Crashing

Breakfast Blowout

"Zak? Zak...." I said nudging his arm. He was obviously dreaming cause he was smiling...he then opened his eyes and I startled him. We had stopped for gas and breakfast...everyone else had gone into the restaurant, or so I thought. I was left to wake up sleeping beauty. He was grumpy in the mornings...we drew straws to see who would wake him...lucky me...I won.
"Shit!" He said and jumped, looking around.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." I said laughing, we stopped breakfast.
"It's okay, morning." He said, reaching for his glasses on the dashboard of the RV.
"Morning...and a couple quick questions; how did I end up in your bed, and you out here? And...what were ya dreaming about?" I asked smiling.
"What?" He was still trying to wake up and figure out if he had dreamt about us, or if it had happened. He looked at me through his glasses and realized, it had been a dream.
"Uh, oh you were up here sleeping, and I couldn't sleep so I put you in my bed." He smiled then stood up in front of me, his eyes were still trying to open and his hat was a mess, he quickly put his hat on too.
"Well, thanks I needed the sleep...comfy bed. But, why didn't you just wake me? I would have moved and gone straight to my bunk." I asked folding my arms.
        "You were so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you, or throw you over the bunk and wake up Amy...everyone knows she's a turd if you wake her." Zak laughed and so did I.
       "True." I agreed. "So what were you dreaming about?" I was grinning and picking with Zak.
"No one." Zak said as he walked by..and he realized he'd slipped up and hoped I hadn't noticed.
"I didn't ask who, I asked what? Ahhh...so what little chica were you dreaming of?" I was smiling and Zak turned around, looking at me very serious.
"I said no one...drop it...Okay?!" He was really agitated.
"Alright, sorry...I just thought maybe it was me." I said, walking past him and brushing up against him. He just stood there looking puzzled. I turned to walk out and he grabbed my arm and turned me around. He just looked at me.
"Stop it." He said.
"Stop what? We always kid like this. Oh don't tell me it's getting under your skin now." I laughed.
"You are under my skin, you have been since the moment I laid eyes on you. I can't get Colorado, or the other day at the end of your stairs out of my damn mind. Just stop playing games with me." He was squeezing my arm a bit, and he didn't realize it.
"Let me go.." I said and pulled my arm away.
"I can't...never mind. I'm sorry." He said, turning and slamming the door to his bedroom. I stood there and as I turned to walk off the RV...Amy was standing there, mouth open. She'd taken in the show and her ears hadn't deceived her.
"Amy." I said
"Well, I guess that's that." She turned and walked off the RV...she headed into the restaurant. I stood, thinking and then I got really mad.
"Alright, I'll deal with her later...Bagans is first." I turned to face Zak's bedroom door. I was pissed, I charged right up to it and banged on it.
"Zak! Open the door!" I was banging on it and he opened it. Standing there; shirtless.
"What?!" He said just looking at me.
"What's your..." I was looking him up and down. I was having a hard time staying mad seeing him this way, let alone concentrating.
"What's my what?" He asked softly...leaning against the door frame, staring at me...he knew what he was doing.
"You know, your...problem." I answered trying to look him in the eyes instead of his pecs. I got flushed and started to breath quicker.
       "I'm just not comfortable with all the jokes anymore." He said frankly. "Now can I get dressed please?" He shut the door and was grinning. He wasn't playing fair. I then realized what he had done. This was my game...how did this happen? I was confused as to what was going on here...suddenly things shifted. Zak was now the one driving me insane. No...this wasn't taking place.
"Hey, you alright?" Billy asked as Amy stormed into the restaurant and angrily sat down in a huge booth next to him.
"Yeah, fine." She answered as everyone was looking at their menus. Amy wasn't a morning person and everyone chalked it up to that. I came in a few minutes later. Amy and I looked at each other from across the booth. The guys could see the tension.
"Uh is Zak coming or what?" Aaron asked looking at me, then again over at Amy.
"How the hell would I know? I'm not his keeper." I snapped picking up a menu.
"Excuse me." Aaron said. "Geez."
"I'm sorry Aaron, I'm just...I don't know...tired I guess." I apologized.
      "I would be too with all the lying it takes to juggle two guys." Amy said, mumbling behind her menu, but just loud enough to be heard.
      "Oh I see, so we're gonna judge? Anyone can say anything hiding behind a menu." I said staring straight at Amy.
      "Fine...menu is down." Amy slammed it on the table, and the guys just looked at each other and then me. "I can't even..I need coffee." She said motioning to the waitress.
     "Did we miss something?" Jay asked Aaron.
      "Oh you sure did. Apparently, Zak and Amanda here are closer than we all thought. Tell me...is that how you got promoted? Like your last job? You know the one where you positioned yourself underneath one of the biggest rock stars on the planet?" She just stared at me. She had no clue Zak walked up and was standing behind her.
      "Wow, I can't believe you would say that out loud, much less think it. Zak would never promote anyone like that...he loves this show and all of you. He'd never jeopardize this." I got up and almost ran into Zak. In that instant, Zak had a revelation...I walked out.
      "What's your fucking problem Amy?! How could you judge me or your own sister like that?" Zak was mad and disgusted Amy would say that to me. Sure we joked, and crossed the line...I mean we would be a Human Resources nightmare, and as much as he wanted to be with me...he did know better, we both did and fought it.
      "Not judging...just calling it like I see it." She snapped back and picked her menu back up. This was the second person that had made a quick assumption of me; as to how I got my job. My ex, and sister; the two people that knew me best.
       "Damn Amy." Billy said.
  Zak walked out to find me in the RV. Sitting, and staring out the window in the front seat. He opened the door and I turned to him. He expected to see me maybe crying, and was relieved I wasn't. He couldn't handle crying. Demons...no problem, but a crying female was his biggest fear. Bigger than snakes or heights.
      "You alright?" He asked.
       "Oh I'm fine." I said "I'm used to it." He just stood looking at me with the door open. "What?" I asked.
"Nothing I just thought..."
"Thought I'd be balling my eyes out?" I said, chuckling as I got up and walked to the back bench and went to my laptop, put my glasses on and began working.
"Well, I guess...maybe." Zak said walking over to me.
"Look, I'm used to people thinking bad about me. I only have myself to blame. She's not that far off...I mean it did look that way with my last job. But it was more than that. You know...I've told you." I couldn't look at Zak. My thoughts of Christian brought a tear to my eye, I quickly wiped it away and kept typing.
"You didn't even take up for yourself...only me. Why?" He asked, but he already knew that answer deep down.
"For the reason I just gave you. A couple years ago, I probably would have tried to sleep with you for this job, I admit that. But, I know you would have turned me down. That's not you. I see your passions and what drives you. It's this show, your crew, and your love for all things creepy and weird. I get it." I said, looking into Zak's eyes.
"No, you get me." He said smiling, and he sat down beside me.
"Yeah, maybe. Do you get me though?" I asked him.
"Yes mam, now more than ever." He leaned in and I backed away.
"Good, then get me some coffee, please?" I asked laughing and he laughed too. Knowing now wasn't the time or place for a kiss.
"You got it, one non-dairy cream, and two sugars...right?" He said as he got up.
"How did you know that?" I asked.
"Cause I know you. I pay attention to detail with the things I care about." He smiled, and walked off the RV, back into the restaurant. I sat there smiling and thinking...Aiden wouldn't know. He'd have to ask about ten times before getting it right.
Zak walked back in and ordered me a coffee, juice, and and two egg white omelets, one for him and one for me. Billy approached him.
"So how's the other one?" He asked.
"Just fine, she requested a coffee." He said frankly.
"I can't believe this..." Was all Billy could say.
"I can." Zak said as he scrolled through his phone not even looking up.
"What do you mean by that?" Billy got a little defensive, he didn't think Zak would choose a side.
"Amy's jealous...plain and simple. I'm sure her thinking was she deserved the position. She's not right for it and Michael saw who was. She lashed out, just as she always has." Zak was honest and very matter of fact. Too matter of fact for Bill.
"So that's how you feel? Really? Cause Amanda's caused a lot of strife for Amy as well." Billy took up for Amy.
"Thanks sweetie." Zak said to the cute brunette behind the counter. He then took the coffee, juice, and order to go. Totally ignoring Billy and his stand he took for Amy. "What's really stupid about all this...the way Amy judges everyone. The higher than thou position she takes. It's great that she helped her sister, but no one's perfect. Maybe you should talk with Amy about that, remember when she was married to Matt and the night she got plastered?" Zak walked out, passed everyone up and headed back to the RV. What everyone didn't know, that little gem Zak had kept secret was about to blow up....in everyone's face, including my sister's. Billy, remembered a little about that night. He made his way back to the table and sat. He realized what Zak said was true. Why be mad at Zak? Amy really did start all this, plus the guys knew he and I hadn't slept together. Amy was jealous, but of two things...my job, and me. No one said a word...then Amy piped up.
"Let me guess, she's crying on the bus, and now Zak's all in? And I'm a bitch for calling it like I saw it? Right?" Amy looked at Billy.
"You really had no right judging either one of them like that, especially Zak. No one is perfect Amy, and you know that. Not even you...drunk or sober." Billy got up and walked outside. Amy got even more pissed...she went after him.
Meanwhile in the RV....
"Here you go...one coffee and how about an egg white omelet?" Zak said as he opened the container while setting it in front of me.
"I love these...thanks." I said smiling.
"I pegged you as an omelet girl." He said. "And you are very welcome." He then sat down next to me.
"Something else you wanna say?" I asked.
"Yeah...quit working for me." He said.
"I'm sorry....what?" I asked, and I was surprised.
Outside Billy and Amy were about to get into a heated conversation.
"What the hell does that mean Billy?!" She said loudly.
"No one is perfect...we all make mistakes. But I can assure you Zak and your sis have not been together...he would have said so." Billy was calm.
"And Zak just tells you everything?"
"Yeah, pretty much, cause we trust each other, we are all like brothers. There is a mutual respect there Amy. Something you and Amanda need to work on." Billy was right.
"Fuck all of you, none of you know what I had to go through growing up with her." She stormed towards the RV. Her mind going ninety to nothing. What Billy said about no one being perfect, bothered her.
"Did I do something wrong Zak?" I asked.
"No, you've done everything perfect...it's just...if you stay working for me..then nothing can ever happen."
"Look, Zak I cant just quit, I've got nothing else lined up...and I just."
"So that's a maybe?" He asked and before I could answer, Amy stomped into the RV.
"What did you tell Billy?!" She asked Zak rather loudly.
"Excuse me I'm in the middle of work here." Zak said to her, as he turned around.
"What did you say to Billy about me?!"
Zak just looked at her and never said a word.
"I was drunk and you had no right spilling that secret Zak Bagans!" She was now yelling at him.
"Calm down...I didn't spill anything." Zak got up and was trying to calm her. My eyes got wide and I had to open my fat mouth.
"What ya do?" I asked smiling, and I stood up arms folded.
"Mandy don't." Zak turned around warning me.
"You just had to tell him...I'm sure the rest of the guys know too. So proud that every woman you meet just throws herself at your feet. Well, mine was a drunken mistake asshole! You! You, cost me my marriage and husband!" Amy stormed into the back bedroom and slammed the door, locking it.
"Fuck." Zak said and turned to me. "It's not what you think...please." My eyes were saddened at the thought. Zak and Amy? How could this be? Zak's world as he knew it was crumbling...so close with me. This breakfast blowout was far from over.....