Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

The next morning I awoke to the sound of snickering. I opened my eyes and saw Josh and Tyson standing in the doorway.

“What the fuck are you two laughing at?”

“You and ‘Johnny Christ’ ”, Tyson said.

“ ‘Johnny! Oh God, Johnny! Harder, Johnny!’ ”, Josh mocked. I instantly felt my face burn, flushing beet red.

“Shut up.”, I grumbled, hiding my face in the comforter. “Where did you guys hear that anyway?”

“You two aren’t exactly quiet.”, Tyson replied.

“Yea, you are so lucky Derek sleeps with the tv. on.”, Josh added. “Or else big brother would’ve barged upstairs last night and interrupted your ‘game’ ” Josh smiled knowingly and I blushed a deeper shade of red.

“Go away!”, I hissed. “Before you wake up Johnny!”

Josh casually leaned against the doorframe. “Oh no. I want to stay and meet lover boy. Who according to you, is just so perfect.”

“No!” I threw a pillow in their direction. “Get out now!”

“Alright, alright.”, Tyson said, tossing the pillow back. “We’ll leave. But if you two aren’t downstairs in say, half an hour, we might be forced to tell Derek about what you and lover boy did last night.”

“So?”, I asked sarcastically. “Derek’s married. He and Anna have sex. After all, they have a baby.”

“Yea, well...Derek doesn’t have an overprotective big brother.” Josh shrugged.

I scowled at them. “Just get out.”

“ ‘K, bye.”, they said. “Remember, half an hour.”

As soon as they left, I rolled over to face Johnny, who had slept through the entire thing. I gently nudged his shoulder. “Johnny...Johnny, wake up, baby.”

“Wha?”, he answered groggily. Slowly, his eyes focused on my face and he grinned. “Hey, baby. Good morning.”

“Good morning to you, too, gorgeous.”, I replied, tracing random shapes on his chest. “Did you sleep good last night?”

He nodded. “But, that wasn’t the only thing that was good last night.” I blushed slightly and turned my face away. “We should do it again real soon.”

“Maybe not.”, I said. Johnny looked at me, obviously confused. “Josh and Tyson heard us last night.”

“Oh.” Johnny paused. “Did-Did your brother hear us?”

“No.”, I laughed. “You know, now that you’ve met my brother, the next step is meeting my daddy.”

“Oh God.” Johnny flopped onto his back. “Are you kidding me? Your dad?”

“Don’t worry.”, I cooed. “I’m a total daddy’s girl, so daddy will love you, because you make me happy.”

Johnny grinned wickedly. “Since I make you so happy, do I get a prize?”

“Of course you do.”, I replied, an idea forming in my mind. “Just close your eyes.”

Johnny clamped his eyes shut and I slowly slipped out of bed, reaching the door before his eyes snapped open. “Hey!”, he shouted, jumping out of bed. “You tricked me!” He raced over to me and slinked his muscular arms around my waist. “Now you’re gonna get it.”

I rolled my eyes exasperatedly. “Put some clothes on.”

“Do I have to?”, Johnny whined.

“Yes.”, I replied, nodding my head. “And so do I.”

“Alright.”, he pouted. He broke away from me and walked to his dresser. He pulled on some clothes, and by the time he’d turned around, I was already dressed.

I reached for his hand. “Come on. Let’s go downstairs before Josh and Tyson tell my brother what we did last night.” At those words, Johnny quickly dragged me out of the bedroom and downstairs to the living room where Josh, Tyson, and Derek were assembled.

“Here are the lovebirds!”, Josh called when he spotted us. Derek swung around at Josh’s words and opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

“Good morning.”, I said quickly.

Derek leaned close to me. “ What was that Josh said about lovebirds?”

“Nothing.”, I answered hurriedly.

He smiled. “I know what he said. And by the way, I heard you and Johnny last night.”

“Over the tv?”, I asked nervously.

“Yep.” Derek paused and smiled awkwardly. “You’re a screamer.”

“Oh God.” I covered my face with my hands. “Not to be rude or anything, but, uh...when are you guys leaving?”

“After breakfast.”

“Good.” I shoved an apple into Derek’s chest. “Here’s breakfast. Goodbye.”

Josh held his hand to his chest in mock offense. “Hayliee, I’m getting the feeling that you want us to leave.”

“Really?”, I asked sarcastically. “What on earth would make you think that?”

“Oh, I know.”, Tyson interjected deviously. “She just wants us to leave so she can go upstairs and fuck lover boy again.”

I chucked an orange at his head and Josh laughed. “Come on, Hayliee. You know you want to. Please don’t hurt me!”, he added, holding his hands up in front of his face.

“Seriously, can you guys please leave?”, I asked exasperatedly. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m tired and I just want to go upstairs and take a nap.”

“A nap? Sure. A nap.”, Josh mumbled. I growled, and he cowered.

“Alright.” Derek walked over and hugged me. “If you really want us to leave so badly, we’ll leave.” He paused. “I can’t believe the next time I’m going to be seeing you will be at your wedding.”

“Aww. Thanks, Derek. I’m going to miss you.”

“What about us?”, Tyson and Josh chorused.

“You guys, too.”, I replied, showing them the door. “Bye.”

“Bye.”, they all said one last time before I shut the door.

Instantly, I turned to Johnny. “Well, they’re gone...” Johnny remained silent. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“Your brother doesn’t like me.”, he stated simply.

“What?”, I asked incredulously, walking over to Johnny. I sat down next to him. “Derek loves you!”

“Then why the hell did he say ‘you’ll leave my sister alone for months while you go on tour, get drunk, and fuck other girls’?” Johnny threw his hands into the air. “Hayliee, he fucking accused me of cheating on you when I would never do that! He thinks I’m the fucking devil, and he thinks you’re a saint.”

“I told him.”, I interjected softly.

“What?”

“I told him I cheated on you.”, I whispered.

“Why?”, he asked.

“Because I didn’t want him to think badly of you.”, I answered. “He told me you weren’t good enough for me, so I had to show him I wasn’t perfect.” I stifled a sob. “I just wanted him to like you.”

Johnny wrapped his arms around me comfortingly. I faced him and buried my face in his chest. “Hey, don’t worry. Your brother and I get along fine. It won’t be a problem, because even if we don’t get along, it won’t matter, because I love you.”

I looked up at him, smiling. “How much do you love me?”, I asked honestly.

“More than anything.”, Johnny replied, softly stroking my cheeks. “More than the sun and stars, more than Avenged Sevenfold, more than life itself.”

“Well, I love you even more than that.”, I retorted.

“Really?”, he questioned, gently brushing hair out of my face. “How much do you love me?”

“So much that I would do anything for you.”, I whispered. “So much I can’t imagine my life without you in it. And so much that...I’d die for you.” The last part came out soft and quiet, making me wonder if I’d only spoken the words inside my head.

“Don’t say that, Hayliee.”, Johnny mumbled into my ear. “Because I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

I settled myself against Johnny, our frames melting together. I felt Johnny’s hands slowly slipping down my back and I whipped my arm around to stop him. “What do you think you’re doing?”, I asked suspiciously. “Here we are, having this perfectly sweet moment, and you have to go and ruin it by being a perv.”

“It was just a little innocent touching.”, Johnny replied innocently. “I wasn’t trying anything. I just wanted to touch you, baby.”, he added seductively.

“Well, couldn’t it have waited until after our sweet moment was over?” I was kind of bummed, during those few moments, I’d never felt closer to Johnny.

An apologetic look washed over Johnny’s face. “I-I’m sorry, Hayliee. I-I didn’t know this meant so much to you.”

“Well, it did.” I sighed. “I like it when you talk to me like that. It makes me feel like you really love me. Jon never did that. He never made me feel special. My relationship with Jon was almost completely about sex, but with you...there’s more. I can feel it. And when we spend time together like that, I kinda feel like I’m floating and I get butterflies in my stomach...” I paused and took a breath. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I feel closer to you when that happens. And sometimes I like that better than the sex.” Johnny stayed silent, and my heart began to race. “Oh God, you think I sound stupid, don’t you? Well, I can’t help it, because-”

“Hayliee!”, Johnny exclaimed. “Goddamn, you talk a lot. I do not think you sound stupid. I think you sound...well, I can’t really explain it. But I most definitely do not think you sound stupid.”

I grinned at him. “See what I’m talking about? Don’t you feel all fuzzy inside?”

“I do. It’s weird.”, he remarked. My face fell, and he instantly continued. “But I like it.”

“I’m hungry.”, I blurted.

Johnny chuckled. “Are you? Let me cook you breakfast, baby.”

“Okay.”, I chirped as Johnny walked into the kitchen. “I’m going to call my dad.”

“You do that.”, Johnny answered, a nervous tone present in his voice.

My dad, Walter, answered after five rings. “Hello?”

“Hey, daddy.”, I said.

“Well, hello princess!”, my dad shouted. “To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”

“Daddy...I’m getting married.”

“My little girl is getting married?”, he asked. “Who’s the lucky man?”

“His name is Johnny.”, I told him, loving the taste of Johnny’s name on my lips. “I really want you to meet him.”

“Is there any day you prefer, sweetheart?”, Walter asked.

“How about Thursday?”, I questioned.

“Thursday works great.”, he stated. “I’ll see you and your fiancee then.”

“Okay. Bye, daddy.”, I whispered.

“Goodbye, princess.”

I hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen, where Johnny was making fried eggs. “We’re meeting my dad on Thursday.”, I said.

“Oh Hayliee, I have to go to the studio on Thursday.”, Johnny replied. “But I’ll ask the guys to start early so we can finish early.”, he added. “Say, three o’clock?”

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Perfect.” I paused. “Is breakfast ready?”

“Yes.”, Johnny declared, sliding the eggs onto two plates. I took one and we sat down at the kitchen table.

“So, Hayliee, if you don’t mind my asking...am I going to meet your mom?”, Johnny asked.

The sound of the word caused my stomach to burn. “No.”

“Why?”, Johnny questioned. “Are your parents divorced?”

“She’s dead.”, I whispered. “She died when I was six.”

“Oh my God. Hayliee, I’m sorry.”, he gushed. “How did it happen?”

“Car accident.”, I muttered. “She was hit by a drunk driver. I remember being in school and my dad came to pick me up. At first, I was happy, because I thought we were going somewhere special. But then I noticed Ada was crying. Then my dad told me my mom had been in a serious car accident. And you know what I did then? I laughed. I thought it was a joke. Then it hit me. I told my dad, ‘let’s go to the hospital!’, and he shook his head and said, ‘There is no hospital’. And that’s when I realized...my mom was dead.” I reached for my locket as tears poured down my cheeks. “S-She gave me this locket, y-you know. R-Right b-b-before she d-died.”, I stammered. And then I completely lost it, bursting into a fit of tears.

Johnny pushed back his chair and walked over to me. “Hayliee, baby, don’t cry.” He wiped my tears away with his thumbs. “It’ll be alright. I’m here for you. Just, please don’t cry. I can’t stand it when you cry.”

“I’m sorry.”, I whimpered. “It-it’s just s-so hard to t-talk about it-it.”

“I know, baby. I know.”, he cooed, gently rubbing my back. “I’m sorry I asked. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I waved him off. “It-It’s fine. Just d-drop it, o-okay?”

“Alright, baby.”, Johnny replied. “Now why don’t you eat your breakfast?”

“I’m not hungry anymore.”, I sighed, pushing my plate away.

Johnny wordlessly took my plate and set it on the counter. He walked up behind me and I stood up. I buried my face in his chest, still crying. “Hayliee, please stop crying. Everything will be alright.”, he whispered soothingly, stroking my hair. “Just calm down, baby.”

I pulled away from Johnny and instantly noticed a large wet spot on his chest. I chuckled to myself and wiped my tears with the back of my hand. “I’m sorry about your shirt.”, I mumbled.

“What?”, Johnny asked. I pointed to the wet spot on his chest and he laughed. “I take it this was your doing?” I nodded and he smiled warmly at me. “I knew I could make you stop crying.”

I slapped him playfully. “You are so full of it.”

“Hey, it worked, didn’t it?”

I didn’t answer, just rolled my eyes and walked away.