Vengeance Will Be Mine

When I awoke the next morning, I was still on the beach, Zack was sleeping next to me, my face was buried into his chest. “Fucking Zack got the piece of ass last night.” No one other than Matt complained.

I stood up, sand was caked on my chest. “He got no such thing Matt.” I grumbled, trying to remove the sand from my body.

My head was throbbing, I tried to stand still and make the beach stop shaking, but my mind was fucking with me. I shook Zack, trying desperately to wake him up. I was going to need a Mack truck.

“Good luck. Gena can’t even wake him up after a night of heavy drinking. He usually sleeps all day long.” Matt stated.

“Oh, well can you guys at least get him to the car? I can bring him back home.” I offered, placing a hand impatiently on my hip.

I could only imagine what Gena was going to think when she saw my messed up hair and smelled Zack’s cologne on my body. She was going to flip. Zack had been sentimental with me last night, but it was nothing sexual. The guys picked him up and lay him down in the back seat of the car. I thanked them before getting into the vehicle and beginning to ride off. I began thinking about all the things I could say to her so she wouldn’t get mad. Sorry Gena, he was just holding me all night lovingly on the beach. Yeah, I’m sure that would fly. When I pulled into their driveway she walked out to the car.

“Because I’m a nice fucking person, I’ll give you and him a chance to explain yourselves.” She said, walking over and opening the back door. She pulled Zack out by his arms and began dragging him into the house. I couldn’t believe that she didn’t even ask me for help, she was just going to drag him. “Sit.” She ordered, pointing to the chair Leana was in yesterday. “Now, explain.”

“We got really drunk last night playing I never, and then we passed out on the beach. Come on Gena. Zack loves you, he wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Plus, I’m here for business. Seriously. I wouldn’t ever give up the job I’ve been pursuing for the past six years for any guy. I don’t care who he is.”

She nodded, biting the inside of her lip. “Fine, that makes sense. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions.”

I waved it off. “You had every reason to be suspicious. If that were my man, I would be worried too.” I agreed. “I know you don’t like me, I can tell by the way you look at me all the time, but Gena, I’m not after Zack, or any of these guys. I swear to you.”

Gena still looked irritable. “It wouldn’t piss me off so much if it hadn’t happened before. I mean, we weren’t technically together. We were taking a break, but he still slept with a fucking fan, and he’s normally so against that.”

“If it helps, I’m not a fan. I’m just here to follow them and take notes.” I explained, trying to make things easier.

She looked down at Zack and sighed. “Even though we were having problems, I still expected him to stay true to me, and not sleep with anyone else. I didn’t.” She explained, biting her bottom lip sadly. She put a hand through his dark hair. “It hurts.” She began to cry slightly. “It’s just hard to think about.”

“I’m so sorry Gena. I’ll keep my distance. I didn’t know you guys had such trust issues.”

She shook it off. “Don’t worry about it hon. You seem like a truly genuine person, and I can appreciate that, always.”

For the first time since my arrival, Gena smiled at me and meant it. This opening up to me probably helped her cope better with me being here around her man all the time. “I’ll go and make some breakfast.” She offered, walking into the kitchen.

“Okay, I’m going to go upstairs and get in the shower. What do you do to wake him up?” I asked, looking down at the sleeping mass of meat on the couch.

“Nothing, he’ll wake up eventually.” She was clanking around some pots and pans as I began to walk up the stairs.

While I took my clothes off I looked at myself in the mirror. Gena really had nothing to worry about. I was nothing compared to her. She was skinny and pretty. Not to mention she had a great sense of style that I lacked. Zack had the total package with her. I don’t know why she was scared at all.

I touched my neck where I had vaguely remembered Zack touching. He was quite the character. I shook off my thoughts and got in the shower. Everything in their house was nice. The bathroom was a deep purple color. After that night I really could have used a bath in the jet tub, but I didn’t want to spend too long bathing. Gena had breakfast cooking. I threw on some pajama bottoms and a tank top, today was definitely going to be a lazy day.

I trudged downstairs while tossing my hair into a bun, I would brush it later. Gena was just finishing up breakfast and Zack was slowly waking up on the couch. It was when he realized where he was that he jumped up and whipped his head around.

“Gena!” Zack yelled, looking around like a crazy person. “Gena, I’m so sorry!” He finally focused his eyes on her standing in the archway of the kitchen. “Gena it’s not what you think.” He ran over to her and grabbed her face.

“Zack,” Gena said with her face squished between his large hands, “It’s fine, Lauren explained everything.

Zack dropped his hands and slung his shoulders. “Oh. Well that’s good.” He said, walking back over to the couch. “I thought I was gonna die for a minute.”

Gena laughed and turned back to the kitchen. They were so adorable, I could only wish that some day I could be in a relationship just like theirs. Although, I would prefer it to be with someone who wasn’t so busy drinking and working all the time. Oh well, at least he got to work right out of his own home.

“Are you guys going to be working today?” I asked Zack who was staring at his girlfriend’s ass.

He looked over at me. “Now you know the answer to that.” He grinned, he was so happy.

I was happy for him. They were going to be so happy together, forever I hoped. They’re engagement was going to be a short one, Gena and him had been together forever. That was good though, it meant that today was going to be a lazy day.

“Honey.” Zack said walking into the kitchen.

“Hm.” Gena turned away from the sizzling bacon on the stove.

“Around six I want to go do something with you.” He placed his hands gently over her slender hips. He pressed his lips to her ear lobe, sending a sensation through my chest. “Get yourself dressed up nice and we’ll go out.”

She shuddered from his touch and I turned away as it was getting awkward. I always felt like it was rude when someone started sucking face and practically fucking right in front of you. It’s like they forget that you even exist and they’re the only people in the world. Whatever, she and Zack were about to be engaged so I guess I’d let it rest.

I went down stairs to find my notebook. It had just occurred to me that I left it down there the night before. It was sitting in a chair in the corner where I’d left it. I picked it up and fiddled through all the things I’d written down the day before. I’d wait a week before I went to the California branch of Rock Plaza. There was quite a bit written down in the notebook, but not nearly enough to present.

I turned when I heard footsteps. Zack came down and stood there. “Whachya doing?” He crossed his arms.

“Oh,” I was embarrassed for being somewhere I probably shouldn’t have been alone. “I was just grabbing my notebook after leaving it down here, I’m sorry.” I started to leave and he stopped me.

“I need to ask you a favor.” He looked me straight in the eye.

“What?”

“Get the band here, and all of Gena’s family and friends while we’re out.”

“Bu-“

“Wait.” He pulled out his wallet and handed me three hundred dollars. “Take this and go get a cake from the wedding shop down on birch street. Something big enough for everyone.” He handed me another two hundred. “I want some nice streamers and food and shit. It’s going to be her engagement party when she gets back.”

“Okay.” I said quietly. I wasn’t his fucking assistant, but I would do what I had to get them to like me.

He pulled me in to a big hug. “Thanks Lauren.” His voice was so silky smooth I could have stood there in the hug forever, but he ran back up over the stairs.

I pocketed the money before following. I faintly heard Gena asking what he was doing down there with me and he replied saying that he was asking me what I was up to. I didn’t know how he expected me to know how to get in touch with everyone Gena would want at this party. The other guys most likely had all her information. If I recalled, Jimmy’s birthday was coming up soon. I would have to keep that in mind.

I went upstairs to see him talking to Gena. Before Gena had a chance to question my odd behavior I had to get upstairs. This money couldn’t stay swelling in my pocket the way it was. Not to mention I didn’t want to risk losing it. Five hundred dollars was a lot more than I would make in two weeks sometimes. Zack was successful at keeping her occupied enough for me to get upstairs. I stuffed the money in my end table and then went back downstairs.

“What was that all about?” Gena asked, standing in the kitchen and putting food on the plates.

“Makeup smudge.” I lied. If she only knew.