I'm Just Trying To Help (A Zak Bagans Romance)

Photo-shoots

Zak Bagans Point Of View

I awoke in the middle of the night, I knew it was the middle of the night because it was blacker than charcoal in Marilyn's living room. The boys were sleeping and the only light in the room was the light from the Cable box on the TV stand. I looked over in the kitchen to the red lights of the microwave which read the time. 4:34 a.m It was too early to wake up. I felt a pressure of my chest as something began moving. I picked up my phone, and shone the light, confused at what would be touching me. It was Marilyn. She was dead to the world, her soft face quiet as she slept. Her face pointing towards mine and her lips slightly departed as she slept the night away. Her hair was in her face, and I plucked the hair from her face and back behind her ears. She was perfect in every way, and I didn't deserve her.

I didn't deserve her. I didn't. She was perfect, she had an excellent job, which I got her fired from. She was perfect in every appearance way. I thought that was weird, because I usually fell for girls that had fake tans, big boobs, and extensions. Why Marilyn? Why the good girl, why the real girl? Everything I could have ever asked for, was sitting right in front of me. And I couldn't fall for her, I couldn't fall for her and mess her life up as much as mine was. I couldn't put her in the danger of my job. That's what killed me. I wanted to keep her safe, but I wanted her. Life is full of decisions I don't want to make, and right there is one of them. I just hoped I would make the right one.

Marilyn Anderson Point-of-View (2 days later).

“Okay. Zak, move a little to the left!” I shouted to him. We were up by an abandon building on the west side of town, shooting promotion shots for the magazine. I was put in charge of everything for next months magazine, Pictures, articles. Everything. Boy, was I up for the challenge. I was excited about it, not because I was in charge of everything and I could do it my way - but I was doing it with the boys. Which made it so much more fun. I had Zak standing up on an old desk, his arms crossed and face stern. Aaron sitting on the side of the desk with a surprised look on his face, holding one of their ghost-hunting devices, and Aaron had a camera pointing at Zak with a serious look on his face. It was a perfect shot for the cover. “Okay! 1.. 2.. 3!” I snapped down the button, and looked at the end result on the camera. Perfect. The boys rushed to look at the camera, and high-fived as they saw the end result.

“Marilyn! Your amazing!” Zak exclaimed, smiling at me. I shrugged as I picked up my camera and began walking to another side of the house – the bathroom – which had rusty sinks and shower heads in it. There was no shower curtain, but we had brought one and hung it up. The next shot was of a single shot, and it as one of Zak. Brushing his teeth in the rusty sink. It was a creative shot, yes, and it was going to be used by his question and answer segment. “What's the next shot?” Zak asked me as he followed me around like a lost puppy.

“Get shirtless.” I announced to him nonchalantly. Zak rose his eyebrows at me, and then smirked. “oh, be quiet.” I laughed at him as I shook my head and set up my camera on the tri-pod. “The next picture is of you brushing your teeth in the bathroom. I'm going to edit in a ghost and it is going to be put next to your Q&A segment of the magazine.” I explained as I looked at Zak, waiting for him to get in position. Zak stared at me, and didn't say anything. After a few minutes, I sighed and leaned against the wall. “You know, I can wait all day. But, it's suppose to storm and I don't wanna be here when it starts.” Zak laughed and pulled his shirt over his head. That's when I became distracted.

His muscles, oh gawd. His six pack was glowing in the soft light from the lamp we had set up, and his arm muscles, and his tattoos. I couldn't take it. I was staring. Zak laughed at me and it shook me out of my thoughts. “Okay,” I announced. “Time to shoot.” Zak rolled his eyes at me and I shoved my hand in my pocket and pulled out a toothbrush that was still in the packaging. Zak opened it and sat the container on the rusty toilet seat. He shoved the dry toothbrush in his mouth and pretended to be brushing his teeth. He positioned himself like he was starting to turn around, and that's where I would edit in the model. I looked down at the camera, “Alright.. 1.. 2... 3.” I snapped the picture, and nodded. It turned out good. I was glad. “Alright, your done. But your shirt back on, goof.” I laughed.

“Don't act like you didn't like it.” Zak laughed at me, shaking his head and picking up his black shirt from the ground. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him as I walked out of the door frame to where we were going to shoot Nicks single shot. I was a little more excited about Nicks single shot. It was a little more creative, and Nick had came up with it himself. He had signs up all over quoting the show, and one quote spray-painted on the wall, “Ghosts' Are Real.” In graffiti. It looked brilliant. I was glad I got to work with Nick. He really had his head on straight. Nick was dressed in a dark hoodie and jeans, His hood pulled up and a empty can of spray paint in his hand. We were going to make it look like he graffitied the wall. It was going to look amazing. Nick got in position, and we shot his fast. Nick actually worked with me and didn't joke around every four seconds.

Aaron's scene was pretty creepy, he had all of his skulls, ALL of them shipped out here for the photo shoot. There were well over 100 of those creepy skulls here. I didn't know if they were real or not, but I don't think I wanted to know. Aaron sat in front of them, his head bowed but his eyes looking at me with a smile. I knew it would look totally creepy when I was done editing it. We shot Aaron's quickly, thank god. We packed up all my stuff, and were able to make it to the car before the rain hit.

“So, Marilyn.” Nick questioned from the drivers seat of the rental van, “When's the magazine going to hit the racks?”

“Next month more than likely.” I replied, not looking up from my camera as I reviewed the many pictures I had taken for the photo shoot, “I have a lot of work today. My boss put me in charge of not only the pictures but the articles also, which reminds me.” I put down my camera and pulled out my iPad and unlocked it, looking at my calender. “I have to interview each one of you. Who wants to go first, any volunteers?” I asked looking up from the screen. Zak turned around in the passenger seat, and lifted his hand.

“I will, on one condition.” Zak smirked. I raised my eyebrows at him.

“What's your 'one condition', Mr. Bagans?” I questioned him.

“I take you out to dinner after my interview.” Zak smiled at me. I sighed, and agreed.

“Sure, It'll be fun.” I smiled at Zak. I saw Zak shoot Nick a look, but I didn't question it. It was best not to question anything Zak did.

“Tonight at 8.” Zak smirked, giving me a quick wink, “Be there.”