Let Me Be the One to Call You Baby

° FF 3 Days ° Saturday °

]|[ Johnny ]|[

“Ok I’m here!” Syn says frustrated, his hair disheveled.

I eye him, “You were having sex weren’t you?”

“Yes,” he hisses glaring at me. “All I know is Zack called about a fucking million times till Michelle got sick of it and told me to answer then go.”

Matt, Jimmy, and I laugh at him. Zack had called demanding that we all get to the Seashore Mall at 3 and wait out front of California Pizza kitchen for him. Just at that moment, Zack pulls up to the curb in his large black Jeep Liberty.

“Get in,” he says through the open passengers side window.

I roll my eyes at the whole thing but get in along with my other band mates.

“What the hells this about?” Brian asks still pissed off beside me.

“You’ll see,” Zack answers lightly.

“I was having sex damn-it!” Syn yells.

The four of us laugh at him. I don’t know what the hell Zacky has planned. I was spending the morning with Alice before she had to head into work, when Zack just wouldn’t stop calling.

“We’re here!” Zack announces while parking.

We all look out the window. What… the… hell!

“Jared’s?” Matt and I question together.

“You’re joking right?” Brian asks with wide eyes.

“Cool,” Jimmy grins. Matt smacks him upside the head, “Ow.”

Zack gets out and we all quickly follow him out and into the store.

“Are you crazy Zack?” Matt asks frowning. “You and Alice have only been going out for what, 2 months?”

“2 ½,” Zacky nods smiling, already looking at some diamond rings.

“Are you drunk?” I ask.

Zack huffs and looks up at us, “No, I’m not drunk. I’m not planning on proposing soon. I just know I will. I love her guys. As my best friends I’d thought you’d be happy to be here with me.”

It’s silent for a couple moments will Syn sighs, “We know Zack. Sorry.”

“We’re here for you,” I add grinning. “Congratulations man.”

“Yeah,” Matt and Jimmy agree.

“May I help you gentlemen?”

We all turn to a saleswoman.

“I’m here to get an engagement ring,” Zacky grins, clearly very happy with the idea of marrying his love.

The woman smiles, “Well, do you have anything in mind?”

Zack nods, “I want diamonds but not just the regular clear ones. Her favorite color is a light yellow so I want a yellow diamond to be the main stone. And it can’t be too huge because she’s really petite.”

The woman smiles, “I have a couple you might like. Follow me.”

Zack does as she asks and the guys and just stand there.

“How much to wanna bet,” Jimmy suddenly says. “That he’s been waiting to marry her since he first met her?”

We all chuckle at that. “It was love at first sight,” Brian throws in as we all make our way over to Zack and woman.

“When the hell am I gonna meet her?” I ask frowning. “It better be before he proposes or at least before the wedding.”

The guys laugh and Matt thumps me on the back lightly with his palm. “Don’t worry Christ. You’ll love her. Reminds me of you some times.”

(ME: just incase no one believes Johnny could still not know by now. I didn’t meet my brothers girlfriend till about 6 weeks later and usually I meet his within a week! Stuff just kept happening, but at least I knew about her. Lets just go with: guys are stupid?)

When we finally reached Zack, who was on the opposite side of the huge store, he was holding two rings; one in each hand.

“No,” he says frowning, handing them back.

The woman takes them and puts them back in the case. “Ok. This is the last one that looks like what you’re looking for. It’s a custom ring, we just got it in last week. Let me go get it.”

“Okay,” Zack nods.

“So when you plan on poppin’ the question?” Matt asks.

Zack bites his lips, something the guys said he picked up from Alice. “I dunno. I’d like to wait a little bit longer but I want to meet her brother before I do.”

“Good idea,” I agree thinking like the big brother I—secretly—am.

“Here it is,” the woman says walking back over and opening a ring box.

I watch Zack’s face at it freezes and he slowly reaches for it.

“That’s it huh?” Jimmy comments, he was also looking at Zack.

“Oh yeah,” Zack nods suddenly grinning at down at the ring in his fingers.

(ME: It has 10 small clear diamonds running up on both sides, the middle stone is a small square yellow diamond that is surrounded by yet more very small clear diamonds. I have a pic just don’t know how to upload it on here.)

° FF 2 Days ° Monday °

“Hey stop,” Alice laughs I fling some water at her.

I laugh but stop flinging water at her. We were at my parent’s house, in the pool while my dad was at the grill and my mom was inside getting drinks.

“Drinks,” my mom suddenly says coming through the back door.

Alice quickly braces herself by her arms on the side of the pool to pull herself out. I go to get out also but freeze. Has the sparrow tattoo on her right shoulder? I thought it was left? A thought of Zack and his Alice comes to mind but I chuckle at the thought. Maybe I remember it wrong, Zack’s Alice has hers on the left and my Alice had hers on the right.

° FF 2 Days ° Wednesday °

]|[ Alice ]|[

“Alllyyy…” I hear Zander say in a sing-song voice before opening the door in the middle of my drum lesson with Eric.

Eric and I look up. Zander was carrying a beautiful vase of red roses. I blush as Zander grins and Eric turns to me with a smirk.

“From lover boy,” Zander announces, placing them down on the lone table in my workroom. “Read the card.”

Still pink in the cheeks, I move from behind Eric and walk over to my roses. I smell one before grabbing the little card and opening it.

“Alice, your smile lights up a room and your laugh is something to be cherished. I love you with all my heart. Happy 3 month anniversary, baby. Zack. XO.”

“Awww…” both Zander and Eric coo.

“Shut up,” I mutter tucking the card back into the flowers. “Now get out,” I tell Zander.

The two guys laugh but Zander does as said. I gaze at my flowers once more before getting back to the lesson. Damn do I love that Zack Baker.

I’m gonna marry that man one day.

° FF 4 Days ° Sunday °

I was home alone. Bored. I had just got done with an hour of guitar and then hour of diverse drums. My hands were beat. I took a long relaxing bath. Ate some grub. Talked to Heather on the phone for a little bit. Now I was on my laptop checking my emails.

Junk.
Junk.
New Clothes.
Sale.
Concert.
Junk.
Job Offer.
Apple
J-

Wait… job offer? I bite my lip wondering if I wanna open it. I get a lot of them from universities to be a music teacher or something. They were quick to learn not to call and just write to me. I always turn them all down. 1)because some were too far from Johnny, like out of state. 2)too big an offer. 3)too many people I have to deal with and if I don’t like them then I can’t do anything. I sigh and decide to just save it for later. I finish looking through my mail and just sit on my bed with laptop resting on my lap.

What to do, what do to. A sudden idea comes to my mind, Zack’s band. A… Avenged something or other. I wanted to txt Zack to find out but he was at the studio practicing and I didn’t want to bug him. It’s funny how much him and Johnny are alike and how much their schedules matched up, since Johnny said he had to go to practice today.

‘Avenged Sevenfold!’I suddenly remember.

I quickly type the name in Google. I don’t bother with the link and click for images then from there click the first group picture.

Then… I faint.

° * FAST FORWARD * °

]|[ Johnny ]|[

“Honey I’m home!” I call out jokingly in a Ricky voice as I walk into my sister’s place.

No answer back. Her cars here, and she wouldn’t have gone on a walk without txting me that she was.

“Alice!” I call scared running to her bedroom. “Alice!” I call again opening the door.

I would have left the room if it wasn’t for her foot sticking out around the bed, on the floor.

“Alice!” I cry running over and kneeling beside her. “Oh God,” I whisper.

She must of hit her head on the nightstand because she was bleeding and pale. Quickly picking up the phone, I dial 911.

° * FAST FORWARD * °

]|[ Zacky ]|[

“Fucking phone,” I mutter turning over and grabbing it off my nightstand. “What?” I answer still more than half asleep.

“Hey Zack it’s Zander. Now don’t worry—”

I shoot up, “What’s wrong? Is Alice ok?”

“She’s fine,” Zander reassures. “She fainted in her room and slipped off the bed, hitting her head on her nightstand. Just a tiny cut on her head and a bump.”

“Should I go over to her place?” I ask still worried. “Or the hospital?”

“No no,” Zander says lightly. “Alice is fine. And besides, her brother’s not letting her out of his sight so yeah. This wouldn’t be a good time to meet him with him all worried about Alice.”

I sigh, “Ok. I’ll call her tomorrow. You’re sure she’s alright?”

“Yeah, I promise,” Zander says with a hint of a laugh in his voice. “Night Zack.”

“Night Zander. Thanks for the calling me.”

“No problem.”