Diamonds in the Rough

“Alright, what can I get for ya,” Jasey smiled at the teenage girl standing in front of her.

“I’ll take the shirt with the deathbat on it in a medium please.” Jasey nodded and stepped over to the box, pulling out a black shirt with a silver deathbat right on the middle of the chest. The girl handed her the money and Jasey gave her the shirt. After she left, Jasey sat back down in the chair.

“So we sold about twenty-five more copies,” Valary said, returning to the table with the box of cds.

Jasey checked the time on her phone.

“Time to go?” Val asked. Jasey nodded.

“I’ll get one of the guys from Lovehatehero to come watch our table for us.”

---

“I am so ready!” Jimmy shouted, pretty much jogging in place and beating on an invisible drum set in front of him.

“We’ll have waters for you when you get off,” Jasey said, sitting down on top of the cooler they brought with them everywhere.

“You ready Shadds?” Johnny asked.
“Val said we sold a lot of copies today, so I’m hoping they like us,” He said apprehensively.

“Well if they don’t like you, me and Jasey still do,” Val said, hoping to lighten the tension.

“And that I will always love you for,” He said sweetly before kissing the top of her head.

“You two are always so mushy gushy when it gets hot out,” Jasey complained, “How can you stand the extra body heat?”

“You get used to it,” Valary giggled.
“Ew, I don’t want to know,” Jasey replied, scrunching her nose up in disgust.

“Alright guys, you’re up!” The stage manager said, as the crowd began to form in front of the stage.

“How’s it goin Indiana! We’re Avenged Sevenfold and our first song goes a little something like this,” Matt announced to the crowd.

“Okay,” Jasey laughed, “We definitely need to work on some new openers.”
“Agreed,” Valary chuckled.

Two songs into their set, the boys took a short break. It was just Zacky and Johnny talking on stage while Matt, Jimmy, and Brian all chugged a couple bottles of water.

Jasey pretended not to notice, but she knew Brian was staring at her. She could feel it and it made her self conscious.

“I saw that,” Valary hinted.
“Saw what?”
“The way he looked at you,” She said with a smile.
“It wasn’t anything,” Jasey said brushing it off.

“You know you want to be his girl,” She teased.
“Shut up,” Jasey blushed, trying to enjoy the last three songs of their set.

“Thank you! And we hope to see you soon!” Matt said right before they all came off stage.

Matt tried to make a b line for Valary, but she threw a towel at him instead. Then another towel came flying at Jimmy from her. Jasey threw two at the same time, both landing in Johnny and Zacky’s hands. And last, but not least, Jasey threw a towel at Brian, who proceeded in shaking his long dark hair like a dog.

“I’m going to cut it in your sleep,” Jasey threatened.
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Oh I would,” She said evilly, “Especially if you keep doing that every time you get off stage.”

“Well,” Valary said latching on to Jasey’s arm, “We have a merch booth to attend and you boys better show up later for the fans.”

“We’ll be out in an hour?” Zacky said as more of a question than a statement.

“Sounds like a plan,” Jasey confirmed.

Her eyes caught Brian’s before she was being dragged away by Val back to the merch table.

“You are so fallen for that boy,” She said without the slightest tone of sarcasm in her voice.

“I am not!” Jasey argued.
“You can’t hide it dear,” She said cocking her head in Jasey’s direction, “Love just happens.”

“I am not in love with –-- “

“Not in love with who?” Brian asked, appearing out of no where.

“Rev!” Jasey said, coming up with the first name that popped into her head. Which was Brian’s, but the Rev was next.

“Yeah,” He said unconvincingly, “Okay.”

“I thought you guys were coming out in an hour?” Val asked.
“The rest of them are. I wanted to come out here before them.”

“Awhh for Jase!” Valary teased.

Brian blushed, replying in a sarcastic tone, “And for you Val.”
“How sweet,” She mocked in his sarcastic tone.

Jasey was sitting off to the side in one of the boxes of shirts.

“What the hell are you doing?” He asked, giving her a puzzled look.
“Uhm, sitting?” She said in the dumbest tone.
“In a box?”
“Hey, it’s comfy,” She shrugged and continued pressing the keys on her phone.

“Could you watch the stand for a sec Bry, I’m not too sure about the girl in the box over here and I really want to go get food.”

“Yeah, I’ll make sure she doesn’t get far,” He chuckled and Val got up to go get food.

“You can get out of the box now.”
“Ah yes,” She giggled nervously, “Well you see … I’m sorta stuck now.”

He shook his head, laughed and walked over to where Jasey was stuck in the box. He wrapped his arms around her torso that was sticking out and she wrapped her arms around his neck. With one swift movement, she was free from the box, but that didn’t mean she wanted to let go of him.

“My rescuer!” She said in an over dramatic voice, “You have freed me from this box of death! How will I ever repay you?”

“I have an idea,” He replied smugly, “When we get to the next town, you spend the day with me and let Val do the merch since she’s always leaving you anyway.”

Her eyes were wide. She didn’t know whether to accept or reject his idea.

“Deal.”