Taylor let out a groan. Isaac and Zac stared at him for a moment, then someone tapped Zac on the shoulder. He saw Isaac bite his lip just before he turned around.
“You were dared to go out with me?” Mary Anne asked, studying him.
“I, umm, err,” Zac stammered, wide eyed. “It – I – yes but I would have asked you out eventually anyway!”
Mary Anne looked into his eyes, chewing the inside of her bottom lip.
“I need to talk to you,” she said at last.
Zac followed her out of the room after shooting a dirty glare at Isaac.
“Mary Anne, Mary Anne, I swear, I’ve never thought of our relationship as the result of a dare. I’d been trying to get the nerve for ages and Ike and Tay -”
“Zac, I don’t care about that,” she replied once they were out of ear shot. “I know what you’re like Zac. I’m sure you wouldn’t have even considered taking up the dare if you didn’t like me. And if I’m completely mistaken about you, I’m sure you would have dumped me long before now. Or have been half the gentleman you’ve been.”
Zac sighed in relief as she smiled at him.
“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” he asked, taking her hand.
She chewed her lip.
“I... I want to break up with you.”
“What?” Zac yelped, dropping her hand and putting his hands on her shoulders. “What? Why? It’s not because -”
“Get over the dare thing Zac. You know how my grandparents live in Arizona?”
“Yeah...”
“My Grandpa is sick, and my Grandma is caught up looking after him. You know how they run the ranch?” Mary Anne waited for Zac’s nod. “Well, we’re going to be going down there, y’know, to look after Grandpa and take care of the ranch.”
“I’m... I’m sorry Mary Anne, but, but, why do we have to break up?”
“You’re going back on tour. And when you come back to Tulsa, I’ll be in Arizona. And I don’t know how long we’ll be down there – at least a year. I’m sorry Zac.”
Zac looked like he wanted to cry.
“When are you going?”
“A week Saturday.”
“That soon?”
“Afraid so.”
“Well, we’re not leaving until Monday after that... why don’t you say we stay boyfriend and girlfriend until you have to leave? That way we won’t waste any time we have left.”
Mary Anne giggled.
“Sure.”
And on that she wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed softly.