Chapter 1: Cry.
Rain was beating the glass. Thunders were making noise and lights. She was curl up on a huge empty bed, holding her knees, tears streamed down her cheeks. The frustrate cries of a baby make her stand up and walk through a dark hallway. When the doorknob make a 'click' a bright glow shine on the widows of the purple room and her body flinch. Cries became louder as she stepped near the white crib where a couple of tiny legs and arms were moving in the air. The small face of the 4 months old baby reflected fear and confusion. The brunette of 26 years old, hold the little girl in her arms and go back to the huge bed.
"Shush Layla it's just a bunch of lights and sounds" Her small voice echo around the big mansion. Vanessa's soft hand strokes her daughter's cheek. "There's nothing to be scared of" She said as silent tears run down her face.
The baby let a few whimpers out of her mouth calming down and suddenly the thunders secede. Her mother wraps a blanket around her body to protect her from the coldness of the night. Layla quickly fall asleep just like Vanessa.
She sunk into a nightmare and start sweating.
"Damn it Vanessa! He's just trying to get sex from you" Zac yell at her.
Vanessa gasp. "Stop acting like a jerk! Who the fuck you think you are?" She yelled back.
"I'm your fucking husband!" He was really upset. His wife was so clueless.
"At least Jason doesn't yell at me, he's not a jerk, and he heard me!"
But Zac is right. Jason Rankin isn't someone you can trust. "He broke into your house, take your private pictures, sell them, and humiliate you in front of the entire world and you forgive him with a fucking 'I'm sorry it was an accident'.
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" This was the third time she told him.
"Accident my ass" He place his hands above hers. "Vanessa, you have a huge heart but that blind you and sometimes and don't realize that people isn't what they seem."
The frustrated women groan and walk away from him directing to the stairs.
"I'm not done talking to you" Zac follow her. "Where are you going?"
She stop on the top of the stairs and yell. "Layla is crying! I need to go with her" And again leave him behind.
He pull her into his chest and hug her waist. "Van I'm sorry, I know that I sound like a jealous husband but I'm only worried about you and our daughter."
The scared baby woke her up once again. This time she was beside her. The bright blue eyes she inherited from her father were filled with water and the small nose she got from her mother turn red.
Again, Vanessa sited up and hold the little angel "Layla its ok, Daddy wouldn't want to see you crying from heaven, what's wrong, you never cry."
By the mention of her Daddy the girl upset more.
The door open and a tall figure walk in. "Het sis, what's wrong, is she ok?" Dylan Efron get out of shadows turning on the lights of the room.
"What's wrong?" Vanessa repeat. "You want to know what's wrong. I'll tell you what's wrong. My husband is dead because he tried to save me from a fucking asshole. I AM the one who should be dead, not him"
"Nessa, you know he wanted to protect you, he loved you" Dylan walk closer to the bed and take his niece.
"And I didn't deserve it! I was so selfish and an idiot."
"He loves you" Starla's voice repeats her son's statement. Her mother in law stand in front of her bed. "I'm sure he really does"
Vanessa lower her sight and cry. "That's the only mistake he made; love me, fight for me, give up his life so I keep mine, that's really stupid"
"He did it because; he knew you love him back "Dylan said looking down to the baby that go back to the land of the dreams. "And little one too" he smile.
"Of course I love him. I never stop."
"Well honey, go back to sleep. I'll wake you up early morning to go the funeral" The older woman said and get out of the room, followed by Dylan.
Funeral. She thought. Her baby girl opened her eyes and looked directly to her. Vanessa smile and kiss the little forehead. The clock marked 12:09 AM. October 18th 2014. "Today is your Daddy's 28th birthday." She sigh. "I'm sorry angel, because of my fault you won't met the extraordinary men that your Daddy was."
"Van, don't blame yourself" He said in her ear but there was no response. "I wanted to protect you and this precious little angel" his two fingers stroke the cheek of the baby who look at him."I hope she gets to be like you" His arms placed around her waist and between his legs the beautiful woman rested there. Her shoulders worked as a support to his head and again he whisper in her ear. "I love you, you know that right?"
Vanessa looked around like if she was searching for something. "Dylan this it's not funny"
He laugh "Dylan is gone, silly, I'm right here"
Vanessa again looked around the room. A tear escape from her eye. "This is not funny, stop."
"Van, stop you're scaring me" His voice raise.
"Zac" A shaking body got up from the bed taking Layla with her. "No, I'm dreaming he's dead"
"No I'm not, Vanessa I'm right here why can't you see me?" He stand in front of her and cup her gorgeous face with tears in his hands. "Look at me"
The brown chocolates eyes grew wider, she saw him. Layla raise her hand and touch her father's jaw. His beautiful smile reappears. "NO, I'm dreaming, you're dead" His wife repeat shooking her head, pulling it away from her husband's grip.
"Vanessa lower your voice, ok, princess look at my eyes, everything is fine" Zac take her face again. His gaze directly at her eyes until she did the same.
Tears run down from both faces, looking at each other's eyes. Their daughter was clapping and giggling beneath them. For a minute she got lost and a smile bright ups her features. Temptation invaded him and making him lock his lips with hers. Fireworks flew. Sparks get between their mouths. If Layla wasn't in the way they could have continue until the very end.
"I love you." He pull apart. "I've been missing you like crazy" The father take his little girl in his arms for the first time after a long month. He sat on the edge of the bed and start playing with her.
Vanessa stay there not knowing what to do. Her husband was dead, she's 100% sure of that. But why he just kissed her. Why she can see him. Why? "Zac?"
He look up at her and smile. "Yeah?"
"Why are you here?"
His smile disappear and confusion attack him. "What do you mean? I live here with you"
"No, you left a month ago"
"It's not my fault that you aren't here all day!" Vanessa remind to Zac that he only spends 8 hours at home.
"Because I work, so you can keep buying all that crap you call jewelry and clothes!" He argue back. They were fighting again about Jason.
"Oh now I take your money!"
"Will you please listen to me?"
"If you don't want that Layla prefer to be with Jason than you, then spend quality time with her" She was sick of having the same argue.
"Why the fuck you're so stupid Vanessa!" He was sick too. His marriage of almost 3 years was going to hell because of an asshole.
"Call me stupid once again ad I'll kick you out of the house!"
"STUPID!" Zac yell at her. He was extremely furious, tragically the love his life was the only one near to let go the anger away.
Vanessa gasp, she try to hold back the tears but that seemed n impossible task, Her small hand hit his cheek bone with all the strength she had in her body, pink marks appear after her palm was removed."OUT! I want you out of here!"
"Its 4 AM, where the hell you want me to go?" He said rubbing his cheek.
"I DON'T FUCKING CARE!"
"No, princess I thought we we're ok now" The ghost said a little hurt "What day is today?"
"October 18th"
"But when I left the house was August 30th" His mind start to race trying to remember what happened the last month but that didn't happened.
Her eyes showed confusion, fear, anger, desperation, shame.
"Vanessa what happened?" Zac put the small girl in her crib beside the bed and walk where his wife. "Talk to me."
"I…I…You…We" The words couldn't go out of her throat. "You…I…"
"Van please" His eyes were full of pain. "Baby I'm begging"
"Van, please, I'm sorry, don't do this." He was looking up. Watching his clothes fly. Shirts, pants, shoes, hats. His entire closet.
"You should have thought that before you opened your big mouth, don't you think? She take another bunch of Zac's favorites t-shirts and throw them down.
"Stop Van, seriously this isn't funny"
For the big finale, she throw 2 suitcases, one almost hitting his head."Ooops" After slapping Zac and cry in his chest, she managed to calm and decide what to do. Apparently throwing his clothes was the best solution. "I'll be feeding my daughter"
"She's mine too!" He took part of his clothes and walk back to the stairs. "Remember? I help to make her and you ENJOY it"
"Where the hell are you going?" She placed on the top of the stairs. "I said out" Crossing her arms below her chest and glaring at him.
His blue eyes glare back at her. "Vanessa Efron, move or I'll move you." He stand under a stair before hers.
"Vanessa Hudgens for you, ok, and go on I dare you" She smirk.
"Baby please I'm begging you"
Zac took her arms and squeeze them slightly "Tell me what happened!"
And again she cried. Everything reappeared in her memory. Blood, Guns, Bullets, Fights, Tears.
His temperament didn't help much. He got mad and shake her petite body. "VANESSA!"
"No, go away you're dead" She shut her eyes and shook her head.
"VANESSA!" He yell again. "I'M NOT DEAD!" Zac throw her to the floor.
The lights of the room start turning on and off. The TV turned on the max volume. She couldn't stop crying. "This is a dream, this is a dream" The girl repeated over and over.
"STOP IT" The angry men kneeled down to her level and force himself to not raise the volume of his voice. "Please tell me what happened."
"No, go away you're dead" She repeat and the mirror in front of her broke in little pieces.
"Tell- Me-What-Happened."
"Go away, go away, and go away." She covers her face and curl up in her little shell.
Layla start crying loud. All the glasses in the room were broking and the radio turn on.
Zac couldn't help to cry too. Seeing his girls in tears because of him made him feel like the worst men in the world. He lay on the floor next to Vanessa and stroke her body. "I'm sorry" As much as he tried to calm Vanessa it didn't work. She continued to yell and cry.
Suddenly the lights of the hallway turned on, voices were buzzing, and the door open.
David Efron and Greg Hudgens leaded, for support their wives Starla and Gina and behind them Dylan and Stella.
Zac quickly stand up and face his father. "Sorry dad, it's just that Vanessa isn't feeling well, you guys can go back to sleep" His fingers wipe the tears and he fake the best smile he could to convince his parents and in-laws.
Stella cross the room and hugged her sister. "Ness, are you ok? Why are you crying?"
Gina copied her daughters motions and wipe Vanessa's tears. "Baby why were you yelling"
Greg and David check the room, searching for the reason of their daughter fears but the only thing they found was broking glass. Dylan turned off the TV and radio. Starla take her grandchild and try to calm her.
"Dad, listen everything is fine sorry if we woke you up" Zac say again but nobody looked at him, like if he wasn't there.
"He's here" Vanessa said in her mother's chest.
"Who's here baby girl?" Mr. Hudgens ask worried.
"Zac, Zac is here." She reply.
Her mother in law let a few tears out. Layla keep crying. "Where's he?" Starla give the baby to Dylan and sit on the floor with her daughter.
"MOM, I'M RIGHT HERE!" Zac yell confused "WHY CAN'T YOU SEE ME!"
"On the door, he's at the door yelling."
Quickly every one stare at the door but they saw nothing. Nobody dare to say anything to Vanessa. But half hour later after she calm down David broke the silence.
"Sweetie, Zac is gone he can't be here" He said softly. "My son is dead"
"Maybe you were just dreaming" Dylan added.
Her sister of 19 years old agrees. "He just died 2 days ago"
"Zac is here standing at the window, cursing." The disturbed girl spoke finally. "He's upset."
"Of course I'm upset, everyone is acting like if I'm not here"
"Honey, Zachary is dead, it's ok that you imagine stuff but we're pretty sure he's not here" Greg said again.
"If I'm stuff, then why the TV and radio turn on and all the freaking glass is broke?" Vanessa defended her, looking hurt and scared but strong and forceful. "I'm not crazy"
"Nobody is saying you're crazy, baby it's just not possible that Zac is here" Gina tell the point of view of everyone in the room except for Starla.
"I believe you" The blond woman declared. "I believe you."
Vanessa keep looking at the ghost that convince her that, yes, He isn't gone, at least not yet. She forgetter all the people that surrender her and her attention was only for the men she love. Somehow they were talking without words. Zachary Efron was the only one who couldn't believe he's dead.