I take Mavis' advice with me to work the next day, with a large dose of Carpe Diem or 'Seize the day', I plan on asking Zak out on a date. I know it's a bit forward but the flirty behaviour from the other day has given me some newfound confidence after Joel managed to squash it when he cheated. 

I'm pretty sure Zak likes me, too. Or has a thing for cleaning ladies, either way, I am beginning to like the strange man I am slowly becoming to know and hope that we can develop and learn about each other some more.

So I'm going in, balls to the wall!

Having remembered his words the other day, I gave myself an extra squirt of perfume this morning and to hide the fact I've over primped myself before work, I am supporting a messy bun. 

There's a few ways I could approach this, I could suggest going out for a drink, coffee, maybe ask for another tour of the museum after hours, perhaps a movie or a bite to eat?

Possibilities were endless! I had even rang Avery and told her my plan, she howled with excitement and encouraged me even more, like a little devil on my shoulder. 

Rachel hadn't been in the office this morning, so I am hoping she has sorted Grantley once and for all. If she didn't want to lose him as a client, she could always give him a male cleaner, which is something I had suggested months ago.

Mulling it over for a few more minutes, I decide to clear my mind and focus on the task ahead.
Being Woman enough to ask Zak out.

If he says no, then I can go on with my day knowing I tried and not have the regret of not knowing.

Driving up to the private community gates, the security guard steps out and looks at the registration plate. Giving him a smile, I wait for him to step back into his hut to buzz me through, instead he approaches the window.

"Who are you here to see?" He grunts. 

"Zak Bagans, I'm his cleaner. Riley." I tell him, as well as adding Zak's address. 

"Does he know you are coming over?"

"Yes sir."

The security guard, who seems fluent in grunts, walks back to his hut and goes inside. It strikes me as odd that I've not been buzzed through like usual. I am on the list for visiting, however I do remember one of the guards telling me that new security measure were being brought into place. 

I wait patiently, checking my reflection in the mirror before watching the flowers blow in the breeze, until finally the security guard steps out the hut.

"Is everything okay?" I ask him.

"You're not on the list." He states.

"What?" I frown. "I should be, I've been here every week for the past year."

"Not on here." He says tapping the clipboard.

"That can't be right... Hang on, I have a pass. Do you still accept the passes?" I ask him. 

"Well yes but you're not on the list and-"

"Here!" I beam snatching it out the glove compartment and handing it over to him. 

He inspects the card which has all the relevant details on, it has my photo ID on as well as the registration of the van, which company I work for and whose house I am going to.

With a hum and a harr, he finally nods "Well, alright. But could you ask the home owner to put you on the list again. For some reason you're not on there now."

"I will do." I answer accepting the card back and preparing to drive as he goes back and presses the button to open the gate. I give him a smile and wave as we drive past and onto the community. 

The community itself is like a paradise, with tall palm trees and lush green grass. There isn't a spec of trash in sight, all the lawns are cut and bushes trimmed neatly. Each house is a little different than the next and the further I drive, the larger they get. Sure enough, Zak is nearest to the end and after a drive around looking at the beautiful houses, I pull up onto his drive.

"You got this..." I pep-talk to myself before getting out and grabbing my caddy. 

As usual, I pass through the gates and let myself into his home before I begin cleaning. My plans are temporarily disarmed when I realise he has gone to the museum, so I spend my time wisely by thinking up what I am going to say and clean his home.

I'm there for two hours alone, not even Gracie, when I hear a thundering bang echo through his home. I stop the cleaning of his fridge and step back to find him stood in the kitchen door glaring at me. 

"Hi." I smile before looking at his island. "I swear this hasn't been out for long. I'm just cleaning it out, also I'm sorry to be a control freak but I've bagged up the lettuce. I've wrote a message on there too... It says Lettuce be friends. Get it? Lettuce?"

My laughter falls dead as he stares at me hard. 

So here is something I don't tell many people, when I get nervous, I get potty mouthed and have no control over what might pop out. Take my next sentence as proof...

"The last person who looked at me like that fucked me, in your case, I'm not sure if that is what you are hoping it conveys."

See? No control. None.

"What are you doing in my house?"

I stop putting his food back and chuckle "Cleaning, we been through all this before, silly."

"I mean what are you doing here, today?"

"Well it's my working day."

My eyes flash to Zak quickly before I continue putting his food items away. I'm not sure what has gotten into him today but he seems like he is in an odd mood.

Picking up the lettuce, I am just about to pop it in the fridge when the door slams shut, almost trapping my hand. 

"Hey!" 

Zak doesn't say a single word as he shoves the caddy into my chest hard, making me wince.
"Owh." I hiss, taking hold of it and rubbing at my chest bone. 

"Get the hell out of my house before I call the police." He snarls. 

"What? Why?" I ask him stepping back.

"You know why! Get out!"

I step away as he steps forward, "Have you been drinking?" I ask because I am at a total loss of what is happening right now.

"I mean it Riley, get the fuck out of my home." He growls backing me against the side.

His body overwhelms mine in size, as my newfound confidence hits the high road, resulting in me to cower. "Zak. Back up.."

"You come in here acting all sweet and innocent! After what you did?!" He shouts in my face making me jump. 

It's alarming to know that I can't smell alcohol and I can't imagine him to take drugs, but you see celebrities that have it all, they have everything in life, as well as a drug habit...

"I don't under-"

"Bullshit!"
With only a caddy separating us, I try to move away when he corners me again. "Tell me why?! Why you would do something like that?!"

"You're scaring me." I tell him, honestly.

"GOOD!"

"You think intimidating me is good? What the hell? What the hell am I suppose to have done?" I ask him, fed up of being yelled at.

"You know." He growls down. 

I shake my head "I really have no clue what you're-"

"STOP LYING!" He yells bringing his fist up and slamming it down on the side. 

My whole body flinches at the impact of his fist, and I waste no time in pushing him back and moving away from the side, no longer cornered.

"I don't know what the hell is going on here. But I am not staying around for this! If you have taken something, you need to sleep it off. If you need help, then tell me who to call. But this isn't you." I tell him. 

"You don't have a clue who I am!"

"Zak.." I speak as he pulls out a familiar looking necklace.

"I bought this... I paid for this. For you!" He shouts, his face has turned an angry shade of red, telling me that he still has some fight left in him. But for what, I have no clue.

"I know.." I acknowledge "And I love it. It's just too expens-" I don't finish my sentence as I am shocked to silence. Right before my eyes, he destroys the necklace, snapping it's chain and sending Rose Quartz everywhere.

"Zak! What are you doing?!" I cry looking at the floor and wondering how many I could pick up at once.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! I TRUSTED YOU! I ALMOST LET YOU IN AND YOU DID THIS!" He screams before making his way towards me. 

Fight or flight mode kicks in and for the first time in my life, I tuck tail and run. Ignoring his angry yells as I rush out his home and down the drive. 

I don't register that I am crying or shaking until I am off the community and roughly half a mile down the road. My first thought is to ring Rachel and tell her what has just unfolded but I don't and chose Avery's name off the list.

"What's up baby cakes? How did it go?"

"A-A-Avery?" I shudder a breath.

"That fucker made you cry?! Oh hell no! Where are you? I want his address right now!" She shouts down the phone.

"I- I didn't ask him." 

"Then what has happened?" She questions, now concerned.

"I d-don't know. He's r-really m-mad."

With my sisters soothing words, I pull myself together and make my way to her house where I go through the entire event again. 

I went to his home today with Carpe diem on my mind, I wanted to live a life with no regrets. But after today? I regret ever going to work today. 

I regret ever meeting Zak Bagans.