It Wasn't Meant To Turn Out Like This

“Sign at one o’clock,” Mayza announced, twisting her body and speaking towards the back of the van. Everyone rushed towards the front of the van, looking over Mayza’s and Brian’s shoulders to see the Welcome to Huntington Beach sign pass the van by. Brian, who was driving the van at the time, slowed the vehicle down to the speed limit for in-town. Within a few moments, houses began to sprout up along the sidewalks, houses that hadn’t changed much over their three-month tour all across the country and back again. An ocean breeze laced with the scent of salt and late summer swept through the open windows of the van, and everyone happily inhaled.

They were finally back home.

The summer had turned out to be quite the challenge for all of them. If they weren’t fighting each other, they were fighting traffic, heat stroke, or the weather. Mercifully, the fighting had stopped once Mayza put her foot down, and any quarrels that began were quickly recognized and snuffed out before it escalated into an actual fight. The tour consisted of almost nonstop driving and playing. If they were doing neither of those, they were either sleeping or eating.

It had simultaneously been a wonderful experience for the entire group. It had been especially enlightening and exciting for Mayza; it was the first time she’d been set loose out into the world beyond Huntington Beach. She’d seen all sorts of people from all walks of life and decided she had developed a better understanding of the human being from it. She would repeat the entire experience without hesitation in a heartbeat.
!!!!!

Mayza smirked knowingly at Brian as he reversed the van out of Val’s driveway. He glanced her way as they drove towards the warehouse where Senior wanted Brian to store the van. Senior had bought the van for the band in the first place and had told Brian where a garage was located that Brian could store the van in until they needed it again. He gave her a funny look but looked quickly back at the road.

“So, you got a crush on the brunette DiBenedetto twin?” Mayza asked smugly, smirking wider at the shocked look Brian quickly tried to conceal with a yawn.

He shrugged indifferently. “She’s pretty and really nice to me. That’s really all I have to say on the subject.”

“Well, you were chatting her up like I’ve never seen,” Mayza said with a laugh. It was true; when Brian dropped Val off, the last person to be dropped off, Michelle, her twin sister, had come out to see her sister. Brian and Michelle had exchanged words through the open van window and Mayza had not missed the slight blush on Brian’s cheeks or the glint in Michelle’s eyes as she spoke to him.

“It doesn’t make a difference anyway,” Brian replied with a shake of his head. “She’d never date me.”

Mayza gave an incredulous snort at that response.

“What?” Brian asked curiously, scanning the street for the garage indicated by his father.

“Looked in a mirror lately? Did you happen to notice the fans? All the lady fans walked away making comments about the sexy lead guitarist. I think you could convince her to date you,” Mayza answered with certainty.

“But would she love me, or my body?” Brian asked worriedly as he pulled onto the pavement out front of the garage.

“If she has a brain in her skull, she’ll realize that you’re really a cupcake on the inside,” Mayza answered happily.

Brian frowned. “A...cupcake? Can’t I at least be a muffin?”

“No, you’re a cupcake.”

“I’d love nothing more than to hear your logic on that.”

“Well, you’re sweet and kind and drive hormonal women wild when you’re smeared with frosting,” Mayza answered as Brian pulled the van into the garage. Brian turned his head slowly to look at Mayza, his frown looking a little disturbed now.

“Mayza, I think I ought to be worried about you. Do you think of me smeared with frosting often?”

“You aren’t catching the point,” Mayza answered calmly. “All I’m saying is she’d be lucky to have you. Trust me. I’m pretty damn sure you’ve got yourself a chance.”

Brian just grinned as they both climbed out of the van to grab the rest of the stuff from the back of the van before Senior arrived to pick them up.

!!!!!

A fortnight later, Brian headed into his parents’ house in search of the fairy he knew he would find there. He had a plan to kidnap her, and anyone planning to interfere with his idea would feel his wrath and learn to regret getting in his way. He was desperate, and for once, he wasn’t too proud to keep it hidden. He needed serious help at the moment.

He slipped into laundry room where Mayza stood folding the freshly-dried laundry on the two countertops on the wall opposite the washing machine and dryer. Strangely, she appeared to not have noticed him entering the room. He stepped stealthily forward and wrapped both arms tightly around Mayza’s torso, lifting her clean off the ground and carrying her out into the hall.

“Hey, Brian,” Mayza sighed. Brian couldn’t see her face but knew she was probably rolling her eyes. “To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing your gorgeous face this fine, lovely day?”

“Your sarcasm hurts!” Brian exclaimed, setting Mayza down gently in the hall. He grabbed her hand instead, pulling her towards the front door. “I plucked up the courage to ask Michelle out and I need your help badly.”

“My help with what?” Mayza asked, obviously uncertain about what “help” would entail. Brian pulled her from the house and practically shoved her into the passenger seat of his vehicle. “You’re not putting an earpiece in your ear and having me feed you lines to impress her, are you?”

“No, no, of course not,” Brian answered hastily, climbing into the driver’s side and pulling from his parents’ driveway. “I need help picking out an outfit. I need to make a good first impression, and every time I try to put an outfit together, it seems dumb and stupid. I need a female’s help.”

Mayza laughed, but quickly stopped at the look Brian shot her. “I’d love to help.”