Carry Me

“Tonight?!”

Levia nodded, “Yeah.”

Addison paced around the room, “So soon?”

“Why not?” Levia shrugged.

Addison snapped her fingers together, “I know! We should get you a haircut! He’d never expect it and it would make him want to jump your bones more than he already does!”

“Zacky doesn’t want to-”

“He does. Trust me.”

Levia sighed, defeated, “What should I do with my hair, then?”

Addison walked in a circle around her sister, mumbling things Levia couldn’t hear.

“I think you should get it cut up to…here,” Addison said, pointing just below Levia’ shoulder.

Levia frowned, “That much? I like my hair long. That’s like, three inches off!”

Addison shrugged, “It’s up to you. That’ just what I think. Oh! And you should get your bangs trimmed…like this!”

Addison trailed her fingers in a line slanting down across Levia’s right eye. It would be trimming her bangs less than an inch.

“I like the bangs part, but I’m not so sure about the length, Addi.”

“It’ll grow back.”

“True,” Levia said. The more she thought about it, the more she started to like it.

“I’ll drive you,” Addison said, appearing with keys in her hand, “you need to go to the doctors to get your stitches out anyways, don’t you?”

Levia nodded, realizing she completely forgot about her doctor’s appointment, “That I do.”

“Great!” Addison cheered, grabbing Levia’s hand and dragging her down the stairs, “let’s go!”

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

Levia ran her finger down the soft, sensitive skin of her scar. The stitches were out now, much to her pleasure, and she didn’t look like as much of a freak. Her hair was nicely cut, just the way Addison had suggested, and Levia really liked it. The stylist had even offered to straighten it for her, which made it look much more dramatic. She hoped she looked somewhat normal.

Levia picked a hair off of her green v-neck shirt and tossed it carelessly to the floor. She ran her hands over her black shorts and lifted a black Converse-clad foot, twisting her still sore ankle around. A few heads turned when it cracked, causing Levia to freeze and put her foot down.

Zacky shook his head, “I will never get used to that.”

Levia shrugged sheepishly. Most of the people who had turned to gawk were back to what they were doing before, but an older couple from across the room continued to stare at Levia with what looked to be a cross between shock and disgust.

Zacky had chosen to take Levia to a small ice cream parlor downtown as sort of a snack date. It was fine with Levia, and she loved ice cream anyways. It was nice to know Zacky wasn’t going all out on her, since she felt like she didn’t deserve that.

Zacky chuckled, “You shouldn’t worry so much about what other people think.”

Levia poked her spoon around in her ice cream, “I just don’t want to be thought of as a freak.”

“Who cares? I know you’re not a freak, so what does it matter what a couple of old geezers think?”

The older woman sent a glare Zacky’s way and continued to study Levia and her face. Levia squirmed under her judgmental gaze.

“I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“Exactly.”

The bell on made a dinging noise, indicating more customers had arrived. Levia took a bite of her cookie dough ice cream, licking off the spoon. She bit her lip when she noticed Zacky watching her.

“What?”

He looked away, trying to hide the small smirk on his face, “Nothing.”

Levia shrugged and continued eating her ice cream, Zacky doing the same, until a presence at the table startled them both.

“Hi Levee!”

Levia’s head snapped in the direction of the voice, and she was surprised to see no one there. A small boy jumped up, his head appearing above the table for a moment and he smiled at Levia.

“Don’t ‘cha remember me?”

Levia’s face immediately brightened, “Hey, Jagger! What are you doing here?”

He moved over, hopping up on the booth and scooting in next to Levia. He looked up at her, “Dad brought us here for ice cream.”

Levia coughed and Zacky raised a brow. He clearly knew it was Jacoby’s kid, and that meant Jacoby must be here too.

Great.

“Jag, where the fuck-oh. Hey.”

Levia’s smiled tightened as she spotted Jacoby, “Hey, Coby. Missing someone?”

Jacoby smiled sheepishly and stuck out his hand for his son to take. Jagger shook his head.

“No! I wanna sit by Levee, Dad!”

Zacky chuckled at the boy’s behavior. As uncomfortable as the situation would probably get, Zacky had to admit the guy had some cute kids.

Jacoby looked over at Zacky, his eyes softening, “Sorry, man.”

Zacky shook his head, “Don’t worry about it.”

“What ‘cha eating?” Jagger asked, peeking over the table to see Levia’s ice cream.

“Cookie dough ice cream,” Levia replied, smiling down at Jagger. The boy was too cute for his own good.

“Dad! Can we get ice cream now? I’m starving!”

Makaile made his presence known at the table, poking his father in the arm and trying to pull on his hand. Jacoby sighed and Zacky laughed.

“Hold on! Your brother is talking to Levia.”

“Levia?” Makaile asked, peering around Jacoby to see Levia smiling back at him. His face lit up.

“Hi!”

Levia giggled, “Hey!”

Makaile noticed Zacky at the table and waved at him. Zacky waved back, chuckling. He was surprised the boy even remembered him.

“Say hi to Zack, Jag. Don’t be rude,” Jacoby lectured.

Jagger rolled his eyes but smiled at Zacky, “Hi!”

Zacky smiled back, “Hey there.”

“So what brings you down here?” Levia asked Jacoby, wiggling her fingers that were intertwined with Jagger’s.

Such a cute boy, he was.

“The boys wanted to go the carnival on the boardwalk. And we’re starting to plan our tour and we have some dates around here.” Jacoby answered.

Levia nodded in understanding. She almost forgot that the Roach guys had just come out with a new album a couple months ago. They hadn’t toured since Cruefest the fall before, where she had seen them last.

“I almost forgot about that carnival,” Zacky said, turning to Levia, “you want to head over there after we’re done here?”

Jacoby’s gaze shifted between the two. Makaile still tugged on his arm and Jagger sat close to Levia, his hand in hers. He was trying to steal her ice cream with the other.

“Jag!”

Jagger flashed an innocent grin at Jacoby, who gave him a stern look.

Levia giggled. He was just like his father.

Zacky continued watching Levia, waiting for her response.

She shrugged, “Sure.”

Makaile stopped bugging Jacoby and clapped his hands together, “Dad! Levia and Zacky can come with us!”

Jagger starting shaking his hand that was holding Levia’s, causing her to giggle again, “That would be so cool! Can they, Dad? Can they?”

Zacky stiffened. He really didn’t care to have Jacoby along on his date with Levia. It’s not like Jacoby was a threat though, right? He had nothing to worry about.

Jacoby sensed Zacky’s discomfort and shook his head, “I don’t think so, guys. They don’t want you two tagging along.”

Levia sent a sympathetic look at Zacky. As much as she would love to spend time with Jacoby and his boys, she knew Zacky didn’t. This was their date, their time.

Zacky sighed. He couldn’t resist Levia when she looked at him like that. She was practically pleading him with her eyes, yet he knew that she wouldn’t say anything or do anything that Zacky didn’t want to do.

“It’s fine, man. If the kids want to come, I mean.”

Jacoby raised an eyebrow, “Really? I don’t think you want these two terrors with you all day.”

“Don’t you mean three?” Levia joked, smiling sweetly at Jacoby.

Zacky starting laughing and Jacoby frowned.

Jagger looked at his father, a serious expression on his young face, “She’s right, Dad.”

Makaile nodded in agreement and Zacky tried to hide his laughter with a cough. Jacoby wasn’t impressed.

“Your kids must really love you,” Levia giggled.

Levia was having a mental battle in her head and tried not to let it show. She knew she should flirt with Jacoby, especially on a date with Zacky, but she just couldn’t help it. The man made her want to be so much more…of a tease. She wanted Jacoby to want her when he couldn’t have her.

It was rather bitchy.

On the other hand, Levia really liked Zacky and didn’t want to hurt his feelings, which would end in hurting hers too. Zacky had gotten to her first, so it was only fair for her to give him a chance. Who was she kidding; he didn’t need a chance. If Jacoby hadn’t come along she would’ve had a thing for Zacky anyways.

Jacoby just…complicated things a bit.

Jacoby rolled his eyes, “Oh, yeah. The boys just adore me.”

“They sure look like it,” Zacky said, trying to be serious. He broke out into a laugh when Jacoby gave him a disbelieving look.

Jacoby did really feel bad. The boys wanted to come down so bad and see Levia, despite them seeing her just a couple days before. They had really taken a liking to her, and as much as it pleased Jacoby, it also bothered him. Now was not the time. He didn’t want to make things weird for Levia, and he didn’t want to ruin his friendship with Zacky, so he made up his mind about the carnival.

“You can take the boys with you while I go do my business, if you want,” Jacoby suggested. It would make things much less uncomfortable for everyone, plus the boys would get to spend time with Levia. Everybody won.

Except Jacoby.

Levia’s face lit up, but her eyes showed her disappointment, “You sure that’s okay?”

Jacoby nodded, “If it’s alright with you guys, it’s fine with me.”

Zacky shrugged, “That’s fine.”

Makaile grinned and Jagger bounced in his seat, swinging his hand holding Levia’s back and forth. Levia smiled at the boys and slid out of the seat, playfully pushing Jagger along until he fell out of the seat.

“I take it you don’t want ice cream anymore?” Jacoby asked, chuckling at bit at his son’s behavior.

Jagger shook his head, Makaile following suit.

“Not when we have Levia,” Makaile answered.

Levia smiled at the cuteness of the boys, not thinking anything of it. Jacoby and Zacky exchanged a look, clearly thinking of it in a perverted sense.

Zacky coughed, trying not to attract attention to his smirk, while Jacoby let his show. As Zacky got out of his seat and wasn’t paying attention, Jacoby sent a wink at Levia, licking his lips.

“I’ve raised you well, my son.”

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

Makaile walked next to Zacky, chatting with him about music and Papa Roach, must to Zacky’s distaste. He did appreciate the boy making an effort to talk to him, though. He was actually a really smart kid.

Jagger walked next to Levia, his hand in hers as it had been all day. Levia beamed every time he spoke to her, and beamed even more when Makaile would talk to her from the other side of Zacky. She really did love the boys already, even though she hadn’t known them for long. She treated them just like she would’ve treated her younger half siblings.

Levia really hoped that Zacky didn’t mind the boys being around. She felt bad for ruining their date, but Zacky had insisted it wasn’t a problem. He actually seemed to be enjoying the Shaddix boys’ company.

The four went to sit down at a plastic table in the food area and Zacky went to go grab some fries for everyone to snack on. While Makaile and Jagger wanted fries of the French variety, Levia requested sweet potato fries. Zacky stared at her like she was crazy.

“I just saw a stand back there! We eat those all the time in Iowa!” she insisted.

Zacky just chuckled and shook his head, “If you say so. I’ll be right back.”

Levia chatted with the boys, who seemed to like talking about their father. As much as Levia did too, she knew she couldn’t when Zacky was around. It wasn’t that Zacky cared, it was more that she didn’t want Zacky to think something was going on when there wasn’t.

Nothing going on…sure…

The three were having a conversation about how they all wanted a puppy when Zacky returned and distributed the food. An older couple were walking by, and they smiled at the four.

“Well aren’t those cute boys!” the older lady exclaimed, smiling at the two boys.

Levia beamed, as she always did around the two, “Aren’t they just?”

The man shook his head and laughed, turning to Zacky, “Sorry, son. My wife just loves kids.”

Zacky shrugged, not really caring. They weren’t his kids.

“It’s not a problem.”

The lady patted Jagger on the head, who smiled back at her, while she smiled at Makaile.

“You must be proud!” she commented to Zacky.

Levia and Zacky exchanged a confused glance.

Makaile shook his head, “He’s not our dad.”

The man laughed again, obviously finding this amusing. The lady looked startled.

She turned to Levia, “Oh I’m so sorry!”

Levia shook her head, “It’s fine. They’re not mi-”

“Hey boys!”

Levia, Zacky, and the couple turned to see Jacoby walking up to them. He said when he was finished he would meet them at the carnival so he could enjoy some time with his boys and Levia and Zacky could have their time.

Makaile and Jagger made their way over to Jacoby, hugging him in greeting. Jacoby grinned at the two and ruffled their hair while the old lady watched on.

She smiled at Jacoby, “You must be their father.”

Jacoby looked as confused as Zacky and Levia had moments ago, “That I am.”

The lady turned back to Levia, “You’ve done a good job, girl. Two good looking men!”

Levia immediately turned red and the old man walked over and gave her a pat on the back.

“You impress me.”

The older couple waved goodbye and the lady blew kisses at the boys, who smiled back. Jacoby looked extremely confused and Zacky looked amused.

“What the fuck was that about?” Jacoby asked.

Zacky shook his head, smirking at Levia’s mortified expression, “They thought we were the parents of your kids, then Makaile said I wasn’t the father, you came up and they thought she hooked both of us.”

Jacoby laughed, secretly cringing on the inside.

Oh, the irony.

Levia silently made her way to the table, eating her sweet potato fries. She refused to say anything. It would only make the situation worse.

For her, anyway.

Jacoby shook his head, “That’s some funny shit, dude.”

Zacky shoved a fry in his mouth, “Got that right.”

Makaile tapped Jacoby on the arm, trying to get his attention. When that didn’t work, since his dad was too busy staring at Levia, he threw a French fry. He thought it was cool that his dad liked a new girl, and this girl was really nice. At the same time, he was smart enough to figure out the whole Levia and Zacky thing. He wasn’t stupid.

Jacoby jumped when the fry hit him in the face and laughed at the guilty expression on his son’s face.

“Can I help you?”

Makaile smiled, “Let’s go on the ferris wheel!”

Jagger brightened up, “Yeah! Let’s do it!”

Jacoby shrugged and waited for his two boys to get up and follow him. As he started to walk away, Levia frowned.

“Where are you going?”

Jacoby looked around as if it were obvious, “To the ferris wheel.”

Zacky, not wanting to disappoint Levia, spoke up, “Why don’t you wait for us? We can all go together?”

Levia turned to face him, the joy apparent on her features, “We could really do that?”

Zacky smiled at her, “Yeah. If that’s what you want.”

Levia felt those butterflies start up when Zacky smiled. He really was too sweet.

Jacoby tried to hide his look of distaste. He had tried to tolerate the two holding hands and staring at each other all day, but it was getting to be too much. The cuteness of it all was making him bitter.

Maybe that was just because he would rather be in Zacky’s position.

Yet, he knew that he had to be fair and if Zacky was interested, he would back off. He didn’t want to start anything over a girl. It wasn’t worth it. The two bands were way too close to let something like that happen and ruin their friendships.

Even if that girl was as nice, sweet, and amazing as Levia…

Jacoby shook his head to clear his thoughts, noticing Levia looking at him and waiting for a response.

“What?” he said dumbly.

Levia giggled, mentally cursing herself for giggling so much around Jacoby when Zacky was sitting right next to her. She needed to stop that. She wanted to be with Zacky, not Jacoby.

That statement was not entirely true…

Levia scooted backwards, closer to Zacky and allowed him to put an arm around her. Something flashed on Jacoby’s features, but Levia had no idea what. Maybe she was just imagining things.

“I said we’re ready now. Is that okay?”

Jacoby gained another confused expression. The food was all gone and Zacky and Levia had now stood up. He must’ve been spacing out for longer than he thought.

“Yeah. Fine.”

They all made their way to the ferris wheel, earning a few looks from people. It was understandable, with Levia and Zacky holding hands, much to her discomfort since Jacoby was right there, Jagger holding her other hand along with his father’s, and Makaile walking on the other side of Zacky. One young couple had even walked by and told them how great of a family they had. This greatly confused all three adults, amusing Jacoby and Zacky.

Makaile and Jagger had insisted on riding with Levia, so she was in the middle of the seat with the boys on each side. This left Zacky and Jacoby to get in a seat and sit together, earning a few odd looks from other people in line. Jacoby just flipped them off and got in the cart, which was a couple ones away from Levia and the boys.

From their seat, Jacoby could see the boys and Levia pointing at things around the pier and out in the ocean. He turned to Zacky, hoping to make this as normal as possible.

He jokingly put an arm around Zacky, who laughed and rested his head on Jacoby’s shoulder.

“Well this isn’t strange at all,” Zacky commented, lifting his head back up.

Jacoby shrugged, laughing, “Nah. We’ve done weirder.”

Zacky nodded, “True, true.”

After a few seconds of silence, Jacoby cleared his throat, “So, how are things with you and Levee?”

Zacky turned to Jacoby, caught off guard by his question, “Good. Today was our second date.”

Jacoby nodded, trying to hide his shock that Levia had been back for two days and had already had two dates, “Awesome. You plan on asking her out?”

Zacky suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable, almost like he was being interrogated. It was almost as if Jacoby were testing Zacky, like the father of a girlfriend would to make sure the guy was serious about his daughter.

Only in this case, Jacoby was looking out for Levia not just because they were friends, but because he didn’t want her to hurt. She didn’t deserve that.

Zacky nodded, feeling like he could confide in Jacoby, “I do. I just…don’t know how or when to do it. I mean, it’s not like I’ve known her very long.”

Jacoby tapped a beat on his leg, trying to hide his anger at himself for not getting to Levia sooner, “It’s hard to believe it’s only been a little over a month, huh? Feels like it’s been like, 7 months.”

Zacky chuckled, “I know. But it’s just dating, right? It’s not like it’s anything serious.”

A Jennifer Lopez song was echoing throughout the pier, and Levia could been see dancing along to it with the boys at the top of the ferris wheel, which had stopped to allow more people to get on.

Jacoby shrugged, his eyes never leaving the back of Levia‘s moving body, “You never know.”

He frowned at how true his words could be.