A Dog's Life

“Thanks Zack, have fun Spike!” Sarah called waving Zack and the trio of dogs off as they left her apartment block. She smiled to herself realizing how well this situation was working out. Zack had been walking Spike for a week now, and every day he’d come back after an hour or so walk and spend an hour or so sitting around with Sarah. Yesterday he’d come a little later and brought lunch back for them after his walk, the day before he’d hung around and watched Gilmore Girls with Sarah.
She had a routine in the mornings now, Zack would pick Spike up texting her a little beforehand just to warn her. Sarah would get Spike ready, and as soon as the dog left she’d get a fresh pot of coffee going so when Zack came back he could have a coffee. Sarah would then make her bed, sort a few things out and then have a nice long shower to freshen herself up. Then she’d change into something other than pajamas and even attempt to do something with her hair and makeup. She knew she was mad for making such an effort but it felt nice to be appreciated. Every time Zack came back he’d seem to notice her or compliment her on something, it brought a smile to her face and put a silver lining round the big grey cloud of her life.

Sarah stuck to her routine that morning. Though, as soon as she stepped out of the shower she heard her door bell. How long had she been in the shower for? Zack couldn’t be back yet, he hadn’t even been gone that long.

Wrapping her towel around her Sarah wondered to the door slowly and picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Sarah! Let me up,” She recognized Taylor’s voice immediately.

“Tay, what are you doing here?”

“Checking up on you, can I come up?” Taylor repeated waiting for Sarah.

“Yeah umm, I’ll leave it on the latch, I need to get changed,”

“What?”

“Just got out the shower,” Sarah explained quickly darting back into her room. She heard Taylor come into the apartment as she pulled on a pair leggings and a jumper dress that suited her tall figure perfectly.

“Sarah?”

“Yeah just coming,” She called.

“I’m pouring coffee and putting this stuff in the fridge for-“ Taylor paused. “Did you buy more milk?” Sarah groaned knowing she was going to have to explain this to Taylor. “Did you go out? Where did this chocolate come from? Is there someone else here?”

Sarah stepped outside her room a sheepish grin on her lips as she caught Taylor’s gaze.

“There’s two coffee cups out, and two plates, what is going on?”

“Well you see-“ Sarah started biting down on her lip and wishing she’d just stayed in the shower that little bit longer.

“You realise you’ve got another few days before your allowed out, and you definitely shouldn’t be showering alone!” Sarah laughed slightly earning a glare from Taylor. “I mean without anyone else in the house, Sarah I’m serious!”

“Yes mum! Look I’ve just had some help with Spike,”

“Where is that little rascal?”

“Out,”

“Out?” Taylor raised her eyebrows watching Sarah, the girl was acting very strange and secretive.
“On his own?”

“No not excatly,” Sarah muttered grabbing on of the coffees before shoveling sugar and milk into it. “He’s being walked by Zack,”

“Who’s Zack?” Taylor questioned taking the other coffee still watching Sarah; she wasn’t getting off the hook this easily. “He must be someone pretty important for you to trust him with your dog,”

“He’s got his own,”

“Who is he?”

“The guy who I crashed into,” Sarah mumbled taking a long sip of the coffee as Taylor gasped.

“The one who phoned here? The one that came to visit?”

“Yeah,”

“Oh wow, what’s he like then?” Sarah just rolled her eyes as Taylor came to join her on the sofa. “Come on, he’s the most exciting thing happening to either of us right now!”

“Your engaged!”

“Well yeah,” Taylor smirked twisting the ring round her finger. “But we all know about Karl and I, I wanna hear about you and Zacky,”

“There is no Zacky and I! He walks my dog,” Taylor just nodded with a smile that said she didn’t believe that for a second. Sarah had that smile, the silly, goofy smile woman plaster on their face when they fall head over heels for a guy. Needless to say Sarah remembered the smile well, and it haunted her every time Karl did something adorable cute or funny. She hated herself for that smile, but no girl could escape it. However, Sarah had that smile all over her face and it was clearly for a man.

“So come on, you too gonna actually get together go on a date,” Sarah shock her head and laughed. “Oh ok I’m sorry it’s nothing like that!”

“He was engaged,” Sarah muttered halting Taylor’s thoughts of match making for her best friend.

“Engaged?”

“As in engaged,” Sarah waved her ring finger around. “You know getting married, the old ball and chain, the mrs the-“

“I get it,” Taylor muttered, rolling her eyes. “So?”

“Well come on it must take a lot to get over that,”

“He’s not engaged anymore,”

“Hence the was engaged,” Sarah explained. “I mean that’s a huge commitment to someone, look at you and Karl, he’s the love of your life, breaking up would crush-“

“Ok thank you!” Taylor muttered bitterly.

“I’m not saying you will, ‘cause you two will last forever, but just think if something like that ends, it surely takes a while to get over them!” Sarah tried to explain her point again and just got a nod from Taylor. The pair sat there for a few seconds, taking sips of their coffee and thinking about their own situations.

Sarah had been single for a while now, a few dates here and there but no one won her over. She was going to grow up and be a crazy dog lady if she wasn’t careful; or at least that’s what Louise had warned her time and time again. Zacky was a nice guy as far as she was aware; he’d offered to walk a complete stranger’s dog, who had crashed into his very expensive car. Not to mention he was utterly gorgeous, with his bright green eyes, cheeky smile and perfectly styled hair. His tattoos intrigued her and his piercings got her hot, or at least that bad boy image did. It would not heart to see where her and Zacky could go?

Hell she didn’t even know if he was interested, but if he was, she could be. Couldn’t she?

“Sarah!”

“Huh?”

“Did you give him a key?”

“Yeah of course I did,” She replied hearing the key in the lock. “It saves me getting up, I am recovering remember,” Taylor just rolled her eyes and laughed at her friends cocky smile; Sarah was getting better day by day.

“We’re back!” Taylor recognized the deep male voice from the phone conversation. Dogs ran into the living room, at least 3. Sarah spotted Spike launching himself at the sofa and landing comfortably between the two ladies. “Woah hi,” Zack stopped in the living room noticing the new brunette on the sofa; then noticing Spike settling between the two girls. At least the dog had good taste.

“Hey,” Taylor smiled back her eyes going wider as he put his hand out to shake revealing the tattoos, how had she not realised who he was? “Holy shit,” She managed putting her hand out and opening her mouth to speak but losing all words.

“This is umm my friend Taylor,” Sarah explained shooting Taylor a What the fuck? look.

“You’re Zacky Vengeance aren’t you?” Zack smirked, that smirk, and nodded at Taylor.

“You know me,”

“A7X are incredible! Shit Sarah you didn’t tell me it was the Zacky Vengeance,” Sarah shrugged starring at Zack with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, I just umm didn’t really know who they were,” She explained both Taylor and Zack starring at her now. Zacky smiled but Taylor was rolling her eyes and flinging her hands up in the air ready to go on a rant about Sarah never paying attention, but she thought better of it.

“Well now you do!” Taylor changed her tone and smiled at the pair. “Play her your stuff sometime,” She added with a wink to Zack. “Maybe now, since I’ve gotta go to that thing,”

“Thing?”

“You know, the thing with the umm-“ Taylor lent down to grab her bag and struggled to think of an excuse. “The thing with the umm money!” She suddenly came out with noticing a dollar bill sat in her bag. “That thing, the-“

“Bank?” Zacky suggested giving her a very odd stare.

“Yeah the bank, restaurant stuff, anyway you kids have fun I’ve gotta go!”

“So you said,” Sarah raised her eyebrows and going to get up and let her friend out. “Phone me later?”

“Will do doll,” Taylor replied making her way towards the door. “Oh and Sarah remember the opening next week yes?” Taylor turned facing Zacky and Sarah with a huge smile on her face. “You’ve got a date lined up yet?” Sarah could have killed her for that comment.

“I’m working on it!”

“Excellent,” Taylor smiled looking straight at Zack before opening the flat door. “Nice to meet you Zack,”

“Ya you too,” He replied with a wave.

“See ya Sarah,”

“Bye Taylor,” Sarah replied gazing as the door shut behind the American, she kept her gaze on the door not sure where to go next. Thankfully Zacky broke the awkward silence, causally questioning what the opening was and if it was to do with the restaurant she’d mentioned last week.

“Yeah umm Taylor’s restaurant, it opens next week, big opening night, really fancy, I umm, did you want to go?” She blurted out turning to watch Zack’s reaction to the question. “I mean you don’t-“

“Yeah that’d be cool,” He replied with a soft smile, his eyes flickering over Sarah’s face to gage her reaction. “I like food, and good company,” Sarah’s face cracked into a smile, the panic fading as she let out a laugh. “It’ll be fun,”

“Yeah,” She was a little lost for words, not quite believing he’d agreed to go with her. He was Zacky Vengeance, this big shot guitar player, and she was a dog walker, dress maker and car crasher.

“So coffee?” He asked going back round to her kitchen like it was his own home.

“Tea please,” She replied with a little smile walking slowly back to the sofa and just watching him.

This was surreal, to perfect to be true, something had to go wrong! It just had to!