Chapter twenty one
Over the next three months, things started to get considerably better for Kate. In that course of time, she had been on over nine lockdowns, and each time she got some good evidence for the shows. Now that she was an official member of the GAC, the show became more popular. And things around the studio where getting better as well. Her relationships with Aaron and Nick grew stronger, and after the talk Zak had with Ashley, he and Kate grew closer, though he didn't treat her the exact way that nick and Aaron did. For instance, Aaron and Nick hugged her often when she left or when she came into work, while he would just pat her on the back or shoulder. He didn't want to get to physical with her because he knew his feelings for her would get stronger, but it still wasn't enough to stop him from liking her. For some reason, and he didn't know why, his feelings for her grew stronger as the time went by, and as she got more comfortable in the office with everyone. He couldn't hear her laugh at any of Aaron's jokes without smiling or having his face turn bloodshot red, and if she even gave him the slightest most innocent touch, like if she took something like a pen out his hand, he would blush and get nervous or sweaty and would have to leave to find water.
The guys where getting more and more suspicious of Zak's feelings for Kate too. They knew he was lying especially when he would get all uptight and defensive when they asked him. Nick however, managed to keep his feelings for Kate under wraps. He managed to convince Zak he didn't like her, and he believed him.
On the plus side of things, Zak and Kate's communication got better. They could talk together comfortably and joke like they could with nick and Aaron.
As for Ashley, she stopped by the studio often to visit Zak, and monitor Kate's behavior. Everyone knew why she was there, but Zak told them to just let her do what makes her feel comfortable. Each time she went in, Kate would always put on a a fake smile and be nice when she stopped by. Ashley still, though, had suspicions of Kate's feelings for Zak. But she was willing to try this out in order to improve their relationship. Ashley's biggest dream was for Zak to marry her one day, and nothing, nothing in her mind or sight would stop that from happening. No circumstance, no job, no woman period.
Kate was aware of Ashley's anger towards her, and new it was only gonna get worse instead of better. Her feelings for Zak where getting stronger now that he was bonding with her more, despite his constant shy behavior. She figured it was a usual way for him to act so she didn't ask questions. But she became increasingly jealous of Ashley everytime she came over. She didn't know exactly what went on behind his closed office door, but she could sometimes hear Ashley giggling.
That left her with a disappointing fact and reality. She knew he and Ashley where very much in love, and that he would do anything to make Ashley happy. She knew he would never have interest in an eighteen year old. Oh how silly she felt when she fantasied him telling her that he loved her occasionally at night when she would lie in bed. But that was all she had. With all this made up in her mind, she resided herself to the fact that he would never like her that way, so the only thing she could do was be as close of friends as possible. That to her was much better then nothing, and they where becoming good friends.
Her apartment situation, however, was different. She had spent weeks after her first lockdown looking for a good place to live that wasn't to far from work, but more importantly, not to far away from school. She and Lance took tours of some apartment complexes for weeks with no luck, but finally found one that was a little closer to school but five minutes longer away from work. But she fell in love with it and was willing to deal with the cons of it being a little further away from work. It was also the only apartment building that would accept pets, which was another reason why it took her so long to find a place to live. However, there where problems with it. The walls where painted lime green, a color she dreaded on anything, the carpets where old and moldy and there where cracks in the walls of the kitchen as well as in the bedroom and bathroom. So she had to pay the landlord to fix these problems and remodel some before she would agree to move in. So that was going to take three months to do, that included all the repairs, remodeling, and moving in all the new furniture she bought. So she was stuck living with Lance for those next three months. But all the problems aside, things where much better then before quite considerably.
Present day...
Kate's P.O.V
It was a nice warm Sunday afternoon , and me and Lance where eating at our usual cafe together. It was my last day living at his apartment. That afternoon I was going to move into my new place. He didn't want to let me go, but I was sure ready to live alone without someone pestering me to be obsessively clean all the time. I love Lance, but have limits. I stirred the sugar into my iced tea as Lance and I had our usual private talks whenever we ate at the cafe not to far from either one of our homes.
"I'm telling you girl," said Lance in a panicked tone. "I'm gonna get the hantavirus! I told you that rat was big and it looked ill when I picked it up inside the brown paper bag I trapped it in."
"Lance, don't lie to get me to stay, there was no rat in the house. If there was, you would have begged me to catch it for you since you have a phobia of them." I tossed my hair back to get it out of my face. Lance had been lying to me all week trying to find an excuse for me to stay longer, but I knew all of what he was doing. He glared and went back onto our original topic we where on before the lie.
"So, when you going back into work?" I had not been in work for over four days because of large amounts of school work I had to do. I was relieved to have a boss that was also a good friend who was always willing to work around my busy work schedule. I can't wait for the day I graduate,t hen I won't have to be on this crazy cycle. But I still have a good year and a half to go.
"I'm going back in tomorrow, it's time for us to plan our next lockdown." I replied. "How are things with Zak?" Lance asked, poking my shoulder and giving me a devious smile. "We're just friends Lance, we've been over this already!" I shoved him playfully with a grin. "It doesn't matter how you treat him on the outside, on the inside, your feelings for him haven't changed at all since you started working for him three months ago. In fact, I think you like him more now." It turned my head away quickly to avoid having him see the guilty look on my face. "Lance, I told you already, I don't, I can't!"
"Oh, but yet, the heart wanders in different directions all the time." He replied in a blissful tone. He tugged at my arm urging me to look at him. I did once I had control over my expressions. Which was now a serious intent gaze. Usually, my serious looks stops Lance from asking anymore questions in a topic I no longer want to discuss, but he didn't stop this time.
Taking my hand in his, he said with a smile and comforting voice, "Honey, I know you like him, and I know it must be painful for you to admit, but you can't hide the truth." I turned my head away again with a sad expression on my face. I looked down at the concrete ground and sighed. "Lance, I won't lie, my feelings for Zak have increased by 90%, but that's only because he and I have bonded a lot more these past few months." "How?" Asked Lance with great curiosity. "Well, we joke around at the office, we talk a lot more then when I started working there, and he along with the other guys gave me a nickname."
"What is it?" Asked Lance, with an eyebrow raised.
"It's Bambi, I don't know why, they just started calling me that after about a month."
I replied, sipping my tea.
I thought Bambi was a cute name for me, I just didn't know why they liked it so much. All three of them call me that, even Zak. I have to admit though, when he calls me that I feel the butterflies waking up in my stomach. But hey, I figured that was as far as we would go as friends. Of course, Lance probably thought we where more than friends in Zak's mind, but that's Lance for ya. Always with these absolutely impossible ideas... Okay, he was right about me getting this job, and if it wasn't for him pushing me to apply, I probably wouldn't have done so. So I guess he is right about some things, but this, definitely not!
"Well, I think Zak is flirting with you secretly behind Ashley the bimbo's back!" Lance exclaimed, giving me a thumbs up and a wink.
"Oh Lance, come on! Whenever she comes into the office they're all over each other. It gets to the point that they make so much make out noises in his office, that I have to leave for my break early just to get away from it. How would your theory be correct?" I asked, raising a hand to signal the waiter we needed the check.
"He could be in denial and trying to hide his real feelings for you." Lance replied, placing five dollars on the table to pay half the bill.
I too, placed five dollars down, and also a tip. We usually take turns tipping the waiter each time we eat out together.
"Yeah right Lance, denial? Don't think so. What I have with him now is about as close as I'm ever going to get with him."
We walked for Lance's minivan, and got in. Of course he didn't shut up about it the entire drive home.
"You don't know that, I could be right. Why are you taking Ashley's rude behavior?" He asked, making a quick left turn almost rear ending the car in front of us.
"I'm not taking it 'cause I want to for goodness sake I just can't do anything about it. I can't control what he does, nor would I want to. Ashley is an impossible opponent to defeat. Beside the point, I'm not the only one who dislikes her, Nick and Aaron hate her just as much as I do, and Zak knows we don't like her." I explained, placing my sunglasses on and checking myself in my little compact mirror.
"But if he knows you don't like her, why don't you say anything to Zak, why do you just take what she throws at you?
His question was one I often asked myself. Of course he knew I didn't like her. How could he after the way she first treated me? I felt no good reason inside myself to keep it between me, myself and I, but I guess if I had maybe one that was worth having, it would be that I know how much he loves her, and if I am going to be his friend, then like any good friend I need ti support his decisions. I trailed off in thought after Lance asked me his question and looked out the window. I looked up at the palm trees as we passed by them and sighed. What can I say?... Perhaps,... the truth I thought for a brief moment. Lance poked me on the shoulder when we made it to the last stop light before home and said softly,
"Hey, you alright?"
I looked back at him and gave him a slight smile in response.
"Come on, open your heart out to me, you need it if you want to survive this whole ordeal."
I hesitated to tell him, but I did need to confide in someone, and that someone wasn't going to be Nick or Aaron. To my knowledge, they don't know I'm crushing on Zak, and they never will. So Lance really was the only one I was comfortable enough to tell. I took in a deep breath and looked out the window as I explained to him my reasons as to why I allow Ashley to treat me the way she does:
"It's not that I'm being spineless, you know me, I won't let anybody treat me like garbage like that, especially someone who's body is only 25% real." Lance stopped at a traffic light and looked at me with concern. "But Kate, your allowing her tot treat you like a dog, and that isn't right." He stated sharply.
I looked back at him and went on with my discourse:
"Lance, I don't want to allow it to go on, but what I have been able to do with Zak is all I'll ever be able to do as long as she's around. I don't want to mess that up. If this friendship requires me to bend a little bit then I will. Plus, I don't want her to think she gets to me if I went and told Zak how angry I am at her and asked him to talk to her for me. That would make her come by the office more, then I definitely would go insane. I'm barely able to see her the amount of times she comes by in the week anyway." I rested my chin in my hand and placed my elbow on the window as I looked outside.
"You don't know what I'm facing because your not in my shoes. So how can you tell me to do something if you don't understand the circumstances?"
I think when I said those words it hit him home. He didn't urge me anymore to fight with her, he actually in fact looked like he was sorry for me, yet proud of what I was putting up with. When we arrived back at his apartment, we stayed in the car and embraced each other for a while.
"I'm sorry sweetie, I just hate to see you suffer like this. I know you really like Zak a lot, and it must suck to have to see him all over Ursula the sea witch all the time." He said with compassion in his voice. I kissed his cheek and replied, "It does hurt, but me and Zak are friends, and if she makes him happy, then I'll be happy seeing him happy. That's all I want for him is to be happy. And friends do things like this for each other. Why do you think Nick and Aaron put up with it too?" Lance nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay, good point. Let's get you moved in your new apartment then." We went inside and spent twenty minutes taking my stuff out to Lances car. It's a good thing he has a minivan, so everything will fit. The whole time we packed he was almost in tears every time I asked him to take something to the car for me. I really did feel bad for him though, and I have to admit I was going to miss him despite how difficult he is to live with. He is one of my very best friends, and he was the only one I had after I moved away from Queens. So memories of all of that where being left behind as I was preparing to start a new better life on my own.
Once we where packed, Lance drove ahead of me with my stuff while I drove behind him with Lyra, and a few of my bags that had clothing in them. We drove a good twenty minutes away from his place until we arrived to a nice apartment complex close by Oldtown. Oldtown was one of my favorite parts of San Diego, since a lot of my favorite spots where close by. The Whaley house, a haunted house I used to frequently visit when I first moved to California, a few window shops where I loved to shop for religious items like crosses, bibles and candles, and of course, Sea World wasn't to far away!
We parked our cars in a big spacious parking lot in front of the building where my apartment was located in. Once out of the car with Lyra by my side, I noticed a black old looking Sedan parked right next to me. I smiled and said happily, "Michael's car!"
Michael was one of my good friends who grew up with me in Queens. He was an aspiring photographer like me, and went to the same school. He's a serious guy, pretty stressed out all the time due to work, school and his girlfriend who was also a good friend of mine, Leshawna. Michael may have been a serious person, but he was an awesome friend. I could always talk to him and ask for his help whenever I needed it, but later on, I would always hear from him how much I had stressed him out that day or week. Michael was going to be my next door neighbor ironically. But that was exciting for the both of us since the only time we could see each other was when we where at school. And even then our conflicting schedules sometimes kept us apart.
With eagerness, I grabbed one of my clothing bags and followed Lance upstairs to the fifth floor of the building where my apartment was. It was going to take several trips up and down the stairs to get all the things I brought inside my new place, but that's why I brought Lance to do half the manual labor for me. I already had work to get to the next day and I needed to retire early that night if I could.
We stopped outside a wooden door with the number '24' on it. I took the key to the door out of my purse and unlocked the door. I opened it up and slowly walked inside amazed by what I saw. Lance followed in behind me and did the same. "Wow," he stated, "the renovators did a good an amazing job Kate, this place is awesome!" I circled around the room with wide eyes filled with happiness. "it's absolutely immaculate!" I hugged Lance happily with excitement.
The apartment was truly a beauty. The living area was completely finished the way I had requested and had all the furnishings I had bought placed in the designated areas. First off, the walls weren't that horrible color they where before, now they where a soft pastel purple, with the base boards and door frames painted white. The cracks in the walls where gone, and the floor boards had been replaced with nicer hard wood floors. My living room had a soft white sofa big enough to lounge on, but not to big that it would take up to much room for walking. On the left side was a recliner for reading and and end table with a desk lamp. A coffee table sat in the center of the room in front of the couch with a few books and a desk lamp on it. In front of it was a forty inch wide screen television on a stand that stood beside a plate glass window covered with black drapes.
The kitchen was right across from it, and it was a bit smaller then I had hoped for in her new home, but big enough for one to two people to love comfortably in. The counters where a dark granite, as requested, and the kitchen was complete with stainless steal appliances. The stove was electric, as all the stoves in every apartment in that complex was, and that was a good thing too, because I'm afraid of anything that is powered by gasoline.
I walked across the living area, and opened the bedroom door to a beautiful fully furnished sleeping quarters for myself, and Lyra. My bed was a full sized bed with a black bed spread and decorative pillows as well as ones for sleeping. Lyra usually sleeps on my bed, but also has a doggy bed that sat on the floor at the foot of my own bed. I had a big walk in closet, that I didn't really need. I don't have a big clothing collection like a lot of women have, so it was going to look silly only having several outfits and a few pairs of shoes. I'm not one of those women who obsesses over how she looks all the time. Of course, I like to look pretty and I manage to make myself look nice, but it's just not my number one concern.
There was a door in my room that lead to the bathroom which I loved! It had a big shower system and a nice big bathtub for a more relaxed way to get ready for the day ahead. The whole bathroom was remodeled the way I liked it, but it was probably the most expensive room in the entire apartment to redo since it needed the most work done on it.
After taking a quick tour of the apartment, me and Lance carried all the bags into the building and left them in a pile by the front door. "Can I help you with unpacking?" Asked Lance, looking down at the pretty sizable pile of bags. "Nah, I'm good, go on home I'll unpack over the course of the next couple of days." I replied. That was my way of saying: 'Lance, get out of my new place!' I love him sure, but now I was on my own and wanted to be alone to settle down. He slowly made his way to the door as I followed him to show him out. As he placed his coat on, he looked at me and began to tear up. He grabbed me and hugged me tighter then he ever had in our entire friendship. "Oh Kate!" He cried, with tears streaming down his face. "I'm gonna miss you! Please stay over for one more night at my place!" I couldn't help but smile and chuckle a bit, I didn't let him hear me though, or he would have had a cow.
It was just funny seeing him do this not because I thought his obvious sadness was funny, but because he cries to almost everything that we do. When we go to movies, he cries even if it's not sad over the I quote: 'actors dedication to the work,' whenever he has to have his car worked on, he claims he cries about that because of the old memories being replaced with a tune up, but I think it's because he doesn't want to know how much it will cost him. He even cried at birthday parties, claiming it's because of all the awesome memories we will have once we are ninety and living in a nursing home.
But still, I hugged him back and comforted him. "Honey, I can't stay forever and even if I tried, life just wouldn't let me." "but your going away forever and leaving me!" He cried, now reminding me even more of how my mother reacted when I moved out. I kissed his cheek and helped him out the door. "Lance, I'm not going away forever, I just moved out and live in an apartment not to far from you, we can still call each other, go the cafe on weekends, and shop at the mall like we always had. The only difference is that we won't have to see each other all the time." He stayed silent as he walked out the door and stood in the hallway. I think he liked the idea of living alone again, he just was afraid to admit it because he didn't want to hurt my feelings, but I was the one trying to kick him out. That wasn't going to hurt my feelings.
He said in a quiet bummed out tone, "okay, then I better leave so you can get ready for bed and stuff." I walked out the door and kissed his cheek again. I reached into my pocket and took out a small box with a red bow tied around it and handed it over to him. He looked at me unsure of what it was. "What is this?" He asked. "It's a little something to thank you for all you have done for me." I smiled and placed my hands on his and looked up at him with eyes almost teary myself. "if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be where I am today, thank you." I made a mistake saying that to him, 'cause he sobbed right there in the middle of the hallway for a good half an hour. I sat with him to try to calm him down and so he wouldn't embarrass himself in front of any one passing by, but people where already walking by and starring as they passed us in the hall for the elevator.
I managed to calm him down and send him on his way after that quite funny yet touching display after a good hour, and was inside my new place getting Lyra fed and ready for bed, as well as myself.
I lied down in the bathtub with my hair pulled up in a bun, relaxing in the bubbles and hot water. The steam rose from the water and went up to my head and hair causing some frizzing, but after the day I had, I didn't care. "Oh yeah." I stated loudly with a relaxed sigh, "this is how I pictured living on my own." I baked for thirty five minutes, then settled down in bed with my favorite fantasy novel titled: Masques by Patricia Briggs, until I fell asleep with Lyra at my side.