I Don't Belong in This Club - COMPLETED

"You can call me for anything"

The Following Night

Mia's POV

It was about two AM when I heard my phone go off.

I rolled over and pushed Tyler's arm off of me so that I was able to grab my phone. Zach was calling.

"Zach it is two AM why are you calling me?"

"Look can I ask a favor please?"

"What could you POSSIBLY need at 2AM?" I asked him, slightly annoyed he'd called at such an ungodly hour.

"Look I got into a car accident and-"

"-ZACHARY YOU WHAT?!" I said, having a mini heart attack.

"Relax. I'm fine. I just need you to pick me up they towed my car."

"Zach I'm an HOUR away why don't you just call the guys?" I asked.

"They aren't picking up."

I sighed, "Fine. I'll be right there."

An Hour Later

I pulled over at the garage and Zach got up and walked over.

"Thank you so much." He said, getting in the car.

"Zach why are you even out driving this late?" I asked him as I began to take him home.

"I don't know I was just...thinking."

"And you had to go out and drive to do that? You could've been seriously hurt, Zach."

"Relax I just hit something and got a flat it wasn't that big of a deal."

"Well it's a big deal to me." I told him.

"I don't know why. I'm not your top priority."

"Are you STILL mad about Tyler?? Seriously??" I asked him.

"I'm not mad. I'm just..."

"Jealous?"

"I don't wanna do this right now just take me home."

I shook my head and continued to drive in silence.

"Seriously, Zach. What were you doing out so late?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Look, just stop asking me about it ok?!" He snapped, yelling at me.

"I'm sorry...I...I didn't..."

"It's fine I'm just..." He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.

I looked at him. He looked...upset about something...I just didn't know what.

"Do you want me to bring you home or do you want me to take you back to where we're staying and we can talk?" I asked, looking at him, concerned and not knowing what was going on.

"I don't wanna go home..." He said, keeping his eyes closed, quietly, indirectly answering the question.

I nodded and changed the direction I was going in.

At Mia's

I brought over and handed Zach a cup of tea and sat on the couch next to him.

"Thanks. I appreciate it. I'm sure this isn't what you thought you'd be doing right now." He said, giving me a light smile.

"I mean, you're right. I didn't think I'd be up sitting in the living room of our airbnb talking to you at..." I checked the clock. "3:30am" I said, laughing.

He laughed lightly and took a sip of the tea and then both of us got quiet.

"Alright Zach. What's going on." I asked him.

"I thought I wanted to talk about it but now I don't want to." He said, looking into the cup of tea and swirling the bag of tea around.

"Ok. We can just sit here then until you're ready for me to drive you home." I told him.

We sat in silence for about ten minutes before he spoke up.

"It happened two years ago today." He said, still looking at the tea.

"What happened?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Remember in the park when you mentioned something about my past girlfriends and I got all...all quiet?" He asked me.

I nodded.

"Well...it uh...it wasn't a bad breakup...My uh...my ex passed away two years ago today." He said, his voice slightly breaking.

"Oh Zach..." I said, moving closer to him, "I'm so sorry I didn't..."

"No. Of course not." He said, shaking his head.

"How did it..."

"She had cancer."

"Oh..." I felt so bad for him. I couldn't imagine what that felt like.

"Look I'm not broken ok?" He said, looking at me, "I'm just..."

"Still grieving?" I asked him.

He nodded, a tear falling down his cheek.

I moved even closer to him and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm really sorry Zach. I can't imagine how hard that was." I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

"It was so fucking hard." He said, his voice shaking. "I try...every month I try...to go down to visit her grave and I almost didn't make it there today so I freaked out and took the car and that's when...when I..." His voice trailed off.

I didn't say anything but kept rubbing his back to comfort him.

I turned to face him, "What do you need Zach?"

"What?" He asked confused.

"What do you need from me." I asked him. "What do you need from me that can help make this easier?"

"I just...I just need a friend." He said, "And I know the guys are there for me I do but...I just need you to be there." He said.

"I'm always gonna be here." I told him, and outstretched my pinky.

He looked at me, confused.

"Have you never pinky promised before?" I said, laughing.

He smiled and wrapped his pinky around mine.

"I pinky promise I'll always be here for you." I told him, giving him a smile.

"And I promise the same." He said, locking eyes with me.

His face was inches from mine. My eyes lingered on his lips for a split second and then back to his eyes.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

"Of course. You can call me for anything." I said, giving him another hug.

God help me.