After Zach left that morning, Shaun felt that something bad was going to happen that day. No matter what he thought, he just could not place where these feelings were coming from. Cody came into the living room ready to go to daycare, since Shaun had a meeting with his publicist for most of the day.
"Shaun, do you need some help with finding something?" Cody asked.
Shaun looked down at him. "No Ankle-biter, I'm just making sure that you're all set and ready to go."
"I am." Cody replied. As he shook his energetic five year old head.
"Okay, let us get going then Codes." Shaun said as he moved to the front door and led the way out. After the trip to the day care, and into his publicist's office Shaun's earlier feeling of something happening was pushed from his mind.
* * *
Zach sat in his seat in his art class. After a moment his desk partner came in and she settled into the desk next to him. "Good, I'm glad that I didn't miss anything. I majorly over slept."
Zach raised an eyebrow. "Tova, I doubt that."
"Zach, please humor me." Tova said as she dug through her bag for her supplies for class.
"Why should I?" Zach asked, as he banged the eraser end of his pencil on his sketch pad.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you're so nice, Zach." Tova said sarcastically.
Zach snorted. "Ok, I'll give you that but what else?"
"Because you said that you would help me study for our Art History class today after class…"
"That's today?" Zach asked, as he looked at Tova in surprised.
"Uh, yeah, oh Zach please do not tell me that you forgot?"
"No, I didn't forget I just wrote down the wrong date." Zach said as he pulled out his planner.
Tova glanced and noticed that Zach did indeed put it down for the wrong date. "Zach, it's okay, if have somewhere you need to be that's cool."
"No, I got time." Zach said as shoved his planner back into his back pack as Professor Katie Marks walked into the class room.
Professor Marks looked around at everyone before she began her opening remarks. "You all have done well on drawing fruit, so I am going to push your artistic abilities to the test and you will all draw from models over the course of the next few weeks. I have both a male and female model for you all to practice with your drawings. You will have until the end of class today to get down your models stance and musculature."
Professor Marks went back to the door and two people walked back in with her and as she closed the classroom doors, they proceeded to walk to the middle of the room. Professor Marks then went and positioned the models as to how they were to stand. After that they removed their robes and were standing nude for the class to sketch.
"You may begin." Professor Marks' voice rang out from the front of the classroom.
Zach looked at the man that was in front of him and decided to work from medium shot view of the man. After Zach had penciled in the man's torso, neck, shoulders, and head he heard a few snickers around him, especially coming from Tova.
Zach tried to ignore her but eventually he looked at her and she had her hand covering her mouth and tears were rolling down her face.
"Tova, what's wrong?" Zach asked.
As she pulled her hand away slightly Zach could tell that she was amused about something. "Are we supposed to draw that?"
Zach looked at Tova like she was mad. "Yes, you're supposed to draw the models."
Through another fit of giggles, and a slightly higher tone that carried a loud whisper. "No, I know that. But the guy got an erection. Are we supposed to draw that?"
Zach was shocked, appalled and humored at all the same time. But the deed was done and Tova's comment reached others ears and the snickering became a slight chuckle through the crowd, but that was apparently too much for not only Tova, because as Tova ducked out of the room a few other classmates followed her out and they could hear laughter coming in from the hall.
Zach just smiled and shook his head and went back to his drawing. After a while Tova came back into the classroom composed and serious and started on her sketch. As Zach drew, he barely noticed her. He was just beginning to start to detail his drawing when Professor Marks announced that class was finished for the day. Zach packed his bag, as Tova just tossed everything into hers.
Once out in the hallway Zach looked at Tova. "You know, I'm surprised that you are able to find anything in there. With the way you just throw it all in there."
"It's called 'organized chaos' Zach. Have you ever been through a woman's purse?" Tova asked teasingly.
Zach thought about that. The only purses that he's ever really been through were Jeanne's and Tori's. But other than that he really hasn't been though one. "No, not really, Tova. I've been through my sister's and my last girlfriend's but other than that no."
"Zach you're a sweetheart." Tova said as she adjusted her backpack and purse on her shoulders. "You are a real gentleman. You know what?"
Zach tensed slightly. "What?"
"I'll buy you lunch today at the cafeteria. It's probably just as bad as fast food anyways." Tova said as she started sorting through her purse.
"Ok." Zach said. "Hey there's Annie."
Tova looked up. "Oh, you mean your secret admirer?"
Zach raised an eyebrow. "She doesn't like me like that."
Tova laughed. "Zach, I swear if you were any thicker…oh hi Annie! How was your class?"
Zach and Tova finally reached Annie, outside the cafeteria. "It was ok. I just came to get something to eat. I have a killer headache since I skipped breakfast." Annie said and she looked at Zach and batted her eyes. "Hey, Zach, are you going to eat with us today?"
"Hi. Umm…yeah Tova offered to buy me lunch." Zach said as she shuffled his feet, as he realized that Tova was right about Annie. The past seven months with Shaun, and Zach realized that he was already missing signals that would have "spoke" loudly to him before.
Tova looked at Zach and smiled. As if to say: "I told you." Annie led the way into the line and she stood very close to Zach. Zach decided that she was going to make the first move since he didn't. Zach took out his phone and sent a quick text to Shaun.
S, do you have advice on girls who r interested in u? Z
Zach prayed that Shaun would get it and would be able to respond. After a few more minutes in line Zach settled on a bag of chips, a ham and cheese sandwich with all the trimmings and milk. Tova got an order of chili cheese fries and some onion rings and big Pepsi and then paid for both hers and Zach's meals. Annie had gotten a salad and plate of grapes and joined them out on the open patio at a table.
Zach took a bite out of his sandwich when the bombshell question was dropped. "Okay, Zach so when are you going to ask me out on a date?" Annie asked.
Tova finished her onion ring. "I told you that she liked you."
Zach finished chewing his sandwich as he considered. Zach knew that Shaun didn't text him because his phone had not vibrated. "Annie, there's something that you should know about me."
"Let me guess, you already have a girlfriend." Annie said, as she looked at Zach.
Zach hesitated again. "Yes. No, it's not really."
"You're married?" Tova offered.
"No, definitely not married." Zach said, feeling even unsure of how to deal with this kind of situation.
"Is it some sort of religious concern?" Annie asked.
"No, it's just that…" Zach began, feeling desperate now.
"Zach, is it because we're not attractive enough for you?" Tova asked.
Zach turned four shades of red. "No, you're both very attractive."
"Is it because my breasts aren't big enough?" Annie asked.
"Are mine too small?" Tova asked. "Because I would love to date you Zach, but you seem to lack any confidence when it comes to asking out women. Did you have a bad break up with your last girlfriend?"
Zach quickly flashed back to how he and Tori broke up. "No. Don't say anything please, for a minute."
Tova and Annie looked at each other. Then they looked at Zach.
Zach took a deep breath and then he exhaled. "The reason that I haven't asked out anyone, is because I'm already in a relationship."
"Ok?" Annie said, "But you said that you weren't seeing anyone."
"No, I said that I didn't have a girlfriend. Look Annie, and Tova I'm gay." Zach said, as he turned red. Zach still didn't feel comfortable admitting that he liked guys. Scratch that a guy, Shaun. Zach looked up and saw the stunned look in both of their faces. Zach knew that he just through a big curve ball at them.
"Okay, now that ice berg has left the Titanic, you're joking right Zach?" Annie asked, as she shook her head of the deer caught in headlights look.
"No, I'm not kidding. He's actually the reason that I'm even here at all." Zach said as he poked at his sandwich now.
"Zach, you really don't come off as the gay type." Tova said. "You really don't. I just that that you had a hard recent breakup was all."
"Well that depends on which one that you want to go with." Zach said.
"What do you mean 'which one'?" Annie asked.
"There was my break up with Tori and with Shaun." Zach stated.
"Whoa hold the bus, you had a boyfriend?" Tova asked.
"Have a boyfriend actually." Zach said. "His name is Shaun."
"Alright Zach spill the beans." Annie said as she sounded excited.
"What?"
Tova glanced at Annie, then back at Zach. "Zach we want to hear about this guy, who seems to have captured you in his web."
"Umm…you want me to tell you about Shaun?" Zach asked nervously.
"No we want you to tell us why you didn't tell us that you are a famous movie star, and who is going to star in the new Star Trek movie as Captain James T. Kirk. Yes, we want to know about Shaun." Annie said as she rolled her eyes. "When did this happen?"
"As in when Shaun and I became an item, or when I realized when I started to have feelings for him?" Zach asked as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Oh I wouldn't miss this for all the tea in China." Tova said as she ran her hands together. "Let's start when you first started to realize that you had feelings for him."
"Well if we're going back that far then this is going to take a while. Something that you should be aware of is that Shaun is the older brother of my best friend Gabe. Gabe and I first met in the second grade, so I was eight years old. Gabe and I quickly became friends and almost inseparable. I only have sister, so Gabe and I quickly bonded like brothers. Well Shaun is eight years older than Gabe and I and Shaun was often left to babysit us. On the weekends Shaun ended up teaching Gabe and I how to surf at his step-dad's house in the rich neighborhood, since I came from the ghetto.
"During those first few days I fell a lot when I was trying to learn how to stay on my surfboard. Shaun was always there to catch me, and when he would catch me I always felt like there was some sort of charge or pull or something, but because I was so young, I didn't realize or know that I was attracted to him. Shaun being 16 felt the sparks, but he didn't act on them. When I was nine Larry took Shaun, Gabe and I to Florida. Shaun being 17 had known for about half a year that he was gay."
Zach paused in his story to take a drink of his milk. He looked at Annie and Tova and realized that he had their complete attention. Their lunches lay forgotten in front of them. Zach took another breath and continued.
"When I had turned ten, Shaun was graduating high school. At Shaun's graduation party, Gabe and I managed to convince a couple of Gabe's neighbors to play street hockey with us on roller blades. Gabe decided that he and I and this other kid would be skins and the other three shirts. During the game I got picked up and tossed into the air as one of the other kids bent in and tossed me. I went into the air and slammed into a parked car and broke my left arm, and then rolled down the pavement where I ended up scratching my arms up and my shoulders. Shaun patched me up at their house, for all of my scratches, but had to take me to the ER for the broken arm.
"After that summer, I didn't really see Shaun for two years. He didn't really come home. But his step-dad and mom took him, Gabe and I to Mexico for two weeks for mine and Gabe's twelfth birthdays, since we're only two weeks apart, where Shaun had volunteered to baby sit and keep an eye on me and Gabe. A year later, when Gabe and I were 13, Shaun bought us wine coolers for a small party that was mainly the three of us and at the time my girlfriend Tori, our first time together. Gabe and I ended up making a big mess and Tori got sick on the deck." Zach paused for another drink.
"Later that night, Gabe had passed out and Tori was asleep, I ended up watching Shaun clean up after us. He noticed that I was still awake and asked if I was ok, and I said that I wasn't feeling too good. Shaun took me into the kitchen and over four pots of coffee got me feeling better. Shaun told me this summer that when he and I talked that night, he's had an ongoing crush on me that I he knew that would not happen, because at the time I was straight, and I was 13 where he was 21. I myself was still pretty clueless about my own feelings towards Shaun at that time."
"Wow," Annie whispered, "this is so romantic."
"Annie, shut up!" Tova said quietly, as Zach paused and blushed again.
"After then, I hadn't seen Shaun for four years. Gabe and I were 17 then and on spring break that year Shaun had showed up at his parent's house, and he helped Gabe and I with out class project video. Shaun taped the show and Gabe and I skated around and acted like idiots. We had entitled the video 'Skate This with Gabe and Zach.' Also at about that time, my sister Jeanne had my nephew Cody, and my mom's health started to deteriorate from being diagnosed with liver cancer, but the doctors said that they hadn't caught it early enough. Mom didn't know she had a problem and the secondary liver cancer then spread and she developed bone cancer." Zach stated, he stopped for a moment to sniff and glance a look both girls, whom both had tears sliding down their faces. Zach quickly looked down at his sandwich then he took a deep breath to steady himself before he spoke again.
"When I was 18 I was accepted here at Cal Arts, but I turned down the scholarship that I had received, because I felt that my place was with my family. I was always helping Jeanne taking care of Cody and our dad. Mom passed away a week before I graduated high school. I spent most of my time with Gabe and Tori initially. But I spent a lot of time at Gabe and Shaun's. Shaun was there for graduation, and when my mom died. I spent almost the whole summer at that beach house. I was so devastated by my mom's death that I fell apart. I felt alone for a long time. Gabe and Tori tried to help lessen the pain that I felt. Shaun helped too, more than I thought any way.
"Shaun, Tori and Gabe finally got me by the end of that summer able to cope with my mom's death. But Shaun moved to Los Angeles and that was the last time I saw him since then. About a year later I was walking by a bookstore in San Pedro and I noticed that Shaun had a book out. I went in and with my tip money from that day I bought it. I really enjoyed the book, but when I got to the part where private eye and the cop that was helping him got together, I jumped out of my own skin for a moment. It was like a few things in the cops character spoke to me about what I was going through. I realized that I kind of liked guys, but it was more out of looking than anything."
Annie blew her nose into a napkin. "Wow, Zach. I'm really moved here."
Tova glared at Annie. "He's not done."
Zach smiled. "Well, since I was 13 up until this year being 22, I've only dated one girl and that was Tori. We constantly fought and broke up and got back together. I think Tori knew before I did where our relationship was and she was just trying to pretend that it wasn't going down that path. But Tori finally said that she was done, which was about the time that I met Shaun again and we had drank a lot and he kissed me and I tried to run away. But after several days, I couldn't handle it anymore and I went back to Shaun and kind of attacked him as he opened the door as I wanted him. Then Jeanne freaked out on me and then I in turn made things difficult between me and Shaun, and creating my own personal hell because Jeanne threatened to take Cody away from me and some other things, but I finally stood up to her and I took what I wanted and I got what I wanted. I got Shaun, Cal Arts, and even Cody. Cody is better off with me and Shaun than he ever would be with Jeanne."
"Zach, that's so moving." Tova said. "I'm sorry that Annie and I put you on the spot like that. Zach when you're ready to introduce us, I 'd like to meet Shaun and Cody; for I would very much like to meet them."
"I would like to do the same here, Zach." Annie said as she dried her eyes.
Zach glanced at his watch. "We got about 15 minutes until Art History. I think we should get a move on."
"Yeah, we better." Annie said.
The three of them gathered up their lunches and tossed them into the trash and then left to go their afternoon classes.
* * *
Shaun was amazed when he got out of his publisher's office early. It was only 2:15 in the afternoon. Shaun checked his phone and saw the text from Zach that was sent about 11:45. Shaun smiled, he was sure that Zach found someway to make it through his predicament.
Shaun climbed into his outback and started it. He made up his mind that he would go home and work until Zach got home with Cody at 4:30. Shaun stopped at a Subway for lunch and went home. After he got into the study he turned on his laptop; he looked at the clock it was 2:45. He figured that he was good for typing for a while and got down business on writing his second novel that was finally coming together and halfway done. So with the beginnings of chapter 14 Shaun started to write.
* * *
Zach walked out of his last afternoon class with Annie, who seemed to be in a bad mood when she couldn't get her laptop to work so she could take notes in class, and she had to do it the "old fashioned way" as she put it. He glanced at his watch 3:50, he still had time to get Cody.
"Annie, I'm sure that your battery died was all." Zach said, trying to get her out of her bad mood.
"No it's not dead. My computer fried when I plugged it into the outlet. You heard it zap, because it was on when I plugged it in before the battery could die." Annie said huffily.
Tova just rushed up. "I so hate research papers. They are never any fun, and they're always boring."
"I'm sorry, Tova." Zach said. "But, Annie's laptop shorted out in class today."
"Wasn't it fine in Art History?" Tova asked as they walked five blocks from campus to a public parking lot.
"Yes, but now I get to go and get the damn thing replaced, because I really can't do any school work without it." Annie said as she glared down at her laptop as if it just called her something really foul as they walked into the parking lot.
But to break them out of their conversation came a voice that only Annie recognized and her expression changed from anger to fear. "Annie! Annie, come here I want to talk to you!"
Annie turned around at the same time that Zach and Tova did and she let out a terrified squeak. "Garret, I have nothing more to say to you."
"I don't think so bitch, you got a lot to say to me." The guy said as he walked up to her. He seemed to be just a foot taller than Zach and much more muscled than normal. He closed the gap and crossed his arms and glared out of his dark brown eyes and black hair.
"Garret, I'm serious, I don't have anything to say to you and you are breaking the restraining order by being this close to me." Annie said.
"Shut up you slut." Garret looked at Zach then back at Annie. "I gave you what you wanted."
"More like stole." Annie spat.
"You're ungrateful ass, Annie. I'm the one that bailed you out of jail. Twice I did that. Then…." Garret began, but was cut off by Annie.
"Fuck you! The reason I broke up with you, is because I was tired of your fucking abuse! You were constantly hitting me. I finally had enough and I left; now I suggest that you leave before I call the cops." Annie snarled.
Garret apparently wasn't listening and reached out and grabbed Annie by the arm and yanked her with him. "You're coming with me."
Annie managed to yank herself out of his grasp. "I'm not going anywhere with you, Garret! So fuck off!"
Zach dropped his bag on the ground. "If she doesn't want to go, then she doesn't want to go with you."
"Stay out of this, the slut is coming with me whether she wants to or not." Garret said as he took another towards Annie.
Zach took a step forward. "She doesn't want to go."
"Back off cupcake, she and I have some unsolved problems that need to be dealt with." Garret said and he reached again grabbed Annie by the arm again and then he grabbed her hair and yanked out where she yelped in pain.
Before Zach knew what he was doing he ran forward and shoved Garret away, while managing to keep a good hold onto Annie and broke Garret's grip, but Annie lost her laptop, and some hair in the process. But Garret was on the ground.
Annie picked up her laptop and ran back to Tova. Zach stood between Garret and Annie. Zach raised his fists to let Garret know that he was not backing down.
Garret picked himself up. "All right dumbass. Let's dance."
"She's not going anywhere." Zach said.
Garret ran at Zach, Zach side stepped, but he was not expecting to get tackled by Garret, they were both knocked down and Garret landed a punch on Zach's face before he rolled off. Zach's surfing skills kicked and he jumped up faster than Garret was anticipating and Zach kicked Garret in the shoulder. Garret rolled with the kick and then picked himself up and closed back in where he started punching Zach. Tova and Annie were both screaming but Zach couldn't understand what they were saying. Zach then ducked down and drove his shoulder into Garret, who was unprepared for it. Then Zack used a backhand move and busted open Garret's lip with his fist.
But before Zach could land another hit on Garret he felt two sets of hands grab him and yank him back and tossed out the ground knocking the wind out of him. Zach picked up his head to notice two guys were helping Garret up and then come after him. One kicked Zach hard in his side and the other jumped up and down and Zach heard his arm break and let out a howl. The last thing that Zach remembered before hearing the police sirens was Garret punching him again in the face and Zach felt his nose break, Zach then felt something in his leg go but that happened as his mind shifted into unconsciousness.
* * *
Shaun was working diligently at his laptop as continues to write. He couldn't believe that he was on such a roll today. He couldn't even remember what had bothered him earlier that day it was not important. But that was all about to change fast, very fast.
Shaun's cell phone started ring, and he picked it up. "Hello?"
"Shaun, did Uncle Zach forget?" Cody's voice cut through the phone like a knife.
"What? He should be there any minute to pick you up." Shaun said as he racked his head if there was a change of plans that he didn't remember.
"He was supposed to be her 45 minutes ago Shaun." Cady said, his voice was scared, almost trembling.
"Come on, bud it's only…"Shaun looked at the clock on his laptop. It read 5:03. What the hell is up Zach? Shaun thought.
"Cody, I'm on my way to get you. Are you going to be ok for a few more minutes?" Shaun asked as he saved his work and hurried out of the study and the front door.
"Yeah, I think so." Cody sound like he was almost in tears.
"I'm coming don't get upset ok bud." Shaun said, as he hurried down the hall.
"Ok." Cody said.
"I'll see you in a few minutes." Shaun said as he exited the apartment complex and jogged over to his outback and fired it up. As soon as Shaun was on the street he called Zach.
Zach's phone rang several times, before it went to voicemail. "Zach! What the fuck?! It's just after five o'clock and you didn't pick up Cody! I'm on my way to go pick him up, but the little guy is scared as hell! I better hope you got a good excuse for doing this to him!" Shaun hung up the phone and tossed it into his passenger seat.
Shaun finally pulled up in front of the day care and went in and found Cody sitting in the office with tears running down his face. Shaun went in and kneeled down next to him. "Hey little guy, you should have called me earlier."
"I was trying to be good for Zach." Cody said as more tears slid down his face.
"Well I tried calling him, so I don't know what he's up to. But I promise you, you can chew him out ok?" Shaun said as he hugged Cody.
Shaun heard Cody mumble ok into his shoulder as he cried jus t a little bit more. Shaun wrapped his arms a little tighter around Cody and picked him up and grabbed Cody's bag off of the floor and exited the day care with him. Shaun unlocked the Outback and opened the back door for Cody when he heard his cell phone ringing in the front seat.
Shaun set Cody down and opened the other door and grabbed the phone and noticed that the caller ID said Zach. He flipped the phone open and started to chew Zach out. "Where in the hell are you Zach?! Cody's upset because you didn't pick him up on time!"
"Is this Shaun?" A girl's voice answered.
Shaun held the phone out for a moment to stare at it. Again a girls voice spoke, more upset and urgent this time. "Hello is this Shaun? Is this Zach's boyfriend Shaun?"
That hit home. Shaun put the phone back to his ear. "This is him, who the hell is this?"
"Thank god I got a hold of you Shaun. My name is Tova; I'm a friend of Zach's from Cal Arts…" The upset voice said.
"Ok, so why and the hell do you have Zach's phone?" Shaun asked as he shut the car doors.
"Shaun, Zach is in the hospital. He defended another mutual friend of ours from her ex-boyfriend and he beat up Zach really bad." Tova said as her voice shook.
Shaun's mind was reeling. His bad feeling from this morning came back in full force. He couldn't imagine that this was happening now. Shaun could not believe of all times for bad things to happen to both of them. "What?"
"Shaun, I grabbed Zach's backpack and I finally was able to find his cell phone to call you, he's in an ambulance right now and Annie and I are following it, but Zach's unconscious, and I don't know how badly he's hurt." Tova said her voice was really shaking now.
"What hospital are you going to?" Shaun asked as he walked around and climbed into the Outback.
"The ambulance had the markings for Saint Bernardine Medical Center." Tova said. "Yeah I see the ambulance turning in there."
"I'll be there shortly." Shaun said and he started the car, throwing his cell into the passenger seat again.
"What's going on Shaun?" Cody asked from the back seat.
"I just found out what happened to Zach. He got hurt trying to protect someone and he's gotten hurt really bad for it and is in the hospital." Shaun said as he looked at Cody in the rearview mirror. Cody's eyes got big, he was scared. "We're going to go see how he's doing."
With that Shaun put the car into gear and drove to the hospital praying that his worst fear of losing Zach was not going to happen.