Girls On Film

Avery sat on the bench watching the cars stop and go in front of her. Her legs were pulled up tightly to her chest and her head was still resting in Jimmy's shoulder. Jimmy just sat there, lighting cigarette after cigarette trying to calm his nerves. Nothing seemed to be working. Not the cigarette's, not the cool breeze, not even Avery's hand that was caressing the back of his neck. Nothing. He wanted to go back to the bar he'd been to earlier, but knew that he would get drunk and wouldn't be able to face Sophie. He let out a long aggravated sigh which caused Avery's hand to leave his neck and drop down his back. "Stop it." She whispered to him. "Stop trying to feel sorry for yourself." This only caused Jimmy to sigh again. "If you do it one more time Jimmy, I swear..." She smiled. Jimmy tried to smile, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Now it was Avery's turn to sigh. "You should be happy." She said softly.

"I am happy." He said. "I'm fucking ecstatic."

"Then act like it." She said.

"I can't."

"Well," Avery sighed. "You better try before you get back to Sophie. Because she'll know just how happy you are." They were both silent for a moment. Avery's hand had returned to the back of Jimmy's neck. She was trying her hardest to get Jimmy out of this funk. In an odd way, she cared about Jimmy and Sophie's relationship as much as she cared about the one she shared with Jeffey. Even though Avery was just talking a gang of shit about Sophie the previous day, she really liked her. She wasn't lying when she told Jimmy that she was the best girl he's ever dated. Now he was going to have a child with her. Sure, he wasn't ready, but it was no reason for him to be upset and mopey. He should be happy and trying to prepare himself anyway possible.

"Hey." Johnny said as he pushed his way out of the hotel doors. "What're you guys doing out here?" He asked.

"Nothing." Jimmy said as Avery shrugged.

"We're going to go find a bar." Johnny said. Not a second later did the rest of the guys come out the hotel talking and laughing.

"Avery." Matt smiled. "Shouldn't you be upstairs with Jeffey?" He asked. Avery nodded.

"You coming or what?" Zacky asked the two of them. Avery just shook her head.

"No." Jimmy said.

"Whatever." Johnny said. "We'll see you when we get back." The all walked off down the street, leaving Jimmy and Avery back to their peaceful state.

"You haven't told them yet?" She asked him. Jimmy shook his head.

"No." He said. "You're the first." Avery nodded as she rested her head back on his shoulder. In the past twenty minutes, they've shown more affection towards each other than they have in the last two weeks. Jimmy was the first to notice. When he brought it to Avery's attention, she just shrugged.

"It's not surprising." She said. It wasn't. They've been doing this since grade school. "Look," She said as she stood up. "It's getting cold, and I've got to go back to my room and celebrate my engagement." She smiled. "You going be okay down here," She asked. "All by yourself?" Jimmy nodded, smiling a bit. "You should probably go up to see Sophie." And just like that the smile was gone. She took her hand and pushed back his hair so she could give him a kiss on his forehead. "Don't stay out here too long." She said. She began walking back towards the entrance but stopped at the doors. "And don't you dare go to a bar."

When she got back upstairs to her room, she found Jeffey half asleep, just where she left him. "What took you so long?" Jeffey yawned from his spot in the bed.

"Jimmy needed to talk." She said as she got in with him. "Sophie's pregnant."

"Yea?" Jeffey asked.

"Yea." Avery sighed.

"Does he not want it?"

"Ah..." Avery looked down at her nails. She wasn't sure if she should be talking to Jeffey about this. Jimmy hadn't even told his bandmates. Avery was sure he didn't want Jeffey knowing before them. "I'd say he's undecided."

"I hate leaving you." Avery sighed as she wrapped her arms around Jeffey.

"The week went by way too fast." Jeffey said.

"Tell me about it." Sophie said as she made her way to Jimmy. Jimmy and Avery wouldn't be able to say their goodbyes at the airport, the band had to get back on the road as soon as possible.

"Have a safe flight." Avery said to Jeffey. He leaned down and gave her kiss.

"Don't take that off." He said pointing to her ring. Avery giggled.

"I won't." She smiled. "I promise." She then turned around and looked at Jimmy and Sophie, and for the first time, since Jimmy and Sophie had been dating, she cried. She had her arms wrapped around his middle and her face was pushed into his chest.

"Why aren't you crying?" Jeffey smiled down at Avery. It was odd. Avery wasn't crying, and Sophie was bawling into Jimmy's chest. Must be the end of the world. "All cried out?" Jeffey joked.

"I must be." She said. "Call me as soon as you get home, okay?"

"Okay." Jeffey said giving her another kiss. "I love you."

"Love you too." Avery smiled. Jeffey slung his bag over his shoulder. He turned to the guys and said his goodbyes to them. Avery stood back and watched Sophie and Jimmy. Sophie was standing on the curb, her hands clinging onto the sides of Jimmy shirt. He was whispering something to her as he handed her her bag. Avery wished she knew what he was saying, because whatever it was seemed to make her cry even more. She did catch one thing he said to her, I love you. She said it back before kissing him and sliding into the back seat of the cab. Jimmy then shut the door and looked back at Avery. She quickly looked at Jeffey, not wanting Jimmy to know she was being nosey.

"All right babe." Jeffey sighed. "I've go to go now." Avery nodded and stood on the tips of her toes to kiss him. She tried her hardest to pinch out a few tears for him, but she couldn't. "Bye." She said to him as he got in the cab with Sophie. Avery waved to them both as the cab drove off, leaving her feeling as empty as she did before he came.

"You're not going to start getting moody again, are you?" Brian asked as he put on his backpack. Avery shrugged.

"Maybe." She said. She grabbed her bag that was at her feet and followed the guys to their bus. "You're not going to continue to be an asshole are you?" She asked. Brian smiled at her and shrugged.

"You know there's no changing me." They all hopped on the bus and waited patiently for the ride to begin.

"I need a drink." Avery said as she put her bag in her bunk.

"Me too." Jimmy said lying down in his bunk. Avery sat down on the floor and began to take off her shoes. "That was weird, huh?" Jimmy asked.

"What?"

"Sophie crying." He said. Avery nodded.

"I thought I would never see the day." She said. "It wasn't just about her leaving though, was it?" Avery asked. Jimmy shook his head. Avery climbed into his bunk and laid down next to him.

"You know we found out about our next tour." He said. Avery nodded. "Well, Sophie was upset because I wouldn't be there when she had the baby."

"Oh." Avery said. "I would be pretty upset too."

"Yea." Jimmy said. "I understand. But she started saying how she didn't know if she should have it now. She said she doesn't want to do it alone."

"She wants to get rid of it?" Avery asked. Jimmy nodded.

"She's thinking about it now." He sighed. "I was trying to tell her not to do anything until we worked somethig out, you know?" Avery nodded. "But..." He stopped and let out another sigh.

"Hopefully she won't do anything." Avery said as she rested her head on his shoulder. They were both silent for a few minutes. The entire bus was silent. But it gradually started to get louder as the bus began to move. "I could really use a drink right about now." Avery said.

"Me too." Jimmy said again. "Want to go get something?" Jimmy asked. Avery nodded as she sat up and slid out of his bunk. They both walked out to the front to find the rest of the guys had started without them. There were already numerous bottle of alcohol spread across the small table.

"You guys are going to drink most of this before we get to the next stop." Avery said as she sat down.

"This is everything Zacky bought today." Johnny said. "We still have a cabinet full of stuff." Avery looked down at the different shapes and colors of the bottles. She didn't know what to chose. She didn't really have a favorite. She doesn't really drink much anymore. Now she was just one of those 'special occasion' drinkers.

"Here." Brian said handing her a glass of something dark.

"What is it?" She asked as she sniffed it.

"Just drink it." He said. Avery set it down.

"Can I just have a beer?" She asked.

"This isn't a bar, gorgeous." Johnny said. Avery looked down at the bottles in front of her.

"You could've fooled me." She said. Jimmy picked up the glass the Brian had given her and took a drink.

"See." Brian said. "It won't kill you. Drink it." Avery looked up at Jimmy. He cleared his throat and nodded towards the glass.

"If you don't want it, I'll take it." Avery sighed as she picked up the glas in front of her. She brought it up to her lips and looked around at the guys, before taking a sip. She nearly choked on it. It burned the back of her throat and tasted horrible.

"You like it?" Brian asked her. Avery set down the glass and cleared her throat as Jimmy did earlier.

"I'd like that beer now."