I apologize in the lack of updates on this story. I still love Zak. lol I've just had alot of stuff going on, divorces, my ex getting engaged to the girl he cheated on me with before our divorce was final, and my little boy, work. But, hey. That's life! lol I've really been thinking hard and long about where to take it from here with Arie and Zak, and I think I might have my mind made up. After all, this is my alternate reality where I don't have to deal with anyone that's in my real life. I own nothing!
Ari awoke the next morning feeling better than she should have. After looking at the clock and seeing it was 6, she rolled back over to find Zak sound asleep. She rested her head against him and fell back into a deep sleep. The next time she woke, she found Zak was gone and it was three hours later. She heard voices downstairs and felt a small amount of peace when she realized it was just the guys. She smelled bacon and climbed out of bed, going to her closet. She selected a pair of white shorts, a teal tank top with big grey flowers and a pair of teal and white slingback sandals. She twisted her hair into a messy but and wrapped a hair tie around it before going to the bathroom. She quickly did her makeup and headed downstairs to find Zak standing with his back to her and the radio playing. I'll follow you down through eye of the storm, don't worry I'll keep you warm. I'll follow you down as we're passin through space, I don't care if we fall from gace. I'll follow you down. He was at the stove and was engaged in making something. She stood and watched as he flipped the last of the pancakes. He turned and smiled when he saw her watching him. She finished coming down the stairs and poured a cup of coffee before having a seat at the table. "So, do you cook for everyone?" He chuckled as he set the meal on the table. "No, not just for anyone." She smiled into her cup as she took a long drink of the warm liquid. She stabbed two pancakes and moved them to her plate, adding some bacon, hashbrown casserole, and scrambled eggs. "Guys, the food's ready!" Zak took a step back from the table as Nick and Aaron bounded into the kitchen and to the table, filling their plates quickly. After they had all eaten what they wanted, Zak turned off the radio and returned to the table to fill his plate and sat down to join them.
Aaron paused between a mouthfull and a guzzle of orange juice. "So, Arie, how are you feeling? I know you hit your head pretty hard." She had just shoved a piece of bacon into her mouth and chewed as quickly as she could. "Yeah, I must have. I don't remember much of anything last night. But I think I'll be okay. Don't have a headache like I expected I would from the drinks, so I assume I'm ship shape." She smiled and cut off a bite of pancake, dribbling a little more syrup over them before popping it into her mouth. Nick was the next to speak. "So, Zak. Tomorrow is lockdown day. Do we have all the interviews, x cam locations, all that stuff ready to go when we get there?" Zak picked up his napkin and wiped his hands off while he finished chewing. "Yeah, I guess, man. I mean we've interviewed everyone who's willing to talk about this place. So I guess we're ready to go." Arie finished her food and carried her plate to the sink, rinsing it off and putting it into the dishwasher before turning back to the guys. "There is like two other people." Zak turned around in his chair to look at her, as did Nick and Aaron. The anticipation and wondering got the best of Aaron. "Who are they?" She walked forward and rested her elbows on the counter as she leaned over ontop of them. "My parents."
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks better run better run...faster than my bullet.. They drove down the highway, music blasting, sun shining, and everyone in a pretty good mood. "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks better run better run, faster than my bullet." Aaron was loudly and obnoxiously singing from the backseat. Arie and Zak were in the front as they continued driving. Forty five minutes later, they pulled into the gravel driveway and slowly rolled towards the house. Her mom was sitting on the front porch, as usual, playing solitaire and drinking sweet tea. Aaron leaned between her and Zak. "Does she not have anything better to do?" She smiled and rolled her eyes. "She's retired. And don't say anything about her flowers. You won't get her to shut up." They all clambered out of the car and she walked infront of the guys towards her. "Hey momma." Her mom stood up and walked down from the porch, a big smile across her lips and her arms held wide open. "Ariana!" She wrapped her arms around her mom and they stood for a minute in a hug. When they finally pulled away, her dad walked out onto the front porch. "Hey daddy." He came down the stairs and hugged her, standing next to her with one arm wrapped around her as he stared at the guys and lit up a cigarette. "Mama, daddy, this is Zak, Nick, and Aaron. They are from that show Ghost Adventures." Her mom, in her typical fashion, walked up and hugged all three of them. "So nice to meet y'all. I'm Patty and this is Jake." Arie walked back over to Zak and took a deep breath as a small silence fell. "So, what brings y'all up here?" She licked her lips and took a step towards them. "We need you. We're going to be investigating the Wormsloe Plantation House." Her dad narrowed his eyes and looked like he had the wind kicked out of him. "Again? Ariana Michelle, I told you that place was bad in the first damn place. But you went anyways. So what did you get from that? Scratched, scared, and ridiculed. And now, you wanna go again?"
She sighed and fidgeted next to Zak. She felt like a two year old being scalded for some bad deed. "Daddy, Momma told me all about the time you two went out there. What happened. What you saw. We need to record you, telling the story. Please." He took another drag from his cigarette and flicked it to his side, into the yard. "Get inside." She smiled at Zak as Nick and Aaron went to grab the equipment from the car. Zak took initiative and walked towards the older man. "Sir, we really do appreciate you telling us your experiences." He held his hand out, and was met with one in return in a handshake. "Zak, right?" Zak smiled and nodded at her father. "Ariana's sister, Gina, told us all about you. And the other two. I just trust you'll take good care of her." His smile faded and he took a more serious tone to what was being said. "I promise I won't leave her alone, and I won't let anything happen to her." Her mother and father took a seat in the living room where the camera was set up. They sat on the love seat, while Zak sat in an arm chair next to them. "This is Patty and Jake. Our guest investigator, Ariana's parents. Could you please tell us what experience you had at the Wormsloe Plantation?" They both looked nervous, knowing it was to be put onto national, if not international, television.
Her dad was the first to speak. "Well, Patty and me, we headed up to the house one night during a raging thunderstorm. We were just in our twenties, goofing off, wasting time. When we got there, the garden room door was open, so we rushed inside and closed it behind us. We walked through the room and looked at all the plants and flowers, admiring them. Then we headed up the stairs. When we got to the attic, there wasn't anything out of place. It was what you'd expect an attic to be. We found an old couch and I'll just let that be. When we were fixing to leave, was when it really happened. We heard a crash, like glass breaking. I saw a few pieces shoot out from under the couch, so I walked around the wall towards that direction and that's when I saw this big, massive, dark figure just standing there." Zak took this moment to interrupt. "Now, Patty, did you see this too?" She nodded her head. "I did. Jake was just starin at it, and the whole time I was feeling this burning on the back of my thigh. After a few minutes, the dark thing disappeared and me and Jake high tailed it outta there." Zak nodded his head slowly, absorbing the story like a sponge would water. "Now why did you throw in about your leg burning?" Her dad took back over. "When we got together the next day, there was two scratches on her leg. And it looked like an upside down cross. Perfectly level with the ground, one line a little longer than the other. It scared the tar out of us. So we both decided to never go back there again."
After the interview, they loaded the equipment into the car and waited for Zak to finish speaking to her dad from inside the car. "Aaron, what do you think he's saying to Zak?" Arie propped her foot up on the dashboard and laid her head back. "I dunno dude, but seriously, it doesn't look too friendly." Both the guys giggled and hushed when he started back towards the car. He opened the door and got inside, turning the ignition and headed back to Ariana's house. "Guys, bring in the cameras, recorders, everything we'll need for tomorrow night. We've got to charge the batteries and the back up batteries. I have a feeling we'll lose alot of energy." They both obeyed and started lugging boxes and cameras into the house. She walked past Nick and into the living room where she sat on the couch, watching tv. Zak plopped down beside her. "You okay?" She smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Just anticipating the investigation." He wrapped an arm around her and laid back on the couch, her head resting on him. "You and me both, Arie."
Their evening was quiet. They went out for a dinner on the river, swam a little bit, and then watched Paranormal Activity. Aaron and Nick ruined it with a popcorn fight, and Zak continued his discussion about how well of a movie it was. Everyone said goodnight to the other, then Zak and Arie headed to her room for some much needed rest for the upcoming investigation.
I know it's not insanely long or really great for an update, but I wanted to at least get SOMETHING up.
Song 1: I'll Follow You Down - Shinedown
Song 2: Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
Like I said, I don't own anything or anyone except Ariana. Next chapter, swear to God, will be THE LOCKDOWN! I'm writing like three other fics at the moment, so if I get something mixed up or wrong, I sorry. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. R&R 3 :D