" That's what I thought. " He said with a chukle. He stopped the car and we stepped out.

I looked at the restaurant in front of me and sighed. This will be a hard day..

A few loyal customers was sitting outside and greeted me well when they saw me. I waved at them and walked inside. The restaurant was almost full of people and Simon looked really stressed behind the bar. I gave him a tiny smile as I put on my apron and walked out. I didn't want to be here at all but at least Jack wasn't here. That made it easier to pretend nothing ever happened. Time to work. I could feel Zac's eyes on me the entire time, like he was looking after me. After a few hours Mr Carlson entered the restaurant but since the restaurant was full I couldn't walk up to him until 30 minutes later. He looked surprise to see me there.

"I still need the money... " I explained. " You look happy today ?"

"Yes... it's the end of may. June is my favorite month so I want to spend time outside. But I don't want to miss my dinner here of course. " he said with a smile.

"well don't feel like you HAVE to come here. I'm fine "

" I see that. The last 10 minutes you've been looking at that handsome young man like you want to know him. I can introduce you too him. " he said. I felt how my cheeks turned red since I had a feeling that he meant Zac and something told me he was listening.

"No need ! And I have not been looking at him !" I said, almost to fast to be believable. I saw how Zac smirked at himself from his table 7 meters away.

"I'm not blaming you. He looks better than that Jack and he's been looking at you too" he said, nodding towards Zac. That made me laugh.

" Oh really ? In what way ?" I asked , curiously, still knowing Zac was listening

"oh I'm not gossiping.. I'm just a old man who knows what the eyes can't say out loud." he said with a wink.

"Or you're just a crazy old man. Coffee and sandwich?" I asked.

"of course." he said as he put on his reading glasses to continue reading the news paper.

I walked back to the bar and winked at Zac who laughed quietly. It was like we were playing a game and had to keep the game secret from everybody else. I leaned on the counter and let my thoughts dream away about how I wanted our game to end. Just when my ideas got interesting I got interrupted by a man walking into the restaurant. He turned to me immediately , as if he had been looking for me. Unfortunately I couldn't pretend I didn't know this man. The man was Jack .

"oh so there you are. " he said.

" Hi Jack.." I said and sighed.

" … can we talk?"

" kitchen.." I said and he followed me like a puppy. Zac stood up concerned but I shook my head at him and stepped into the kitchen. I wanted to talk to Jack alone.

"baby... I'm sorry .." he started.

"No... You have no Idea what's happening right now and you know what ? I don't feel like I can tell you because you won't be supportive. Instead you go and screw somebody else! " I said, finally letting out the last bit of anger.

" I'm always supportive , you know I am babe" he said, trying to touch me.

" 'babe'? You cheated on me ! You don't get to call me "babe" anymore!" I said as I pushed him further away from me which caused him to become frustrated.

"So it's over then ?" he asked , as if there was another option.

" OF COURSE ! what the hell did you think would happen ? Me asking for a love triangle ? "

" no... what will we do now.. I mean ,we still work together.. that can be rough.."

" excuse me ?" I said really frustrated. " If you think I will quit you don't know me !"

" I never said that..."

"just forget about it.." I said and left him in the kitchen.

When I came out I had about 10 faces turned to me. They had all heard about our fight. I tried not to care and act like I was fine. I walked to Zac's table and gave him new water but he didn't take it.

" is everything okay ?"

" yea..." I said, without looking in his eyes.

" okay... you know we can go if you want to.." Zac said nicely. Unfortunately Jack saw it and decided to make a scene.

"And who is this ?" He said almost like he think he caught me cheating on him instead of the other way around.

"HE IS A CUSTOMER ! If you are going to be a crazy jealous stalker ex then maybe one of us should quit this job!" I said and with those last words I threw my apron on the floor and stormed out.

I got in the car and let my face fall in my hands. Zac sat in the driver seat quietly , again uncomfortable with the situation.

"I knew I shouldn't have gone to work this morning... " I mumbled into my hands. Zac kept his eyes on the road. Suddenly my phone rang

"yes?"

"Vanessa I heard about Jack ! what an ass" Ashley said on the other line. Ashley was my best friend. Actually my only close friend at all. "You know what ? You need a shopping day" she suggested.

" oh no..." . That was the last thing I wanted.

" yes you do ! Come on ! "

"I don't know.." I said but I couldn't finish my sentence before Zac grabbed my phone.

"she'll be there, starbucks. 20 minutes" Zac hung up and I looked shocked at him.

"what the hell ?"

" look... You are sad. I can't help you because of rules and other stuff but your friend might so you are going to shop and I'm going to be 3 meters away from you at all time" he said convincing.

" oh god no!... I don't want that! You have no Idea what you got me into ! And how could you hear what we were talking about ``?"

" i'm trained to hear good.." he said with that sexy smirk on his face

" show of.."

" now I make the rules. " he said , proudly.

He pulled up the car outside Starbucks and stepped out. Before we walked our separate ways (and by separate I mean the same way with 3 meters between) I grabbed his arm so I could tell him about Ashley.

" uhm.. Ashley is my best friends but she survives on gossip .. could you not walk in with me ? She sees EVERY detail and she would ask so much and I can't lie.. but if I tell her the whole town will know eventually"

" I understand. Just sit there with her and I'll be at another table, just like at your work" he said and I'm so glad he's so understanding.

It's pretty annoying to have someone follow you every second of the day , and trust me, it doesn't matter how hot he is. We both walked in but went separate ways. As soon as I stepped inside Starbucks Ashley saw me and rushed towards me to hug me.

" what an ass ! but if it's to any comfort he wasn't even hot! And I bet he wasn't so good either ! " she said trying to comfort me even if it wasn't needed.

" A woman never tells..." I said with a laughter. And it's true, a woman never tells but I also had a feeling that Zac was listening so that's another reason not to tell.

" So tell me... what happened, and why are you home ? I thought you were visiting your parents grave ? " she said

"I were.. I just wanted to come home earlier.."

"oh , okay.. now tell me about Jack !"

" I .. I just want to forget about him.. tell me about your life instead? " I said in a attempt to change the subject.

You will not believe who I met ! and have I told you about Haley btw? she is VERY pregnant !" Ashley said and that was just the beginning of a very long story only about Haley's weight,body and boyfriend

Zac couldn't help but look at Vanessa... She didn't seem like the girl that liked gossip so much … and he was right, she was only smiling and answering with : "really ? " "how?" "why?" "wow" She amazed her.. she was really special. she was not a girl you could mess with ! She was tough ! But caring and kind to everybody. And her smile ! That smile was magical some how.

They sat at Starbucks for 3 hours just talking. After a while Vanessa also joined the conversation but never with that mean gossip. When Vanessa and Ashley said goodbye Zac walked out first and Vanessa walked to the car later when Ashley was out of sight. Zac looked at her, trying to stay emotionless.

"ready to go ?"

" yes... please! NOW! " I said , joking.

" she had a lot to talk about .." he said with a chuke

" was someone listening ? " I said and faked a shocked face

"not at all" he said with a shrewdly smile

The car ride was silent but not awkward.. until Zac reached for something built in the car and said.

" It's Zac. We are being followed , I'm taking the rose back to the castle immediately , I repeat , we are being followed. Taking the rose to castle." he said and in one second his whole facial expression changed from relaxed to strict and serious

"what ? Rose? Castle ?" I said, without a clue.

" you're the rose. And the castle is your home. " he said as if that was the simplest thing.

" is someone following us , how do you know ?" I asked while moving around in my seat,trying to see what he had seen.

"I just do.. It's my job. "

"oh god.. oh god... " I said and I felt the fear take over. He placed his hand on my lap and looked at me.

"Hey, don't worry.. it will be fine, I promise" He said calmly and for one second he looked calmed. But then I felt how the car was speeding and I could see how his hands was holding a tight grip of the steering wheel .

" Dammit! " he yelled out

"what ?" I asked , clueless and in panic.

" Someone has split the tank open.. I'm out of gas... "

"WHAT ? " I screamed out but instead of screaming to he just took his radio and talked into it with a calm but firm voice.

" No gas, broken tank.. We are of by foot. Please call back up at road 23. "

" Are we leaving the car ? "

" just follow me" he said. Zac got out of the car and we both climbed up a few metal stairs at the back of a abounded building. I was walking first and he was behind me, looking back all the time. All of a sudden he screamed for me to open the door and I understood that the guys who followed us had find us. I opened the door and he shut it after him . He grabbed my hand and ran through the building

"don't worry. I'll get you back home. " he mumbled to me but this time he didn't sound so convincing as he did before.

" what's going on zac ?" I said but immediately turned quiet when I heard the door open.

" SCH !"

He hid behind a stone pillar and pressed my back against the pillar. His body was tight against mine. So close I could feel his heavy breathing , his cologne and his heartbeats.

"Okay... behind me there is a big broken window.. 2 meters down there is a big dumpster … when I tell you to , we will jump out that window and into that dumpster..." he said in a very low voice

" How do you know there is dumpsters ? " I asked but he didn't answer. ".. are they armed? How many ?" I asked but he didn't answer at that either. He just looked down at me with his face close and said:

" do you trust me? "

I felt his heavy breathing and his muscles against my chest. His perfume calmed me and the fact that his lips were 4 inches away from me was a bit distracting.. All I could manage to do was nod so that became my answer. He smiled at me like my answer had made him happy. Then he turned serious again and looked me in my eyes.

"... one... two .. THREE ! "

He took my hand firm and we ran to the window and jumped. As he said I landed right in a dumpster. He stood up fast , and lifted me up. He put me down outside the dumpster, grabbed my hand and ran.

His calming perfume were gone and disturbed by the smell of left overs and disgusting trash ! We found our way out to the street and Zac immediately called a cab while having one hand on his pocket . He was ready to pull out his gun at any second now. A cab stopped and he drove us home. Not without complains though: "don't ruin the seats" "what is that smell?"

I just looked out the window in tears and I knew Zac was looking at me concerned. I had never in my entire life been that scared. It was like those Nightmares when feel like you're being chased and you just keep on running and running and running and it never stops. When I got home I stepped into the shower and stood there for 1 ½ hour until someone knocked on the door.

"yes?"

"are you alright?" a male voice asked. And it was not Charles.

" aren't you breaking a rule now?" I said , knowing that Zac understood what I meant.

"I'm not actually seeing you, am I ? " he said clever and he made me laugh."I see you have humor left.. are you alright...?" he asked when he heard I laughed. "

"I'm fine.. I'll be down in a minute" I said even if I wasn't planning on stepping out of that shower for a long time now. Once I heard footsteps leaving the bathroom room I sat down in the shower, bringing my knees up to my chin , just sitting there. Someone had ruin the tank..

I had been chased by strange men... I feel like the rabbit being chased by wolves..

I sat there for 30 more minutes.. more or less.