Shattered Secrets

As I hauled Bronx out of the car, he squirmed in my arms until I put him down into the sand. Once his feet touched the ground he looked up at me with a nervous smile. "Can we go say hi?" he asked, biting on his bottom lip.

I shrugged. "Sure."

Bronx took my hand as we walked towards the large pier. He pulled me slightly but would stop as we grew noticeably closer. As we stepped onto the wood of dock Bronx looked up at me, his eyes glinting in the light. Mandi sent me a sly look as my name was called out.

"Nissa!" Brian greeted, turning towards me with a smile.

"Hey Brian, I see you brought the whole group."

Brian rubbed the back of his neck nervously and then shrugged it off. "Couldn't get rid of them."

I laughed. "Me neither." And pointed to Amanda who was smiling at everyone else as they started walking towards us as well from their spot on the pier about ten feet away.

"Hey Nissa, Amanda," Matt greeted, offering me a dimpled smile. "Who's this, little man?" he questioned, motioning towards the little boy who was standing next to me with wide eyes, his hand still clasped in my own.

"This is my son, Bronx," I introduced, pulling the shocked boy into my arms.

"Hey, Bronx," All the guys greeted, waving as well.

Bronx started up at me then said, "You didn't tell me that you know Avenged Sevenfold! And can we not go meet your friend Brian, I want to stay here with these guys, okay? They're way better," he whispered in my ear, loud enough that I could hear, and possibly Syn, but no one else.

I rolled my eyes and pointed to the brown haired guitarist. "That's Brian."

Bronx looked at me questioningly. "No." he stated, "That's Syn."

Everyone chuckled, including me as Bronx looked at us cluelessly.

Brian stepped forward slightly so that he could catch my son's attention. "My real name is Brian," he said, a smile gracing his lips.

Bronx looked him up and down, causing a chuckled to erupt through out our group. Finally Bronx stared him straight in the eyes, his own wrinkling with concentration. "I knew that your name couldn't be Syn!" he accused mater-a-factly. A smile on his face as he realized that he was standing with his favorite band.

When the laughter subsided, Bronx wiggled out of my arms and stared up at the four men in front of him like he was sizing them up, but still too shy to say anything more to them.

"I like your hair, Bronx," Johnny commented as Bronx poked at his mohawk, making sure that it was still in place.

"Thanks!" Bronx cheered, "I like your mohawk too!" he shouted, grinning up at Johnny.

We began to walk out to the end of the pier. Mandi walked with Matt and Johnny as Zacky chased Bronx down the pier, flipping the guys off when they made comments about him needing the exercise. Brian and I walked behind the group of them, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"How was your morning?" Brian questioned, squinting as he looked at me when the sun glinted off of his deep down eyes.

I sighed, and then smiled. "Eventful."

Brian tilted his head to the side the way a curious puppy would. "Why's that?" he asked, turning his eyes to watch the planks of wood that we walked on.

"Don't worry about it," I told him with a shrug, "Just the boyfriend having a fit."

Brian nodded in understanding.

"Yours?" I questioned, looking up at him.

He shrugged and then chuckled at the similarity. "Same. Michelle had a bitch-fit."

I giggled at his voice of words and he smiled at me, the tension between us melting away in the unusually hot October air. "I'm glad you called," he told me, reaching out and clasping his warm hand in my own.

I grinned up at him, unsure of the contact, but not wanting to pull away from him. "Me too. It's amazing that I get to hang out with my favorite band. It's almost unreal," I spoke, hoping that I didn't sound too much like a fangirl, even though that's obviously how I'd been coming across these last few days.

Brian nodded, "I know what that's like. I get to play on stage with some of the bands that I grew up listening to, it's surreal still."

"What I would give to have your life!" I laughed, shoving him playfully.

Brian grinned and pushed me back gently, not saying a word.

"Ohh!" I stated, "It's gonna be that way!" I challenged, watching as Brian's grin grew into that infamous, breathtaking smirk that the world had to come know as his "Synyster Gates Smirk."

My eyes grew wide and I shrieked in laughter, catching the attention of the guys and Bronx as I raced off. Brian grunted loudly behind me and ran after me. I pushed through Johnny and Matt and ran as fast as I could so that I was getting closer and closer to Bronx.

"Baby, save me!" I shouted as he stood over halfway down the pier. Bronx smiled at me raised his arms so that I could picked him up. I yanked him up into my arms and held him to my chest, facing away from me with my arms wrapped under his butt. Bronx and I both shouted in fear and with him in my arms we began to run to the end, and when I got there I realized that I couldn't go any farther and I heard Brian's triumphant shout, realizing the same thing.

Zacky came walking up behind Brian with a sly smile and Brian nodded at him once. Zacky came waltzing towards us. "Hand over the kid," he told me, reaching his arms out to pull Bronx from me.

"Nuh uh," I murmured as Bronx curled around in my arms and wrapped his arms around my neck.

"Oh come on, Nissa. I won't hurt him." Zacky shrugged, taking another cautionary step towards us. I took a step back, cursing when my back rammed into the wooden railing.

Both men laughed evilly, trying to hide their smiles as Zacky rushed forward and pulled Bronx from me. Bronx's eyes grew wide as he began to playfully struggle with the green eyed guitarist.

"Mommy, run!" Bronx screamed, pointing at me. And all at once I took his advice before it could register and ran. I kept my gaze settled on the two onlooking musicians that were standing about halfway down the pier, next to a giggling young woman who was pointing at me. I screeched as tattooed arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me flush against a warm chest, lifting my feet from the ground.

My feet stopped kicking as my eyes traveled up the arms that were clasped around me. Monster after monster showed on the tanned skin. Broad shoulders came after, a shirt with no sleeves and then a handsome face, a chiseled jaw with high cheek bones. Thin lips with a smile plastered across them.

His brown eyes were shinning and this time, not from the sun. His height about four inches taller than me, let me nestle my head under his chin as he pulled me tighter against him. Bronx moaned in defeat from where Zacky had flung the four year old onto his back.

I glared at up at Brian and he just smirked as he lead me to the rest of the guys, Zacky and Bronx falling into step beside us. Brian pulled away from me almost completely, just leaving his right arm wrapped around my shoulders loosely. I smiled up at him, my anger leaving me as his smirk was replaced with an actual grin. I wandered out of his grasp as we came closer to the others, ignoring the pout on Brian's face.

"Poor baby," I mumbled sarcastically and quietly as Mandi stood there, all smiles. I rolled my eyes and waved to Matt.

"Hey Matt," I greeted, watching as that famous dimpled smile came onto his face. I cooed and watched as he and the others chuckled at me.

"You're so cute." I grinned, "People think that you're tough and all, but really, I've told everyone that you're just a big teddy bear!"

Matt's smile left his face as I ridiculed him. "You told everyone?" He groaned, hiding his face in his hands as laughter erupted through us all. "Come on, Nissa. That was a band secret."

"Mommy!" Bronx shouted to get my attention. I turned to him with a questioning look and he began to talk rapidly. I watched his lips for a moment, wondering what he was saying and then all at once Johnny reached down and placed a hand over the young boy's mouth. Bronx looked up at him and stopped talking.

"Talk slower..." Johnny chastised and Bronx nodded beginning to tell his story in ultra slow motion.

"This is so fun!" Bronx stated, giving us the summarized version of his tale. I nodded in response and he began to talk again, this time looking up at the guys from when Zacky set him on the pier, "You know," he trailed off, "ny birthday is coming up!" The way he said birthday, made the 'th' sound like an 'f' and everyone chuckled, nodding for him to keep talking. "And I was wondering," Bronx murmured, instantly becoming shy, "If you guys would come to my party?"

The guys sent each other looks as Amanda and I sent the other 'aww' faces. Moments later Brian shrugged, throwing his arm back around my shoulder with a shrug. "I don't see why not. When is it?"

Bronx grinned happily up at Zacky who reached down for a high five. Bronx stated, "October 7th." Happily as he jumped up and down, his hair not moving at all.

The rest of the time we spent in the sand, building castles with Bronx, and Brian and I walking along the shore where the tide rolls in, completely un-oblivious to the freezing water crashing around our bare ankles.

Bronx, Amanda, and I watched as the guys played a quick round of football, pretending that they had become NFL stars and not huge rockstars. At first I thought that Matt would plow right through the other guys, especially Johnny, but when the bassist managed to get fourth down without letting Matt nor Zacky cross the middle line, I was incredibly impressed and unimpressed at the same time.

But eventually the sun began to fade and Bronx sighed, not having a nap today because of the fact that we spent the day at the pier and the excitement wouldn't allow him to sleep either way. Brian walked the three of us to my car, carrying the sleeping Bronx in his arms, the younger boy drooling on his shoulder.

When we got there, Amanda took Bronx from Brian and loaded the child into the car before walking around to the passengers side and getting in herself to give us some privacy.

"I had a good time," I told Brian, watching as he leaned against the door of the drivers side with a lazy smile.

"Me too." He nodded, his hair barely falling out of place.

I smiled and leaned up to wrap my arms around his neck in a quick hug, his monster covered arms wrapped around my waist.

"You know," I whispered in his ear, "I'm holding Bronx's party to you."

Brian chuckled and nodded as he released me, "We'll be there."

I put a stern look on my face, for my son's sake. "You better be!"

Brian leaned down and placed a kiss on my cheek before he opened the car door for me, "We will be." he reassured, motioning for me to get into the car.

I nodded as I got in and when he shut the door, I waved and buckled my seatbelt. I started the car and drove off, stealing several glances in my rearview mirror as Mandi sent me a knowing look, one I just shrugged off.

I was grateful that she kept her words to herself. I wasn't sure how I could argue with the obvious.