The Start of a Beautiful Family Bond

The Start of a Beautiful Family Bond

After the confrontation with Harry and Naomi the six teens ordered some burgers and fries along with some milkshakes. As they ate Zack kept looking at Heather as though she had grown two heads. Finally the wealthy heiress had enough of the staring, “What? Do I have something on my face?” Zack blushed, “S-Sorry, I think it just really hit me.” Heather, Ashley and Vicky tilted their heads as Heather asked, “What hit you?” Zack fidgeted nervously and Chloe gently rubbed his back to urge him to continue, “That you really are serious about mending the bridge between our families.” Ashley put a hand on Heather’s arm to prevent her from having an outburst, “Let him finish Heather.” Zack smiled appreciatively at Ashley, “I know how that sounds Heather and I am sorry, but it also just hit me that I really want to mend the bridge between our families.”

Heather frowned, but motioned for him to continue, “Besides what you said about growing up in a lonely house, I also realized that in a way I did too. Taylor was two years older than me and though we got along fine, we always had that older/younger sibling relationship. I always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling my age. Chloe, Paris and Gavin were the closest thing I had, but I feel like if whatever happened between our fathers hadn’t happened we would have grown up together like siblings. Though I wouldn’t trade meeting Chloe, Gavin and Paris for anything, I can’t help but want a closer, maybe almost sibling relationship with my cousin.” Chloe had tears in her eyes, as did the other girls when Zack revealed he wouldn’t trade knowing them for anything. Heather herself wiped away a stray tear, “So what you meant by it just really hitting you, you meant the whole situation. The fact it is really happening.” Zack nodded self-consciously. Heather smirked, that trade mare smirk that made one wonder if she was planning something devious or being sultry, “Well believe it buster! I want to know my cousin and my aunt and uncle and even if we have to start by just having me come to your house for dinner or you coming to mine we will fix things somehow.”

Zack smiled and nodded, “I would like that, but let’s take things one step at a time yeah? I’m worried what will happen if dad finds out too soon.” Chloe frowned, “With your mom in your corner and helping you keep it a secret for now I don’t think that will happen. Besides, what do you think he will do? Put you on house arrest?” Zack chuckled, “No, I really have no idea what he would do. I have no idea what happened to break dad and Uncle Robert apart. All I know is that dad gets really quiet if Uncle Robert or the Ravers family is brought up.” Vicky smiled, “That’s very mature of you Zack. Children shouldn’t have to suffer from their parent’s mistakes or grudges.” Zack’s heart began beating faster at Vicky’s smile and compliment and he blushed, “Th-Thanks Vicky.” Ashley frowned as she looked between the two of them, causing Chloe to quickly change the subject before Ashley began to suspect Zack’s crush, “So what is up with Naomi. I know she is a bitch, but she seemed ready to tear your hair out.”

Heather shrugged, “She is just a petty rich bitch, she is jealous I got voted as cheer captain, so she has decided to declare war on me, whatever that means. I’ve thought about trying to get her kicked off the team, but decided it wouldn’t be worth all the trouble she might cause if I did. Besides, it's just for this year so I can deal with it. What about Cullen? He is a general asshole, but I have never seen him look at someone with such disdain as he did Zack.” Zack fidgeted nervously, so Paris spoke up for him, “We don’t know. Zack’s aunt is Harry’s mother and we know she doesn’t have much to do with their family. Zack has told us his aunt can be uptight, but Zack doesn’t think she would have raised Harry to act that way towards him. We assume something happened between Zack’s Aunt Madelyn and the rest of the family to make her distance herself from them all, maybe unlike you and Zack, Harry has embraced that resentment and uses it as an excuse, but we don’t know for sure.”

Vicky and Ashley looked at Zack with sympathy while Heather looked thoughtful, “That does sound just like something Harry would do. Since we are on the subject of people bullying Zack, what happened between you and Brandon on the first day of school?” Ashley looked surprised, which told Zack she had no idea of what happened, “I-I don’t really want to say anything. It was just a misunderstanding.” Zack wanted to spare Ashley the headache of dealing with what Brandon did and to spare her feelings, Brandon was her boyfriend after all. However, the look in Ashley’s eyes as she looked at Zack were both angry and sympathetic, “Zack, what did my boyfriend do?” Zack sighed, “I guess he thought something more happened with our lunch with Heather, at least that seemed to be the impression he gave off. He seemed to think we were sneaking off behind his back or something. Didn’t you explain to him what was going on?”

Ashley nodded, clenching her fists, “I did and he should know better. I would never do anything behind his back. Hell it wasn’t even any of his business what we were doing, but I told him to avoid him thinking like that and doing something to you.” Zack smiled sympathetically, “I got the feeling that someone told him something, especially since I didn’t even see him at lunch that day, but I don’t know who would want to do that. If it hadn’t been for Kevin we probably would have gotten into a fight, I have no idea who would want to set me up like that.” Vicky frowned, going into her investigative mode, “It could have also been a plan to break Ashley and Brandon up or a plan to hurt Brandon’s reputation and thereby hurting Ashley’s.” Zack frowned, “I suppose, but wouldn’t it have made more sense to enact that kind of plan where a lot of people could see it?” Vicky nodded, “You're right, as far as the hurting of reputation goes. It could still have been a plan to break them up with the mastermind assuming you would eventually tell Ashley, but that is a pretty big gamble.” Chloe nodded, “Especially since, as you saw, Zack wouldn’t want to hurt Ashley by telling her anything. So whoever did it would have to hope Ashley heard something and **** it out of Zack.”

Heather sighed, “I am leaning more towards Zack being the target, but why anyone would want you to get hurt is beyond me. It’s not like you are trying out for a sport and you getting hurt would pave the way for someone else to make the team. Which just leaves someone wanting to hurt you for the hell of it or to watch you suffer.” Zack frowned, “But who would want that to happen? I mean Harry is like the only other person at school, besides Brandon, that gives me any grief and I doubt even Harry would go that far.” Ashley shook her head, “Maybe it is all just a big coincidence. I will talk to Brandon, but phrase the question as though I heard it from someone else. Ask him why he would assume anything more happened than what I told him. If someone did tell him a lie then I will find out who and if it was just him assuming then I will give him a stern talking to. Either way, I am sorry Zack. Brandon really can be sweet, but I think being around his father and the ego that comes with being the star quarterback has gone to his head.” Zack smiled reassuringly, “It’s alright Ash, I don’t blame you, anyway we should do this again. Minus the uninvited guest, I had a really great time tonight.” Chloe and Paris nodded in agreement as did Ashley and Vicky. Heather smiled, “What about next weekend?” Zack nodded with a smile, “I will check with my parents to make sure nothing is planned and get back to you.” Heather smiled and nodded and the teens spent the rest of dinner talking and laughing about random things, like all teens should. They all said their goodbyes, with Zack and Heather giving each other a hug before they all went their separate ways to head home. As they drove home Zack couldn’t contain his smile at what appeared to be the blossoming of a wonderful new relationship with his estranged cousin Heather.