Forever

I smiled, happy with my work so far. The room was coming along nicely, and I nearly had two of the four walls done. Damn, this room was huge!

I wouldn’t expect anything less of Matt and Addi, though.

A gentle breeze travelled through the half open window, which was rather large, might I add, making the edges of the plastic I had on the floor twist and turn with the air flow. Paint cans were on each corner, successfully holding the clear plastic tarps, so I had nothing to worry about.

I neared the window, admiring the view from the second story. Well, if the side of Brian’s house is considered a view.

Today, I decided, was a good day to paint because I knew Addison would be out shopping with her gal pals and the chances of her finding anything out about the room were slim. I knew that Matt wouldn’t tell her anything that he knew about me doing up here, despite how much he loved her. He loved surprises almost as much as me.

I now felt privileged being the only person to know the sex of Matt and Addi’s baby, and felt like getting the room together for my future niece or nephew would be a good way to put this new piece of information to use.

A barely noticeable throbbing began pulsing through my head. I groaned and clutched it, figuring the paint fumes were getting to me. I had isolated myself in this room for quite a while. Maybe it was time for a break.

Small specks of paint were on my old, dirty white shirt, making me frown. I hurriedly picked as many off as I could, not wanting to give away the color of the paint just yet. Besides, Matt probably wouldn’t like it if I returned his shirt to him and it was dirty. It’s not like I could keep the oversized thing; I swam in it.

I opened the door a crack, peeking out to make sure no one was around to look in the room. When the coast was clear, I quickly stepped out and slammed the door behind me. I flinched, not intending it to be so loud.

“You alright up there, Lev?”

“Fine, Matt!” I called.

I began making my way down the stairs, humming to myself. When I reached the living room and heard more than one deep, manly chuckle (including a maniacal one), I knew that Matt and whoever was with him had heard me. My face flushed in embarrassment.

“As time passes by, regrets for the rest of my life,” Matt sang as I joined him, Jimmy, Johnny, Brian, and Zacky in the room. Even the Berry brothers were here.

“My little Lev-Lev was singing my song! Did you hear her?” Jimmy said excitedly, jumping up and crushing me in a hug. I couldn’t help but let out a strangled laugh.

“Jimmy, you’re suffocating her,” Jason pointed out, trying to pry Jimmy off me. The man had a grip like a leech, yet I still loved him.

“You know,” Jimmy started, still crushing me, “if I met you like, in high school, I would’ve loved you.”

Jason had given up trying to get Jimmy to let go of me and returned to his seat by Matt B and Brian. Johnny and Matt looked like they were trying not to laugh and Zacky was staring at the wall, trying to keep himself from laughing at my misery, I presume.

Though hugging Jimmy was far from misery, I still couldn’t breathe. That was a bit of a problem.

“And I don’t mean the kind of love I have for you now; that’s different,” he continued, his grip loosening slightly, “I mean, I would’ve had the hots for you. Dude, can you imagine? We would’ve made the cutest couple ever in Huntington!”

Zacky couldn’t hold it any longer and burst out laughing. I sent a tiny glare his way and he smiled at me sheepishly. Damn it…he knows I can’t resist him when he does that…

Brian scoffed and pushed himself off of the couch, handing his beer to JB. He hugged me from behind, his arms going around Jimmy as well. Now I was really crushed. I’m pretty sure my face was turning blue from the lack of oxygen.

“Bitch, please. We all know that if Lev were here in our younger days, me and her would’ve been the hottest couple in the state of California.”

I couldn’t help but scoff. They couldn’t be serious about this. They were all just joking around.

I looked up at Jimmy pleadingly, but he just grinned at me. His face lit up suddenly, and I wondered what that crazy man could be thinking.

“What if…all three of us were together?”

Brian laughed from behind me, “Dude! We would’ve been like, the sexiest coup…trip…damn. Whatever. We would’ve been the sexiest trio to ever walk the face of this earth!”

“I think you’re forgetting someone,” Matt chuckled, pointing to an amused, yet less than pleased Zacky. I watched him with curiosity.

Brian separated himself from me, as did Jimmy. I sighed in relief and took a deep breath, glad to be able to actually breathe once again. From hours of paint to these guys, my lungs were hurting.

“But, come on, we all know that Zacky and Lev would totally win the award for sexiest couple, hands down,” Jimmy said, earning a smile and an eye roll from Zacky.

I smiled and sat next to Zacky, hoping he didn’t mind my odor too much. In fact, he didn’t even seem to notice. He put his arm around my shoulders and I put my head on his shoulder. He was so comfy.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Brian mumbled, giving me a pointed look.

A displeased look crossed my face, but I tried to hide it quickly. Brian gave me a look as if to say, ‘you know I’m right’, and I couldn’t help but shift my eyes away in defeat. I knew exactly what he meant by that statement.

There was someone else he thought I would be better with.

Now, I know that Brian and Zacky are great friends and way closer than I could ever be to Zacky, yet Brian still thought I would be better with a certain…someone. A certain someone whose name I try to keep out of my thoughts. It was easier when he was away on tour, like now, but I still found the task surprisingly difficult.

I can’t deny my feelings for him, sure, but it’s only fair that I keep him out of my head for Zacky. Every time Zacky is kicked out of my thoughts by a certain you-know-who, I can’t help but feel…dirty. Like I did something wrong.

Still, Brian approves of my being with Zacky, as do the rest of the guys, but I know who he really wants me with.

Jacoby.

A glare was what Brian received. He only smirked, already knowing what, or who, I was thinking about now.

Cocky bastard.

“How’s the painting coming, Lev?” Johnny asked, opening his beer and tossing another at Zacky, who had called for one.

He handed it to me and I smiled, but shook my head, “Good.”

Johnny and Laney had, to an extent, disappeared off the radar for the first few months Matt and Addi were married. It’s not that they were holed up having sex constantly (like Matt and Addi used to be like, so I heard), but more that they were just enjoying their time around each other. Indeed, Zacky was right when he told me they were the next Matt and Addi. Johnny and Laney eventually made themselves and official couple and were hardly seen without the other.

Of course I found it adorable. Now three of the five guys had their soulmates, or so I liked to think. Jimmy had Leana, Matt had Addison, and Johnny had Laney. I had no idea about Brian and his relationship with CJ, but I did know that he liked to take things slow and CJ was more than willing to comply. As for me and Zacky, well, I have no idea either.

Looking at him from the corner of my eye, watching him interact with the guys he basically grew up with, I found it easy to see how I fell in love with him. He really was more intelligent than people gave him credit for, and I admired nearly every aspect of his personality. He was so driven, striving for his dreams. He put forth such a valiant effort for prove those wrong that thought he and his band would never amount to anything.

Not to mention he was, as Brian and Jimmy liked to put it, one sexy motherfucker.

As if he knew I was looking, he turned to me and gave me a smile that almost took my breath away.

Man, I got it bad.

And not just for him, either.

Pink found its way to my face, as it seemed to do every time Zacky even acknowledged me, and I gave him a tiny smile back. He chuckled and I swore his face was closer than it was two seconds ago.

Not being able to resist him when he looked so cute like that, I moved closer to him and pressed my lips against his. I guess it was something he would never get used to, me being dominant, since it happened very little.

And when it did, it usually let to more than just making out.

Why I felt the need to kiss him in front of all his friends when I was the only girl in the room I have no idea, but he didn’t seem to mind it one bit.

“Hey! Not on my couch!” Matt said loudly, attracting the attention of Johnny and the Berrys, who hadn’t been paying any attention.

Brian frowned, “Oh, gross.”

“At least she’s not kissing your brother,” Jimmy said pointedly, implying that I didn’t enjoy watching Brian kiss CJ. Which I certainly did not.

Zacky pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. I bit my lip and tried not to stare into his eyes.

His beautiful, green eyes…

That kind of reminded me of—

Fuck it. They both have beautiful eyes.

“I love you,” Zacky whispered, our noses touching and his lip rings nearly brushing against my bare lips.

“I love you too,” I told him honestly.

“This cute stuff is too much! I need to man up,” Matt B said, taking off his shirt.

Matt gave him an odd look, “I don’t think taking your shirt off is going to help that problem.”

The guys continued to joke and banter around while I just sat contentedly in Zacky’s arms. My presence wasn’t bothering anyone, I discovered, so I figured my break could be a little longer.

Random thoughts and daydreams drifted through my head as I sat there with Zacky, lost in my own world. I didn’t even realize I fell asleep until I heard Zacky softly calling my name.

“Lev? Levia? Wake up, babe.”

He knew how I hated being called ‘babe’, so I’m assuming that’s why he said it. Darkness left as I opened my eyes and was greeted with the sight of Zacky, his face only centimeters from my own. He smiled and stood up, since he had been kneeling on the floor. It reminded me of when he and Jimmy came over for a movie that one night, when I was only in my snowflake pajama shorts. It was not only the night of the earthquake, but the night when I really started to develop feelings for Zacky.

He chuckled, snapping me from the daze he knew I was in. He helped me off the couch I had been laying on, which confused me since I didn’t know how I could’ve been moved without waking up, and smiled cutely at me.

“You must’ve been working hard in the baby’s room, huh?”

I nodded, still feeling sleepy and leaning on Zacky for support. He chuckled again.

It was then that I noticed that it was dark outside and the only person in the room was Matt, who was watching television with a bored expression. I assumed Addison was upstairs sleeping or something. I wondered how long I was out.

“Let’s get you home.”

Zacky put his hand on my lower back and led me and my drowsy self out of Matt and Addi’s house and into his car. He said his goodbyes to Matt, who returned the favor and said he’d make sure to let Addison know we said goodbye as well.

In and out of dreams, my mind went. The drive home wasn’t even that long, I knew from previous trips, so I must’ve been really tired if I was sleeping already. My thoughts were clouded with pictures of Jacoby, Zacky, and Mia, who were probably my three favorite people.

Hey, I can only control my feelings so much.

Zacky laughed, how I love his laugh, and leaned over the center console in the car. My mind was awake, thought my body was not, something he seemed to notice. He was really observant when it came to me. I found it flattering.

He must’ve thought I was fully asleep, since he started talking half to himself, half to me. His words were true for the both of us.

“You have no idea what you do to me.”