The Other Dibenedetto Girl

When Zack brought me to his house, I was not completely amazed by the size. I figured he would have a large house due to the fact that Jimmy and Matt had large houses and he was in a big rock band now. There was a beautiful staircase that led to the upper floors; white and black tile everywhere, except in the living room where the carpet was white. I saw pictures on his walls and statues in various places (a small skeletal man stood in the doorway with a white and red striped jacket on, which creeped me out a bit).

What I really liked about Zack’s home was it looked like someone actually spent time in this room. I caught sight of a few business books on a side table next to the sofa, and the pillows a little sunk into because someone had been cushioned on them. I noticed a dog bed near the fireplace, but I assumed that it probably slept with Zack upstairs. The fireplace facing the sofa added a romantic type of vibe; the kind of room you would see in those porn movies where a couple is having sex on a fur rug. When I looked at the floor, I noticed the fur rug.

‘Zack…’

I was pretty sure that Zack had used this place several times to get girls into his bedroom upstairs. I imagined he would treat them to a nice dinner out at some fancy restaurant, bring them back here, charm them a little bit and manage to get underneath their clothes somehow. A part of me sometimes wished he would do that to me. I’ve never had a guy treat me that way before. They usually took me to the movies, out to eat someone cheap and casual, and then take me to their shitty apartment for rough, quick sex. Though, I don’t think Zack was the type. Yet, I would be lying if I said Zack and I having soft, passionate sex on his bed had never crossed my mind.

“Welcome to Vengeance Manor,” I smiled when he led me into the living room. “Like it?”

I gave the room another once over, “It’s really nice, but I bet everyone tells you that.”

“Most of the time. Particularly if they wanna get in my pants,” He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I laughed, “Well, don’t expect that from me, mister.”

“I wasn’t,” He said. “I never put out on first dates, especially if the date hasn’t happened yet.”

We both sat on the sofa and stared at each other. “Whoever said it was gonna happen?”

“Well,” Zack said, with a thoughtful look on his face, “I did, because if the girl I’m so crazy about says ‘no’ the first time I ask her out, I’m gonna keep bugging her about it until she says ‘yes’.” He beamed at me, and I giggled a little bit. “You seem to be in a happier mood.”

“I guess I am.”

“It’s ‘cause you’re around me,” He said with a proud smile as he stretched out on the sofa, “I tend to give people an air of happiness when I walk into the room.”

I scooted closer to him and rested my head next to his with my hand on his chest, “Yeah, you do, for me anyways.”

Zack gave me his usual charming smile, and planted a kiss on my lips. I wanted more than anything right now for him to just take me. I wanted him to undress me; do whatever he wanted with me until I was screaming his name over and over, just like I pictured he would. Yet, something told me that I shouldn’t do it. If I really wanted this to work, especially with a guy like Zack, then I would have to push off whatever advances he put on me and only flirt with him until the time was right. I really love him; I want us to be undeniably happy together forever. Having sex now would just ruin it because then that’s all he would ever want afterwards.

“Whatcha thinking about?” He asked me, running a hand through my hair.

“You and me…” I said, snuggling into him.

“What about you and me?”

“If it’s ever gonna work out between us.”

I turned my head to look up at him to find him looking down at me. I saw a little bit of humor in his eyes, like he thought I was joking.

“Of course it’s gonna work out. I’ve been in love with you for the longest time; I’m going to make sure you’re mine for as long as we’re together on this Earth, and even after I don’t care who I have to fight to stay with you.” I blushed and we kissed again. “I love you so much, Mellie.”

“I love you too,” I whispered to him.

After we broke away from our second light kiss, Zack laughed a little. “We’re being corny and cheesy again…”

“Well, I like it.”

I pulled him in for a kiss, and did not let him go. Once again, the world shifted away from me: The intense moment I had just gone through; the fact that no one might like me after today; the fact that my mother was dead and there was nothing I could do to prove to her that I loved her and everything that had gone wrong in my life. I wanted to stay in this kiss forever, because it made me feel so much better. I felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off my shoulders because Zack was comforting me. I loved it. I loved him.

Thinking this was a simple kiss, I gave a moan of surprise when I felt Zack ring his arms around me and bring me onto his lap. I naturally straddled him, and began to kiss him even deeper when I felt his hands began to roam my body.

“I’ve always wanted you,” He whispered in between kisses. “To feel up your gorgeous body, and kiss you all over. You’ve always been so beautiful to me.”

He merely saying these words aroused me. I ran my fingers into his hair as he grasped onto my backside and squeezed it gently. There were so many things I wanted him to do to me at that moment that I completely forgot my feelings earlier. I anticipated Zack’s hips to grind against mine, but he didn’t. All he did was kiss and touch me. He made no attempt to go underneath my blouse or skirt; there was no begs from him about taking off my panties or suggestions of me getting on my back for him. All Zack wanted-I guess-was to know what it was like to have me in his arms in more than an intimate way.

I understood and agreed.

“I thought you wanted to take it slow,” I muttered to him, breaking away from his lips, grinning.

“I know,” He gave a soft laugh, “But I just can’t help myself. You have no idea the things I used to think about whenever I was alone in my room at night.”

I placed a light kiss on his swollen, full lips, “You wouldn’t believe mine.”

“Oh really?” He arched an eyebrow. “What exactly were those? Whip cream and handcuffs? A few oils and just my hands,” They snaked up my body and then back down again, “Or me just simply going in and out?”

“I’m not gonna tell you,” I teased. “You’ll have to find out…Later.”

We both laughed quietly, shared one more kiss, and then I lifted myself off of Zack. He did not protest to me doing this but instead said:

“How about I order us something?” He asked, brushing hair from my face before getting off the couch. “That way there’s something in you besides what’s gonna be in there later.”

“Oh you wish,” I called after him as he disappeared into the kitchen.

“Yeah, I do,” He said, “For obvious reasons.”

I lied back on his couch, a wide grin on my face and stared back at the fireplace. My mind traveled away from Zack and I, to Valary and the way she had stood outside to wave goodbye. I guess that I should not have been so mean to her, especially since she was the one trying to be nice to me. I thought about her apprehensive stare looking back at me from the doorway. I could imagine the things that were going through her head after everything that had happened today, and I don’t even know half of what had happened to her today. I had been so inconsiderate to her feelings all this time, and I’ve ignored her attempts to make her, Michelle and I a family again, because we don’t have much of one anymore. We only have each other; I guess Valary wanted us to stay together. I had been very rude and nasty to her ever since I arrived. I spoke about her as if she wasn’t in the room, and I even fought in her own home. I feel terrible about that, especially now that everything seems to be coming together for me. Maybe tomorrow I can stop by and talk to her, if she wants to talk to me at all.

“I ordered some pizza if that’s okay,” I heard Zack say as he walked back into the room with a bottle of beer in one had and a glass of water in the other. “I know it’s not the appropriate food for a funeral after-party, but I figured since it’s just us,” He sat beside me; put the drinks on the table and pulled me closer, “I don’t think it really matters.”

I imagined he saw the depressed expression on my face because he held me tighter. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you really think I ought to apologize?” I asked him. “I mean, I should at least apologize to Valary for being such a bitch to her after she’s tried being so nice.”

“Yeah, I think you should. It’s time you’ve all-especially you-gotten past this whole fucking ‘Daddy-was-an-asshole’ thing and move on with your lives,” He took the bottle; popped it open and took a large gulp of it. “It’s getting kind of annoying to be honest.”

I giggled, “Is it really?”

“Yeah,” He shook his head. “I think at some point you’re gonna run out of reasons to hate them and be forced to try and get along with them, so might as well be now than later, right? Plus, it’s Christmas, which is considered the best time of the year to make amends with relatives…and friends,” He winked.

“They also say it’s the most depressing holiday too,” I added. “Because a lot of people are alone without family, and when they see others being happy with their families it makes them sad.”

“You saw Gremlins recently, didn’t you?”

“The night before I came here,” I smiled.

We both snickered and settled better on his couch. We continued to talk until the pizza-man arrived, and then we ate for a while as we watched TV together. It felt good to be having a conversation with him that wasn’t interrupted by anyone. I reminded me of all those times we “studied” together but actually ended up just goofing off. They were the only times I loved being alive. Being with Zack and loving him was what kept me going all that time. I could have done myself in at anytime, but I didn’t because I knew that Zack wouldn’t be with me.

“Icky!”

Distracted by our food, we hadn’t noticed the small black dog come up to the coffee table and sniff the pizza. Zack placed his food down and picked him up. I smiled as I watched Zack cuddle and nuzzle his pet, showing it an incredible amount of love before looking towards me.

“This is Ichabod by the way,” He said, setting the dog between us so he could sniff me. “Don’t worry. He’s not as vicious as he looks.”

I laughed as I picked Ichabod up onto my lap and scratched him behind his ears. “Yeah,” I said sarcastically, “He so vicious, I’m scared just to be around him.”

“Now you know I felt when I first got him. I was terrified.” He put a hand on his chest with a grin on his face.

I set Ichabod back on the sofa, but he rolled over onto his back for me to rub him, which I did. “Aren’t you just a little cutie?” I said in a squeaky voice as I scratched his belly, “Who is a little cutie? Huh? Who is? You are!”

Zack laughed, then pulled Ichabod away from me. However, Ichabod did not want to leave just yet. He tried to escape Zack’s arms before he could be put back on the floor, but failed in his attempt. I watched Ichabod stand on two legs with his tiny paws on my knees, whimpering and trying to get me to pet him, which I did.

“It’s funny,” Zack commented.

“What is?”

“That he likes you so much. Ichabod usually never likes the girls I bring home, “He took a sip of his beer, “He gets jealous and just growls at them the whole time.”

“Maybe I’m the exception,” I beamed, scratching Ichabod’s ears again.

He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees so he was level with me, “You are.”

We both kissed and I nearly melted.