I Remember The Day She Told Me It's Over

Fuck I hated birds.

The window in my room was open a crack, and that's all I could hear. Them chirpping happily, alerting everyone and their god damned dog that it was morning. I graoned and rolled over in bed to look at my alarm clock.

9:00am

Ichabod noticed I was awake and barked. I smirked, "they woke you up to did they buddy?"

He leapt happily at my bed, but could never make it up all the way. He was persistant, I'd give him that much.

"I'm getting up buddy," I promised him as I kicked my legs over the side of the bed.

Ichabod ran to the door as while I pulled a t-shirt from my closet and slipped it over my head.

Another sound caught my attention. It was a phone. But definately not my phone.

I wandered from my room into the living room with Ichabod at my heels. He was hungry. I was hungry, and Bailey's cell was ringing.

But it wasn't her phone that stopped me cold. She was still sound asleep on my couch. Though, she'd slid down further causing her tank top to ride up revealing her pierced navel, and two nautical stars, one tattooed on each hip.

I smirked. The last time I saw her, we were seventeen. She'd been the prissy, girl. The one who hung out in the preppy crowd, though she'd always claimed to hate labels. The truth is, labeling people is something we do subconsciously, even though we may never voice our opinions.

But the way she was posed right now, her entire midriff bared, her lips soft and slightly parted as her blond hair cascaded around the pillow made certain parts of me wake up more than I wanted.

Back then, the last thing on my mind was what it would be like to wake up to the same girl every morning. Now, as I got older, I found myself thinking about alot of things I'd never before entertained.

Her cell phone rang again and she shifted slightly in her sleep, her eyes suddenly popping open. I was a little startled, mostly because I'd been staring.

"Zack?"

"Hmmm," I smiled softly, "you're cell phone has been ringing like crazy."

I took this oportunity to vacate so I didn't look like an idiot. I called Ichabod and he crawled from his dog bed in the living room and followed me to the kitchen. I listened carefully as her phone beeped each time she pushed a button. I poured some dog food into his bowl and soon his head disappeard in the kibble. By now I could hear her on the phone. I began searching through my cupboards, closing one after another.

Great Baker, you can't even offer her cereal because you don't have any.

"Zack?"

I slammed the last cupboard door shut by accident and we both jumped slightly at the loud noise.

Her lips formed into a smile as zipped up her sweater, "ummm, I hate to ask this, but would we be able to leave right away?"

A part of me was relieved. Now I wouldn't have to look like I was incompetent to live on my own. I mean, who doesn't even own cereal? But the other part of me was pretty bummed.

"It's just that, I have to go meet with my manager, then go shopping, then go get my hair and make-up done," she took a seat at my kitchen table, "I have to make an appearance at a new club tonight for a Playboy party."

"Of course," the words slipped from my mouth without any more question. I knew what that lifestyle was like.

She nodded slightly, "hey Zack?"

I turned to look, "yeah?" I asked her tentatively. She wanted something else, I could feel it.

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

I thought about it. I really didn't think so. After all, the guys and I were on break. We just got done touring, and now we were entertaining the idea of getting to work on a new album.

"Not that I can recall," I opened the fridge, I had two apple juice boxes.

Very manly Baker. I grabbed both of them and handed her one. "Why?"

"Thanks," she slid the plastic from her straw and crumpled it into a little ball before poking the pointed end of her straw into the juice box, "would you like to be my date tonight?"

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"Dude you're what?"

Shadows stood to my right as he watched me pull my Jack Daniel's t-shirt over my head.

I replied even though we'd both understood what I just said.

"I'm going to a playboy party."

I looked in the mirror hanging on my wall. Bailey said we were going to have to walk down a red carpet first. So, I dressed like myself. I was wearing my favorite shoes, jeans, and my signature 6661 belt buckle, along with my well known black Jack Daniels t-shirt. I then took my neatly folded american flag bandana and placed it into my back pocket so half hung out.

"So what, are you two hooking up already?" Shadows asked. He grabbed something off my dresser. "Here."

"No we're not," I shook my head. Matt handed me my ripped fingerless gloves. I slipped them on and took one last look in the mirror. Everything was good, even my hair. It was super gooped up and messy, but at least I knew it was going to stay.

"Matt are we going?" Matt's girlfriend Emily walked into my room and we locked eyes. She smiled. "Boy you look spiffy."

I smiled, "thanks."

"Zack's not coming," Matt wrapped his arm around Emily's waist.

"He's not?" she questioned before looking at me again, "where are you going?"

"A playboy party," I repeated for the second time.

"With her?" Emily quipped, "are you serious Zacky? She's just going to use you for some added fame."

I'd considered that ever since I dropped her off at her managers. I had to be careful around her, I knew that.

"I'm sure she has enough fans all on her own," I shut off my light and hearded my friends out into the hallway and towards the living room.

"Hey Vengeance," Matt gripped onto my forearm. I looked up at him, "just be careful alright man. You don't want this catching up to you. You know the press will be there, and what they're immediately going to assume."

"I know," I nodded solemnly. "I know what I'm doing Matt."

He smiled slightly, "have a good night," he gripped Emily's hand in his own, "and make sure you meet all those bunnies, I wanna hear about them."

Emily rolled her eyes and tugged him out the door. I laughed softly and glanced at the clock. Time to put Ichabod in his kennel, then I had to roll.

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"So I get to see him tonight?" Terra giggled excitedly beside me. I grinned at my best friend before returning to gaze into the mirror. We were getting our hair done, and right now, half of my hair was down, hanging in ringlets. The other half, was still up in the curlers.

"Yes," I replied, "I was so nervous when I asked him this morning," I looked at my finger nails, "I assumed he was going to say no," I laughed softly.

"Like he'd say no to a hottie like you," Terra grinned, "seriously though, you two should hook up."

I shook my head slightly, "no, we're definately not ready for that. If we'll ever be ready for that. I fucked us over pretty good."

Terra went silent for a moment. The bell above the door jingled followed by a girl's shriek.

"I'm so sorry I'm late!"

Terra and I laughed as Stephany tossed her purse onto the small couch near the door before jumping into her chair. Her hairdresser simply rolled her eyes and immediately set to work.

"Nice of you to join us," I smiled around Terra.

"Oh god," Stephany sighed heavily, "when I started this morning I was on time, and then my pool boy showed up."

Terra and I broke into laughter again. Yeah, leave it to Stephany.

"Is he your escort tonight?" Terra asked.

Stephany smiled, "after that round of sex, I wouldn't dream of going with anyone else."

"Well just don't let anyone know that he's a pool boy," Terra reminded her gently. After all, there was an image to uphold.

"I know," Stephany brushed her black bangs back out of her eye, "are you bringing Jamie?"

Terra nodded, "yeah, I wasn't going to bring an escort, but when I heard Bailey over here say she was even bringing one, I decided I better not show up alone."

"Bailey has one?" Stephany leaned forward to look at me, earning disapproving looks from her hair dresser, "who are you bringing?"

"Zacky," I replied with a grin.

"Zacky?" she held her eyes on mine, "do I know a Zacky?"

"Zacky Vengeance," Terra jumped in for me, "remember the hot guy at the club in Vegas."

It clearly wasn't striking a cord with Stephany.

"He's a guitarist in Avenged Sevenfold," I prompted her.

"Oooohhhh," it clicked and Stephany smiled. "Very nice choice."

"Thanks," I sat back in my chair as my hair dresser began taking out the rollers.

I seriously couldn't wait to see Zacky. He was going to meet us at our manager's office, and then we were taking a limo to the club, supplied by Mr. Hefner himself. Hopefully he was excited as me.