On The Edge Of Falling

Never Too Late

I slowly opened my bedroom door, while peaking my head out into the hallway. I wanted to be sure Zak didn't catch me sneaking out. I flipped my phone to silent, and kept my eye out for the 'I'm here' text from Billy. I tiptoed down the stairs, in complete darkness; having already turned off all the lights. I inched closer and closer to the door and successfully, walked outside without Zak hearing. I felt like a teenager sneaking out of the house to go to a party. Although, if it was my mother I was sneaking away from, she would've caught me.
Billy flashed off his headlights, as he drove up the driveway to meet me. I hopped in his car and we were on our way. Billy looked over at me, as I watched the street lights zoom by in my window. "So? You going to tell me what's going on?" Billy asked, curious why I wasn't speaking. He reached for the extra coffee in the cup holder and handed it to me.
"I'm pretty sure I need to go back home." I confessed, before I took a sip of my coffee. "Thanks by the way. For picking me up, and the coffee."
"No problem, but please, explain why you want to go back home."
"I don't belong here, Billy. This all happened way too fast. It went from a simple vacation, to loosing everything and moving into a strangers house."
"I thought that's what you wanted? Change."
"Well, I don't anymore." I sighed. Suddenly, Billy pulled to the curb, and shut the car off. "What are you doing?" I asked, as Billy took his seatbelt off and leaned towards me. His brows narrowed.
"What did he do?"
"Nothing, I just..."
"Addy, what did Zak do?" Billy asked again, this time widening his eyes, expecting a response.
"It wasn't his fault. All of this was my doing. It's my fault." Billy remained silent, waiting for me to further explain. "I slept with him."
"Yeah, I know."
"How do you know?" I gasped.
"Aaron told me."
"Wait, how does Aaron know?"
"Zak told him."
"God damn him, what is with men? Why do you feel it's necessary to brag about who you hook up with?" I shook my head in anger.
"It's in our nature. So, you guys slept together, so what? Zak sleeps with a lot of women."
"Yeah, that's the problem." I crossed my arms, and turned back towards my window.
"Oh, now I see what's going on. You have feelings for him and you're not comfortable with the other ladies he's bringing home."
"For your information, he's only brought home one chick, and he kicked her out."
"Addy, just admit it."
"Fine! I have feelings for him! But I can't do anything about it! I need this job, but now I can't even stand being around him."
"Well, you have to make a decision. You either quit the job and tell him how you feel, or you keep the job, and lock away your feelings. Which means, you will have to accept the fact that he will be dating other women."
"I guess I have feelings to lock away."
Billy smiled at me, and pulled me in for a hug. I continued to sip my coffee, I was going to be up for a while now anyways, might as well be energized for my apology to Zak. I felt as though he kind of owed me one too, for yelling at me like a child.
We pulled into the driveway, just as the sun was starting to rise. I waved goodbye to Billy, before I walked inside. The lights were still shut off, but the early morning sun was shining through the windows, lighting my way. I walked up to my bedroom to find Zak sitting on my bed. Thankfully, he was back to wearing regular attire and not his revealing boxers, that formed to every inch of his manhood. "Zak, what are you doing?"
"I could ask you the same thing. Why would you sneak away like that? I came in here to apologize and instead, I look out the window to see you hopping in Billy's car."
"I'm sorry, I just needed someone to talk to. I didn't want to wake you up."
"I wasn't sleeping." Zak ran his hands down his face, then proceeded to pat the empty spot next to him on the bed. "Can we talk?" Zak asked. I agreed and took a seat beside him. "I'm sorry, for yelling at you the way I did."
"Zak, you really shouldn't be the one apologizing. I was the one who asked you to sleep with me. I was the one who turned you down, and it made everything awkward. I should've never said that you weren't my friend. After everything you've done for me, you're a really amazing friend and I just wish we could go back and start over."
"Do you regret our night?"
"No, I enjoyed it, but I would really just like my friend back."
"No more judgements?"
"No more judgements."
"And you'll be nice to my dates?"
"I guess I'll have to." I grinned.
"Okay, let's start over."
"Thank you." I said, as Zak gave me a gentle smile. "So, what do you need me to do today?"
"Take a day off. Neither one of us got any sleep, we both need to relax."
"Yeah, I just chugged a large coffee, I'm wired." I laughed.
"Alright, well, you want to go see some haunted shit?" Zak asked, as he stood and reached for my hand. I put my hand in his.
"Love to."
            I was quickly regretting my decision, as Zak left me in the puppet room of the museum. He had asked me to take my camera, so I could take some photos of his new items. As I looked through the view finder, I felt as though the puppets were staring right back at me. The eerie feeling I got from this place was unlike anything I've ever felt before, but I wasn't going to let it bring down my mood. I wouldn't say that I was necessarily happy about deciding to be just friends with Zak, but I was happy about keeping my job.
             "Creepy aren't they?" Zak asked, as he creeped through the door. I took a break from my photo shoot and let out a troubled sigh.
             "Extremely creepy."
             "You want to know a little fun fact? I'm terrified of clowns."
             "Well, then it makes a lot of sense to have a room full of them, huh?" I laughed, as I continued snapping photos. I couldn't help but look at Zak, as he glared at the puppets hanging from the ceiling. The natural feel of him with his cherished possessions was too amazing to pass up. Besides, this was my kind of photography. Zak looked over when he realized the camera was facing him.
             "What are you doing?"
             "Taking pics of you and your toys."
             "Hey, these aren't toys. I'm not Aaron." Zak said. I began to laugh, as I inched closer and closer to him. "Come on, Addy, stop."
             "Zak Bagans isn't shy now is he?"
             "No, he's just exhausted. I look like shit." Zak sighed, and forced out a loud yawn.
             "Oh, stop, you look fine, but if you insist." I released the camera, letting it hang by my chest. "Do you think this going to work? The just friends thing?"
             "I think we're doing a good job already."
Zak smiled and walked out. After traveling from room to room taking pictures, I had to step out for some fresh air. I was finally going to be faced with my first true test, to see if our friendship was going to work out.
            Zak was standing by his car, as a young woman stood beside him. By the way they were both smiling, I knew it was yet another chick he was going to romance, but I held my head high and decided to be the bigger person. I casually walked over to them both and greeted her with a handshake. I must say, she was a hell of a lot nicer than the last one. "Hi, I'm Zak's new assistant, Addy." She smiled and shook my hand. Before she could introduce herself, I thought I would throw in a light joke to break any tension between me and Zak. "So, date night? She's way cuter than the last." I laughed, and nudged Zak's arm. Zak laughed with me, as he covered his eyes.
             "Actually, I'm Ashley. I'm Jays wife." She said, with an adorable smile.
             "Jay?"
             "Jay, the other member of our crew." Zak said. "She hasn't met Jay yet."
             "Oh, well then you should definitely join Zak tonight for the cook out." Ashely smiled. I was too busy dropping my head in shame to accept the offer.
             "I am so sorry, I shouldn't have assumed..."
             "Oh, its fine, don't worry about it." Ashley said, as she waved it off. I looked over at Zak, who still had a cheeky grin stretched across his face. "Zak, we will see you at 8. It was nice meeting you, Addy. I hope we see you tonight too." Ashley said, as she walked back to her car.
            "Smooth." Zak said.
            "Shut up."
            "I can't believe you thought I was going to bang my friends wife."
            "I didn't know who she was!"
            "Gracie, come." Zak whistled for her, as she was taking a potty break by a nearby tree. Gracie jumped in the back seat, as I rounded the car to the passenger side. Zak turned the key and the roar of the engine vibrated my body, which was quite calming after that embarrassing moment.
            "Where to now, boss?"
            "The mall."
            "Why are we going to the mall?"
            "You'll see..."