Guide My Steps - A Zak Bagans Story

JUST Friends

“Underneath it all I’m held captive by the hole inside. I’ve been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind. I’m ready to forgive you, but forgetting is a harder fight. Little do you know, I need a little more time.” – Little Do You Know by Alex and Sierra  

*

I furrowed my brow, tracing the path to the source of the racket. “Hey, hey, hey!” I shouted as I rounded the corner of the SUV. “We have places to be and there are children here. Can we keep this to a minimum?” My eyes widened at what I saw.

Zak and Laura, his girlfriend, were both red faced with steam practically pouring from their ears. I didn’t think I’d seen Bagans this mad before, and that doesn’t include some of the years I didn’t know him. I mean, he was beyond the point of pissed. I had yet to know why…but I had the extent of the idea.

Laura spun around, heels leading the way. She pointed a stubby, perfectly manicured finger in my direction. “She is our problem. She is why I am the way I am with you.” Frowning, I shook my head. I was actually wanting to see Bagans’ response to such her childish way of handling problems within their relationship.

She aimed fairly high, but received no response. Bagans simply clamped his mouth shut, the smart man. I was already used to Laura’s daily bull shit routine, although I didn’t understand why he took the abuse from the one woman who was supposed to love him for who he was. It seemed that fame was what Laura was after. She often tried to change him to better suit her taste, and she did it in a manner at which was slow and undetectable. I was one of the only ones who noticed. But I never said anything to Bagans.

I figured he was either blinded by his overly affectionate dedication to a relationship with this woman, or he was willing to give up his freedom to love someone truly…despicable. To be honest, I was afraid to go out and willingly tell him. I didn’t want him to believe that I was jealous. We were friends. Just friends.

“Leave Emeline out of this.” Bagans said this in such a low manner that I held myself from flinching when at the way my name fell off of his tongue. He was beginning to really scare me.

As if on cue, I began to back away. I wanted nothing to do with this. It wasn’t my business, but why did it feel like I had a part in it? Laura caught the fear in my eyes and a wicked smile appeared on her face.

“You!” She practically screamed. Well, here it goes. Today’s dose of Laura. She stomped her way over to where I stood, finger hovering inches from my nose. “What have you done to my baby?” I discreetly took a deep breath to try to drain the anger that instantly ignited deep in my bones. The worst possible outcome would be to open the gates and sick the monster within on Laura, and even though she deserved it fully, I was the bigger person, I suppose.

“I’ve done nothing to him.” If I had the chance to laugh, now would have been the time. She was absolutely heated, and the face she was pulling reminded me of one of those cartoon bulls. The ones with the ring through their nostrils and the steam coming out of their noses. Funny how you can relate particular individuals to cartoons in this way.

I felt the burning gaze of Bagans, who seemed to have given in to Laura’s ridiculousness. Instead of meeting his gaze, I eyed Laura up and down. Her usual outfit – a skimpy dress, showing way too much cleavage, even for a cover on Playboy, enough makeup to hide the Sahara desert from aerial view and the highest heels you can buy off fashion runways – was somehow off today. Maybe it was the hair? She wore it up in a ponytail, which was ‘out of fashion’ for Laura’s kind. She never had her hair in any sort of updo that was considered to be a ‘ponytail.’ She damn well had one now.

I wanted to snap back at her, make her feel small, but I remained silent. Maybe the gritting of my teeth was audible enough for Laura to consider that as my request of a second round because she came at me again.