Hi!

I participated in Zalex Week 2020, and the prompt for day 4 was 'Fake and/or Secret Relationship'. This was my story for it.

Enjoy! Xx

"So why exactly are we still pretending to be together?" Chloe asks, as she and Zach get into his car. "It's been years! Please don't tell me you still haven't told your mom."

"I was going to, but…"

"Yeah, you were going to tell her when you and Alex first got together, then your mom got sick and you chickened out. Then you were scared she wasn't going to be able to handle the stress, another time you didn't want to ruin Thanksgiving. It's been years, Zach. Just tell her already."

"I'm just waiting for the right time."

"Which is when? You know I can't keep doing this forever, right?" Chloe asks. "I love you, and I love hanging out with you, but when I ran into your sister the other week, when I was with my boyfriend…"

"I'm sorry. I'll tell them. Just not today. I don't want…"

"To ruin your sister's wedding," Chloe laughs. "Of course. What about Alex? Is he going to be there too?"

"Yeah, May invited him."

"Is he bringing a plus one?" Chloe teases, and Zach can't help but feel a little stupid, but with all the chaos before the wedding, he just hadn't found the right time to tell them about Alex. And to be honest, he had chickened out again, because he knows that things will change, the second they find out he is, and has been in a relationship with Alex for years. He didn't want to risk losing his family, and miss out on his sister's wedding.

"I'll tell them, okay? This is the last time I'm asking for a favor."

"It's fine. Just don't avoid him tonight. Your family knows you are friends, so just dance with him, okay?"

"We'll see."

"Zach!"

"That'll be you next," Karen Dempsey whispers into Chloe's ear, as they are watching May and her husband slow dancing in the middle of the dance floor. "Don't you think?"

"Oh, I really don't… we're not…," Chloe tries, but then she just flashes a smile, not sure what to tell Zach's mother, not wanting to let her down, but also not wanting her to get her hopes up.

Karen goes over to an aunt, and as soon as she's gone, Chloe goes over to Zach and Alex, an uncomfortable look on her face.

"Your mom is already planning our wedding."

"What did I tell you?" Alex whispers. "The longer this goes on…"

"I'm sorry," Zach whispers, looking over to his mother, who flashes a hesitant smile, before turning her attention back to his sister and her husband.

"I'm going outside for some air," Alex says, having kept his frustration in all day, and needing a moment to himself if he wants to be able to keep up the act for the rest of the night.

"I love you," Zach whispers, and he gives Alex a reassuring squeeze in his arm, but Alex ignores it, and he walks off.

"I know it isn't fair on him. Or on you."

"He loves you, Zach. He's willing to put up with it, but he shouldn't have to."

"I know," Zach sighs, but just as he is about to follow Alex, he gets dragged onto the dancefloor by a cousin, Chloe soon following.

"Where's Alex?" May asks, when she sits down next to her brother some time later.

"Over there." Zach smiles. "Dancing with Chloe."

"You have to tell mom, Zach."

"Tell her what?"

"I'm not stupid," May says, before grabbing her brother's hand. "Tell her."

"I can't. You know she won't accept it."

"She will. She likes Alex."

"Now that he's my best friend, yeah. But when she finds out we're together… you remember what she said when she found out Alex was into guys, right?" Zach asks, an uncomfortable look on his sister's face. "I don't want to hurt her."

"So you're just going to lie to her for the rest of your life?" May asks. "Don't you want this one day?"

"A wedding?"

"Yeah. A wedding, kids… You can't hide it from her, Zach."

Zach looks over to Alex and Chloe, and even though he is scared to hear his mother's reaction, or perhaps even worse, see her reaction, he knows that his sister is right. He can't keep doing this, because it isn't fair on anyone.

"I will talk to her."

"Right now."

"No, May…"

"Right now," May laughs. "I want you to be able to be yourself at my wedding, Zach. No more lies, okay? I love you."

"I love you, too."

May goes back to her husband, and Zach takes a deep breath, before going over to his mother, who is talking to a family friend. But when she sees her son, she quickly makes her excuses.

"Can we talk?"

"Of course."

They go outside, but Karen begins to shiver, so Zach takes off his jacket, and he puts it around his mother's shoulders. It hits him that this might be the last moment they will have together like this, and he can feel a lump beginning to form in his throat, but he knows that he can't keep running away from this.

"I need to tell you something."

"I know, Zach."

"I ehm…,," Zach begins, trying to think of how to come out with it, but then his mother puts her hand on the side of his face, and she flashes a motherly smile.

"Zach. I know."

"You do?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I'm scared," Zach admits. "I don't want to lose you," he says, his voice shaking. "How did you know?"

"I saw the way you looked at him, earlier tonight. I suppose I should have seen it before, but well… you are with Chloe, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry."

"Why did you lie to me, Zach?" Karen sighs. "All this time… are you in love with Chloe? Was that ever real?"

"No, she's my friend. Me and Alex…"

"You should have told me."

"I know."

"He's a good boy, Zach, but are you sure about this?" Karen asks. "Is this truly what you want?"

"It is," Zach says, no hesitation. "I love him."

Karen gives a nod, and Zach is grateful that she is keeping the rest of her opinions to herself, even if they are showing all over her face anyway.

"I think we better get back inside."

"Yes," Karen agrees. "I should make the most of it, seeing as it's the only time I will ever see one of my children get married," she adds, and although Zach knows that she is trying to make a joke, it feels like a dig at his relationship, and it hurts.

"I am going to marry Alex, mom."

"I don't think that's appropriate, Zach."

"That's okay," Zach says. "But when it happens, I would love for you to be there. It would mean a lot to me."

Karen gives a small nod, as Zach puts a hand on her back, before leading her back into the building, back to the party.

He goes over to Alex, and without saying a word, he takes his hand, and he pulls him onto the dancefloor, where he wraps his arms around his waist, Alex still trying to keep a friendly distance.

"What are you doing?" Alex laughs.

"Will you marry me?" Zach asks, but all Alex can do is stare at him. "I mean it, Alex. Will you marry me?"

"We can't," Alex laughs, as Zach pulls him closer. "Your family…"

"They know."

"You told them? What did your mom say?"

"It doesn't matter." Zach shrugs.

"Have you been drinking?"

"Very funny. No. I want this for us."

"This?" Alex laughs, the pink glitter and balloons not exactly how he had pictured things for him and Zach. Not that he had actually ever pictured their wedding, because he didn't think it would ever come to that.

"You know what I mean, Alex. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Okay."

"You'll marry me?"

"Yeah," Alex laughs nervously. Zach kisses him, the fact that his family is staring not holding him back anymore. They have wasted too much time lying, hiding away, but no more.

"So? The family knows?" Chloe asks, when she joins them. "I'm proud of you."

"Shit, I should have warned you, or…"

"I'll be fine," Chloe laughs. "Stop worrying about other people, okay? Just… don't forget about me now."

"Never," Zach says, before wrapping his arms around her. "I love you."

"Good," Chloe smiles into his chest. He presses a kiss into her hair, before letting go of her, and as she walks off to join May for another dance, he pulls Alex in for another kiss.

"I'm sorry I tried to keep it a secret for so long," he whispers, but Alex just shrugs. "No, I am, Alex. I was wrong."

"It doesn't matter now."

"I can't wait to marry you."

"I'm keeping my own name," Alex quickly says, and Zach can't help but smile as he pulls him against his chest. "I mean it, Zach."

"That's okay."

"Zach Standall does sound good though…"

Zach looks down into Alex's eyes, not sure if he is kidding, but when he sees the teasing grin, he can't help but laugh.

"Yeah, we'll see about that."