“Here By Me”
Chapter 12


While Joan, Isabella and Zack sat and talked Jon finally walked in from work,

“Well you two are not cracking books today?” Jon says setting his hand on Zack’s shoulder. Jon looks down at Zack as he smiles saying, “The slave driver decided to give you a break I see.”

“Dad I am not a slave driver, Zack just needs some polishing on those ruff edges of his.” Isabella says.

“Well does she have you all polished up now Zack?” Jon asks him.

“I guess so I know for a fact I am going to pass this test next Friday.” Zack says.

“I hope your right Zack or we do not go to the dance.” Isabella says.

“I have full faith in myself on this. In fact, I have so much faith in myself and you’re tutoring. I am willing to lay a little side bet on it as well.” Zack says in full confidence.

Isabella’s eyes widen as she raises her brow and says, “Oh now are you and what might that little side bet be?”

“Well if it is alright with your parents.” Zack stops and looks at Joan and then Jon then back at Isabella as he says, “The weekend after next my family and I are going to the coast my dad’s boss has a beach house that he lets my family use once a year and that weekend we are going down there and if your parents do not mind I would like you to go along with me.”

“So what is the bet Zack?” Jon asks him.

Zack looks back at Jon as he says, “Well if I pass like I think I will I want Isabella to go with us, if I do not pass with the grade I think I will, I will stay here and study all weekend.” Zack says looking back at Isabella.

“And what grade do you think you will pass with Zack?” Isabella asks.

“With a B+ or higher.” Zack says.

“Wow you really think you can go from a high D low C to a B+ or higher Zack?” Isabella says she tilts her head and continues, “I was only hoping for a high C at least.”

“What… no faith in me Isabella?” Zack asks her.

“Well…” Isabella stared saying as Zack jumps in saying, “You know I can do it you saw my other grades in my other classes. I just could not find History interesting and you showed me how interesting it really is.” Zack says.

“Yes your other grades are high C’s or higher.” Isabella says.

“Alright then do we have a bet?” Zack asks.

Isabella looks at her mom and dad as Jon says, “It is fine with me.” Jon looks down at Joan as she to says, “I do not mind if you want to go.”

“Well if I win the bet she has not choice in the matter as long as you say it is cool for her to go.” Zack says.

Isabella raises her eyebrows at Zack as she says, “Ok mister cocky you have a bet. If you win I will go with you and your family to the beach house, but if I win you stay here and you will find out what kind of slave driver I really can be.”

Jon and Joan chuckle as they watch them shake hands on it. Zack stands to his feet as he says, “I need to be going I told mom I would only be gone a couple of hours after school she has something she needs me to do and if we are going to the show I need to get a move on.”

Isabella stands as she says, “I will walk you out Zack. I need to get up to my room and put my finishing touches on my Graphic/Arts Project for turn in tomorrow.”

They walk into the house to the front foyer as Zack opens the door to leave he gives Isabella a small kiss on the cheek as he says, “I will be back at 7 to pick you up.”

“Ok I will see you then.” Isabella kisses Zack back on the cheek as she stands in the door and watches him get on his bike and ride away. She closes the door and goes to her room.


No more then 30 minutes later Isabella is being collected from her room by Paul, “Excuse me Isabella, but your Grandmother is down stairs and she is asking for your attendance.” Paul tells her.

“Gees I am never going to get this done now.” Isabella says looking at the clock that read 6:10.

Isabella gets up from her chair and follows Paul downstairs to where her Grandmother is. When she enters the parlor, she saw her parents and Grandmother sitting there with a rather large jewel box on her lap with a ring case sitting atop of it.

“Yes Grandmother I was told you wanted audience with me.” Isabella says sitting across from her.

“Yes my child I have something for you.” Her Grandmother says holding out the box to her.

Isabella gets up from her chair as she goes to her Grandmother taking the jewel box from her. Isabella goes back and sits down sitting the box on her lap. She picks up the ring box first as she slowly opens it reveling the most beautiful diamond ring that she had ever set her eyes upon. The center jewel was a half caret marquee cut with small diamond and the bluest sapphire baguettes on the side, it was adorned with smaller diamonds and sapphires on the upper and lower half of the marquee they looked as if they were floating next to the center jewel.

Isabella’s eyes widen as she hears her Grandmother say, “Now that is not a diamond you see there.”

Isabella looks at her Grandmother confused as she asks, “It is not Grandmother?”

“No my child those are white sapphires… of course the blue gems are the traditional blue sapphires. Your Great Grandfather my father bought those for me when I was 18 years of age. I told your mother when you became of age I would pass them on to you.” Her Grandmother said.

“But Grandmother I am not 18 for another 3 weeks.” Isabella says as she opens the lager jewel box Isabella almost drops it shocked by what she saw inside of it.

Her Grandmother chuckles as she says, “I know dear but I thought this would make a lovely addition to your dress for Homecoming night.”

Isabella’s eyes become very wide as she says in an uneasy tone, “UMM Grandmother I do not know about wearing this to the dance I might get mugged.”

Her Grandmother laughs as she says, “They do not need to know it is real, to them it is cosmetic… just glass and the ones that do know it is real would not dream of doing such a thing knowing you are my Granddaughter.”

Isabella looks back down into the box as she cannot take her eyes from the necklace, earrings, and bracelet that sat in the box, they were beautiful, and the thought of even holding them in her lap in her own home made her very nervous. Isabella closes the box and hands them to her father as she says, “Dad could you please lock these up for me and I will get them from you later.”

Her father takes them from her going to the safe in his office in the home and locks them in safe and snug. While he was gone Isabella gets up going to her Grandmother and gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek she tells her, “Thank you Grandmother and I will cherish them always and keep them very safe.”

“You are very welcome my dear and I want plenty of pictures with you and your date.” Her Grandmother says.

Isabella smiles as she says, “Yes Grandmother I will get plenty for you and Grandfather.”

Her Grandmother hugs her again as she says, “Alright then your mother told me you had plans tonight and you were working on your school work so I will let you get back to it.”

“Yes I do and yes I was… And thank you again Grandmother.” Isabella says. She turns walking from the room going back upstairs to get her work done and to get ready for Zack’s return for tonight.


A few minutes before 7pm Isabella is sitting in the parlor talking with her parents as Zack walks into the room. Isabella looks up at him as she sees he is wearing a dark purple silk shirt that he had half-unbuttoned and black slacks and a pair of dress shoes.

Isabella smiles as she says, “Well now you clean up quite nicely. No leather, no boots, and no helmet what’s up?”

Zack smiles as he says, “This is our first official date I wanted you to know I am not always a bum.”

Isabella chuckles as she says, “Well I know that, you do have to wear that crazy school uniform.”

Zack smiles saying, “That does not count in my eyes.”

Isabella shakes her head as she asks him, “So if you do not have the bike what are you driving?”

“My moms Lincoln Navigator, she let me use it tonight. I also told her you would be joining us in the trip to the beach house this year.” Zack tell Isabella.

“Boy you really do believe you are going to pass this test with flying colors.” Isabella says.

Zack nods as Joan says, “That’s good that means he will pass it.”

Isabella nods as she says, “I hope your right.”

Zack takes her hand as he says, “You ready to go? I need to make a quick stop before we go meet Bastian and Lisa.”

“Sure lets get out of here.” Isabella says. Isabella turns looking at her mother and father telling them, “See you in a little while and good night I will be in before midnight.”

They wave them out as they tell them, “Good night and have fun you two.”

“We will…” Zack says.


While driving along Isabella finally breaks the silence as she asks Zack, “Your awful quite tonight what’s up and where are we going?”

Zack turns smiling at her as he reaches over taking her hand he says, “It is a surprise and you will soon find out. I called Bastian and found out what show we were seeing and what time so I picked up our tickets to the show on my way home so we would not be left out of seeing it tonight. This place I am taking you… You are going to love I have never taken anyone out there before it is my get away place when I need to think and I want you to see it, plus I have something for you.” Isabella gently squeezes Zack’s hand as they drive along.

After a few more minutes, Isabella sees the ocean in front of them. Zack pulls into a parking area off the side of the road as he parks the vehicle he gets out going to Isabella’s side as she is already getting out from the vehicle Zack takes her hand walking her to the edge of the bluff that over looked the ocean. The sun was sitting as the orange, pinks and purples filled the sky the moon hung high in the evening sky. Isabella looks around as she saw a set of stairs that lead down on to the beach Zack walks toward them leading her down them. When they reach the bottom the waves are just inches from the walkway, they were on.

“Zack the tide is coming in do you think we should be down here?” Isabella asks him.

“The tied will never reach us here but we do need to hurry so we do not get wet from where I am taking you.” Zack says.

Isabella chuckles as she walks in behind him. Zack steps down onto the rocks below them as he helps Isabella down taking her hand again walking her to a tide pool that sat between the bluffs. He stops in the mist of the cove as Isabella looks around as the setting sun reflects from the water and the moon reflection danced along the rippling water that sat in the pools that surrounded them. Isabella looked around in the pools as she saw life moving in the pools of ocean water she bends down reaching into the one of the pools as Zack says,

“Be careful they are very delicate.”

“I know they are I would never dream of hurting any of them.” Isabella says as she touches a sea urchin. She giggles as she looks up at Zack with a big smile she sees he is standing there with something in his hand.

Isabella stands drying her hand as Zack takes her other hand into his he says, “I want to give you this Isabella.”

He holds out a small ring box as Isabella gets a really weird look on her face she finds she cannot stop looking at the box as she hears Zack say, “Do not freak out it is not what you think Isabella.”

Isabella looks up at him as she takes the box from him opening it as she is opening the box to look inside it she hears Zack saying, “I know a promise ring signifies many things, but I want you to know what I want this to signify from me to you.”

Zack pauses as he takes the promise ring from the box he stands in front of Isabella as he continues, “I want you to know that I am giving you this promise ring because I will always be your friend. I will never let our times together get so bad that I over look that that is how we came to this moment in our lives to begin with. I will always be there for you when you need me and even when you think you do not. I will always make you smile and keep you happy. I will always care for you and I will never break your heart or cause a single tear to grace your beautiful blue eyes. I promise you as the time passes I will love you more with each passing day and I will love you more then there are stars in the heavens. This and much more I promise you Isabella.”

Zack takes her hand and places the promise ring on her finger. Isabella smiles as she says, “Zack that is so sweet, but I hate…”

“I know what you are going to say Isabella and I know when your memories return I have a very good chance of losing you, but as far as today and all other days are concerned I have a chance to win over your heart. I am hoping that when they do return your love for me will be stronger then the love you have or had for Bastian.” Zack tells her.

Isabella smiles as she says, “Well Zack I must say you are getting a good start on winning over my heart and I promise I will not just leave you cold if and when my memories return to me. If I did, love Sebastian back then it could not have been what I would call a true love… we were so young back then. I do not even think I would know what true love was back then and I am sure the love Sebastian holds for me is a type of love, but is it the love I am looking for. He is living in the past, not the today or the future of his love and I think Sebastian knows this and is more afraid of that then he is of me not remembering how I felt for him. I think he is so afraid I will forget what we had then what I felt for him.”

Isabella’s eyes start to sting as she turns from Zack she feels Zack’s hands on her shoulders as he says, “Please do not be sad Isabella I did not mean to make you cry over this.”

“I am alright Zack, it is just the thought that I may end up breaking the heart of a guy that has and will love me for what I am right now. He wants me to remember everything that is important to me. Even the love I had for another guy that may take me away from him forever. He is not looking for anything for himself but my love in return… he wants me as I am and he wants me to be happy… and I am so afraid I will not be able to give him what he is looking for, because I am not even sure what I want in my life right now.”

Isabella feels Zack turning her to look at him as a tear rolls down her cheek he wipes the tear away with the back of his finger as he says, “You know what you want in your life Isabella and the most important thing to you right now is to remember your past and I will help you in anyway I can even if it is at the loss of you. I will help you remember what I can anyway I can. You do not worry about me and my heart and what will happen to it, I will heal and I will be happy just knowing that I made you happy in your life no matter the choice you make.”

Isabella wraps her arms around Zack as they hold one another. She pulls away from the hug they look into one another’s eyes. Isabella smiles at Zack as another tear makes its way down her cheek. Zack leans into her and kisses the tear, Isabella turns her head slightly as their lips meet and they share their first true kiss. As the tied washes up the wave crashes hard onto the cove causing a mist of ocean water to drift over them looking as if thousands of tiny gems were tossed above them as they sparkled a rainbow of colors as they fell around them.

Isabella and Zack pull away from the kiss as they smile Zack says, “I guess we should be going or we might end up with more then a slight mist next time.” Isabella nods as Zack and Isabella head back to the vehicle.

When they reach the walkway Isabella stops looking out at the ocean as the tied rolls in she looks at Zack pulling him to her she wraps her arms around him as she says, “Thank you Zack for everything. I promise you I will not stop myself from falling in love with you just because I am trying to remember my past and a love I am not even sure existed. I will love you with all my heart and I will love you completely.”

Zack touches her cheek as he says, “I only want you to be happy Isabella and as long as you are happy with your life and what is going on I will be happy not only for you, but for us.”

Isabella pulls Zack closer to her as she kisses him again. They pull away from the kiss and go to the vehicle. Zack opens her door as she gets in he closes it and gets in on his side they drive off to the theater to meet Sebastian and Lisa.


When they get there they walk up to the front of the theater hand in hand smiling and talking seeing Sebastian and Lisa standing there as they hear Sebastian say, “I thought you two were never going to make it. What took so long?”

“Had to make a little pit stop on the way.” Zack says as he turns Isabella’s hand over looking down onto it. Isabella was talking to Lisa so she was not paying no mind to what was going on at the time.

Sebastian gets an upset look on his face as he takes Lisa’s hand he says in an irritated tone, “Come on the show is going to start without us if we do not get in there now!”

Lisa gets a shocked look on her face as she turns walking with Sebastian she asks, “What is wrong Bastian?”

“Nothing and do not worry about it I will deal with it later.” Sebastian says. Lisa shrugs her shoulders as they walk inside. Zack and Sebastian get drinks and popcorn for themselves and the girls as Isabella and Lisa stand off to the side and talk waiting for them.

Sebastian was in front of Zack as he turns saying, “What do you think you’re trying to do Zack you know I will take Isabella away from you when her memories come back to her?” Sebastian turns back picking up his things.

“I know that Bastian and until that day comes I will be with Isabella and everyone is going to know it and they will stay away from her or suffer the consequences. That includes you as well…” Zack says.

Sebastian turns looking at Zack as he says, “I will never stay away from Isabella and if you think I will you have another thing coming.”

“I never said you could not be friends with her, but it better not go any farther as long as she is with me Bastian.” Zack says then tells the guy behind the counter, “Large popcorn, and two large Pepsi’s.” Zack turns looking at Sebastian as he says, “Isabella told me about the encounters you two had in her room when she first came home, that better be the first, and the last time it happens with her.”

Sebastian gets upset as he says, “Isabella is mine and until she tells me different I will not step out of her life either way.”

Zack laughs as he pays the guy and picks up his things he turns looking at Sebastian as he says, “Isabella belongs to no one, she does not even belong to me, and I swear Bastian if she tells me you did something like that again to her while I am with her…” Zack chuckles as he shakes his head he finishes saying, “The fight we had over the bike incident will seem like a cake walk to you.” Zack walks away from Sebastian going to Isabella he hands her, her drink, then walks into the theater, and takes a seat.

Lisa and Sebastian sitting with them as Lisa sat next to Isabella. After the show they all walked out telling one another good night as Lisa says, “I had fun tonight Isabella we will have to get together and do this again or maybe us girls could get together and go shopping one weekend.”

“That would be great Lisa but these next few weekends I will be busy. I am going to the beach with Zack and his family the weekend after Homecoming.” Isabella says.

Sebastian’s eyes widen as he gives Zack a dirty look. Lisa says, “That’s cool we will talk later and see what is good for us.”

“That works for me.” Isabella says as they walk to the vehicle. Zack opens Isabella’s door for her as she gets in.

Zack goes to his side getting in and drives off as he waves to Lisa and Sebastian as they drive out of the parking lot.



Here By Me Chapter 13