Better Sorry Than Safe

The crowd was getting anxious and the “Sevenfold” chant kept beginning and ending in various areas. The crowd light began dimming as the stage lights came to life. The crowd erupted in screams as the guys appeared on stage and the first notes of music came through the speakers.

Lilly waved at Zacky the second that they saw each other, both smiling. Isabelle tried to focus on the music, the crowd, Zacky, or any of the other guys as she tried to avoid focusing on the man standing on the stage just a little bit to her right. The truth was that she and Lilly had never been front row at an Avenged concert, she she’d never had to worry about eye contact until tonight.

It didn’t matter that she was with Chris, that she was happy in Vegas, that she didn’t want her past back if she looked into those hazel eyes she didn’t know what would happen. She feared the emotion that she would see there. Would it be hate? Would it be sorrow? Or would it be stone cold with no emotion left towards her? She couldn’t decide which would be worse and she didn’t want to find out.

Halfway through the set list the beginning of Seize the Day kicked in, mellowing the crowd. Isabelle looked towards Zacky as she realized that he was standing almost directly in front of her. She forced images of Chris into her mind, forgetting the man standing on the stage. She wouldn’t look at him, she wouldn’t.

And then she looked over and she stared directly into his hazel eyes.

***

The crowd was leaving now as Isabelle and Lilly made their way backstage. Both their nerves were flaring up now, for completely different reasons. Lilly was just excited about seeing Zacky again, she’d been waiting to see him again for months now. Isabelle on the other hand was not only excited to see her twin but she also feared seeing Matt.

When they got backstage Zacky was already waiting for them outside the dressing room door. “I was thinking that I’d go back to the hotel, grab a shower, and then head over you the apartment of my favorite girls. That way can really catch up.” Zacky tossed an arm around each girls' shoulder as he explained his plan.

“Works for me!” Lilly grinned at him before the pair looked at Isabelle for her answer.

Suddenly she tore her gaze from the dressing room door and smiled. “Sounds like a deal to me. Do you want us to give you a ride to your hotel?”

“Nah its cool, I drove my rental car here. I’ll be at you guys’ place within an hour, an hour and a half tops if I get lost.” Both the girls rolled their eyes at him, everyone knowing that he wouldn’t get lost. He had once showed up at their place by cab so wasted he couldn’t remember what had happened. That had been a bad few months for him and coming to Vegas had been his escape.

“Don’t get lost.” Lilly grinned and kissed him on the cheek, a smile creeping over Zacky’s lips the second her lips made contact with his skin. Isabelle rolled her eyes and leaned back against the wall.

“I’ll see you very soon Zack.” Isabelle smiled at her brother before she turned and walked away, afraid that one of the guys would appear at any minute. When she’d looked at Matt and into his eyes it hadn’t been for long enough to think, he’d turned away before anything could happen. This time she feared they wouldn’t be able to avoid it.

***

“I’m going to go wait for Belle and Lilly. See you guys tomorrow.” Zacky announced before he abruptly disappeared from the room, leaving all the guys unable to respond. Everyone was scattered around the room as they gathered things to they could leave. In the furthest area from the guys was Matt.

He felt so unsure of himself and everything around him. He had finally had eye contact with her and now he didn’t know how her felt. At the same time he was also dreading returning to the hotel room for a shower before taking off to have a good time. More than anything he feared having Valary see him in a state of confusion.

She had been waiting when he came off stage and he know that she saw his jumbled up emotions in his eyes. She’d always been able to know anything he was feeling by looking into his eyes. He sighed as he turned around, thinking about how much he hated himself for putting someone like Valary through this repeatedly. Then he realized that the rest of the guys had been staring at him.

“Man what the hell is wrong with you?” Jimmy watched for any unspoken reaction that Matt let off and picked up on nothing. It was really starting to worry him that the singer had told no one the truth about what was going on. Now the look on Matt’s face confirmed exactly what he had suspected all along. Matt was still in love with Isabelle.

“Guys for the last time nothing is wrong with me! I’ll see you guys later on when we all meet up again. I’m going back to the hotel.” Matt left them with that, not bothering to tell them anything else as he left.

The drive to the New York New York wasn’t even close to being long enough for him to compose himself as much as he needed to. He stood in front of the hotel room door as he took in a deep breath. He opened the door with his key card and walked in to find Valary lying down on the bed, watching t.v. as she waited. She'd left the venue a few minutes after the show was over.

“Hey Val.” Matt closed the hotel room door behind himself as she looked over at him. The smile on her face was slightly weak and his stomach dropped to his knees. Between the look in her eyes and the weakness of her smile he had a bad feeling about what was to come tonight.

“Hey. Great show.” Matt gave her a smile and unzipped his suitcase, grabbing a change of clothes.

“Thanks. Did you already grab a shower?” She nodded and he inched towards the bathroom door. “I’m gonna grab one real quick then. You are still coming with us right?”

“Yeah I guess so. Who all is going?”

“Just the guys and girls. Except for Zacky, he not gonna show.”

“Oh okay.”

***

“So when do you want me to meet your brother?” Isabelle smiled and looked out the apartment window again. She was talking to Chris, he’d wanted to know how the concert was.

“I was thinking tomorrow. Tonight just wouldn’t be the best idea Chris.”

“I completely understand, just call me tomorrow and let me know when and where. Have fun tonight. I love you.” Isabelle smiled as she listened to her boyfriend’s words.

“I will. I love you too.” She had just slipped her cell phone back into her pocket when there was a knock at the door. Lilly opened it less than two seconds later, knowing she’d see Zacky on the other side.

“My favorite get away city and my two favorite girls, after playing a sold out show. Can my life get any better tonight?” Zacky pulled Lilly into a hug as soon as he was inside the apartment, grinning happily at Isabelle.

“Only you, Zacky, would say that as a greeting.” Isabelle walked over to the pair, awaiting her hug. As soon as Zacky released Lilly he pulled his sister into a hug.

“Yes I am the only one. That is what makes me so lovably unique,” She grinned and hugged him before pulling back and shaking her head at him. “What did I say?” He glanced between Isabelle and Lilly, who were both laughing, as his sister backed away from him.

“Lovably unique Zack?” Isabelle sat down on the sofa as her brother walked towards her slowly. She knew by the look in his eyes what he was planning and she grabbed the decorative pillow that had came with the sofa before he could.

“Yes Isabelle, I am lovably unique and you know it. I can find another pillow you know. Grabbing that little one won’t help you at all.” It was at that moment that she realized that the pillow had never been his plan; he’d tricked her.

“Oh no way in hell!” She rolled off the sofa, landing on the floor with a loud thud, just seconds before he lunged onto the sofa where she’d been. Slowly sitting up she mumbled an “ouch” and rubbed her arm that she’d landed on.

“Damn you!” Zacky glared playfully at his twin, who just laughed and pulled herself back to her feet again.

“Well you shouldn’t have even tried it then Zacky and we wouldn’t have this problem. Besides what in the hell are you complaining about? I’m the one who fell on the floor, you landed on the soft comfy sofa.” Isabelle sat down on her brother’s legs, making him mumble something under his breath.

“Have you two really always been like this?” Lilly laughed at the two as she took a seat on the love seat. Zacky grinned at her and nodded before he pushed Isabelle off and moved his legs.

“Yes we have. And he has always been mean.” Isabelle pouted and crossed her arms, throwing on the dramatic elements in an attempt to annoy Zacky. He scoffed and pushed her over on the couch; she retaliated by returning the favor.

“So when am I going to get to meet this Chris guy?” Zacky’s voice suddenly turned serious, as did his expression. His sister groaned, looking at him briefly before glancing at Lilly, who was gazing happily at Zacky.

“Tomorrow alright? I’m making us all dinner here. You’ll meet him then and not a minute before then.”

“And I get to be there when you meet him!” Lilly made Isabelle laugh and Zacky try his best to stay serious on the matter, a hard feat to accomplish.

“Alright I suppose that I can agree to that. But I am warning you, if I don’t like this guy then I will let you know exactly what I think.” Isabelle rolled her eyes, wanting to annoy her brother as much as he was annoying her. “Hey I see the last season of CSI on DVD!”

“Of all things to notice Zack!”

“Well do you have to work tomorrow?”

“Of course I have to work tomorrow.”

“I’ll go make some popcorn.” Lilly stood up and headed towards the kitchen. Zacky, without moving from the sofa, scanned over the various DVD sets in the entertainment tower. After finishing his scan he looked over at his twin, his mouth slightly ajar.

“You have all the seasons of CSI on DVD that have been released, and all of NCIS so far. Fanatic much?” Isabelle crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at her twin.

“Well there is also every full-length, single, and even the first demo from Avenged down there too.” They could hear Lilly laughing from the kitchen as the popcorn popped inside the microwave.

“Well that’s different.” Isabelle laughed at his defense as she walked over to the tower, looking through the DVDs, debating which season to grab.

“What season you guys?” She asked, loud enough so that Lilly could hear the question as well. There was silence while the two thought and Isabelle stood there waiting for an answer.

“The latest one.” Their answer was the same so she grabbed it and opened the set, removing the first disc and turning on the DVD player. As soon as the little tray came out she placed the DVD in and returned to the sofa.

As soon as the popcorn was done they all gathered on the sofa, popcorn in the middle, held by Zacky, and Isabelle selected the first episode on the disc to play. Five hours later the sound of the title menu of disc two played through the room as Zacky sat awake selecting the next episode, Lilly and Isabelle had both abandoned him so they could get some sleep.

He had gotten a text from Matt less than an hour before, asking if he and the girls might join them. Zacky always feared Isabelle and Matt’s actual reunion. Of course they both swore that they were completely over the other but Zacky still wondered.

***

“You gonna hang out with the guys today Zack?” Isabelle asked the next morning as she grabbed her stuff to leave for work. Her twin was sitting on the sofa, his hair sticking up every way and the look in his eyes telling her that he wanted more sleep.

“Later on maybe, I’m undecided. I get to hang out with them everyday but I only get to see you every few months.” He let out another yawn and she rolled her eyes.

“And you aren’t going to see me for most of today, I’m going to be working remember?” She watched the smirk on his face and her eyes widened. “Oh no Zacky! You are not, I repeat you are not, staying there all day while I work again.”

“Alright fine then, just ruin all my plans. I guess I will hang out with the guys then. Since my mean sister won’t let me tag along.”

“And you always brag about how you at ten minutes older than me,” She grabbed her keys and smiled at her brother. “I’ll see you later. Remember you have to be here for dinner at 7!”

Zacky grumbled to himself as she closed the door behind herself. Plopping back onto the sofa he closed his eyes again and prepared to drift off to sleep again. Then he heard another voice. “You know I get off earlier than Belle does. You wanna go hang out when I get off?” His eyes flew open and he propped himself up, smiling at Lilly.

“Just let me know when and where.” She smiled and grabbed her keys.