Seize the Day

“Drinking is out there, yes?” I asked pointing at the doorway. Since he was just standing there smiling at me, I knew it was out of my control. I gave in. I turned to face him, put my arms back around him and tried to ask the question that was on my mind. “So. ‘Seize the Day,’ huh?” was about all I could manage. “I hadn’t heard you guys play that one live in a while.”

That grin I’d come to enjoy so much made another appearance, and if it were possible, his dimples looked even deeper than usual. “After that story you told me the other night,” he said, as he moved his hand down my back to trace the spot where he knew the lyrics to that song were etched into my skin, “I asked the guys if we could add it to the setlist tonight. It was going to be mostly the Nightmare stuff, but I really wanted to play it for you.”

Oh god. He did play it for me. For me. My brain was churning a hundred miles a minute.

“Why?” I choked out after a pause that was far too long. Really? Really, V? Someone just told you they changed their band’s entire song list plan foryou, and all you can say is “why?”

He chuckled. “You’re welcome, Vivienne,” he breathed, touching his forehead to mine.

“I mean, thank you. Of course, thank you,” I said. “But why?” I added again. What the fuck, man? I chastised myself. Just take it and go on!

“You really don’t handle compliments and favors well, do you?” Luckily, he still thought it was funny or cute that I couldn’t figure out why in the world someone would want to do something so simply amazing for just plain old me, and wasn’t offended at my battery of questions.

“I really don’t,” I said, looking at my feet. I was blushing again, but for a totally different reason this time. “Never have.”

“Well, you’re going to have to get used to that, too,” he said. He lifted my chin up and looked into my eyes. “Because I’m not going to stop.”

“Of course you are,” I spat. The words came out before I had time to think about them, let alone formulate them. “I’m leaving in four days, to go back to Kentucky, to my stupid fucking life in the mid-South. My stupid fucking job, my stupid fucking apartment, and you’re going to stay here, and continue to live your life without me.” For as emotional as I’d suddenly become, I willed myself not to cry. I put my head on his chest.

He took a deep breath before speaking. “Then don’t,” was all he said, very quietly.

“What are you saying?” I asked, shocked.

“Well, you don’t seem thrilled about going back to Kentucky, and I don’t think I’m ready to let you go yet,” he said, holding me tighter still.

“Is that so?” I asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. I was too taken aback to remember how upset I had been just a second ago. “Don’t I get a say in the matter?”

“Of course. It’s your decision.” His smile faded the tiniest bit. “I guess I was just hoping you’d let me have a say.”

You’ve got to be kidding me, I thought. This is so not happening. M. Shadows is not trying to talk me out of going back to my normal life, and is not trying to convince me to stay in California. Withhim.

He saw the wheels turning. “Are you thinking about it?”

“Of course I am!” I wailed. “There no reason not to think about it. There’s no sane reason not to decide to stay right here.” I wiggled one arm free to point a finger in his chest. “Except, of course, that the whole idea is completely and utterly insane.”

“That’s what I thought,” he grinned. “Just think about it, okay?”

“Why are you so adamant about me staying here, anyway?” I asked, seriously.

“Like I said, I’m not ready to let you go just yet,” he said. That part was certainly true -- if he held me any tighter, breathing was going to begin to get difficult. “I’ve gotten a little attached to you, I guess.” It was his turn to look slightly embarrassed. “And I feel like I should at least let you know that you have another option. You know, ‘Seize the Day,’ and all.”

A-ha! There it is. He played the song as much for himself as he had for me! Maybe he had to psych himself up for this conversation.

“Right. ‘Seize the Day.’” I replied, allowing myself get a little loopy off the fact this conversation was even happening. “I guess maybe I’ve gotten a little attached to you, too, Matt.” I felt him chuckle. “I mean, while we’re going all full-disclosure. ‘Seize the Day,’ and all.”

“Right. ‘Seize the Day,’” he repeated me.

I couldn’t help but laugh and squeeze him. Of course, my grip had nothing on his, but I gave it a shot anyway. He laughed again.

“Ok, what am I supposed to do?” I asked. “I’ve got a job at home, a place to live there. Here, I’ve got nothing.”

“You’ve got friends here,” he told me. “And besides, you just told me your job and your apartment were both stupid.” He pointed a finger at me. “Your friends here just so happen to be sort of influential in a couple of circles.” He winked. He was plotting something, I could see it.

“No! Oh, no you don’t,” I nearly growled. “I won’t let you do that. Small favors are bad enough. Life-altering favors will not be tolerated.” He was lucky his firm grasp held my arms down. Otherwise I’d likely have slugged him. Not that I could have hurt him. “I’ll see about getting a job with Sara for now.”

Great. Waiting tables again. That’s just fucking great, I thought.

“Then I guess you don’t want to know about the executive assistant opening that I know for a fact is coming up in our management team’s office?” he asked, smirking. My jaw dropped. “I know you’re qualified, since it’s what you do now.”

Wow, he was paying more attention to me while I was rambling that even I would have, I thought.

“Yes, V, I paid attention when you talked.” He read my mind. I just stared at him, mouth still agape. “Anyway, one of the assistants is retiring at the end of next week, and they haven’t found a replacement yet.” He kissed my forehead.

“You’d help me get my name in for it?” I wasn’t sure if I’d have the guts to do it on my own. Waltz into a big name management team office and name drop Avenged Sevenfold to get a job? I doubt it.

“Of course I would,” he answered quickly. “Plus, the exec isn’t in our division, so it wouldn’t be a, um, well, a conflict of interest.” He cleared his throat.

“What wouldn’t be?” I asked before realizing. “Oh. This,” I said nodding at his chest, since my arms were trapped.

“But, yes,” he continued. “Get your resume together and I’ll go with you to take it in.”

“You’re too amazing, do you know that?” I asked. I wasn’t sure that I had grasped the extent of it yet, either.

“Nah,” he grinned. “I’m just really good at getting what I want, that’s all.”

“Oh really?” I asked. “And just what exactly is it that you want?” I held my breath, not really knowing what to expect as an answer.

“Well, my first goal was to get you to at least get you to think about staying here with me,” he said. “That one worked, so on to goal number t…”

It was my turn to read his mind. I wrenched my arms free and raised my hands to cradle his face, interrupting his sentence. “Goal number two?” I mumbled as my lips found his. My forward action caught him off guard at first. After a split-second, he hummed a soft moan and kissed me back. My instant reaction was to giggle, while my mouth was still connected to his.

He broke the kiss first, pulling back just a tiny bit. “How did you know that was goal number two?” he breathed, his forehead still touching mine.

I giggled again, giddy from the moment. “I didn’t. I only hoped it was,” I said. “It was my goal number one, so I took a chance.”

“Good guess.” He kissed me again.

After a second, a minute, an hour, or a lifetime, I don’t know, I finally needed air. I took his face between my palms again and gently separated us from each other. I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck. “You know everyone’s going to be wondering where we are,” I whispered.

He kissed my cheek. “Let ‘em wonder.”

“But remember last Friday? I was taking up too much of your time, and they sent Brian looking for you,” I reminded him.

“Damnit, Vivienne,” he said. “Are you always such a know-it-all?” He was grinning that grin again.

I grinned back. “Yes, but it’s only because I actually do know it all!”

“I guess I’ll have to keep that in mind,” he laughed.

“Fuckin’ A, you will,” I said, stealing another quick kiss. “We really should get to the party. I should make sure Sara’s still standing.”

“Fine,” he pouted. Well, he tried to pout. He was still smiling too much for it to be effective. The only thing it accomplished was making his dimples pop even more, if that was even possible.

“You know you’re going to kill me with these things one day, right?” I used my index fingers to depress the indentations in his cheeks further. He just laughed. “No, really. You’re going to dimple-dazzle me straight into the grave!”

“Come on,” he said, purposely exaggerating the dimples. “We’ve got a party to attend.”

I grabbed his hand before he had a chance to reach for mine. “Seize the day, right?” I beamed. We walked out the door into the hallway, heading to the main venue room, our friends, and the bar. Just as we stepped onto the main floor, I bumped into Brian.

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“Dude, I was just,” he started.

“See? I fucking told you!” I poked Matt in the ribs, cutting Brian off, mid-sentence.

“Know-it-all,” he huffed, poking me back.

“Huh?” Brian just stared at us, confused.

“She was just telling me that one of you would be back looking for us soon,” Matt said. “So I told her she’s a fucking know-it-all.”

“Good thing I’m a cute fucking know-it-all, isn’t it?” I grinned.

“Man, I told you she was good!” Brian trilled to Matt, high-fiving me.

“Where’s Sara?” I asked. “You guys haven’t corrupted her yet, have you?

“Corrupted her?” Brian pointed to the other side of the room. “I’d be more concerned about her corrupting us!”

“Somehow, I highly doubt that.” It was Matt who replied.

“Hey!” Brian exclaimed, as we pushed past him to get to the rest of the group.

“Where the fuck have you been, bitch?” Sara ran over to us as soon as she saw us approach the table. However, her too-close-for-comfort embrace was directed at Matt rather than me. He just looked at me and shrugged.

I slapped my hand over my face. “Who gave her tequila?” I shrieked.

“That would be me,” Brian said, sheepishly raising his hand behind us. “How did you know that?” he and Matt asked simultaneously.

I pried Sara off Matt. “Whiskey does it for me, tequila does it for Sara,” I said. “It’s almost an aphrodisiac!”

“How was I supposed to know that?” Brian wailed.

“So, who has she groped?” I asked.

Nearly every single person at the table raised their hand, and then burst into laughter.

“I can’t help it! You know it’s not my fault,” Sara pled. “I was telling Syn and Zacky stories about some of our crazy times, and Synyster thought it would be funny to test the theory.”

“Way to go, Synyster,” I chided, ruffling his hair and mocking Sara‘s tone. “Shithead.”

“Well, sounds like we’ve got some catch-up drinking to do.” Matt had situated himself behind me, arms locked around my waist.

“Mm, I don’t think I’ll be drinking much tonight,” I said. “I am not about to get drunk and forget what happened again! Besides, it’s funnier if I let Sara get schwasted and have the proof for the morning. I know you’re not drinking much either. We drove your car, remember?”

“Of course I remember,” he said. “How else was I supposed to get you come out? Want a beer?”

“Sure, thanks,” I said as he turned to walk to the bar. That old line about not wanting him to go, but liking to watch him leave came to my head.

We all sat for a couple of hours reminiscing and storytelling, both me and Sara and the rest of the crew, who had of course, known each other since the beginning of time, it seemed. Matt and I were the only sober, coherent bodies at the table. Everyone else was completely and worthlessly drunk, but having fun all the while. Here and there one or a couple of people would get up from the table and wander around the room, dancing, slurring, and stumbling about. It was quite entertaining, actually.

Finally, Sara came staggering back to the table. “Guys, I think I’ve had enough rockstar fun for one night. Can we go home before I do something stupid?” she begged. “Or worse -- do something not stupid but not remember it?”

Matt laughed. “Of course.” He looked at me. “You ready to call it a night, too?”

“No,” I replied coyly. “But I’m sure ready to get out of here.” I winked at him suggestively.

He choked on the gulp of Coke he’d just taken. When he caught his breath, he looked at me with his mouth hanging open slightly.

I returned the laugh. “I was kidding, sheesh!” I kissed his cheek. “You’re really damn cute when you’re panicky, though.” I winked again.

He returned the quick kiss. “Very funny,” he muttered.

“Seriously, guys,” Sara scoffed. “I’m already feeling sick. You two are gonna make me puke!”

I kissed Matt again, just for good measure. I heard Sara mocking a vomit noise, and hoped to everything that it was indeed a mocked noise.

“I’ll take you girls back to Sara’s place. Let me go tell the guys and get the car.” He squeezed my hand before he let it go to leave.

“I thought he’d never leave!” Sara giggled. “You have to tell me what happened back there!” It’s a good thing I’d dealt with Sara drunk before. I was fluent in her slurring.

“I’ll tell you tomorrow,” I told her. “If I tell you tonight, you know damn well you won’t remember tomorrow, and I’ll just have to repeat it all over again.” I patted her head, which was now resting in my lap.

“You’re right,” she sighed. “Such a know-it-all.”

“Why does everyone keep telling me that?” I cried.

“Telling you what?” Zack had suddenly reappeared at the table.

“That I’m apparently an insufferable know-it-all,” I pouted. “Everyone hates me, Zacky. I can’t help it I’m smart!” He just stared and laughed at me. “See? You all hate me, don’t you?” I over-exaggerated as much emotion as I could, burying my face in my palms. They could all see I was laughing, though.

“Shut up,” Sara hissed. “No one hates you.”

“I can’t say that no one hates you, but I at least know for a fact that not everyone does.” Matt’s silky rich voice should have startled me, but the sound was too calming to do so.

“Thanks,” I pouted again. “I’m glad to know not everyone hates me.”

“Oh god, he’s back,” Sara giggled. “We need to get to the car fast, before I vomit everywhere.”

“Agreed,” Zacky added, rolling his eyes. “You need help to the car?” he asked Sara.

“No!” she yelled. “I can walk just fine, Zacky Vengeance, thankyouverymuch.” He held up his palms in surrender, taking a step backward as she slid out of the booth seat, and tried to stand. Matt caught her with one hand as she lilted back onto the bench. “On second thought, maybe, yeah,” she resigned to Zack. He just laughed and helped her out of the seat again.

The four of us made our way to the front entrance where Matt’s gorgeous green car awaited us. Zack helped Sara fall into the car, where she laid out across the back seat. “Thanks, man,” Matt told Zack with a handshake. “We’ll catch you all later. Be careful!”

It had become clear that each of the four guys had a specific role in the group. Matt was obviously the big brother type, making sure everyone was safe and sound. Johnny was the annoying kid brother who always tagged along, Brian was the wild child, and Zack was just a sweetheart, a normal, regular dude.