Zack and Ashley talk

Zack withdrew himself from Ashley and stood back, gently setting her on her feet. She let him go, fingers slipping away from Zack's hair and across his face. Ashley's guilt grew exponentially, and it must have shown on her face because Zack backed away, terrified at what he had done to his potential girlfriend's best friend. She shook her head at him and grabbed his hand. He paused, confused.

Wordlessly, she gestured to the door. He nodded, picked up his clothes, and closed the door as he left. Zack heard the sound of rushing water again, and decided to wash up himself in the master bath. Grabbing clean clothes, he ventured into the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water countless times, as if he was cleansing himself against the sin he committed. After the fifth or sixth time, he regarded himself in the mirror, but had to turn away. I... can't look at myself right now, he thought, disgusted. He found clean clothes in his bedroom with Victoria

He exited the bathroom to find Ashley sitting quietly on one of the couches in a tightly wrapped bathrobe. She caught his self-loathing gaze with one of surprising sympathy. She patted the seat cushion next to her and, hesitantly, he sat down net to her. She cleared her throat as he did.

"Zack," she began, her voice clear. "First... I want to say that you didn't hurt me. It wasn't ****, it was consensual. I... wanted that to happen."

Zack's mouth twitched. "That doesn't matter Ashley, I shouldn't--"

"Quiet," she said. Her eyes were hard and stern. "I saw you and Vicky last night."

That caught Zack's attention. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," she continued. "I got carried away last night... I saw you Zack, and I had... some very intense fantasies."

"I thought you screamed my name because you had slipped or a bear attacked you or something," Zack replied. Ashley couldn't help but laugh.

"That's... sweet Zack, really. You're sweet. Don't forget that."

"I don't know what how 'sweet' am I now that I fucked you." Zack turned away. "I mean behind Victoria's back! And Brandon's! Fuck!"

Ashley sighed. "I told you this isn't your fault, Zack."

"Yes it is! Damnit, I should've pulled away, god--"

"ZACK STOP." Ashley shouted. He did. "They don't have to know..."

"What?"

"This won't happen again, right?" Ashley's eyes pierced Zack's skull.

"I'm not planning on it."

"Then, since no one saw, and I think now we can keep it ourselves..." Ashley paused. "It doesn't have to affect anything."

Zack mused on that thought, then hastily nodded. "It never happened," he added.

"No, not that. It just won't happen again," Ashley clarified.

"Right." Then Zack flashed the briefest of smiles. "I want to ask Victoria to be my girlfriend."

Ashley grinned. "I... think she already is, Zack. And she's lucky." In more ways than one, she added mentally.

Brandon is too, Zack thought.

They agreed to clean up the house a bit before anyone returned. Afternoon was approaching fast, and everyone else would be coming back for lunch. Unfortunately, in contrast to what they agreed on, both had trouble keeping their end of the bargain. Zack stole glances at Ashley as she bent over to pick up from the floor, and Ashley's eyes gleaned over Zack's torso as he moved furniture to clean behind it. This might be harder than either had imagined.