Clash Of The Rockbands
Wandering Eyes
Rayne’s POV
Bri didn’t think I’d noticed. But I did. Oh, did I ever notice the way he was eyeing that fake, blonde, Barbie of a groupie. And how he’d been eyeing her every time she was present in the same room as us.
She was one of those groupies that follow the band to the concert hall, wait outside while the music, the true reason you should like a band, played, and then after the concert, bat a few eyelashes and offer a few sexual favors to get past security and backstage, where they’ll attempt to woo the rockstars. You’d think they’d give up, since all five Avenged Sevenfold guys are taken, and one is even married, but they don’t. They just keep coming, annoying us girls to death as they attempt to attract the attention of our men.
Clearly, their efforts weren’t in vain since Bri glanced over at one of the many blonde ones every couple of minutes.
Bastard.
“So, Bri, why don’t you just go over there and sit next to that Barbie?” I asked him conversationally, keeping my voice low so only he could hear. He furrowed his dark eyebrows at me, his chocolate eyes confused. “I can see you glancing over in her direction every couple of minutes. And I doubt it’s because there’s a humongous zit on her forehead.”
“Rayne, you know I’d never—” he began in a voice just as quiet as mine, but I cut him off before he could continue.
“You’d never choose one of them over me?” I hissed. My eyebrows arched together angrily as I glared at him. “Your fucking glances deceive you, bastard.”
I leaned away from him, rising quickly to my feet.
“What’s up?” Melrose asked from where she sat quite comfortably and happily in Jimmy’s arms. I shrugged, letting my acting convince her that everything was peachy keen.
“I think I need some fresh air. I’ve been locked up in a concert hall all day.” I replied. She nodded, switching her gaze away from me to listen to what Jimmy was saying.
He’s not gawking at every blonde groupie that enters the room, I thought angrily in my head as I walked out of the room after pulling my coat off of the back of the couch that Bri and I were sitting on. Okay, Bri wasn’t doing that either, and I definitely over-exaggerated that statement, but Bri was still looking at that groupie. It didn’t make much difference whether he looked at one or ten.
I walked down the brightly lit hallway, stuffing my arms through the sleeves of my coat. A set of cold, heavy double doors met me at the end of the hallway. I zipped my jacket up and pulled my hood up over my straight black and turquoise hair before pushing one of the doors open and stepping out into the cool Washington air. A cool breeze instantly blew into my face, nipping at the bare skin of my face and neck. I ignored it and stepped out into the velvet night.
Five or six stars twinkled down at me, forcing their way through the light pollution. A silver moon dangled in the sky across from me. I stepped forward until I stood on the very outskirts of the circle of illumination that the light above the double doors sent out. I crossed my arms tightly against my chest, curling my hands into fists to keep my fingers warm.
A hand dropped down onto my shoulder. I instantly shot into defensive mode, whirling around and unfolding my arms. I shot a punch towards the person’s chest, only to feel warm fingers curl around my fist before I could hit the person.
“I’m not going to rape you.” Bri said with a small smile. I scowled at him, wrenching my fist out of his hand.
“Oh, damn,” I snapped sarcastically. “What girl wouldn’t want to be raped by Synyster Gates?” My sarcasm definitely wasn’t friendly, or complimentary.
I turned away from him, glaring back up at the stars. I heard his heavy sigh.
“I’m sorry,” he said. I kept glaring upward as I felt his arm brush against mine as he stepped up next to me. I knew his face would be all sincere; I’d take one look at it and forgive him.
Damn his sexiness.
“Sure,” I replied incredulously. “Sure you’re sorry.” And, as an after note, “Her ass is probably better than mine anyway.”
“Nothing in this world, and I really mean nothing, could ever amount to your ass,” Bri told me. I felt myself blush at his words—DAMN HIM!—and quickly pulled my hood closer against my cheeks to hide the sudden pink color.
“You’re jealous, aren’t you?” Bri asked after a few moments.
“Jealous of that Barbie? No,” I snapped.
“Perhaps jealous isn’t the correct word,” Bri pondered.
“Try angry,” I growled. Bri thought for a moment.
“Yeah, angry would work.” he agreed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him nod slightly.
“You know, after all this talk about how you think I’m so gorgeous and shit,” I said after a few silent moments, “you’d rather look at a fake blonde chick who likes you for your fame and for your money rather than what I like you for?”
“Well,” Bri answered after a short pause, “it’s a hard habit to break.”
“What is?” I asked, forcing anger into my voice. I could already feel some of my anger ebbing away by his mere presence.
He better never hear that thought, or he’ll start to get a big head.
“Looking at the groupies,” Bri answered. “I’ve been single for years, Rayne. All those years, on every tour, the groupies were there for the taking. I could look at them all I want, get them to do whatever I wanted. It’s different for me to have a girlfriend while on tour. It’s amazing to have a girlfriend while on tour.” He paused again, clearly trying to put his thoughts into words. “I want to stop looking at the groupies—I don’t even know how it can be so difficult, because whenever you’re in the room nothing short of a disaster would tear my eyes away from you—but it’s hard. Looking at the groupies is just engraved into my skull, I guess. It’ll take some time to wear it away.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes. I let his words sink into my brain. Perhaps it was just second nature to look at the groupies. And, hey, guys will look at other girls, no matter how attractive they find you. You could be a gorgeous supermodel, and your boyfriend’s eyes would still wander occasionally. Maybe I was just overreacting a bit.
“I’m sorry, Rayne.” Bri’s whispered apology fell upon my ears. I continued to stare up at the stars, the glare slipping off of my face. Slowly, cautiously, I turned my head and looked over at his face.
I felt the onslaught of his handsomeness instantly. He stared expectedly at me, half of his face hidden in shadow, the other half strangely yellow from the light above the double doors. But I could see both chocolate brown eyes staring out at me, glittering with hope. I found myself trapped, staring into his handsome face. I couldn’t look away, and I couldn’t stay mad either.
DAMN HIS FACE! DAMN HIS HANDSOME FACE!
I lunged forward, smashing my lips against his. He slipped his hands in between my head and my hood, curling his cold fingers around the back of my neck. I fisted my hands in his gel-hardened hair, feeling the spikes poke into my palms. I didn’t give half a damn, though. I pressed my body against his, sliding my hands out of his hair and wrapping my arms tightly around his neck instead.
We finally broke apart when someone cleared their throat. We both looked over to see Jimmy and Melrose standing at the double doors, their hands entwined, holding back laughter.
“Does Rayne’s face taste good, Syn?” Melrose asked, her voice cracking from the restrained laughter. “Because it seriously looked like you were trying to eat her face.”
“We were perfectly fine!” I snapped. Bri and I remained in each other’s arms. “And what are you two doing sneaking off together?”
“We wanted to play in the snow.” Jimmy answered.
“Uhhh...” Bri replied. Jimmy looked around, looking dismayed to see that there wasn’t any snow.
“Fuck!” he cried, looking over at Melrose. “Melrose! You said there would be snow out here! Where’s the fucking snow, huh?”
“I used it to stuff my bra, okay?” Melrose snapped back. Jimmy gasped, his hand flying to his heart.
“You...stuff...your...bra!?” he gasped. “But they feel real!”
Melrose burst into laughter when he said that. She leaned back against the door, still laughing. Finally, she stopped, gasping for air and wiping away a tear.
“Anyway,” she said loudly, “we were really off to the bus because we’re tired and wanted to go to bed.”
“Everyone else should be coming out soon,” Jimmy added. “Come, Melrose. I think I have the right to know how much you stuff your bra.” Melrose laughed again as he pulled her towards the bus.
After they had disappeared into the darkness, I looked back at Bri. He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before releasing the back of my neck. He grabbed my hand instead, pulling me in the direction Jimmy and Melrose had gone.
“I love you, Rayne,” he said as the darkness enveloped us.
“I love you too, Bri,” I replied, leaning against him.
He was forgiven.
For now.
Bri didn’t think I’d noticed. But I did. Oh, did I ever notice the way he was eyeing that fake, blonde, Barbie of a groupie. And how he’d been eyeing her every time she was present in the same room as us.
She was one of those groupies that follow the band to the concert hall, wait outside while the music, the true reason you should like a band, played, and then after the concert, bat a few eyelashes and offer a few sexual favors to get past security and backstage, where they’ll attempt to woo the rockstars. You’d think they’d give up, since all five Avenged Sevenfold guys are taken, and one is even married, but they don’t. They just keep coming, annoying us girls to death as they attempt to attract the attention of our men.
Clearly, their efforts weren’t in vain since Bri glanced over at one of the many blonde ones every couple of minutes.
Bastard.
“So, Bri, why don’t you just go over there and sit next to that Barbie?” I asked him conversationally, keeping my voice low so only he could hear. He furrowed his dark eyebrows at me, his chocolate eyes confused. “I can see you glancing over in her direction every couple of minutes. And I doubt it’s because there’s a humongous zit on her forehead.”
“Rayne, you know I’d never—” he began in a voice just as quiet as mine, but I cut him off before he could continue.
“You’d never choose one of them over me?” I hissed. My eyebrows arched together angrily as I glared at him. “Your fucking glances deceive you, bastard.”
I leaned away from him, rising quickly to my feet.
“What’s up?” Melrose asked from where she sat quite comfortably and happily in Jimmy’s arms. I shrugged, letting my acting convince her that everything was peachy keen.
“I think I need some fresh air. I’ve been locked up in a concert hall all day.” I replied. She nodded, switching her gaze away from me to listen to what Jimmy was saying.
He’s not gawking at every blonde groupie that enters the room, I thought angrily in my head as I walked out of the room after pulling my coat off of the back of the couch that Bri and I were sitting on. Okay, Bri wasn’t doing that either, and I definitely over-exaggerated that statement, but Bri was still looking at that groupie. It didn’t make much difference whether he looked at one or ten.
I walked down the brightly lit hallway, stuffing my arms through the sleeves of my coat. A set of cold, heavy double doors met me at the end of the hallway. I zipped my jacket up and pulled my hood up over my straight black and turquoise hair before pushing one of the doors open and stepping out into the cool Washington air. A cool breeze instantly blew into my face, nipping at the bare skin of my face and neck. I ignored it and stepped out into the velvet night.
Five or six stars twinkled down at me, forcing their way through the light pollution. A silver moon dangled in the sky across from me. I stepped forward until I stood on the very outskirts of the circle of illumination that the light above the double doors sent out. I crossed my arms tightly against my chest, curling my hands into fists to keep my fingers warm.
A hand dropped down onto my shoulder. I instantly shot into defensive mode, whirling around and unfolding my arms. I shot a punch towards the person’s chest, only to feel warm fingers curl around my fist before I could hit the person.
“I’m not going to rape you.” Bri said with a small smile. I scowled at him, wrenching my fist out of his hand.
“Oh, damn,” I snapped sarcastically. “What girl wouldn’t want to be raped by Synyster Gates?” My sarcasm definitely wasn’t friendly, or complimentary.
I turned away from him, glaring back up at the stars. I heard his heavy sigh.
“I’m sorry,” he said. I kept glaring upward as I felt his arm brush against mine as he stepped up next to me. I knew his face would be all sincere; I’d take one look at it and forgive him.
Damn his sexiness.
“Sure,” I replied incredulously. “Sure you’re sorry.” And, as an after note, “Her ass is probably better than mine anyway.”
“Nothing in this world, and I really mean nothing, could ever amount to your ass,” Bri told me. I felt myself blush at his words—DAMN HIM!—and quickly pulled my hood closer against my cheeks to hide the sudden pink color.
“You’re jealous, aren’t you?” Bri asked after a few moments.
“Jealous of that Barbie? No,” I snapped.
“Perhaps jealous isn’t the correct word,” Bri pondered.
“Try angry,” I growled. Bri thought for a moment.
“Yeah, angry would work.” he agreed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him nod slightly.
“You know, after all this talk about how you think I’m so gorgeous and shit,” I said after a few silent moments, “you’d rather look at a fake blonde chick who likes you for your fame and for your money rather than what I like you for?”
“Well,” Bri answered after a short pause, “it’s a hard habit to break.”
“What is?” I asked, forcing anger into my voice. I could already feel some of my anger ebbing away by his mere presence.
He better never hear that thought, or he’ll start to get a big head.
“Looking at the groupies,” Bri answered. “I’ve been single for years, Rayne. All those years, on every tour, the groupies were there for the taking. I could look at them all I want, get them to do whatever I wanted. It’s different for me to have a girlfriend while on tour. It’s amazing to have a girlfriend while on tour.” He paused again, clearly trying to put his thoughts into words. “I want to stop looking at the groupies—I don’t even know how it can be so difficult, because whenever you’re in the room nothing short of a disaster would tear my eyes away from you—but it’s hard. Looking at the groupies is just engraved into my skull, I guess. It’ll take some time to wear it away.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes. I let his words sink into my brain. Perhaps it was just second nature to look at the groupies. And, hey, guys will look at other girls, no matter how attractive they find you. You could be a gorgeous supermodel, and your boyfriend’s eyes would still wander occasionally. Maybe I was just overreacting a bit.
“I’m sorry, Rayne.” Bri’s whispered apology fell upon my ears. I continued to stare up at the stars, the glare slipping off of my face. Slowly, cautiously, I turned my head and looked over at his face.
I felt the onslaught of his handsomeness instantly. He stared expectedly at me, half of his face hidden in shadow, the other half strangely yellow from the light above the double doors. But I could see both chocolate brown eyes staring out at me, glittering with hope. I found myself trapped, staring into his handsome face. I couldn’t look away, and I couldn’t stay mad either.
DAMN HIS FACE! DAMN HIS HANDSOME FACE!
I lunged forward, smashing my lips against his. He slipped his hands in between my head and my hood, curling his cold fingers around the back of my neck. I fisted my hands in his gel-hardened hair, feeling the spikes poke into my palms. I didn’t give half a damn, though. I pressed my body against his, sliding my hands out of his hair and wrapping my arms tightly around his neck instead.
We finally broke apart when someone cleared their throat. We both looked over to see Jimmy and Melrose standing at the double doors, their hands entwined, holding back laughter.
“Does Rayne’s face taste good, Syn?” Melrose asked, her voice cracking from the restrained laughter. “Because it seriously looked like you were trying to eat her face.”
“We were perfectly fine!” I snapped. Bri and I remained in each other’s arms. “And what are you two doing sneaking off together?”
“We wanted to play in the snow.” Jimmy answered.
“Uhhh...” Bri replied. Jimmy looked around, looking dismayed to see that there wasn’t any snow.
“Fuck!” he cried, looking over at Melrose. “Melrose! You said there would be snow out here! Where’s the fucking snow, huh?”
“I used it to stuff my bra, okay?” Melrose snapped back. Jimmy gasped, his hand flying to his heart.
“You...stuff...your...bra!?” he gasped. “But they feel real!”
Melrose burst into laughter when he said that. She leaned back against the door, still laughing. Finally, she stopped, gasping for air and wiping away a tear.
“Anyway,” she said loudly, “we were really off to the bus because we’re tired and wanted to go to bed.”
“Everyone else should be coming out soon,” Jimmy added. “Come, Melrose. I think I have the right to know how much you stuff your bra.” Melrose laughed again as he pulled her towards the bus.
After they had disappeared into the darkness, I looked back at Bri. He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before releasing the back of my neck. He grabbed my hand instead, pulling me in the direction Jimmy and Melrose had gone.
“I love you, Rayne,” he said as the darkness enveloped us.
“I love you too, Bri,” I replied, leaning against him.
He was forgiven.
For now.
♠ ♠ ♠
I have good news.After this chapter, there will be one more filler, and then we'll leap into chapters that move the plotline along. There WILL be more fillers interspersed between the plotline ones, but not all in a row like these last ten or so have been.
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