decided not to bring it up. Zack and I ordered a bottle of wine when the waiter showed, and then glanced down at our menus. Zack seemed nervous, and I was reminded of the text message that I received at the wedding. Had Zack received a text too? Surely not, because it was all just a joke. No big deal. Just a sick joke.

We order our meals and discuss the wedding. Zack brings up Bora Bora again, suggesting we go for vacation sometime this year and I agree. Honestly, Zack and I could go to Los Angeles for vacation and I would be happy. I just loved being with him. He was what kept me going in life. I don’t know what I would do without him.

“We would have to go after I get back from tour,” Zack tells me. He takes a bite of his steak, avoiding my gaze.

“Oh, are you guys for sure going?” I asked him.

Zack nods. “We got the news today, right after the wedding.” He’s still avoiding my gaze.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him.

He sighs. “Please, come with me? Don’t think of it as a I’m afraid of leaving you alone type of thing, but more of an I don’t want to leave you again type of a thing.”

I can’t help but smile. Jesus Christ, he is so fucking adorable. “I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll take it.”

Zack and I chit chat through the rest of the dinner until dessert when he stands up abruptly. “I’ll be back.”

“Wait, what?” I half laugh. “Where are you going?”

He shakes his head. “Finish your dessert, I’ll be back.” And with those final words, he walks off.

I stare down at my trifle awkwardly, wondering where he was wondering off to and why it couldn’t wait a few minutes. I shrug it off after a moment and take a spoonful of deliciousness into my mouth. After a few bites, Zack returns looking anxious.

“Babe, are you okay?” I ask.

He nods. “I’m fine, are you ready?”

I nod and takes my hand, helping me from my seat. We leave the restaurant and Zack opens the car door for me. “Zack, are you sure you’re okay? You’re making me nervous.”

He laughs, pecking me on the lips. “Don’t be nervous. Everything is fine.”

“Um, okay.”

We get in the car and he begins to drive off. We don’t speak until he passes our street. Where is he taking us? “Zack, our street.”

“What?”

“Our street…you passed it.” I replied. What was going on? He seemed so distracted.

“Oh, we’re not going home.”

“Okay…? Care to tell me what’s going on? And don’t tell me nothing is wrong Zack, because I can tell when something is wrong and something is wrong! We…” Zack pulls into his parents’ driveway. “Zack, what…”

Zack gets out of the car, and I sit there for a moment. The lights inside the house are off and the car is missing from the driveway so I know they’re not home. What were we doing here? I open the car door and step out. Zack is standing on the porch, waiting and I approach him.

“This is where I spent part of the most amazing night of my life,” Zack announced.

“Zack…”

“Wait,” he interrupted. I nodded, giving him the go-ahead. He took a deep breath before continuing. “Before this night – prom night, I knew I loved you. I loved you but I knew I couldn’t have you, I knew we couldn’t ruin our friendship because if things were to not work out, I wouldn’t have been able to lose you. And then, prom night came and I know it sounds cliché, but it really was the best night of my life.”

I smile. “Zack, that was a long time ago, why…?”

“I know. It was a long time ago. So, I’m hoping to replace it with another best night of my life. Tonight.”

My heart nearly jumps out of my chest when Zack moves down onto one knee and he pulls a small box out of his pocket.

“I never want to live another day without you. I want you by my side until the day I die. I want to wake up with you every morning, and kiss you good night every night. I love you, Bekah. I want to marry you.” He opens the box and there inside is a ring. A beautiful white gold ring with a single diamond. Simple and beautiful, my dream ring. “Marry me, Beks? I promise I will protect you and love you with my whole heart and…”

I kiss him. I don’t even remember pulling him up to his feet but my hands are wrapped in his tie and I’m pulling his body to mine and I’m kissing him.

“I love you,” I whisper against his lips. “I love you, I love you.” I kiss him again.

“Is that a yes?” Zack smiles. His lips brushing against mine as he speaks.

“God, yes.”

Notes

Engaged! Yay!

I sat down this week and finished the outline for this story so I knew when it was going to end and whatnot. And, well, there's 2.5 chapters left! It will end at chapter 15. They will be a little longer than they have been, though. I think this chapter has 3050 words, and the next two have around 2500-3000 words. Most chapters in this story have been around 1500-2000 i think so, a little longer than most. Anyways, Lots of stuff will be happening, so that's exciting! Will it be a happy ending? It's already written, so I know! What do you guys think?

Thank you so much for reading. Thank you to kaylakakes, Hollie, imagine fiction, foREVer-A7X, a7xdeathbats6661, and Cheyenne16 for commenting!

Title credit: Avenged Sevenfold "Tonight the World Dies"