Chapter 13: Laundry room Blues

POV: Gabby / Zac

October 4, 2007 (Gabby)

It turned out that Newton’s reason for being at the show was because Mary was a fan! She had a meet and greet and I saw her, saw Zac’s eyes travel as well. I wasn’t really sure what hurt the most, that Newton had lied to get me to agree and to do what he wanted or the fact that he didn’t seem to care at all. Either way it was just another stupid thing in my very long list of stupid things.

Simon was not helping at all either, I was so damn tired when the bus stopped in Little Rock, Arkansas. I’d been trying to nap but Simon was just relentless with his calls, messages, and now they were pictures. Like I didn’t know what his dick looked like! I guess he didn’t think I did.

I got my bag and rather realized that aside from what I had on, everything else was dirty. Great, just what I needed. But it was Zac that nudged me, glad I was braced against the bus.

“Your time started at midnight, but you were asleep.”

“My time?” I actually hadn’t slept at all last night! Simon kept waking me up every 10 minutes.

“Video game challenge, you won. Said it was the two off days and the drive, I assumed it was today through Saturday.”

Oh! My days!

“Yeah, I guess it did start at midnight.”

I picked up my suitcase and saw the laundry..I knew he’d be doing that anyway. They’d talked about it last night.

“Well, since you’re bright eyed and bushy tailed, I haven’t quite done laundry in a while and I am sure you can handle that.”

He seemed shocked. “You want me to wash your clothes?”

“Yep. I am sure you don’t mind, not that you really have a choice. Don’t do anything creepy either.”

“Why would I…”

He seemed confused but I just got my mostly empty suitcase and went inside. Isaac had my key ready and handed it to me. I was fully aware that I was pretty much blowing my entire first day, but I was just so tired. I’d been up pretty much since Tuesday night around ten, when Simon called the hotel until I finally answered. I got to the room and dropped the empty bags and then just fell across the bed. I was going to be worthless if they needed me either way, so sleep it was.

-Zac-

It was clear that something was up with her, she seemed really tired even though she’d spent the last few days holed up in her bunk. She seemed different after Monday, she’d been playful and more upbeat and then her friend had shown up, apparently he’d gotten her at the hotel and taken her to some studio. I really did feel bad that I’d been such an asshole when she called. I’d tried to avoid Isaac’s wrath but he’d laid into me the morning of the show because apparently she’d left a voicemail on his phone and Taylor’s.

What really upset me personally was, what if I hadn’t caught on that something was wrong? I nearly didn’t hear the strain in her voice and if she hadn’t sniffled I may not have caught on that she was on the verge of crying. Would she have seriously walked back? Isaac assured me she probably would have and that he would have had to send her home. I’d tried to apologize but she’d just shrugged it off. She’d tried hard not to cry on the way back and I wondered what that jackass said or did to make her feel that way. Had he said something? Done something?

Yet, here I was at noon at the bus getting her laundry. Laundry! Fucking clothes. It’s not what I had in mind and sure I had to wash my own clothes as well but well, I didn’t expect hers. Seriously? How could I be creepy washing clothes? I got mine and hers and went to the laundry room the hotel provided. Isaac and Carrick were sitting there as well and I internally groaned.

“Damn Zac, I didn’t think you brought that much with you.” Isaac said.

“There not all mine!”

She had put a basket for hers, deep one that rarely ever was full. I sat it on the counter and started mine first. I was pretty certain with what she wore it was mostly cold wash and rinse but I was hoping I didn’t screw anything up. I got my own clothes started and then moved on to hers.

“If they’re not all yours then whose are they?” Carrick asked.

“I volunteered to toss in Gabby’s.”

I saw them exchange looks but they didn’t question it, instead they just shrugged and went back to playing cards. I was just tossing them in, making sure nothing felt like silk and I grabbed something and it refused to come out of the damn basket! I moved my hand slight to the right and something pink snapped out of the basket and snapped me in the face!

“Shit!”

I was momentarily confused, I was pretty sure there was an article of clothing on my head, but when Carrick took the picture I carefully removed it and found pink thongs.

“So, we might believe the bullshit about you being this super nice guy and starting her clothes, but really Zac?” Isaac asked.

“It’s true.”

I deadpanned the question and then just dumped the basket in, I was certain if there was one pair, there were more and I was not wanting to be a creeper. Wait..she fucking knew?!

“You know Zac, some of the more intimates may not be washable in the machine.” Isaac said.

“She can sue me later.”

I got them started and things were fine until I went to move them to the dryer, my eyes landed on the pair that I’d seen in the picture and I was trying to get them without really touching them and some depraved part of my brain said I should have been alone and then I could have seen what she smelled like. Wait…that sounded super creepy and probably what she meant. I was about done when something snagged and this time the blue pair slapped me right in the face and I fell back. Much to the laughs of my friend and brother.

“Okay Zac, I can believe you being nice because she did look tired as fuck. I can even, maybe believe that you actually volunteered. But, what I don’t believe is that she’d knowingly have you wash her panties knowing how you are.” Carrick said.

“I’m agreeing with Carrick dude, what the fuck Zac?”

I finished putting hers in the drier before I looked at them. “You know the racing game I been playing obsessively?”

“Yeah.” They said.

“Well, early Monday I was playing and she was reading, thought I’d be sneaky and challenge her to play, bet on.”

Carrick laughed. “You seriously bet with her?”

“Yeah. 24 hours she would do anything I wanted.”

“Fuck Zac, that’s a new low even for you.” He replied.

“It would have been had I won. No, what she failed to tell me was it was her game. I got 24 hours and she got three days.”

“Seems a little…unbalanced.” Isaac said.

“I said the same thing but she mentioned that I had walks, shows, sound check and she can’t really ask anything then..yeah she chose the next three days.”

Yes, they both thought that was just fucking hilarious.

“Let me guess, laundry was first on her list and not you undressing her?” Carrick asked.

“Oh, she was very up front that sex was not included with her deal.”

“Serves you right for being a dick later that night.”

“Did she ever say what was wrong?” Carrick asked.

“Nope. Taylor and I both asked because she sounded upset with her voicemails, but she said she was just scared that I’d be mad. I mean she told me he was bringing her back, so I don’t know what happen.”

“He brought her a duffle bag the next day and she threw the whole thing in the garbage outside.” Carrick said.

I frowned, that was never good but I didn’t comment. Instead I folded my clothes and waited for hers. They were done and gone before hers were dry and I was folding them up in the quiet room, the bras and panties I had no idea how to fold and I was having a hard time seeing them without more x-rated thoughts. I took them to my room first, repacked my clothes into the suitcases and then I took a hot shower. I called her once and didn’t get a response so I got the basket once I was clean and dressed and went to her room, it was just down the hallway from mine. I knocked and then I called her and it took three times before a sleepy voice said hello.

“Can you let me into your room? I look entirely strange standing here with a clothes basket.”

“You’re…what?”

“Come to your hotel door and open it.”

It took her several minutes and I was almost floored when she did. She hadn’t changed or anything from this morning, her hair was puffed up on one side and the other side was frizzy, the clothes she had on were wrinkled from sleeping in them and she even had her shoes on. I walked into the room, grabbed her empty suitcase and began to transfer them.

“For the record, next time you want me to wash clothes for you, warn me.”

“Warn you? My clothes are nowhere near that bad.”

I held up the pink thongs from the basket. “No. But I was washing clothes with Carrick and Isaac and this little thing got snagged on the basket and snapped me right in the face. It was very entertaining to them. I seriously didn’t think you’d have left them in there.”

She giggle and I thought it was adorable. “Sorry. I was a little tired this morning.”

“No. You knew. You told me not to do anything creepy which means you knew your underwear was there.”

“God, please tell me you didn’t like be weird and sniff them or some shit.”

I feigned being offended. “I am not that twisted.”

“But the idea occurred to you?”

“No.” Okay..yes…

“You’re lying to me, come on Zac.”

“Fine! It occurred but I ignored it, I know damn well you’re not including anything in that area and I really don’t need to have that memory every time I’m around you.”

She giggled again and smiled. “Well, have you had dinner?”

“No.” I replied

“Good, you are taking me to dinner but um you’re going to have to wait until I shower.”

Had she just commanded I take her on a date or something? She got clean clothes from the basket and plucked the pink thongs from my hand and then walked to the bathroom.

“That is so fucking evil!” I called.

I heard the water and could hear the sounds of splashing water and I tried to distract myself by repacking her suitcase and I heard her phone going off, but I left it alone. I then looked around to see what restaurants were around. It help me distract my brain from the fact she was putting those pink thongs on and I wouldn’t even get to see her wearing them! She came out fully dressed, damn!

“Your phone went off like ten times.”

She picked it up, barely seen it and laid it back down. Obviously she didn’t want to reply.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

It was polite because she may have had something in mind already. She sat down and got her socks and shoes.

“Surprise me.”

I giggled. “Glad I looked up what was around. Hey, you’re with me so why don’t you leave your phone here. Obviously whoever is sending you those messages, you don’t want to speak to anyway.”

“Taylor and Isaac won’t mind? I was told to have it with me at all times.”

“You’re with me and Isaac knows about our deal because he asked when the blue thongs popped me in the face, they thought I went off the deep end or something. I’ll send them both a message and tell them.”

“I should have been there for that…”

I did that now, so she’d know I wasn’t trying to get her in trouble and even showed her where they said okay. Only then did she leave it, we took a cab to the place I chose and she seemed a bit shocked at where I’d chosen.

“You realize budget friendly is good, right?”

We were seated and I even pulled the chair out for her, letting her sit down I pushed it for and leaned down. “This is budget friendly to me and if I am taking you to dinner, it’s only fair I cover the ticket.”

I then moved to the other side and sat down, I was sure at some point she’d realized that this really was like some weird date. I already knew what I wanted the surf and turf in the biggest size available. The waiter took our drink orders and then she kept looking at the menu.

“Can’t decide?”

“I’ve never been to any place like this, no idea what to expect.”

“I can order something for you, but I don’t know what you like really. I recommend the surf and turf, it’s really good.”

“I’ll find something I’m sure.”

By the time he returned with our drinks she had settled to get the single option for the surf and turf, I ordered the larger one. It was quiet for a few minutes after that.

“Do you read when you’re at home?”

“All the time actually, but I usually go the library it’s better than buying something I’m going to read once.”

“I agree, I assume you also play video games at home?”

“Well, before this tour yeah, but not so much before that. It was reading mostly.”

“Where did you learn how to play the drums?”

She stirred the lemon in her ice tea and I saw the glazed look. “Traveling.”

“You don’t learn heavy metal drumming by simply traveling.”

She took a sip of the tea and for a few moments she was quiet then she looked at me.

“My ex taught me how to play, he was the drummer for a heavy metal or rock cover band. I traveled with them a lot and he taught me during sound checks or the bus. The first band taught me how to play, he just taught me the harder stuff.”

“Do you always go for the drummers?”

She smiled some. “No.”

I was sensing this topic was something she didn’t want to talk about. “So, sensing the touchy subject, is there anything else you can play?”

“Well, I can play a few cords of the guitar but not enough to make anything and the keyboards, I know one or two songs but I’m not good with either of those. I would ask you, but it’s obvious.”

“So, what else do you do beside read and stomp my ass at video games?”

“Travel, fetch coffee for spoiled rock stars who sleep too late.”

I smiled. “We’re not all that bad.”

Again that look that said there was so much on her mind but she just wasn’t talking about it.

“Do you enjoy your runs with Austin and Carrick? Really that is.”

“I do, it gets me off the bus and some reason to do something. The stretching helps too, I’ve noticed not as much discomfort in my shoulders.”

I still hated that Austin was the one that got to do that, still irritated me. The waiter came with the plates and that pretty much killed conversation, I was rather amazed watching her eat, because she seemed to actually enjoy the flavor of what she was eating, it wasn’t just inhaling like normal.

“You don’t normally eat this slow.”

“I normally know how much it costs too and really, fast food is fast food. It rarely has taste. You were right, this is really good.”

“I get it anytime I can.”

We finished eating and the waiter never presented her the ticket, I would never tell her that plate cost over 20 bucks by itself, she’d probably bitch at me for paying so much for a plate but it was worth it because she’d enjoyed it. She didn’t ask, but even if she had I wouldn’t have said anything. We took the cab back to the hotel and she stopped me in the lobby.

“I suppose you’re tired after doing laundry all day.”

“I slept this morning actually, nice long nap. Why? Did you have something in mind?”

Yes, I was hoping that her answer would be strip her down but I was certain that wasn’t going to be her reply.

“You teaching me how to play your games, any of them.”

Not what I had in mind, damnit! “Interesting, you going to help me brush up my racing skills?”

“I can try, but dude I’m not sure if there is help for that.”

I laughed. “Okay, I’ll go get the system from the bus. You want to head on up?”

“Sure.”

-Gabby-

I watched him walk back outside the hotel, it was weird that he’d literally treated my request for dinner as a date. Not that it was a bad date, wait was it a date?! I wasn’t even sure. I went up to the room and went ahead and got some drinks ready, I’d brought a few in earlier. My phone was ringing the moment I stepped inside, it was Simon again and he’d called dozens of times, left ten voicemails and I listened to them as I waited for Zac, but all of them was the same shit, just different wording. Promising he wouldn’t hurt me, he wouldn’t lie or cheat on me. Yet, the last few messages showed his frustration and he’ snapped for a moment, telling me I better answer. I went ahead and changed into something comfortable while I waited, just looser shorts mostly. I let him in and he set up the system.

It was not easy for me to explain how to drift endlessly to him, but he watched my hands and what I did with the gas and brakes and improved some. It was easier to teach me how to whip alien ass but he had to get very close to me for that to show me the right keys. Whatever cologne or deodorant he’d put on after a shower today smelled like lemongrass, citrusy and fresh. We played for hours but about 1:30 in the morning he laid back to stretch while I whipping a group of aliens, by the time I finished, as in they blew me into a million pieces, he was asleep. I blinked, he’d fallen asleep in my room!

“Zac?” I asked.

He’d scooted up when he laid back but I hadn’t expected that. Yet, I knew he was tired he’d been stifling yawns since about midnight. The room had two beds so, I played another hour sitting at the foot of the bed. I then turned everything off and got ready for bed. He’d curled up so much in the last hour that I knew he had to be cold, so I pulled the blanket out of the drawer and laid it over him. I then crawled into the other bed, I hadn’t even been in bed three minutes when the phone rang, Simon calling me. I ignored it and then listened to the message, saw the text which was another forgive me message. Zac turned over and I glanced at him, I then turned the ringer volume off and erased the message. I didn’t want Simon waking him up and I needed sleep too!