Diamonds in the Rough

“You coming?” Alex asked, standing at the door.
“I think I’ll just stay here for a little bit,” She answered, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her head against the back of the couch.

“Okay,” He said softly, “If you need something, just text one of us, or Flyzik.”

“Okay.”

He gave her a slight smile before leaving the room. Lacey, Zack, Rian, Jack, and Lisa had all left a few seconds before Alex and were probably by the stage.

“Excuse me?” A male voice called next to her, “Is this seat taken?”

She twisted around and saw a very nice looking man with hazel eyes and dark brown hair standing next to her.

“Nope,” She said with a slight smile.
“I’m Ryan,” He introduced, extending his hand for her to take.
“Jasey,” She said shaking his hand.

“Why are you all alone over here?” He asked, sitting down next to her.
“Oh I’m not alone, all my friends are just running around.”
“That’s an excuse I’ve never heard of before,” He smiled.
“It’s the truth though,” She said eyeing him up.

Jasey drew in a breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes and trying to sort out what was going on in her head.

In all honesty, she was a little afraid of Ryan being here. She didn’t want things to end up like last time, but Jasey was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt seeing as that they were at a bar last time they met. He might have been drunk.

“Excuse me?” She said appalled, her eyes getting wider.

“You don’t even look like you fit in here! They all have tattoos and weird piercings. You don’t look like you’re having any fun either, so why don’t you just come with me Jasey?” He said reaching out towards her.

She stood up from her stool and backed away, “Look, I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m not going home with some douche like you.”

Lacey had left with the rest of the guys for the stage a little while ago. She figured that she’d give Jasey a little space and a little time to think after everything she’s been through lately. Lacey was standing in the dark with her new found friend Lisa, chatting away about how much different the Avenged shows were compared to All Time Low’s shows. At one point, she invited Lisa to bring all the guys to a show.

A buzzing in her pocket however pulled her away from the conversation.

One New Text: Johnnnnny
whered u and jase go? :(

She slid her phone open and tapped on the keys:

To a show

He answered back seconds later:
Wat show?
Jasey’s cousin’s
Where?
Chain Reaction. It’s a small show.
Oh. Evryone left but me nd brian

Lacey hesitated a moment before replying back to his text:

Then grab Haner and come down here. You can make it :)

Just as Lacey was shutting her phone, she caught a glimpse of Jasey coming from the darkness.

“Feel better?” She asked.
“A little,” Jasey shrugged, looking out on to the lit stage at Runner Runner, who was now just about to start their second song.

“So,” Lisa said scooting up next to Jasey, “Do I get to meet the infamous Synyster Gates tonight?”

“Depends on if he’s done screaming at his guitars yet or not,” Jasey joked.

“I think they’re done for today,” Lacey said, checking her phone for any new messages.

“I know we’ll be there at the crack of dawn because someone is going to have an idea that they want to track down so they don’t lose it,” Jasey said, a little grouchy.

Lacey sighed. Her best friend was clearly unhappy. She sent another quick text to Johnny telling him to hurry up and get here already.

“How bout we go start a mosh?” Lacey suggested.
“You two can have your own adventure with that,” Lisa stated, “I’d rather not get raped out there.”

“It’s not rape if you like it,” Jasey grinned.

“Tell the boys we’ll be out there and we might make an attempt to crowd surf up there!” Lacey called out, dragging Jasey off from the side stage with her.

“It’s scary how I still remember where everything is in here,” Jasey commented, looking around at the ugly shade of blue that covered the brick walls to the dressing rooms.

“Not much has changed in three years,” Lacey chuckled, making her way out to the floor with Jasey in tow.

“So how exactly are we going to start a mosh pit at a pop-punk show?” Jasey asked, raising a brow at her.

Lacey stood in the back of the place staring at the crowd dumbfounded, “That’s actually a really good question.”

Jasey was interrupted by Ryan speaking up on the stage in front of them.

“How are we all feeling tonight?” He asked, taking a swig of water. The crowd screamed.

He chuckled, “Well that’s good to hear.”

He paused and searched the crowd for familiar faces since this was a hometown show. He looked at the people in front of him, then to the ones deeper in the crowd, then to the ones all the way in the back where he had spotted Jasey, standing with Lacey near the wall.

“I saw and old friend tonight,” He spoke up once more, “I don’t know if she considers me a friend, though.”

The crowd shouted, not really knowing what they were shouting for.

“We met in a bar.”

Heat rushed up to Jasey’s cheeks. She couldn’t hide from those hazel eyes. They were what gave him away.

“I don’t think her boyfriend appreciated me talking to her very much,” He gave a little laugh at the end.

Lacey whipped her head to the left where Jasey was standing, “Is that?”

She nodded and bit her lip.

“Anyway! This one’s called The Break Up Song,” He said and the rest of the band began playing.

The whole place started jumping up and down when the chorus kicked in and Jasey found herself bouncing up and down on her toes as well. Ryan looked at the back again and smiled when he saw her dancing to their music.

“I will be right back!” Lacey shouted.

She stopped bouncing and gave her the ‘oh-no-you-don’t’ look, “Hell no! Last time you left me, I almost got raped!”

“Just for one second Jase, promise!” Lacey begged.
“Fine,” Jasey muttered and focused her attention back on the music.

The band had moved into another poppy sounding song called She’s The Kind Of Girl.

Jasey was swaying along to the music and jumping around, not really caring if Lacey came back soon or not. For right now, she was happy.

It wasn’t until she felt a pair of arms around her waist that se came back to reality. She screamed out, but heard the familiar laughter coming from behind her. There was only one person who laughed like that.

“Jesus motherfucker!” She hissed, spinning around in his arms.
“What?” He questioned, giving her the puppy dog face.
“You scared the fucking shit out of me!”

He leaned in and kissed her forehead, “Sorry.”

Ryan had just finished singing when he saw Brian kiss Jasey. Anger boiled in his blood and jealousy burned in his eyes. Jasey wasn’t supposed to end up with Brian. She was supposed to end up with him.

At least, that’s what Ryan had planned since the day he met Jasey when Zack let her stay at his place for a week last summer.

This was a war that was not over yet.