Hollywood ***

Melody’s POV

“Hey, you’re late,” Jimmy called as I walked into the studio.

I had spent the first half of the day with my sister, Stormy, looking at houses. I have been planning on moving back to Huntington Beach for awhile and now seems like a good time to check the listings. Fred knew that I would be gone for the first half of the day and didn’t say anything.

After rolling my eyes, I answered, “I was looking at houses with Stormy.”

Silence filled the room as I placed my bag near my favorite chair and pulled my hair back so that it wasn’t covering my face. I thought it wasn’t much but apparently it was a big deal to everyone. Hell, Leana and Val both hugged me while Liz tackled me. Jimmy instantly picked me up while spinning me around while Matt, Zacky, and Johnny just did little cheers. Only Michelle seemed annoyed with my news while Brian was in just plain shock.

Fred just laughed as I stumbled around, trying to regain my balance due to Jimmy. “Told you they all would think it was big,” he said, laughing.

“Next time I do something, remind me to keep my mouth shut,” I said, sitting down and rubbing my temples.

Everyone laughed as Brian Sr. helped me up. After thanking him, I sat down on my chair and pulled out a water bottle from my bag. I looked at the date on the bottom right hand corner of the screen and soon a smile formed on my face. I was looking forward to this day for awhile and seeing that it finally had come just brightened my already good day.

“Why you in a good mood,” Jimmy asked as he watched me do my happy dance.

“Cruefest is over today,” I replied, “I get to hang out with the guys finally and just party.”

“So are you going to leave and not come back,” Michelle asked, looking hopeful.

Val slapped her arm and glared at her while I shrugged. Either way, I had things scheduled and bands to work with. Hell, I got a call from Austin from Hinder and they want me to do record some guitar stuff. Yes, my second job is being a studio musician. “Don’t know, really. I mean I can stay if you guys want but either way, I’m going to be working with Hinder soon and then Papa Roach.”

“Won’t it be awkward,” Leana asked, “Considering you and Jacoby broke up.”

That’s when all eyes landed on me as I stared at the screen, not paying attention to anything aside from the screen. I had forgotten that Jimmy and Leana were the only ones that knew Jacoby and I broke up.

Instead of looking at them, I had found the clip that Jacoby had sent me for one of his songs, I Almost Told You That I Loved You. Funny how this works but it wasn’t out of bad thoughts. We’re still friends and it was a joke between us. Additionally, I was amazed he was able to send this considering he usually has a hard time with the computer.

I’m willing to bet that he had James or DJ help me with that.

“You two broke up,” Matt asked in shock.

I nodded like it was a stupid question. “Yeah,” I answered as I clicked on the clip and let it play.

I almost told you that I loved you
Thank god I didn’t it would’ve been a lie
I say the damndest things
When you’re on top of me
I almost told you that I loved you

Ironic, isn’t it?

I started laughing when I heard the chorus just because it was pretty funny to me. I mean, if you didn’t know the reason why Jacoby and I broke up, it would have sounded like he was bashing me but I knew he wasn’t. He’s one of my best friends in the whole wide world and I knew he wouldn’t do that to me. Besides, I also working with Papa Roach with their new album so he can’t do shit to me because I’ll hand it back to him on a silver platter.

This is what happens when your father is Mick Mars and your surrogate uncles are Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, and Nikki Sixx. To make things worse, Nikki is my god father as well.

Man, my family is strange!

“What happened,” Val asked as she fired a million questions, “Did you guys part on good terms? Are you talking to one another?

“Yes we are talking because we parted on good terms,” I said as I played with one of my many bracelets, “Kelly wanted to try fixing their relationship and Jacoby wanted to do that as well. I totally support him and everything so there’s no foul.”

Out of curiosity, I started taking off all my bracelets so I could count them all. I was surprised at how many I actually had: several skull bones bracelets, guitar pick ones, and just random ones that were presents. And yes, I did still wear Jacoby’s leather wristband. As I said earlier, he’s still one of my best friends and just because we’re not dating anymore doesn’t change that.

“Well that’s good,” Liz said, “So you’re single again.”

I nodded as I listened to the rest of the song. “Yup. Either way, I’m happy so it doesn’t bother me one bit.”

Brian walked over and sat on the chair that happened to be next to me, watching as I placed all my bracelets back on. “Sheesh, Mel,” he joked, “You think you got enough?”

“No,” I replied, “Twenty isn’t a big number. Besides, I think I have more necklaces and belts. But then again, Nikki has his own clothing line as does Stormy and I prance around, advertising the both of them.”

“You do,” Johnny asked, looking at my outfit.

Here I was wearing a black, ripped back corset tank-top from my sister’s clothing line, dark blue jeans from Nikki’s clothing line, black converse, and my black Motley Crue hoodie was lying on the back of my chair. Around my wrists, I had the infamous skull bone bracelets adorning my wrist along with various others. And to top it all, I had “thirteen” tattooed onto my knuckles along with Sixx: AM’s Life is Beautiful lyrics on my left inner forearm. I think I was a walking billboard.

“Um,” Zacky said, “You actually do look like a huge advertisement.”

Brian’s POV

When I heard that Melody was looking for a house here in Huntington Beach, I instantly became excited. Having her in the same city as me would be awesome considering it’s not as awkward being around each other. Besides, it would make life easier for her because she drives around an hour and a half from Los Angeles everyday to work with us. And gas isn’t cheap.

“Dude, Mel,” Lacey called, “What’s your favorite tattoo.”

I looked at Mel who was looking at her arms and knuckles. She had a lot, actually, so there was one that just would have to mean a lot to her. It was funny because she kept looking, not sure which one was her favorite. By now, I could tell some of the tattoos she had. Aside from the wings and the portrait of her father on her back along with the cherry blossoms on the side of her face, she also has the word “THIRTEEN” tattooed on her knuckles, a purple and black phoenix with the banner that said “Too weird to live, too rare to die” on her inner upper left arm, a black dragon on her lower inner right arm, a fleur-de-lis on both wrists, a staff of music notes on her ankle, “Seize Fate by the Throat” around her neck, and “No Love for Myself, No Love For Another” on her lower back.

Melody Romanov was seriously inked.

“Um, my favorite would be the one on my back,” Mel finally answered, “I got my dad’s portrait which is awesome because he has this portrait of me as a kid on his arm so yeah. My other favorites are the tribal flame wings on my back, the ‘thirteen’ on my knuckles, and the cherry blossoms on my face.”

“Do you seriously have so many tattoos that you don’t know which your favorite is,” Michelle asked with a mean tone.

“Yeah,” Mel responded, “One of my friends is Kat Von D. What do you expect?”

After doing what we had to do in the studio, everyone was gearing up to go home. Melody was fishing for her keys from her bag as she followed everyone else as we headed out. Michelle wanted to slam the door in front of her so that Mel would have walked into it but I was walking next to her, making sure Michelle did no such thing.

“Oh, I can finally get the cars out of storage,” she muttered, finding the keys to her mustang.

“What other cars do you own,” I asked when we walked outside.

“That’s a secret,” she said, grinning at me.

“Belle Mel!”

We both looked to see all the bands of Cruefest waiting in the parking lot. Yes, the guys of Buckcherry, Sixx: AM, Motley Crue, Papa Roach, and Trapt were all there. Melody just looked shocked as James instantly picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. She started laughing as he spun around, making her completely dizzy.

I was envious of the relationship Melody had with James Michael. Even if they weren’t married, they still were totally cool with one another. I could only imagine how her relationship with Jacoby wouldn’t change a bit.

Speaking of the front man of Papa Roach, he tackled Melody to the ground when James put her down. She laughed as she hugged him, “Nice seeing you too, Coby Noodle,” she laughed.

“Hello my female best friend in the whole wide fucking world,” Jacoby said, “How be you?”

“I be fantastic,” Melody said as they both got up.

“You know why we’re here,” DJ Ashba asked.

“No,” Mel answered, shaking her head.

“We’re going to PARTY,” Tommy Lee yelled, “And your friends are totally coming with us as well!”

Jaws dropped as we realized that we were going to a party with Motley Crue. Fuck yeah!