They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

Eloise groaned loudly at the sound of her alarm bleeping on the other side of her duvet. Her romantic, birthday holiday had flown by and it was now back to hard hitting reality and work. Before she could reach to turn it off she felt Joel move beside her and wrap his arms around her waist and nuzzled his face into her neck.

“Ignore it, let’s just stay here” he whispered groggily.

“Babe we can’t, we’ve got to go to work.” Eloise stated grudgingly.

“Just one more day in bed.” Joel replied pulling her closer to him.

“Work” Eloise whispered again, lifting her hand out from under the blanket to switch off the alarm clock.

“You’re no fun” Joel said pushing away from her and rolling over onto his side of the bed.

“Are you coming for a shower?” Eloise asked seductively as she walked out of the bedroom. She had barely walked two steps down the corridor before Joel had caught up to her, taking her in his arms and carrying her into the bathroom.

Half an hour later the pair were dressed and walking hand in hand through the mall, chatting happily about their plans for the rest of the day.

“See you later babe, have a good day.” Joel said kissing Eloise outside the record store.

“And you. Love you.” Eloise replied returning the kiss.

“Love you too.” Joel replied walking off towards the music store.

“Hey honey, good holiday?” Abigail asked as Eloise entered the store’s office.

“Hey, yeah, it was really good, sucks being back so soon though.” Eloise replied

“Oh, babe, I’m sorry, but I’ve got some news that may cheer you up” Abi said excitedly, smiling broadly.

“Really?” Eloise questioned.

“Yes, it has been arranged that this Friday afternoon, one of the best metal bands in the states will be signing copies of their new album “waking the fallen.” Abi said calmly.

Eloise almost fell to the floor in shock, her knees weakening, her stomach doing somersaults.

“Avenged?” she whispered and Abi nodded.

“That’s right, Avenged Sevenfold are going to be right here Friday afternoon singing copies of their new album.” Abi said smiling at Eloise who was still just stood there in disbelief.

“Weeze?” Abi asked trying to get her attention.

“Hmm?” she asked still in a daze.

“Honey, did you hear what I just said? Avenged Sevenfold will be here on Friday. You like them right?”

Eloise shook her head back to reality. “Yeah, sorry I’m just trying to take it in.”

“It’s fucking great isn’t it?” Abi yelled “I could get my hands on Zacky!”

“Yeah, maybe-“Eloise replied smiling, as she thought about seeing the guys again, about seeing Brian again. It had been so long. Over four years of being apart. Would they recognise her? Hell, would they even remember her? So much had gone on over the past four years; things had changed, people change.

“So, anyway, we’ll have to get things sorted for them, let the fans know that they’ll be here, plenty of promoting and stuff. Anybody who comes in to buy the album we tell them about it.” Abi said talking with her business head, Eloise nodding and smiling.

For the rest of the day Eloise had a smile on her face. Every customer who came into the store she happily told that Avenged Sevenfold would be signing at the store on Friday afternoon. When the store was quiet Eloise found herself thinking about seeing the guys again and what she would say to them if they recognised her. She began to feel a bit nervous about seeing them, in particularly Brian. Deep down she still loved him, and she was scared that they wouldn’t recognise her.

As the week progressed she got more nervous as she thought about it. She was so nervous that she was contemplating phoning in sick Friday morning. But if she was going to do that she would have to explain to Joel why she was throwing a sicky on the day where her favourite band was going to be in her store signing their new album.

“The guys should be here at about 2pm, ready for the signing session to start at half two.” Abi explained to Eloise and Hannah, one of the other girls who worked in the store. It was currently ten thirty and there was already a line of fans queued up outside the store ready for the band. Most of them had already been inside at some point during the week to buy their copy of the album.

“Once they’re here, we’ll close the store for about ten, fifteen minutes while they set up and stuff then we’ll let the fans in; they’ll follow the queue around, we’ve got security guys, as well as the bands security to make sure everything runs smoothly and there’s no trouble.” Abi continued.

Eloise’s heart beat as fast as the wings of a humming bird as she heard the fans outside scream hysterically. She knew that this could only mean one thing – the guys had arrived.

She looked up towards the door and watched as five familiar faces walked into the store, looking around, taking in their surroundings. She absentmindedly began to play with the chain that she always wore. She hadn’t taken it off since the day Brian had given it to her.

Eloise watched from the counter as Abi walked over to great them, flirting with each of them. Her stomach leapt with jealousy as she watched Abi run her hand flirtatiously down Brian’s arm. Her grip on her necklace tightened as she watched Abi slowly walk over with the guys. As they approached the counter Eloise made the snap decision to place the chain on underside of her shirt. She didn’t know why exactly, but in that brief second she decided that she didn’t want to risk them realising who she was.

“This is Eloise, my deputy manager and Hannah my shop assistant, both fans –“Abi said introducing the band. Each of the boys smiled at the two girls, each giving their own “hi, nice to meet you” type greeting. Eloise felt her stomach leap as she notice Jimmy look at her, taking a second glance at her as if he knew her. She smiled at him and he smiled back before walking off with the other’s into the office.

****

The store was finally quiet again. Over a hundred fans had made their way through the store with albums and poster for the guys to sign over the past two hours but the store was now shut so that the band could chill out for five minutes before they began to pack up.

Eloise tried to keep her distance from the band, not wanting to talk to them, finding herself upset that they hadn’t recognised her. But every time she looked across at the band she noticed Jimmy looking at her. Maybe he did recognise her?

“Guys have we signed in this store before?” Eloise heard Jimmy ask the other guys as she helped pack everything up.

“No, why?” she heard Zack’s voice reply.

“Dude, don’t you think that girl is really familiar?” Jimmy replied, causing Eloise’s heart to leap to her throat. She carried on with what she was doing, eager to turn around and give Jimmy a knowing smile, anything to hint at him that he knew her.

“Don’t think so dude, but we’ve never been here before.” Zack replied. At the sound of these words Eloise felt her heart sink. She quickly made her way into the office where she remained until Abi came in and told her that they’d gone but Joel was waiting to take her home.

“You are still coming out tonight though?” Abi asked as Eloise gathered her bag and her new signed album.

“Yeah, of course, I’m picking Hannah and Sophie up on the way to yours, will get to yours at about 8?” Eloise smiled at the thought of having a girl’s night out. She hadn’t had one in over a month.

“Wicked, I’ve got some vodka in the house; we can have a few shots before we go out.” Abi replied

“Cool, I’ll see ya later.”