A week until Aarons birthday...

The day wasn't very nice.

It was raining in Vegas, such a rare occasion that when it took hold it never held back. Puddles would turn into floods eventually on the roads making it slippery for any car, unless you had some four wheel drive.

I'd skipped lunch in favour of sitting in the back room on the counter with the window opening smelling the rain, only you couldn't smell rain. What you smelt was dirt, but somehow I always found the smell nice.

I let out a sigh and flipped over the closed sign of the antiques store.

"That was a big sigh." Stephen said looking through the book and matching up receipts with invoices.

"I guess... It's just been slow today hasn't it?"

"Yeah.. Still there is always tomorrow." He smiled.

I wish I had his enthusiasm, to look at the brighter side of life and never let anything get him down. Sometimes I needed advice from someone like that and other times.... Not so much.

"So... What's the deal with you and Ellen's boy, Zak isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes. "There is no deal."

"Really?"

"Yeah, listen I didn't know they rang up last week and got me a day off."

Stephen blinked.

I'd hate to think what they told him...

"So do you know about your holiday in a weeks time?" He asked unsure.

I nodded. "Yeah we are all going away for Aaron's birthday."

"Right.. You don't seem very pleased about that. You and Aaron get on great."

"Oh no.. We do it's just the company he keeps." I muttered.

"Ah.. That Zak huh?"

I lifted my brows and gave a nod.

"Not like him?"

"No, he... He just gets under my skin and makes me mad. Really mad. I've never felt anger towards someone as much as I do him."

Stephen nodded and listened as I went on a full scale rant whilst cleaning things away.

"Sounds to me that there's a little more to this than just hating him." Stephen concluded making me stop and look over at him.

"What does that mean?"

"Ria.. Do you like the guy?"

I threw my hand over my forehead "No! I can't stand him. Haven't you been listening to me? He's a pain in the ass and it's not treat them mean and keep them keen. He's a genuine shithead!"

The phrase made Stephen laugh "I'm serious Stephen. I do not like Zak Bagans in ANY capacity."

"Well who you trying to convince? Him or yourself?" Zak spoke making me spin around.

Stephen's laugh got harder making me throw him a glare.

"Once you've finished your bitching... Aaron is waiting to take you home." He replied.

I looked at Stephen who was still chuckling away at himself, giving me a nod I collected my things and walked out behind Zak.

"This isn't over." I whispered to Stephen who grinned.

Sure enough Aaron was outside, he did have a four wheel drive so these floods didn't stand a chance. I slipped in the back behind Zak as he rode shot gun.

"Evening." Aaron smiled.

"Hey." I replied quietly, this was going to be an awkward drive home now.

"So tomorrow, I'm having a get together at mine. Some drinks and food you know. You're invited." Aaron smiled.

"Thanks but I can't come over sweet. I'm working."

"No you aren't. I spoke to Stephen." Zak said.

I shook my head and folded my arms looking out the window.

"Don't you wanna hang out?" Aaron asked making Zak look in the wing mirror at me.

"I can't afford it. I need to go to work, I'm sorry." I replied.

Zak was muttering something making Aaron look at him.

"What was that? Squeak up."

"I said, You're never fucking happy are you? Always moaning and bitching about something." He replied.

I shook my head "I'm simply letting Aaron know that I can't afford to have time off work because my bills won't get paid and I'll end up on the streets."

"Where you belong." He muttered.

That's it..

"Stop the car."

"What?" Aaron asked looking back at me.

"Stop the car!" I demanded.

Before we even came to a stop I grabbed my bag and opened the door. "I'll walk." I spoke and hopped out closing the door and heading away.

"Maria.. Get in the car." Zak sighed as Aaron drove along.

"Zak.. Get fucked." I spat.

He shook his head and leant back as Aaron leant across.

"Ri, come on. It's raining. You'll get sick. Just... Zak apologise."

"No. All she does is moan about her problems to how about taking responsibility and sorting your life out." Zak replied.

"Bro."

"No Aaron. You pussy foot around her and make her act like a bloody queen. Pull your head out your ass and sort your life out Maria and maybe it won't suck." Zak spoke.

I carried on walking, I couldn't believe someone like him could even say shit like that to me or Aaron.

"You feel like that Aaron?" I asked looking at him.

"I'm not getting dragged into both of your arguments. Okay. It's petty. So you both don't like each other. Get over it?!"

That was wasn't a yes or a no.. Which meant Aaron did feel like that somewhere along the line. I looked at them and shook my head again.

"Well I do apologise for being a massive inconvenience to both of you, allow me to take myself away and stop myself wasting both of yours time." I answered, taking a short cut through a park and away from the road.

----------------------

I got home and pulled my clothes off throwing them in the wash. My phone pinged alerting me of a message.

Joey - Take the night sweetcheeks. I need you to come in tomorrow afternoon instead. I don't understand this paperwork. Enjoy your night.

I let out a sigh, remembering those two clowns got me tomorrow off I decided to spend it how I wanted it.

With a free night now my first port of call was having a bath and relaxing with a bottle of wine and Chinese food. With that idea set I put it into play and ran myself a bubble bath, I filled a glass of rose and took myself into the bathroom.

I stripped off my underwear ditching that in the laundry bin and climbed into the bubbles. The heat attacked my skin instantly from the coldness of outside. I sucked in some air before sitting down and eventually laying back to relax in the bath. My skin began to warm and the muscles in my back released the tension leaving me completely at ease.

"Hmm.. Totally worth working tomorrow instead." I spoke to myself.

I could hear my phone ringing in the bedroom and decided to leave it. Bugger it.

After an hour of wallowing in the warm water I got out and dried myself off. Pulling on my PJs I walked out the bathroom to find Aaron stood in my bedroom looking at me from the other door.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked annoyed.

Then I saw Captain Douche.

"What the hell is he doing here?!"

"Oh there's the foghorn. Found her then." He laughed.

"Get out. I don't want you in my apartment." I snapped.

"Ria.. Calm down. We rang like thirty times. I got worried that something may have happened and when we came over the door wasn't even shut properly."

I frowned. "You what?"

"The door.. it was open. You know... Ajar?" Zak spoke slowly as if I was stupid.

"Shut him up before he loses those capped teeth." I growled.

"Bro. Ease up. Ria are you saying you shut the door?" Aaron asked.

"Uh yeah. I wouldn't have a bath otherwise.."

Aaron looked around and nodded.

"You better check and see if anything is missing then. The door was open when we came up. I mean wide open. I thought maybe you were down at the bins hence why I was surprised to see you.. Well there."

I looked around my bedroom quickly and began looking to see if anything had moved or was missing. Before looking around my apartment, I came back and shook my head.

"Nope. Everything is here." I answered.

"You absolutely sure?" Aaron asked making me nod.

"Positive. Everything is still here.. If anyone did break in. They didn't steal anything." I answered.

"We should probably ring the police." Zak spoke making me shake my head.

"No, I don't want them in here. Nothing has been taken so there isn't anything to report."

"But your door was forced open." Zak said.

"And? Everything is here. Now I'm fine and tired. You guys I don't mean to be rude but I'm okay and would like to go to bed."

Aaron sat on the bed making me look at him.

"Fine. I'll stay here. You're not staying here on your own." He answered.

"Yes the hell I am. Go. I don't need baby sitting. Go on." I ushered him up and out the bedroom closing the door.

With some technique and a promise of 'I'll ring you if there is any problems' I closed the door behind them and locked it up properly.

I let out a little breath and picked up my mobile, I rang the police station. My laptop was gone as well as my iPod and some underwear. Whoever it was, had been within 20 feet of me whilst I was in the bath and I never even noticed.

This day gets better by the minute.

I knew nothing would come of this and I wouldn't get my laptop or iPod. The only plus side was that I could get both of them immobilised. So I did that. I also had to get a locksmith out and have my door fixed as well as alert my landlord that it had happened so he could claim on the insurance.

All fun and games.

Thankfully my landlord was in the neighbourhood as they say and swung by to make sure I was okay and stayed whilst the locksmith was there. I gave him the crime log number so that he could process the claim with his insurance company without hitting any snags along the way.

It was getting late and my landlord had just left. I locked down the apartment completely and wedged a chair under the door handle. As well as check the whole apartment and make sure all the windows were locked.

I sat in my lounge within reach of a baseball bat..

My luck it would be used against me but I felt an ounce safer knowing that if anyone came through the door I would have something on my side to start swinging.