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“So how long have you been playing guitar?”

I was seated in my bunk admiring my very new, very expensive guitar as Brian asked me that question, sitting down beside me. It was finally starting to sink in that this was mine. This amazing instrument. Jeff really was one of a kind. He was the only person I knew that could convince me to accept something like this. I ran my fingers down the neck of the instrument as I answered him.

“About... oh I’d say twelve years maybe? I’m not sure. My Granddaddy taught me how to play.”

I decided to leave out that my Grandfather passed away about five years ago. I hadn’t picked up a guitar until two years after that day. It just made me sad when I strung a note, but if another played, it was beautiful. Of course depending on the talent of the person I was listening to.

“I find it odd that your not the guitarist for your band though. I mean why not do it yourself?” I looked up to gaze at Brian.

“How did you know that?” I asked him, tilting my head to the side.

“Jeff.” He said shrugging.

I laughed. “Of course. What else did he tell you?”

The thought of Jeff sharing information about me wasn’t surprising. But as long as it wasn’t embarrassing I wasn’t too bothered by it. But knowing Jeff, most of that info would be something that I would be embarrassed by.

“He said that you didn’t want to come on tour. Because of us ‘egotistical rockstars’.” He was smirking now. “But don’t worry. I’ll try to tone down my ego when I’m around you.”

“Sarcasm. I love it. But to tell you the truth,” I paused for a moment and twisted a tunning peg on my guitar a little bit. “Jeff hadn’t told me who’d be on the tour. And I’d put up with ‘egotistical ‘rockstars’, if it meant seeing you guys live. Oh and Jeff promised me a song with Atreyu. So that adds to the cause of me coming on tour.”

“I’m hurt. You don’t want a song with us?”

“Are you offering?”

“I have no idea.”

I laughed and strummed the beautiful guitar again. I started to play the beginning of M.I.A by Avenged Sevenfold. Brian smiled.

“So do you know all our songs?”

“Most of them. But it’s a little hard for me to play the solo’s on acoustic.”

He nodded. But didn’t answer me. We stayed silent for a minute. All you could hear were the notes I played and the idle chatter from the other sections of the bus. Then someone appeared in the doorway.

“That can’t be you playing Syn. It sounds way fucking better.”

It was Zacky. I immediately stopped playing and reached across Brian and into my purse from my cell phone. I wasn’t about to deal with him now. Even if he didn’t recognize me, I wasn’t up to talking to him face to face and knowing that we were married.

“Well it’s 6:03 and I have to call my mother. Nice chatting with you Brian.”

I quickly set the guitar on my bed and moved further towards the end of the bus. I knew both guys were confused. I didn’t blame them. My actions were a little questionable.

“What were you two doing?” Zacky asked Brian in a whisper.

I felt my face blush as I dialed my mother’s number.

“Nothing man. Just talking.” Brian explained. Zacky didn’t sound convinced. But I wasn’t worried about that. He and Brian left the bunk area to let me talk to my mother. My excuse wasn’t that random. I actually did need to call my mother. I was going to tell her about my purity ring issue. Hopefully she didn’t flip. So I just had to ease her into this. And not blurt it
out.

“Hello?”

“Mom I’m not a virgin.”

So much for not blurting it out. She was quiet for a moment. I supposed that was I good sign because I could continue on my ramble.

“I mean, before, when you gave me the ring, it had already happened. And I just couldn’t tell you because you thought I was happy about it. I’ll totally never have sex until I’m married but you can’t really give me a purity ring since it’s not exactly true. It’s also slightly embarrassing. I love that you wanted me to save myself for true love because you didn’t get that chance to, but it just happened and I couldn’t do much about it.”

“When did this happen? And with whom?” Her voice was tight. But I knew she wasn’t furious about this.

“When Yuki, Cora and I went to Vegas. And um... mom? There’s something else...”

“You got married, didn’t you?” I loved when my mom and I were on the same page. We usually were but sometimes she gets blinded of my emotions when she feels strongly about something.

“Yes... But I don’t think he knows it’s me. I’ll have to tell him.” I said, almost afraid that I had to admit that out loud.

“So you know this man?” She said, slightly surprised.

“He’s on tour with us.”

I was glad that this was going so well. My mother did not get angry very often but when she did she was furious. I’d expected this to be something that would trigger that anger.

“So... your not mad?” I continued.

“Not at all sweetheart. I just wish you’d told me. I like to be kept in the loop.”

I smiled at that. She told me that she had to go to the cleaners at that moment. I was actually glad that she ended the conversation. I didn’t particularly want to make small talk conversation after what I’d just told her about my sex life. But it was nice getting that off my chest to at least one person. She wasn’t mad. I kept repeating that in my head over and over again. Maybe this whole ‘telling people about my marriage’ thing wasn’t so bad after all.

“So who is it on tour do you have to tell what?”