That night, Vanessa drove home and parked her car in the driveway. She got out of the car and walked into the house.
"Austin?" Vanessa called.
"Living room" Austin said.
Vanessa walked into the living room and sat down on the couch next to her boyfriend.
"How did everything go?" Austin asked.
"He looks a lot healthier. Therapy was interesting. A lot was said and I think that we can call each other our friend" Vanessa said.
"That's great" Austin said.
Vanessa looked at Austin.
"What's wrong?" Vanessa asked.
"Nothing" Austin said.
"Babe, tell me what's going on. I know you and I know when something is bothering you" Vanessa said.
Austin took a deep breath and released.
"Are you considering getting back together with him?" Austin asked.
Vanessa's eyes widened.
"What?" Vanessa asked.
"I'm serious. Are you considering it?" Austin asked.
"No. I'm not. We spent way too much time apart and I love you" Vanessa said.
"I just feel like this whole thing is going to make someone get hurt" Austin said.
"Austin, I don't have feelings for him" Vanessa said.
"Are you sure about that?" Austin asked.
"What's wrong with you?" Vanessa asked.
"Nothing. What's wrong with you? A couple weeks ago you didn't even want to be near him let alone talk to him Vanessa. Now, you spend every waking moment with him. How am I supposed to react to having my girlfriend hang out and be with her ex all the time?" Austin asked.
There was a moment of silence.
"Maybe we need to just take a break" Austin said quietly.
Vanessa had tears running down her cheeks. Austin went upstairs and packed some of his belongings in a suitcase and came downstairs. He picked up his keys and was about to leave when he heard Vanessa.
"Austin, I love you" Vanessa cried.
"I'll let you know when I am coming back" Austin said leaving the house.
Vanessa sobbed into the pillow that she was holding. An hour later, Vanessa's cries had finally subsided. She picked up her phone and dialed Ashley's number.
"Hey Nessa" Ashley said.
"Ash, he left me" Vanessa said.
"Who did?" Ashley asked.
"Austin" Vanessa said.
"What? Honey, I am on my way" Ashley said.
The two women hung up. Ten minutes later, Ashley opened the door with her spare key and walked into the living room.
"What happened?" Ashley asked.
"The whole Zac and I hanging out thing and how I am trying to help him got too much for Austin and he got upset and left" Vanessa said.
"Are you guys broken up?" Ashley asked.
"He said that we need to take a break. I don't know what to do Ash" Vanessa said.
"There isn't much you can do. Just let him cool off. What happened with Zac today?" Ashley asked.
"I went to therapy with him" Vanessa said.
"How did that go?" Ashley asked.
"It was fine. A lot was said and I think we can call each other a friend" Vanessa said.
"Good. Go upstairs and take a nap. Just chill and relax okay?" Ashley said.
"Okay" Vanessa said.
"I'll let myself out. Call me if you need anything" Ashley said.
"Okay. Thanks Ash" Vanessa said.
"No problem" Ashley said.
Vanessa walked upstairs and went into the bedroom. She lied down and fell asleep. A couple hours later, Vanessa woke up and sighed. She walked downstairs and started making dinner for herself. Vanessa's phone rang. She walked over to it and looked at the caller ID, which read "Mom". Vanessa answered the phone.
"Hi mom" Vanessa said.
"Hi Van, how are you?" Gina asked.
"Austin left me" Vanessa said.
"Why? What happened?" Gina asked.
"He left me because I have been trying to help Zac get back on track" Vanessa said.
"Van, he probably felt weird that you and Zac started talking again" Gina said.
"Maybe. If he feels that way, then I don't want to be with him. Zac is always going to be a part of my life" Vanessa said.
"So what are you going to do?" Gina asked.
"I am going to go up to San Luis" Vanessa said.
"To visit Zac?" Gina asked.
"Yeah. I want to just hang out and see how he is doing" Vanessa said.
"Didn't you just see him earlier?" Gina asked.
"Yeah, but I am going to go spend some time with him" Vanessa said.
"Alright honey" Gina said.
The two women hung up the phone. Vanessa picked up her purse and left the house. She got into her car and started driving. An hour later, Vanessa pulled up to the rehab and parked her car. She got out and walked into the rehab and went to the front desk.
"Hi, I'm here to visit Zac Efron" Vanessa said.
"Are you related to him?" the receptionist asked.
"I'm a friend" Vanessa said.
"Alright, go on back" the receptionist said.
Vanessa walked down the hall to Zac's room. She saw that the door was open and politely knocked. Zac looked up and smiled.
"Hey" Zac said.
"Hey" Vanessa said.
"Are you okay? You were just here this morning" Zac said.
"Not really but we can talk about that later. How are you doing?" Vanessa asked.
Zac motioned for her to sit down. Vanessa sat down in a chair that was next to Zac's bed.
"I'm doing okay. I'm a little anxious and depressed but I'm okay. What's wrong?" Zac asked.
"Okay, don't get angry but Austin left me when I came home from visiting you" Vanessa said.
Zac sighed.
"Are you okay?" Zac asked.
"I don't know" Vanessa said.
"I'm so sorry Van" Zac said.
"It's okay. I just don't know how to move forward" Vanessa said.
"If you don't mind me asking, why did he leave?" Zac asked.
"He left me because I started talking to you again and spending time with you. Don't think it's your fault, Zac because it's not" Vanessa said.
"I didn't mean to get in between you guys" Zac said.
"You didn't. I did this to myself" Vanessa said.
"Why did you feel that you needed to tell me?" Zac asked.
"Because I trust you and you always know how to calm me down in any situation" Vanessa said truthfully.
"Let me ask you a question and don't get mad okay? Do you still have feelings for me? Be honest" Zac said.
Vanessa looked down and then looked up at Zac, with tears in her eyes.
"Yes. Those feelings never left. Yeah we have been broken up for three years but I still love you and I know that you probably don't have feelings for me anymore-" Vanessa started.
Zac got up and walked over to Vanessa.
"What are you doing?" Vanessa asked.
"Come here" Zac said.
Vanessa stood up. Zac walked closer to her and hugged her close. Vanessa wrapped her arms around Zac's waist. Zac put his hand on Vanessa's head. He kissed her head softly. Zac pulled back so he was looking at Vanessa in his arms.
"Van, I still have feelings for you too and I never stopped loving you. I just don't think that you should be telling me all this information right now. You are really upset and are going through a breakup" Zac said.
" It doesn't matter if I am going through a breakup or not. My feelings for you are real" Vanessa said.
"So what is the next step?" Zac asked.
"The real question should be, what do you think should be the next step?" Vanessa asked.
"Do you want to try and start dating again?" Zac asked.
"I will try if you try. I just don't know how I will be able to handle all the girls that throw themselves at you all the time" Vanessa said.
"Don't focus on them. Just focus on us. They aren't with me. I love them, yes in the sense of that I am blessed to have supportive people that like my work. But you, I love you on a different level. There is no comparison. So can we do that? Just focus on us, don't worry about them" Zac said.
Vanessa nodded.
"So then are we back together?" Zac asked carefully.
Vanessa nodded. Zac smiled.
"Can I kiss you?" Zac asked.
Vanessa giggled.
"Do you really have to ask?" Vanessa asked pulling Zac in and kissing his lips softly.
Zac pulled back and put his hand on Vanessa's cheek.
"I love you. I have been waiting to say that for three years" Zac said.
"I love you too" Vanessa said.
"So besides coming here to get back together, why are here?" Zac asked.
"I just wanted to see how everything was going" Vanessa said.
"Everything's fine" Zac said.
There was a knock at the door and a nurse, who had brown hair and was probably in her mid -thirties came into the room.
"Zac, here are your vitamins and anti-depressants" the nurse said handing Zac a small cup with pills in it.
Zac opened his mouth and popped the pills into it and drank a sip of water. He looked at Vanessa and smiled.
"Hi, I'm Amy, Zac's nurse" Amy said.
"Hi, I'm Vanessa, his girlfriend. How's he doing? He says he's okay, but from a medical standpoint, how's he doing?" Vanessa asked.
"He's doing well. He is completely detoxed right now and is going to therapy three times a week" Amy said.
"I met with the therapist and she said the same thing. That's great that he's doing so well. I'm really proud of him" Vanessa said looking at Zac.
Zac smiled.
"Thanks babe" Zac said.
"Zac, I just need to take some blood and you will be good for today" Amy said.
"Alright" Zac said putting his arm out.
Amy took Zac's blood and then left the room.
"Can you go walk around the facility or are you supposed to stay in here?" Vanessa asked.
"I can go and walk around. Do you want to?" Zac asked.
"Sure, if you want to" Vanessa said.
Zac took Vanessa's hand and entwined their fingers together. The couple walked out of Zac's room and went down the hall.
"So do you like the program that you are in here?" Vanessa asked.
"I feel like it's helping. I'm starting to see the things that I want to keep in my life permanently and the things that I don't" Zac said.
"Are you glad you came?" Vanessa asked.
"Yeah, without it, I don't know where I would be" Zac said.
The couple walked outside and sat down at a table.
"Have you talked to your mom?" Vanessa asked.
"No, I feel like I disappointed her in a lot of ways and I feel bad about it" Zac said.
"But you are doing great babe. I know that she is proud of you" Vanessa said.
The couple talked for a little while longer until Vanessa knew that she to be getting home.
"I have to get home and beat the traffic" Vanessa said.
"Alright. Drive safely. I love you" Zac said kissing Vanessa's lips.
"I love you too" Vanessa said.
Vanessa left the rehab facility and started driving home. She called Ashley once she got into the car.
"Hey how are you?" Ashley asked.
"Zac and I got back together" Vanessa said.
"What?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah" Vanessa said.
"What made you get back together?" Ashley asked.
"I never stopped loving him" Vanessa said.
"And he never stopped loving you" Ashley concluded.
"Yeah" Vanessa said.
"What about Austin?" Ashley asked.
"I will pack his stuff up and tell him to come get it because I'm done" Vanessa said.
"Okay" Ashley said.
"Are you on your way home?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah" Vanessa said.
Ashley and Vanessa hung up. Vanessa drove home and packed all of Austin's belongings. She dialed Austin's number and waited for him to answer.
"When are you going to pick up your stuff?" Vanessa asked.
"My stuff? What do you mean? I thought this was a break" Austin said.
"Well, I have decided that I can't do this anymore with you. So, when are you going to pick up your stuff?" Vanessa asked again.
"I'll be right there" Austin said.
Vanessa hung up the phone. Ten minutes later, Austin opened the front door.
"Van?" Austin called.
"I need your house key too. Your stuff is all packed" Vanessa said.
"Why are you doing this?" Austin asked handing the key to Vanessa.
"Because I love someone else" Vanessa said.
Austin picked up his stuff and left the house. Vanessa sighed in relief. Vanessa's phone rang and she looked at the caller ID, which read "Mom".
"Hi mom" Vanessa said.
"Hi honey, how are you?" Gina asked.
"Fine, I broke up with Austin and kicked him out of my house" Vanessa said.
"Why? What happened?" Gina asked.
"I got back together with Zac" Vanessa said.
"Really?" Gina asked.
"Yeah" Vanessa said.
"Is he out of treatment?" Gina asked.
"No, he's going to be there for five more weeks" Vanessa said.
"Well, I'm happy for you" Gina said.
"Thanks mom" Vanessa said.
The two women hung up. Vanessa walked upstairs and got into bed. She was really happy that she and Zac had gotten back together and that everything was going well. Vanessa fell asleep with a smile on her face.