Zac numbly hugged her back. She squeezed him tight, and it was then that Zac realized how hurt she was. How he had hurt her, how Susan had hurt her, how her family hurt her, and how life had hurt her. He allowed her to hug him for a few more moments before she pulled away. She kept her eyes cast down to the floor, making it hard for him to look her in the eye and get an idea of what she was thinking.
"I'm just...sorry. For....everything." She said.
"You dont' have to be." He said quietly, nudging her toe with his.
"But I am." She said. "God, I have been such a bitch."
"Nah, I deserved it."
"No, you didn't. I just...things have been hard lately."
"I understand."
"But that's no excuse."
"It's okay though." Zac said.
"No, it's not. It's not okay." She said. She walked over to her bed and sat down. Zac followed her over and sat down a few feet away.
"You wanna tell me what happened with jock boy?"
"Zac..." She warned.
"Sorry, Ashton, sorry sorry." He said.
Ricki sighed. "He...he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I just....I couldn't."
"Why not?" He asked. "I thought you were pretty head over heels for that guy."
"I was." She said, putting her head in her hands. "That's what I can't figure out."
"I see."
"I mean, Ashton was a great guy, and he was really nice and stuff, and I had always thought about getting more serious with him."
"yeah."
"But when the time came and he asked me, I just didn't know what to do, ya know?" She asked.
"Yeah." Zac nodded.
"I mean, I knew it was coming. It was sickening feeling."
"Uh huh."
"And I said no."
"It was your choice." He pointed out."
"Yeah, but he's such a nice guy. You don't know him. He's perfect."
"He can't be."
"But he was."
"Nah."
"Whatever. Anyways, I'm a dope."
"No you're not."
"God, what's the matter with me?" She asked.
"Nothing's the matter with you." He said.
"No, there has to be. The perfect guy wants to get serious with me, and I can barely stutter no and get the hell out of there. I'm an idiot."
"Nah...I'm the idiot."
"Why do you say that?" Ricki asked, turning to lean up against her headboard.
"Susan."
"Oh yeah." Ricki said. "What happened to her, anyway?"
Zac sighed. "Oh....a lot."
"I haven't seen her in awhile."
"That's cuz we broke up." Zac said.
"Oh." Ricki said quietly.
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry." She said.
Zac shook his head. "Nah. Don't be."
"Oh...okay." She said. "So, what went wrong?"
"Oh....lots of things. I was sick of her, she wanted me for my money, we wanted different things..."
"Oh."
"Yeah...I had doubts about the whole things awhile ago, then it was okay for awhile, then before break I just....broke it off one night."
"I didn't know that." Ricki said.
"I'm surprised." Zac said. "She's treated me like shit ever since."
"That sucks."
"Yeah. You were right by the way." he said.
Ricki grinned. "Right about what?"
Zac laughed. "About what....You know damn well. She was a selfish, arrogant, stuck up bitch who wanted to hump Zac Hanson, rock star. That's what." He said with a laugh.
"I know." Ricki said, grinning.
"Yeah."
"Well, you no longer have to worry about Susan, and I don't have to worry about Ashton."
"Yup." Zac said.
"Now we can grovel together." She said.
"Yup." Zac repeated.
Ricki sighed. "I really feel like shit."
"Me too." He said. "How could I have been so stupid?"
"I'm such a bitch."
"I was dating one." He said. He sat up and went over to the mini refridgerator that sat in the corner by his closet. He opened it up and pulled out a six pack of beer. He cracked one open, then looked at Ricki.
"Shall we?"
Ricki looked at the open can and sighed, accepting it. "We shall."