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

What's My Prize?

Marilyn Anderson

“Aaron's Vlog.” Aaron whispered to the camera as Billy, Aaron and I stood outside the hallway where Nick and Zak were working out, “We are gonna go find Zak and Nick while they workout.” Aaron flipped himself around and started walking down the hallway.

“Aaron, your going the wrong way.” Billy scolded playfully. I almost face-palmed myself. I laughed at Aaron as he turned around on his heel and they walked to the gym's swinging door. It wasn't really a gym. It was a small room with a few machines in it, and mirrors lining the wall. “Oh, what's goin' on in here?!” Billy called out, walking into the room, followed by Aaron, and then myself. Nick just laughed, and Zak didn't say anything. Zak was running on the treadmill, a hat on his head, wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt.

“Zak doin' cardio?!” Aaron half yelled, “I've never seen that before! Zak gets mad about walking a block!” Aaron laughed at Zak as Zak tried to push the phone away from him.

“C'mon man, stop.” Zak wined to Aaron, his breathing heavy from still doing his workout. Aaron laughed and turned around and said something to the mirror, and shut off the camera – before leaving the room with Billy. I walked over to Zak, and leaned against the front of the treadmill, crossing my arms on it, and putting my chin on my arms, watching Zak. Drips of sweat ran down his forehead, and his breathing was hard. I smiled at him and he gave me a funny look. “What?” He breathed, smiling at me.

“I didn't know you ran.” I smirked at him, raising my eyebrows. Zak laughed at that, and rolled his eyes, still running and his breath heavier.

“Gotta stay healthy somehow.” Zak replied with a laugh.

“Fattie.” I smirked.

“What did you just say?” Zak questioned his voice playful, and his smirk noticeable.

“I said you were a fattie.” I smiled.

“Girl,” Nick's voice announced, “I suggest you run.” Looked at Zak, who had a smile on his face a smile wide. Oh shit. My mind yelled at me. I let go of the treadmill as Zak shut it off. I booked it out the door, and sprinted down the hallway.

It was safe to say I had no idea where I was going. The hotel was a maze, especially because it was just a big circle on each floor. I heard Zak coming after me. I picked a room on my left, that ended up being laundry room. Washing machines pounding. Nobody was in here though. I ran through the maze of baskets and machines, until I wedged myself into a corner, and stood still. “Marilyn..” Zak called from the hall. His voice was getting closer. “Where are you?” I smirked, and kept quiet.

I heard the door open, and then shut. Then footsteps going down the hallway. “Marilyn.” Zak repeated, his voice getting quieter as he went down the hallway. I got out of the corner, and ran to the door, peaking out to see if Zak was anywhere – when I didn't see him, I ran the opposite direction towards the hallway he came from. I ran inside the gym, where Nick was still working out. I put my finger to my lips, signaling to him to stay silent. Nick simply nodded, and went back to working out with his headphones blaring. I slipped into a closet that didn't have a door, just a curtain over it. I pulled the curtain closed, and sat myself in a basket, staying silent.

I heard the swinging door hit against the wall, and Zak's voice, “Did Marilyn come back in here?” Zak asked.

“No, man.” Nick replied, “I think she went upstairs.” Zak then left the room, and Nick laughed. “He's gone.” Nick announced. I got up out of the basket, and came out from the closet.

“Thanks,” I huffed, “I owe you one.” Nick laughed and I ran from the closet, and down the hallway to the elevator. I half jumped up and down as I waited for it to open, I ran inside of it. And I pushed my floor number as many times as it took to get the doors to close.

The elevator music made my nerves beat worse.

The doors opened on my floor, and I ran down the hallway, Zak's voice coming from Aaron's room. “Hey has Marilyn been up here?” I opened my door with a swift move, and shut it. I ran to the bed, and covered myself up with a blanket. I didn't realize how bad of a hiding spot this was until Zak opened my room door, and pounced on the bed. “Found you,” Zak laughed, heavy breathing in my ear, I uncovered my eyes, and kept my mouth covered, and glared at him.

“You weren't suppose to find me.” I said to him, trying to make my voice sound angry.

“But I did.” Zak smiled, “Now what's my prize?” I smirked at him in safety of the blanket, but didn't say anything. Zak was still sweaty from his workout. “You don't have a prize? So, I get to pick.” Zak smirked. He pulled the blanket from my hands, and crashed his lips to mine. His soft lips moved against mine in rhythm, and his hands roamed my sides. I pushed his hat off his head and ran my fingers through his wet hair. Suddenly, we heard a voice next to us. Zak broke the kiss in seconds, and turned his head to where he heard the voice.

“Did you hear that?!” I whispered.

“What the fuck was that.” Zak said under his breath. “Who's there?” Zak called out, still on top of me, but not paying any attention to me. Zak shook his head at that, and turned back to me. He smiled and shook his head, “Now, where were we?” and with those words, he cupped my face in his smooth hands and brought my lips back to his. The voice was pounding in my head, what the hell had I just heard? I tried to think Zak and nothing else. Not the taste of his lips, not the smell of his aftershave, not even the fear of the voice we had just heard. He pushed his lips harder against mine, and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. He stopped kissing, and pulled away from my lips, moving his head down and latching onto my neck as quickly as he could. His smooth lips found my weak spot, and I melted. His lips pulled at my skin, I gasped loudly then I thought. Zak sucked wildly on that single spot on the side of my neck and refused to let it go.

I couldn't get enough of the sensation. My knees went weak, and I grabbed onto his hair, pulling it and squeezing my eyes closed. Zak's lips pulled from my neck, instead of going back to my lips, he left soft, wet kisses up my neck, then blew on them. The icy-wet kisses making me gasp. God damn! Zak really knew what he was doing! Slowly, Zak brought his lips back to mine. His teeth caught my lip, begging for entrance, which I agreed to in seconds. His tongue found mine, and being the tease he is, he didn't blow full force yet. His tongue traced my lips, then touched the tip of my tongue, Then wrapped his own around mine.

Oh god, Zak.

Suddenly, the voice erupted from empty room – and Zak lifted his head from me, and looked over to the empty space. “You've got to be fuckin' kidding me.” Zak groaned. He stood up, and walked to around the room. “I'll be back, I'm going to go get a spirit box.” Zak left the room, and I was stuck in the silence. I laied back in the bed, half annoyed.

Zak entered the bedroom, the spirit box already spanning the room, “Who's here with us?” Zak yelled out, the static echoing through the small room as I pulled myself up in a sitting position. The spirit box said nothing, and I didn't expect it to. “Come on, you punk. Who are you? I'm not afraid of you!” The spirit box did say something this time, but it wasn't the response I, nor Zak, wanted.

A growl. “Did you just hear that?!” Zak shrieked, his voice scratchy. “Who are you? Do you want to hurt us!?”

“Zak!” I scolded him.

“What?” He asked, confused at why I was yelling.

“Stop taunting them!” I replied glaring at him.

“I'm not taunting!” Zak argued. “I'm just.. talking loudly.” I rolled my eyes at him, as he kept conducting the spirit box session. It went on for a good twenty more minutes with no more responses. Then, finally – with this one last question, something came through the static. “Do you want to hurt us? Who do you want to hurt?”

Then, from the static, came a voice, “Maaaaaaaarilyn.”