"You know, they kind of had a point." Grace murmured quietly, as she stared down at her folded hands in her lap.
   Looking out of the corner of his eye, Zac watched her for a moment before focusing on the dark road ahead of him. "About what?" He asked, just as quietly.
   She sighed and bit her lip, then raised her head to look at his darkened profile. "That thing with Taylor was so recent, and we really don't know each other all that well, Zac…" she started trailing off when she saw his whole body tighten and go rigid.
   "Tay was an ass for what he did." Zac answered tightly between his teeth, refusing to look at her now knowing that he'd probably scream and yell.
   "He didn't know what the hell he was doing, but trying to be so damn cool like he thinks Ike is."
   Turning back to look at her hands, Grace shrugged tiredly. "Still, Zac. They have a point."
   He started shaking his head slowly, "No they don't. They're upset because they're not the only couple anymore. They wanted it to be where when they got done playing it'd be over. There'd be no more connections."
   His eyes swung from the road for a moment and stared intently into hers for a split second. "But now it's not so neat and pretty. Because when they stop trying to destroy the other, they're worried we'd still be together. They'd still have to tolerate one another sometimes if they wanted to spend time with us."
   Grace nodded mutely, understanding his side as well. But she still couldn't shake the uneasiness of knowing that Taylor was just like Isaac, or trying to be, and that Zac could be just like them.
   They rode in silence again, each troubled with their own thoughts and internal arguments as well as their verbal one.
   Starting, Grace looked around her when she noticed they had stopped moving. The gentle lull of moving tires beneath them had ceased.
   "You're home." Zac informed gently, his hands resting lightly on his knees now.
   Noticing the familiar blacktop driveway with its loose rocks and cozy two-story home, Grace nodded and went to pull the door handle.
   Zac's hand stopped her. Glancing up at him curiously, she waited for his explanation. "I'm sorry, Gracie." He murmured, his eyes bleak with sadness. "I thought that you could trust me, even after what Tay did to you. But…" he shook his head tiredly.
   Feeling the sting of tears biting behind her eyelids, Grace nodded in understanding. "I do, Zac. But not as much as I should trust the person that I'm with."
   They both knew it was true. Knew it long before they had started seeing each other.
   Touching her cheek gently, Zac kissed her. First her lips and then her cheek and then rested his forehead against hers. "I should have asked you before Tay did." He whispered against her temple.
   One tear fell, hot and salty from her right eye. "Why didn't you?"
   Groaning, Zac pulled away and settled back on his side of the SUV. "Because I saw how happy you were when he was around. He smiled at you and you looked like you had just swallowed the sun, you glowed so much from it."
   Blushing furiously, Grace looked out her window. "I may have been flattered, but I was only happy with you, Zac. You were the one who actually gave me a moment's time to actually listen and be with me. Not parade me in front of friends and ignore me most of the time except to have your hands on me."
   She saw the way he stiffened under her words and wished she hadn't been so informative. Blushing again she opened her door quickly and got out.
   Before shutting it, she watched him from across the bench seat. "It wasn't him I wanted, but it felt like he was the only one who wanted me." She shrugged, "That's my only excuse, Zac."
   Zac turned his head and raised his eyes to her. "You didn't give me a chance to, Gracie."
   Another tear fell, and Grace nodded raggedly, trying to pull in some much needed breath. Her chest felt so tight as if it was being crushed by some large vice. "Bye, Zac."
   He nodded sharply and looked back out the windshield.
   Nodding again as well, Grace pushed the door closed and watched him drive off.
   Hurrying to her front door, she would have stumbled and fallen if she didn't struggle to keep the tears from blinding her.