“I so cannot believe you would do this to me,” she yelled staring him straight in the eye. She wanted him to know just how bad she was hurting with his recent actions. Her chest was rising and falling hard as she fought back the tears that wanted to pour from her blue-grey eyes.

“I’m sorry Kali… but, well… you’re just a kid,” he said taking his gaze away from hers as he stared at the wall behind her head. Kalina’s jaw dropped at what her so-called ‘best friend’ had just said. She really could not believe that he just had called her a kid. I mean, so what if she was only in 9th grade. Most of the time she was more mature then him and his friends. The nerve of him right?

“So that’s how you really feel about me huh Zac?” she said softly looking down at the floor as she tried to laugh it off. A few of her agonized chuckles came out as sobs as tears ran from her eyes. She rubbed the tears out of her eyes and fixed her hair so that it was in her face. When she looked up at him he was still staring at the wall behind her and he was chewing on his tongue. “I asked you a question Zachary!” she exclaimed waving her hand in front of his face. He lowered his head, closed his eyes and swallowed hard as he slowly nodded his head. “Fuck you Zachary David Alexander Efron,” she yelled shoving him before stomping off up the stairs.

Zac lifted his head and restarted chewing on his tongue. He didn’t want to register what just happened. He didn’t want to think about how much he just hurt his best friend by telling her why he wasn’t hanging out with her much anymore. This ended up being because he was now dating her sister and spending all his extra time with her. His mind started to wander about how he could have gone about giving Kali the news differently. Instantly he was brought back by Kalina screaming at the top of her lungs.

“Whoa, what the hell is her problem?” Rachel laughed entering the kitchen where Zac was. She went right over to him, stood on her tip toes and gave him a small peck on the lips. “I mean seriously, all I did was say ‘HI’ to her and she screamed,” Rachel continued to laugh as she hugged him. His hands lay gently on her hips as she hugged his stomach. To most of the guys in their grade he wasn’t that tall, about 5’7”, but to Rachel, who stood a mere 5’1” he was too tall to hug or kiss properly.

“Us,” he said out of the blue as he licked his lips. Rachel raised her eyebrow at him as she stared up into his eyes. “When you came in you wanted to know what Kali’s problem was,” he started to clarify. Rachel looked at him as if he was crazy. He sucked in a breath before continuing. “It’s us she has a problem with, well, mostly me because of all the time I’ve been spending with you this past week. I really haven’t hung out with her for the last week and a half. So she’s pissed off at me.”

“Well that’s her problem! I’m your girlfriend -- so, ya know, I would hope that you’d be spending more time with me then her,” she said touching the side of his face. He leaned down and kissed her fully before speaking again.

“I know you’re my girlfriend baby, but, Kali’s been my best friend for over a year. There really hasn’t been a week that I haven’t spoken with her,” he frowned; he really did hate fighting with Kali. She was really the only person he knew he could confide in and not turn him away, even when things were going downhill.

“Baby,” Rachel questioned trying to get his attention when he didn’t answer her question. “Zachary!” she said louder, but it just seemed to go right over his head, either that or in one ear and out the other. “Zachary David Alexander Efron,” she said even louder, this time he blinked and looked down at her.

“Huh? What is with you girls and using my full name tonight,” he questioned trying to laugh it off.

“Airhead,” she mumbled rolling her eyes. “Well-- ya know, maybe if you’d pay attention we wouldn’t have to!” she said rather logically placing her hands on her hips as she talked. “Anyways, I asked you if we could please go now. I mean the movie starts in like 15 minutes and the theater is like a half hour away.”

“Um, yeah-- we can go now,” he said giving her a quick kiss, before taking her hand and leaving the house. Neither of them had noticed Kali sitting at the top of the stairs staring down at them. Her tears and sobs becoming more and more violent every time they kissed. She pulled her knees up to her chest as she leaned back into the wall. “I love you Zac,” she whispered burying her head into her knees as she started crying harder.

Kali jolted up as her alarm sounded startling her from her sleep. She looked around her room confused, she didn’t remember going into her room, let alone setting her alarm clock. She slowly reached over and turned it off before lying back down and covering her head up with her blanket. She really didn’t want to go to school that day, let alone have to face Zac.

She really felt stupid for thinking that when Zac was telling her about the girl he liked, that it was her. It might as well have been, being that the only difference between herself and Rachel was their age difference. Both of the girls had long black hair, blue to grey eyes, the same body build, and both stood somewhere between 5’1” – 5’2”. Never in a million years would Kali have thought he would like Rachel. For the simple reason that from day one when the girls moved next door to him they never got along. So why would he start liking her now?

“Kalina time to get up,” Mrs. Porter said poking her head into the room. Kali’s response was pulling the blankets tighter around her tiny frame.

“I’m not going to school today,” Kali mumbled sticking her head out from under the pillow when she felt her mother sit down on the bed. Her mother gently started rubbing her back as tears ran from the youngest child’s eyes.

“What is the matter sweetie?” Mrs. Porter asked concerned. Kali loved school, and it was really not like her to try and fake sick or anything like that. So Mrs. Porter knew something had to be wrong for Kali not wanting to go.

“Zac and Rachel— they’re together,” Kali struggled to get out as she started sobbing hard. She didn’t want to bear to think about them two being all lovey-dovey together.

“Zac from next door-- your friend Zac,” her mother questioned wanting to make sure she had the right person in mind. Kali nodded her head slowly as she started to explain the conversation Zac and she had the day before.


“Damn Rachel—you look fabulous,” Rachel laughed looking herself over in the mirror. She was wearing a black mini skirt that seemed to perfect for her, seeing as it showed off her long tan legs. She had on a powder blue tank top that rose just above her navel, revealing her pierced belly and the small pink butterfly tattoos, one on each of her hips. She wasn’t like most girls in her school that felt they had to pancake their make-up on. She wore just enough to accent her already seemingly flawless features. Her look was finished off with her hair up in a messy bun. She checked her reflection once more before she grabbed her backpack from the bed and left her room.

She was almost to the stairs when she was stopped by hearing her sister crying. Curious, she crept to the door and listened to what was going on. It was obvious of her mother trying to console the youngest child. She became very interested when she heard her name brought up.

“Rach always gets what she wants; and now she has my best friend. For so long she never wanted anything to do with Zac. All of a sudden I can’t hang around with him because all his time if taken up by her!”

“Sweetie, you had to realize that eventually he was going to get a girlfriend and have his time limited. I’m sure he’s still going to have time to spend with you. Maybe it’s not as much as you’d like, but he’s not just going to drop you.” Rachel tried hard to hold in her laughter, if she had anything to do with it Zac would NOT be hanging with Kali. Sure, for materialistic things she got what she wanted, but when it came to things like the relationship Kali and Zac shared, she couldn’t even begin to figure out where to get that.

“You don’t understand mom,” Kali spoke softly. “She may be my sister, but I know what she does to guys. I don’t want Zac to get hurt. He means the world to me, and I really—really—don’t feel that Rach cares about him the way I do. And he’s a guy, so he’s not going to see what’s going on.” That last comment made Rachel so mad that she almost burst in the door and told Kali that she had NO idea what she was talking about. Instead she left the door and went downstairs to get some breakfast.

“Hey creature,” Jaekob, the oldest child, greeted her while sticking his hand into a box of cereal and eating it dry out of the box.

Rachel made a disgusted face at him when he offered the box before she spoke, “ever hear of a bowl? That is just so gross Jae.” She grabbed the bread out the cabinet and made herself some French toast. She had just finished putting her food on a plate and sat down when the door bell rang, “Jaekob get the door!”

“You get the fucking door,” he said walking down the hall to his room.

“Asshole,” Rachel mumbled getting up and opening the door to reveal Zac who looked like he was still sleeping. “Hmm—hey baby,” she said standing on her toes to kiss him.

“Mmm— you taste like--” he kissed her again, “syrup and cinnamon.” Rachel laughed grabbing his hand and bringing him into the kitchen. He was sitting next to her as she ate her breakfast when Kali walked into the room behind her mother. Kali didn’t even look at them as she went and got herself a bagel.

“Where’s your brother?” Mrs. Porter asked getting a cup of coffee.

Rachel swallowed her food before answering with, “after being a complete jerk he went back to his room, no doubt to go back to bed.”

“Jaekob, you’re going to be late,” Mrs. Porter said loudly going to pry her oldest out of his room. Zac took the opportunity with no adults to try and talk to Kali. She glared at him as she chewed on the bagel.

“Kal we need to talk,” he said ignoring the glares that Rachel was now giving him for leaving her across the room.

“I have nothing to say to you Zachary,” she said plainly holding the bagel in her mouth as she put her backpack on. She held her hand up to stop him from speaking when he opened his mouth to say something. “You hurt me, so don’t come crying to me when that one over there breaks your heart,” she said in a hushed harsh tone, biting into the bagel once more before leaving a dumbfounded Zac.

That morning was pure agony on Kali. She didn’t hang around with her friends that morning in the halls because she didn’t want to even look at Zac. You would think it would actually be easy to stay away from them seeing as none of them were even in her grade, it was actually almost impossible. Right after first class was over, Laurel had dragged her off wanting to know why she was acting weird.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Kali said walking away. Laurel was the one person Kali didn’t want to talk too about Zac. She’d purposely get involved because Zac was her cousin. At this point in time, she didn’t want anybody to know about the feelings she had for him, and Laurel would be the one she’d most likely end up spilling too.

“Oh come on chica! It’s me here,” Laurel said with a hand on her shoulder to prevent Kali from walking any further. Kali turned to look at her with an annoyed face, why couldn’t Laurel just leave things alone? “Tell me what’s up with you! It’s not like you to just blow everyone off. What’s really bothering you?”

“Your cousin,” Kali whispered pulling out of her grasp and heading for the door to the back fields. Laurel arched her eyebrow in confusion but followed behind her. Kali sat down at the picnic table on the side of the soccer field and buried her face into her hands.

“What did he do this time?” Laurel sat next to her and wrapped an arm over her shoulders. Kali mumbled something into her hands which caused Laurel great confusion. “Mind speaking English and not to your hands?” she tried to joke to hopefully get her young friend to at least smile.

“I said he’s an asshole and I wish I never met him,” Kali said again turning her head to look at Laurel and rested it against her knees. “I hate him so much right now.”

“I sure you don’t really hate him. But don’t let me judge what you’re feeling about him. Just tell me what he did to make you ‘hate’ him,” Laurel said in a low voice moving Kali’s hair from her face.

“Rachel,” was all she could get out. Again, Laurel looked at her curiously, as far as she knew – Rachel couldn’t stand the sight of Zac. “They’re dating,” Kali said again tears falling from her eyes.

“Excuse me? Did you just say that Zac and Rachel are dating?” Kalina nodded her head. “They’re dating each other?” Kalina nodded again, Laurel just stared at her with her mouth agape. That just wasn’t right; she would have thought that Zac would have more sense in him to stay away from Rachel. Especially with the reputation she made for herself with the guys in the school in a little over a year.

Suddenly realization hit Laurel like a bullet. It wasn’t just the fact that Zac had a girlfriend, or that that girlfriend was Rachel that was bothering Kalina. It was the fact that it WASN’T her that was his girlfriend that was the matter. “Are you sure it’s because he’s dating Rachel that’s bugging you?” Kali shrugged at that question, Laurel smirked. “You’re upset because you’re in love with him aren’t you?” Again Kalina didn’t answer, but her adverting her eyes from Laurel was all the answer that was needed.

Laurel reached over and hugged the youngest member of her gang. Kalina gripped her tightly and started crying even harder. “I do love him,” Kali repeated over and over through her tears.

Rachel lifted her head up off of Zac’s chest as the pair lay on his bed watching a movie. She licked her lips, looking down at her hand as she purposely dragged it down his chest and to the top of his jeans. She bit on her bottom lip changing her glance up to his face. His eyes were focused on the television screen, they held an emotionless gaze. She smiled cautiously undoing his belt and running her hand up under his shirt. Irritated, he pushed her hand away and got up. Hastily redid his belt and left his room, slamming the door, causing Rachel to jump.

Rachel starred at the back of the closed door, a little shocked at his reaction. It was a change from last night when his hands were all over her. She shook her head getting up and leaving the room, almost trampling over Zac’s brother who was going up the stairs.

“Do you know where your brother just went?” she asked him after not spotting Zac anywhere from the landing.

“He just went outside to the backyard with the phone,” he replied with a shrug going to his room. Rachel licked her lips walking down the last few steps and heading for the backyard. She stopped in the door way hearing Zac talking to someone.

“Please? I really need to talk to someone!” she heard him begging into the phone. What? Am I not good enough for him to talk to? She thought bitterly narrowing her eyes. “I’m just really confused right now Laurel! I just need to know what to do… I need someone’s opinion.” Rachel rolled her eyes, deciding to make herself known before she had to hear him say something about her. Zac looked up from the ground when a shadow was cast over him. He held his arm out to Rachel and pulled her down onto his lap still listening to what his cousin had to say on the other end of the line.

Rachel laid her head on his shoulder breathing in his scent. His arm wrapped tighter around her waist as he spoke again into the phone. “I would but you know I can’t do that,” he sighed resting his chin to top of Rachel’s head. She snuggled her head into his chest. “Thanks Laurel,” he said after a minute pulling the phone away from his ear and hanging it up. Rachel pulled her head away from his chest and looked up at his face; he was chewing his lip and staring across his backyard with a blank look.

“What are you thinking about Hun?” she asked putting her hand on his cheek and making him look at her. He just shook his head slightly and leaned in to kiss her softly. She let her forehead rest on his to hold his gaze. If she’d known him better then she did, she would have realized that he was hiding something back from her, all of it was held in his eyes. But she just put it off as him still being pissed that Kalina wasn’t talking to him. In reality, it was much more than that. “You know that you can talk to me Zac,” she whispered moving her hand up to his hair, entangling her fingers in it.

“I can’t, not about this baby,” he said pulling away from her and resting his head on top of hers again.

“I want you to feel that you can talk to me about anything, about everything Zac,” she said once again moving her head to get him to look her in the eye.

“I just want to talk to Laurel about this one Rach,” he whispered kissing her more passionately then he had been all day. Zac let her tongue into his mouth and softly massaged it with his own. In his mind, he was hoping that the more he kissed her, the more he’d get into the idea of being with her. So far, every kiss had been quite the opposite, the more they kissed, the more he wished it was Kali he was kissing.

Rachel moved so she was straddling him, her lips falling down to his neck, and her hands to the bottom of his shirt, She had started to lift it up when he pulled away from her, pushing her hands away from his body. “What’s the matter now Zac? Last night we got pretty far and you stopped us, now it’s like you don’t even want me to touch you. What’s your deal?” She was getting annoyed.

“I’m just not…” he stopped hearing the front door of his house open and close. He turned his head to see who it was this only annoyed Rachel even more.

“You’re not what Zachary?” she asked harshly making him look at here, “And don’t even think about saying ‘not ready’, because I know for a fact that you’ve had sex with Ashlyn and Madi.”

“I dated Ashlyn for 8 months before we slept together, and I was totally wasted when I slept with Madi. So it’s not even the point of being ‘not ready’. I just don’t want to have sex right now. We’ve been together for 2 weeks Rach, not even. I think we can wait a little bit longer before having sex,” he finished off rolling his eyes.

“But I don’t want to wait baby,” she said giving him a small pout. She kissed him softly, hoping to possibly get him to cave in.

“A little role reversal?” Laurel asked smirking while leaning against the door frame. Kalina was like a little sister to her, but she could never stand Rachel. It was because of her manipulative behavior with guys that made Laurel despise her. It didn’t help that the first guy that Rachel had ever tried to go after was Laurel’s boyfriend.

“Nobody asked you for your opinion bitch!” Rachel retorted getting up and pulling Zac with her.

“Rach just don’t ok?” he mumbled kissing the top of her head. Rachel gave Laurel a dirty look when she rolled her eyes at them.

“I guess I’ll leave you two to talk or whatever,” Rachel said after a minute of standing in Zac’s embrace. “And it better not be about me,” she said sternly looking up at him.

“Don’t worry it’s not,” he tried to reassure her while lying straight through his teeth. She smiled at him before giving him a passionate kiss.

“I love you,” she whispered after he pulled away.

“Love you too,” he whispered back completely avoiding eye contact with her, she hadn’t even noticed. He gave a smile, not because he meant it, but because Laurel was putting her finger in her mouth and pretending she was going to throw up.

“I’ll call you later?” Rachel smiled giving him a few soft pecks.

“Sure,” he replied letting her go and sitting back on the chair he had been in. He watched as Rachel left, purposely bumping into Laurel who started to walk out towards Zac. “Watch where you’re going bitch,” Rachel said trying to make it seem as if Laurel had walked into her.

“Whore,” was all the reply was before Rachel disappeared. The cousins waited until the door closed before they started talking.

During the talk that Laurel had with Zac she was able to get a few things out of him. His true feelings were the biggest thing he’d expressed to her. “Who do you think is going to be there for you a few years from now? Kalina or Rachel? My guess would be Kali, just based on the fact that Rachel likes to use guys,” Laurel said to him. He just looked down at the ground the whole time, barely even lifting his shoulders in a shrug. He knew it was the truth, but he seemed to already be in too deep. “Z, you know that as soon as she gets you in bed she’s going to break up with you. So why put yourself through that?”

“I don’t know. I want to be with Kali, and being with Rach- even for a little bit- seems to be the only way to be with something even remotely like Kali,” he said dejectedly playing with the hem of his shirt.

“Rach may look the same as Kali, but they aren’t even close to being the same person. Rachel only cares about herself and her wants. Kali on the other hand, cares about others, mainly you. She really cares about you Zac,” Laurel said putting her hand on his knee. “She cried herself to sleep last night because of YOU. She broke down in school today because of YOU. If you really are dumb enough to not realize that Kali is in love with you, I don’t even get why you call her your best friend.”

“I highly doubt she’s IN love with me,” he whispered resting his head down in his hands.” At least not anymore if she was.” He added the last part in a mumble. He sighed loudly reaching a hand up to grab his hair, tugging at it.

Laurel stood up and put her hand on his back. “She was 2 and a half hour’s ago. I don’t think her feeling for you are going to change. You just need to see what’s right in front of your face! Kali loves you because you’re her best friend; you mean everything to her. Rachel only wants you because you’re practically the only senior guy that she hasn’t fucked. It seems like a pretty easy decision to me Z.” Laurel started to walk away from him.

“She’s not going to talk to me. If I try to tell her about my feelings for her,” Zac replied grabbing at Laurel’s arm. His eyes looked helpless. If there was only one person who knew Zac more then Kali did, it would have to be Laurel.

“Make her listen to you. She’s not going to keep pushing you away. She needs you just as much as you need her,” she smiled holding her arms out to him for a hug. He got up and wrapped his arms around his cousin. “You guys make each other miserable, but yet you’re happiest when you’re together. And if that’s not being in love, then what I’ve been thinking about love has been wrong for years.” Zac laughed at that. “Go tell her, NOW, before you lose your nerve.”

“Who says I have the nerve right now?” he asked pulling back slightly to look at her.

“I know you do, so just go and do it! Now Zachary!” she laughed pulling completely out of his embrace and pushing him into the house.

Zac replayed the conversation in his head as he stood outside of the Porter’s house. He breathed deeply praying that Rachel hadn’t gone home, that she’d gone to her friend’s house or the mall or some place, any place but home- he frankly didn’t care where. His hand shook as he raised his fist to knock on the door.

“Rachel’s not here,” an all too familiar voice said the second the door swung open. He held his hand up as the door was about to be slammed in his face.

“Good, cuz I want to talk to you!”

Kali looked down at her feet as she and Zac walked around the streets, the street lights just starting to flicker on. Neither of them had said a word in nearly 15 minutes; Kali didn’t know what to say to him, and Zac didn’t know how to say what he wanted to. His mind was willing Kali to say something first, so maybe they could get into a conversation then he could just let it slip out that he had strong feelings for her. On the other side of the duo, Kali was holding back the urge to scream the words, “I love you,” at him.

Zac breathed a sigh as they reached the park and started up the big hill over looking the lake. Ever since Kalina had moved next door to him this had been their spot. Whenever there was something bothering one of them, the other always knew where to find the troubled party. Kali followed Zac along the covered trail to their hidden spot and sat next to him on the ground.

She leaned back onto her hands and looked up at the sky. The clouds on the horizon were a mix of purple and orange, the sky was turning a shade of deep blue and dim stars were starting to appear in the sky. Night fall was definitely her favorite time of day. She loved to watch the sky change colors and the stars come out to play. It really didn’t help her cause that she felt that dusk was the most romantic time of the day.

Kali was oblivious to Zac watching her every move. A small smirk appeared on her lips as her mind was wondering with thoughts of her and Zac sitting there, their arms around each other, sharing sweet kisses and telling each other how much they loved the other. He didn’t know what she was thinking about, but that small smile on her lips made him want to kiss her even more then he already did. I need to tell her, he thought reaching over to touch her bare shoulder.

“Are we gonna talk?” he asked in a whisper tucking some of her hair behind her ear. Kali shivered slightly at the touch of his fingers on her face, goose bumps rising on her arms. His hand lay resting on her shoulder as she finally spoke since they’d left her house.

“I don’t know what to say to you Zac. You’re the one that came and said you wanted to talk to me, so talk!” she said barley above a whisper. She shrugged his hand off her shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest turning to look at him dead on. She had a bad feeling of what he wanted to talk to her about. She didn’t know if she could handle if he were to tell her that they couldn’t be friends anymore because Rachel didn’t want them too.

“I just don’t know how to say it Kals!” he replied equally as soft. He licked his lips and stared down at his hands, playing with his fingers. “I just don’t.”

“If you don’t want to be friends anymore I understand Zac,” she said, tears already starting to form in her eyes. She didn’t know if it was the truth, but if it was, she’d just have to deal.

“What? Baby no, that couldn’t be anymore farther then what I want,” he almost wanted to laugh at that thought. He reached over and wiped the tears away from her eyes.

“Baby?” she questioned him, that quaint little smile returning to her lips for a brief moment when that word fell out of his mouth. It quickly faded when she thought that he just made a mistake, his mind must have been on Rachel. “I’m not Rachel, Zac.”

“Yeah! Baby! And you not being Rachel is you’re best quality,” he said running his fingers across her cheeks, his true feelings and intentions starting to come out through his eyes. “I wanna be with you, as more then just friends Kals.”

“Don’t mess with me Zac,” she said reaching up and curling her fingers around his hand and pulling it slowly away from her face. “Just don’t say things you don’t mean,” she added in a low voice looking down once again.

“I’m not messing with you Kali. I really want to be with you, I… I… I have for a while now.” Zac put his hand under her chin and made her look at him. “I’m in love with you Kalina,” he added looking her straight in the eye. Sure, he’d said the words I love you to Rachel before, but he couldn’t while looking her in the eye or without keeping a straight face, he’d usually start laughing when he tried.

Kalina’s heart started beating a mile a minute at his last phrase. She had the unpleasant experience of witnessing Zac say ‘I love you’ to Rachel that afternoon in school, he had looked at her when he said ‘I’ but over her head at the rest of the words. Having him look her straight in the eye and say it meant a lot to her. “You… You… You are?” she stuttered a smile spreading across her face.

“I am,” he confirmed still holding her face in his hands. “I love you Kali,” he said again this time leaning closer to her and gently brushing his lips over hers. To Kali it felt like electricity passing between their mouths at the tiny touch. Zac dropped his hands to her waist and pulled her closer to him. She maneuvered so she was straddling him and sat on his lap. His hands moved to the small of her back and massaged the tiny bit of exposed skin.

Having him touch her this way was a turn on for her. Kali let out a soft moan as Zac let his hands slip a little bit lower and placed them on her ass in her back pockets, pulling her even closer to him. Their foreheads resting on one another’s and staring into each other’s eyes. She took the initiative and pressed her mouth hard to his, he moaned kissing her back. Zac parted his lips and ran his tongue over her lips until she obliged him and pressed her own tongue against his. They stayed that way for a while, just kissing and being close together.

“You wanna stay over tonight?” Zac asked in a whisper as they walked back home nearly an hour later. He looked at Kali who nodded and wrapped her arms tight around her body. “Baby why didn’t you bring a sweatshirt or something?” he questioned pulling his own over his head and pulling it back over her body.

“I didn’t think we’d be gone so long?” she grinned with a cheeky grin and wrapped her arms around his waist as they continued to walk. “I love you Zac!” she said stopping and looking up at him. He smiled and kissed her softly.

“I love you too Kals!”