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"Well, the cops had some good news." Zac said, hanging up the phone and turning to me.
"What's that?" I asked, holding the ice pack Zac had given me to my face.
"I guess some lady saw Josh hit you, and she called the cops right away. Apparently they showed up right after we left. He's in a lot of trouble for hitting a woman, but he's going to be charged in Maine. They have him in lock-up tonight, and they are sending him back tomarrow."
"Oh, thank God." I sighed, sinking into the couch, relieved.
Zac came over and sat down next to me. He gently took the ice pack from me and examined my face. "How does it feel?" He asked.
"Okay, it's just stinging." I replied. "My stomach hurts more than anything."
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" He asked. He had asked me that about a million times in the past ten minutes.
"I'm sure." I said. "I'll be fine. What about you? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm alright."
I leaned over and kissed his face softly. "You're my hero." I whispered, smiling.
Zac laughed. "Thanks." He said.
"Well," I said, standing up. "I'm super tired. It's been a crazy day. I think I'm going to go to bed."
"Count me in." Zac replied, standing up and heading for his bedroom.
Within minutes, we were settled into the bed together. He lay on his back, and I was on my side, resting my head on his bare chest.
"I don't want you to go home." Zac said suddenly.
"What?" I asked sleepily.
"I loved having you here these past few days. It was so nice coming home to you after work, and having you here to cuddle with every night." He explained.
"Yeah, it has been nice." I agreed.
"Don't go home." He said.
"Zac, I have to go home. It's where my stuff is." I laughed.
"Move in with me." He suggested.
"Huh?"
"Move in with me. You can sell your house. I mean, it's beautiful, it would sell really fast."
"Are you serious?" I asked.
"Yes! I want you to live here with me."
"We've only been going out for a little while, Zac. What if you change your mind about us?"
"Chloe, I have never been so sure about anything in my life as I am the fact that I am crazy in love with you. I'm not changing my mind about us any time soon."
I smiled. "I love you too."
"So...?" He asked. "Will you move in?"
"Yes!" I said, excitedly.
"Really?" He sat up quickly.
"Really!" I replied.
He pulled me in, holding me by the shoulders and kissed me hard.
***
For the next two weeks, I was super busy. I spent the first few days looking for a real estate agent to sell my house. After that, I was super busy packing up all of my stuff. It felt like just yesterday that Ashleigh and I had moved into the place! It was true that I had only spent a few months in that house, and it was also true that I loved the place, but I was really excited about moving in with Zac. His house was amazing as well, and most importantly, he lived there! After only a week and a half, my house was sold.
By the end of the two weeks, I was ready to move into Zac's house. Our house. The moving truck was already on the way to Zac's place, so I got in my car to head there as well. On the way, I decided to pick up a movie and some popcorn for our first night living together. I stopped at a convenience store just a few blocks away from his house.
"Is that everything?" The cashier, who looked to be about my age, asked.
"Yeah." I replied.
"That's seven sixty five." She said, putting my items in a bag and looking up at me. "You look familiar."
"I do?" I asked.
"Yeah. Do I know you from somewhere?"
"I don't think so." I replied.
"Wait! I know. You're dating Zac Efron!" She said excitedly.
"Oh, yeah." I said, laughing.
"What's so funny?" She asked.
"Sometimes I forget he's famous. It's just kinda weird."
"I guess it would be." she agreed. "I couldn't imagine dating a celebrity. I mean, I work at a corner store! It would be so random."
"Trust me, I know what you mean." I replied with a smile.
"You do?" She asked.
"Yeah." I replied. "Until a few months ago, I lived in Maine and I worked at Wal-Mart."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously!" I laughed.
"Wow." She smiled. "Well, I guess good things do happen to people who deserve it sometimes. I mean, Zac Efron is totally hot!"
"That he is!" I agreed, nodding my head. "I'm Chloe." I stuck out my hand.
"Amy." She shook my hand.
"Nice to meet you." I said, heading toward the door.
"Hey Chloe?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I give you my number or something? Maybe we can hang out sometime? It's not often I meet people in California that I can actually relate to."
"Yeah, sure." I replied with a smile.
She quickly wrote her name and number down on a pack of matches, we said our goodbyes, and I headed toward my new home. I was happy. I was moving in with the guy of my dreams, and I made a new friend. That's one thing I was actually lacking in California. Friends.
***
"Hey baby!" Zac yelled as I came through the door.
"Hey!" I replied with a smile and a hug. "How are you?"
"Great." He replied, giving me a quick kiss. "I missed you. It feels like I haven't seen you in forever!"
"You pretty much haven't. We have barely even spoken these past two weeks, I have been so busy."
"I'm so glad you're here." He said, taking my hand and leading me through the house, past all of the boxes.
"Ugh, it's going to take forever to unpack all of this." I sighed.
"Don't worry about that now." Zac said. "I got you a present."
"You did? Why? What is it?"
"You'll see, just come with me." He was leading me toward the kitchen.
"Why did you get me a present?" I asked again.
"It's kind of a house warming gift." He replied with a smile, pushing the kitchen doors open.
There, in the middle of the kitchen floor, sat a tiny little kitty. She was all white, except for one little orange spot on her right eat.
"Oh my God!" I gasped, running toward the kitten. "She is so cute!"
"You like her?" He asked with a huge smile on his face.
"Zac, I love her!" I picked her up and hugged her, then ran to Zac and kissed him. "This is so sweet! Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome." He replied. "What do you want to name her?"
"Hmm." I held her out in front of me. "I think she looks like a Pippi, like Pippi Longstocking."
"I love it." Zac agreed, nodding his head. "Pippi it is!"
***
We spent the rest of the evening on his couch, relaxing. We watched the movie that I rented, and Pippi slept on my lap the whole time. At about nine o'clock at night, Zac's phone rang.
"Hello?" He said "...What?" He looked angry. "Well couldn't someone have told me this sooner? That doesn't give me much time. Alright, okay. I guess so. Bye."
"What was that all about?" I asked, petting Pippi's head.
"I have some kind of bad news." Zac said, looking kind of upset.
"Uh oh. What is it?"
"Well, it's not the worst thing in the world. It's just...you know how next month I was supposed to go away to Oklahoma, to start filming 'Translation'?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I guess we got bumped up a little." He sighed. "We're starting filming a little sonner than planned."
"How soon?" I asked.
"I have to leave tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night!?" I jumped up. "But, I just moved in. We won't even get to spend any time together!"
"I know, I'm so sorry." Zac sat back down next to me and grabbed my hands. "Are you mad?"
"No." I replied. "Just upset. I mean, I'm gonna miss you. How long are you going to be gone?"
"Just about two months, I guess." He sounded upset. "Which I guess really isn't that bad, concidering I'm filming a movie."
"I guess it could be a lot worse." I sighed. "But, two months is a long time. I'm going to miss you!"
"I'm gonna miss you too. I'm so sorry, Chlo."
"It's not your fault, Zac." I said. "It's your job. Don't worry about it. Besides, Pippi here can keep me company while you are gone."
"You're the best." He leaned against me.
"I know."