Diamonds in the Rough

“Why are you wearing heels?” Jasey questioned, scrunching her eyebrows together while looking at her best friend.

“It’s the last show,” Valary shrugged.
“It’s fucking Avenged Sevenfold Val; it’s a fucking rock band!” Jasey scoffed, digging around in her bag for her makeup case.

“Well I may know a few things you don’t,” She retorted, pulling on her right ankle boot.
“Like?” Jasey said walking into the small bathroom on the bus.

“Like in three weeks it’s your birthday and you’re going to be twenty two, and that you prefer tequila shots to jack and coke, that you and Brian fell asleep together on the couch last night,” She paused and tapped her index finger on her cheek and pursed her lips, looking up towards the ceiling. Jasey saw Valary in the mirror and started laughing at her.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, “And that you have to look pretty tonight because there’s a party after their set.”

“You mean after they shower?” Jasey corrected.
“Right,” Valary smiled, “After they shower, we’re going to Johnny’s bar for a little end of tour celebration.”

“Then why don’t we just get ready later?” She asked, taking the eyeliner pencil in hand and applying it around her eyes.

“Because the boys take longer to get ready then we do!” Valary laughed, heading to the bathroom. She stood behind Jasey in the doorway, “So, you and Brian looked comfy on the couch last night.”

Jasey shot her a death glare, “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t lie. You know you fell asleep in his arms.”
“I think that was the first night I ever slept for more than four hours.”
“Awhhhh!” Valary squealed making Jasey’s cheeks turn a little pink.

“And while we’re having this conversation,” Jasey said putting the cap back on her eyeliner and spinning around, “I may have told him I loved him.”

Valary’s jaw dropped.

“And he may have said it back, but I don’t know if he meant it. I think he was just trying to make things not awkward.”

“Jasey!” Valary shouted, putting her hand to her forehead, “Don’t you see it? He’s in love with you too.”

“Until he proves it to me, I don’t believe it,” She replied and stepped out of the bathroom. Jasey took Valary’s words into consideration. Not the ones about Brian, but the ones about her shoes.

----

“Come to stare again?” Zacky called out as he saw Jasey walking over to their side of the stage again.

“Nice to see you too Vee,” She giggled.
“So,” He said raising his brow, “You and Brian looked comfy on the couch this morning.”

“God! Why does everyone keep saying that!”
“Because we all left for sound check and left you two to nap,” He said.

“SKIPPY!!” Jimmy shrieked, jumping on her back and crushing her in a hug.
“OW! REV YOUR FAT ASS IS SQUISHING ME!”

He let go and looked at his behind, “My fat ass?”

“Basket cases,” Jasey muttered under her breath.

“Hello Orange County!” Matt called out, running on to the stage, pulling Zacky and Jimmy out as well.

Jasey stood behind Zacky’s guitar case and leaned on it, watching her best friends jump around on stage and have a good time.

Somewhere in the middle of their set, Jasey had zoned out and was sort of staring at Zacky. He saw this and used it to his advantage.

“Gates,” Zacky said, “Your girlfriend is staring at me again, which I’m all for! But I have someone already,” He joked and watched Brian turn a light shade of red.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” He muttered into his mic, flashing angry eyes at Zacky.

“And Val isn’t my fiancé,” Matt chimed in, “Can we just accept the fact that you love her already?”

“She’s not!” Brian protested.
“Well then,” Matt smirked, and then looked back out to the crowd, “Do you all know who Jasey is?”

The whole place screamed.

“If you came to warped tour a few years back, you probably met her a few times. How many of you knew that Gates here dated her?”

Again, screaming.

“See Gates, you’re a household name,” He turned back to the crowd, “They broke up a while ago.”

The crowd booed.

“Awh, come on guys! Be nice!” Zacky added.
“How many of you have ever been in love?” Matt asked.

Some screamed, but not as many as before.

“And how many of you think Gates and Jasey were in love?”

Screaming.

“I have an idea!” Johnny grinned, jumping into the on going conversation. Everyone on stage looked to him.

“Bring Jasey out.”

Zacky spun around and looked at her in the shadows. She was violently shaking her head and mouthing ‘No!’

Of course he didn’t listen and dragged her out from behind his guitar case anyway, pulling her into the spot light night to Matt. Her heart rate quickly sped up.

“Everyone, this is Jasey. She was our merch girl a while ago and she’s one of our best friends,” Matt introduced.

Nervously, she gave a little wave with her hand.

“So,” Johnny started, taking a sip of his beer and standing in front of Brian’s mic, “If Gates doesn’t like Jasey, then he won’t kiss her.”

Both their eyes went wide.

Brian’s face softened a little and he gave a smirk in Jasey’s direction. He swung his guitar around to his back side and walked over to her, taking her hand in his and leading her off stage.

“Not cool Gates!” Johnny said as they walked of stage.

“What are you doing?” She hissed. He spun her around.
“They never said I had to kiss you on stage,” He smirked and pressed his lips up against hers.