Chance

It was only about seven o'clock in the morning when Maisie woke up. She felt the warm embrace of Zak's arms around her and loved every moment of it. He stirred only moments after her and tightened his embrace. “Morning,” he mumbled groggily.

“Morning,” she replied, very tired as well. They had gone to bed late and then they hadn't fallen asleep until around two in the morning. But, Zak had to leave ten short hours from then and she understood that he had to begin his day. “You gonna head to the gym?” she asked. He had mentioned that he wanted to get a work out in before he left for Gettysburg.

“Yeah, you don't need to rush out though. Feel free to stay as long as you like. Aaron and Billy are going to be here at noon.”

“What time will you be back?”

“No later than like ten.”

“So you want me out of here by noon?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at him.

“That's not what I was saying. I was just letting you know. I'm going to be stuck with them for like a week.”

“Oh.”

“You'll be tired of me before I'm tired of you, that I can promise.”

“I don't know about that. I can be pretty annoying.”

“Doubtful,” he pressed a solid kiss over he lips. “I'm going to get changed for the gym.”

“Okay, I can go let Gracie out for you.”

“That'd be fantastic.” She got up from the bed, it was only then that she remembered that she was wearing one of his discarded T-shirts. She decided against changing into her own clothes before going back down the steps. Gracie's toenails clicked across the floor and ran to greet her at the bottom of the steps. Though the dog had likely expected Zak, she still happily greeted Maisie.

“Gotta go out, Gracie?” she asked. She made her way to the back door, unlocked it, and slid it open. By the time Maisie let the dog back in, Zak was making his way down the steps, ready for the gym.

“Grace,” Zak knelt down and pet the dog. “Thanks, Sweetie,” Zak looked to Maisie.

“No problem. I think I might go ahead and head home...I know you've got a lot to do when you get back and I don't want to be in the way.”

“You wouldn't be in the way,” he told her, meaning it. He didn't want her to go. “I'll make it a super fast work out.”

“You don't have to cut your work out short for me. Do you really want me to stay that bad?”

“Yes, Sweetie.”

“Don't cut your work out short, I'll find something to occupy myself,” she decided.

“Okay, help yourself to any of the food and if you wanna shower or something, go for it.”

“Are you suggesting that I stink, Mr. Bagans?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

“I most definitely am not,” he told her. “It was just in case you got bored or something...” She gave him a smile and just nodded.

“Would it be okay if I washed my clothes?”

“Yeah, laundry room is back here,” he showed her to where the study was and it was right next to the opening of the dungeon.

“Okay, thanks. Have a good work out,” he walked over and pressed a kiss to her lips.

“I'll see you soon.”

XxX

Maisie ended up putting her clothes in the wash and then eating Lucky Charms from the cabinet. She did some light straitening up for the kitchen, washed the dishes from the night before and then moved her clothes to the dryer. She played with Gracie on the floor for a while and once her clothes were dry, she went upstairs to Zak's bathroom. She set her clean clothes and a towel on the sink and went to turn on the shower. She realized that she didn't have any shampoo or anything, but she could at least rinse off.

She got the shower turned to the right temperature and then began undressing. She got in the shower, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She tried her best to ignore it, but soon after getting in the shower, the curtain quickly opened, causing her to jump. There was nobody around, instead she pulled the curtain closed and quickly finished her shower. She hurried out, wrapped herself in her towel and checked her phone because she had heard it beep while she was showering. There was a text from Zak saying that he had just left the gym.

She dressed quickly and made her way out of the room. She had her hair wrapped in her now wet towel and started down the steps. The front door opened and she somehow managed to lose her footing. She expected to feel the hard impact on the stairs but something broke her fall, she could feel the pressure on her back that stopped her from hitting the stairs full force. She then landed on the steps gently.

“Maisie,” Zak hurried up the steps and knelt beside her. “You okay, Sweetie?” he asked.

“Yeah...something broke my fall...” she sat up and looked at him slightly confused. “What could do that?”

“I have no idea,” Zak was used to hearing about ghosts harming his girlfriends but never had one stopped one from being hurt. His house was very haunted and he had come to accept that, although he still couldn't accept people being hurt in his home. “Are you sure that something broke your fall?”

“I didn't land hard on the stairs, I don't know how else to explain it...”

“Sorry, Sweetie, I just want to be sure...Do you need help up?”

“No, I got it,” she sat up and he looked at her funny. “What?”

“Usually, when I bring girls home, the spirits here are awful to them...I just find it odd that nothing has happened to you and then then this...”

“I didn't tell you this, but last night when I was in the bathroom, I was washing my face and then there was this towel held out to me...and then earlier when I showered, the curtain was pulled opened.”

“A towel was held out to you? What do you mean?”

“It was just like you were standing there—I thought it was you actually—and there was this towel ready for me to accept. It was weird as hell, I know.”

“Why didn't you say anything?”

“It didn't bother me? I don't know...It still doesn't bother me.”

“Are you sure you're okay?” he asked, looking at her carefully.

“Of course, Zak. I didn't even hit the stairs.”

“I just want to be sure. But, y'know what, I'm going to still carry you to the couch.”

“Oh no your aren't—” It was too late, he had already picked her up. “You don't need to continue your work out,” she squealed.

“You're like lifting a feather. I bench over three hundred pounds.”

“Still trying to impress me, Bagans?”

“Always,” he set her on the couch gently and kissed her forehead.

“You know that was pointless, right?” she stood up and followed him into the kitchen. “I'm fine, see?”

“I see how fine you are,” he smirked. She rolled her eyes and sat at one of the bar stools at his island counter. “You know I'm capable of doing my own dishes, right?”

“Yep. I was bored so I did some straitening up.

“You didn't need to do that.”

“Maybe I wanted to.”

“You're going to get me too used to you being around,” he shook his head, still smiling.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Hell no,” he pressed a kiss to her lips over the counter.

XxX

Billy and Aaron showed up at Zak's house around noon and Zak had just ordered pizza for all of them. They had to get all of the cameras and equipment together before they left.

“Oh hey, Maisie,” Aaron greeted, being the first to notice the brunette, who was sitting at the counter.

“Hey,” she replied, waving to both guys.

“I didn't know you were going to be here,” Billy said.

“Do you want me to leave?” she asked playfully.

“No I...”

“I'm just kidding with you,” she gave him a small smile.

“Sweetie,” Zak called from the top of the steps, but that was when he realized that Billy and Aaron where there. “Hey guys,” he greeted.

“What's up, G?”

“Just getting everything packed,” Zak replied. “Got your stuff together, bro?”

“Yep,” Aaron held up his bag. “We're jus' goin' to Gettysburg and coming back, right?”

“That's the plan. We won't be leaving for the next lockdown until Sunday.”

“Where's that one?” Billy asked.

Zak got the hugest grin on his face and he looked like a kid in a candy store. “The Stanley Hotel.”

“No way, bro,” Aaron said in shock.

“Yes way,” Zak replied happily.

Maisie didn't want to break up the group moment, she was afraid that it would make Aaron and Billy like her even less. She wasn't sure how they felt about her now, but she had a feeling that it wasn't very good.

“Have you ever seen the Shinning?” Aaron looked to Maisie.

“That's one of my favorite movies. I read the book too,” she smiled. “That's really awesome for you guys,” she hopped off the bar stool and made her way to the back door. “Grace, do ya gotta go out?” she called the dog and when the flash of white fur zoomed out the door, Maisie followed, deciding to play catch with her and give the guys a few minutes.

“She stayed the night again?” Aaron raised an eyebrow with a whispered tone.

“What makes you think that?” Zak tried to play dumb.

“Come on bro, it's like noon and she's clearly been here a while, plus you went to the gym this morning—which I know because it's what you always do before a lockdown. She did not just get here,.”

“So?”

“You've got it bad, man,” Billy pointed out. “How much do you like this girl? Honest.”

“A lot,” Zak admitted.

“Zak and Maisie sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S—”

Maisie walked in the back door and Aaron froze. “Please, don't stop on my account. I-N-G, right?”

Aaron looked away nervously. Zak couldn't help but laugh.

“You're only laughing because I came in and saved your precious ego,” Maisie smirked.

“No, I—How much did you hear, exactly?”

“All of it, I was right outside the back door. And by the way, Zak, I like you a lot too,” she patted his shoulder as she headed up the steps.

“Where are you going?” he called after her. She just shrugged and continued up the stairs. Zak followed her and they both ended up in his room. “What're you doing up here?”

“I wanted a more private place to say bye,” she told him, getting on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again.

“You don't have to leave yet,” he found himself murmuring.

“Oh but I do, you and your friends need to get stuff together and I don't want to be known as 'Zak's awkward girlfriend'.”

“Mm, say that again.”

“Zak's awkward girlfriend?”

“Now add 'I'm' and take out awkward.”

She rolled her eyes at him but smirked and decided to humor him. “I'm Zak's girlfriend.”

“And don't you forget it,” he kissed her again.

“I'll see you in a few days, Zak.”

“Expect quite a few texts between now and then.”

“I will eagerly await them,” she smirked, kissing him again.