Forever and Always ✔️

Chapter thirty six - Zack/Penelope.

Should it bother me that she never said I love you? I mean, I didn't even know if she did. Shaking the thought out of my mind, I walked beside Penelope hand in hand across the football field.

The sun was glaring down on us, making it unbearable but we found a shady spot underneath a tree outlooking the entire field. "Zack?" Penelope asked as she was lying on me as I sat up against the tree.

"Yeah?" I asked, I couldn't hide my curiosity. She always had something mind blowing to say.

"I wasn't completely honest with you about my past." The shyness was coming out in her voice. I gazed down at her and saw that she wasn't staring back but staring at the clear blue sky. "I mean, everything I told you happened but some things I left out that I'm not exactly proud of."

I interrupted her, feeling guilty for getting angry at her the other day. "You don't have to explain, tell me when you're ready."

She sighed and lied her hands on her stomach. "No, I want to tell you even though I'm afraid of what you'll think of me afterwards."

I wanted to tell her that I was not that guy, I wanted to make sure she was comfortable with this but instead, I let her continue. "After my mom died, I grieved in a different way and not the 'cry in my bedroom all day' type grief but the 'go to every party to get drunk' type grief." I hadn't even seen this coming but that explained everything. It explained why she didn't drink at the cabin or went to parties with me and why she was being so secretive about it.

"I got drunk. A lot," she said, her voice shaky, "to the point where I couldn't even walk because I was too drunk. It was a regular thing for me, every night I would take Sean and Madison out drinking and sometimes, I would steal my dads beer." I stared at the football field, watching teams train and the birds chirping in the summer sun; just listening to what she was saying. "After a month, Sean dumped me at the very last party I ever went to." She sighed, tears swelling up in her eyes. "The next morning, my dad admitted me to rehab for my problem and I stayed there for months. Madison barely spoke to me and I had no one."

My mind froze at the part where she went to rehab. I couldn't see it. I couldn't see her in pain like she was. "Say something, please." She spoke, interrupting my ongoing thoughts.

"I wish I was there for you," I said, feeling like an idiot for pushing her so much, "I'm so sorry you had to go through it alone."

She took my hand and looked up into my eyes. "Don't be, it was just a little speed bump in my life." I honestly didn't expect her to tell me all of that. She completely opened up to me like no one ever had before and considering her awful past, it must have been hard to go through it again. I could really kick Sean's arse though. Speaking of that jerk, was he even around or did he go back to Texas?

I hoped he was gone for good because if I saw his face again, I was going to lose it.

Penelope's POV

After Zack dropped me off home, I rang Madison. I had a feeling that she was all behind Sean coming to Miami where I just happened to move to in the same week she was coming.

A few rings later and she picked up. "Hello?"

I got the courage to speak and when I did, it sounds more like a squeak. "Hey."

"Penelope?" She said, sounding surprised, "I didn't think you'd call."

"Neither," I admitted, walking over to the couch and lying down, looking at the photo of my mom on the small fireplace.

"I feel so guilty for leaving so soon and the way I left things, I'm sorry." She sighed over the phone, making me tear up because she was behind Sean coming here.

"Did you-" I wanted to ask her, I really did and I had to. I needed to. "Did you ask Sean to come here, to get back together with me?"

She didn't speak and that was when I knew that it was true. "Penelope, let me explain."

"Go ahead." I mumbled, not having the energy to argue anymore.

She paused for a few seconds before she spoke. "Sean was really missing you. He would come to my place drunk and he would cry and I mean, a lot. All of my tissues were gone after that. Anyway, I told him that Austin and I were going to see you and he should tag along to try and get together with you again because you both were very happy and I wanted to see you smile again," she took a deep breath and continued, "I honestly had no idea that you and Zack were even a thing, I thought you two were just friends."

"We weren't together until that night at the rodeo," I explained, "he kissed me and I was so surprised, I kissed him back but Maddie, I'm in love with him and I wouldn't go back with Sean because he left me when I needed him the most."

I could picture her face, tears swelling up in her eyes because of the mistakes she had made. "I know that now and I'm so sorry but Penelope, he hasn't come back to school yet. I think he's still in Miami."

My eyes widened. This was just great, he was going to get in the way of my relationship with Zack and what I told him about Sean made Zack really angry. "Then, what is he still doing here?"

"I don't know but you know what Sean can be like. He's stubborn as heck and he won't let this one go. Gosh, I'm an idiot." She said.

"You're not. You thought what you did was right and that's why I love you, I'm so lucky to have you as friend." I said with a small smile, happy that Madison was not angry with me anymore.

I guess we were even.

*

Funnily enough, I was staring right into my ex boyfriends eyes. I didn't realize how much hurt he had in them and when Maddie told me the story, I could totally see it now.

He hurt. I could see that now. But I was hurt too. He abandoned me when things got tough, he only cared about getting laid so why was he hurt? "Sean," my voice was weak, "why are you still here?" That question had been lingering in my brain ever since I saw him on the beach, just watching the waves.

He seemed down and that was odd because Sean was never down. He was the life of the party. "Because," he sighed heavily while looking right into my eyes, "I realize now that I need you more than you'll ever know. I broke your heart, I let you down and that was stupid of me. I should have never let you go, Penelope."

He lifted my chin up as my eyes gazes away from his, if I looked at him then the feelings would all rush back to me. "You can't say that, Sean. It's too late for that, you know I'm with somebody else."

His arm dropped to the ground, a sad yet angry expression crossed his face. "I know, I just miss you is all."

I nodded, not really feeling the same way. Every time I thought of that night at the party, I cringed and I think why I got over him in the first place. "I can't go back to that place, Sean." I smiled sadly, wishing things were simpler. "I'm happy now."

"With Zack?" He said his name nastily as his fist curled up in a ball.

"Not only that," I said, my voice softening, "but with myself. I'm happier now, I've moved past all of that and you should too."

"Moving on isn't that easy, you know that." He said in a whisper.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and gave him a sad look. "I know but it's for the best." He nodded and just before walking away, Zack showed up.