You Get The Cake, I'll Start The Car

"Jimmy!" I cried, stumbling behind Violet and him in my high heels. Why my sister made me wear them when I hate being taller than I already am at 5'7, is something I will never know. I can barely walk in them as well, but she doesn't care about that small detail.

"I gotta go tinkle!"

"You have to what?" The tall man giggled releasing my hand.

Violet frowned, "What have I told you about going before we leave the house?"

"It's a natural occurrence!"

And that's when I noticed the booming laughter all around me. The bar had only opened about ten minutes ago, so all the regulars couldn't have been there already could they? With red checks I turned around to see..... them. Each one of them was laughing at me, including him.

"I'm gonna go now," I blushed, running off into the one stall bathroom.

I slammed the door to the bathroom, locked it, and then slid down to the floor with my knees to my chest, all thoughts of using the bathroom gone. Why couldn't I be cooler? Or at least in front of him. I wasn't standing in front of him that long, but I'd seen plenty of pictures before.

His hazel eyes, over six feet stature, the dimples, the huge muscles, the ink...... I could go on. I'd been smitten with him for a few months now. I'd always been an Avenged Sevenfold fan, but I hadn't bothered seeing the pictures of the band's musicians until Violet got me a poster for my last birthday.

I rubbed my eyes, careful to go around the make-up. I hated wearing the shit because I was always rubbing my eyes. It's mainly because I'm tired all the time, but I think now it's just habit. I have a lot of habits. But at least the eye rubbing's a normal one.

I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over this. In high school, I never really had a boyfriend - well I had one, but we never got past first base. Pathetic, I know. I was always the klutzy, chubby, shy girl. I usually made a fool of myself daily, with out even trying. My two friends were like that too, but they were way too concerned about their grades. They graduated a year and a half early. We haven't talked since.

Sighing, I got up and did my business. I heard a soft little knock as I washed my hands.

"Can you hurry up! I gotta go tinkle!"

I smiled at Scarlett's loud voice. I taught her that phrase unintentionally. She's the greatest five-year-old ever.

"Hold your horses Scar," I laughed, opening the door to a crowded bar and the tiny toddler.

"Shannie!" She shrieked, latching onto my legs, before pushing my thighs to get me to walk out of the bathroom, "Wait for me pwease!"

I chuckled as she slammed the door in my face. A few minutes later, Scarlett wrenched the door open and launched herself into my arms, forcing me to carry her.

"I hasn't seen you in forevers," the tot mumbled into my shoulder.

"Babe, it's been less than a day."

She huffed, curling up in my arms as we traveled back to the bar. Scarlett loves to be carried. I placed her on the stool in front of her coloring book and sat down beside her. Luckily, Scarlett always sat on the end of the bar near the Employee Lounge so Alec and Ellie could watch her. It was also lucky for me that Avenged was on the opposite side of the bar.

"What's your poison tonight Blondie?" Monica asked me. She looked so busy making for drinks for everybody as Ellie delivered them and drooled over Zacky.

I shook my head, "Not even anti-venom tonight, but thank you."

She smiled, "DD tonight?" I shook my head for no. I didn't feel like making an even bigger fool of myself tonight.

Monica went off to make other customer's orders. I watched as Violet and Jimmy were the life of the party on the other side and the other people turning the small dance area into a little dance club as some awful rap song started to play. Matt was smiling and laughing with everyone as he slowly sipping a beer. He probably thinks I have the mind of a three-year-old.

I felt Scarlett lightly tug at my hoodie.

"Shannie, I'm cold."

I unzipped my gun jacket and placed it around her. It literally swallowed her.

"There ya go baby."

"Shannie?"

"What honey?"

"Why you no over there?" Scarlett pointed over to where the boys, Ellie, and Violet were.

"Because I want to spend tonight with my favorite niece silly!"

She gave me a 'yeah right’ look. Damn, she's too smart for her age.

"You and Daddy say it's bad to lie."

I sighed, "Scarlett, sometimes grown-ups just have their own reasons for not doing something."

"You're still lying." She pouted, "Can you carry me over to Mommy and Avenged Sevenfold?"

"God gave you two legs, use them." I grumbled, rubbing my face.

"Pwease?"

"Dammit! Why couldn't you inherit your father's not working puppy dog look?" I groaned, opening my arms to her.

She giggled and climbed on, my hoodie tightly clutched in her little hands to keep it from slipping off. Along the way, Scarlett managed to steal my hat and put it on her head. I didn’t care since I hated hats and she looked adorable with a too big hat on.

I tapped a giggling Ellie on the shoulder, “Your child requests your attention.”

“No I don’t!” The kid squirmed in my arms until I put her down.

“I wanted to get you to come over here since you kept looking at that guy!”

My face couldn't be any redder at that moment as I studied my shoes and listened to Ellie's laughter. She knew exactly what her daughter was talking about. I started to turn around.

"Well mission accomplished squirt. Now let's go color."

"You're going to abandon me for a coloring book!" Jimmy gasped, a hand over his heart. "I thought I meant more to you than that!"

"Oh Jimbo you do! But unfortunately, your heart is already taken, so what else is a girl to do?"

"But fair maiden, you have not met my fellow knights yet! They are Brian, Zacky, Johnny, Matt, and of course me, Jimmy!" He said, faking a British accent, and pointing to each of the band members.

I smiled at them all, hoping my face wasn't red anymore. They all returned the gesture and said hi. I kinda just stood there awkwardly in front of them, shifting my weight from one foot to another or playing with my piece sign necklace. I'm not a social butterfly at all.

"Would you like to sit?" Matt asked, motioning to the bar stool between his and Jimmy's. I nodded, biting my lip.

He grinned, in the friendly way, as I lightly sat on stool. I was so nervous it wasn't even funny. I stared at anything in front of me - the upside down glasses, the beer keg, and the shot glasses - anything to distract me from who I was sitting next too and to calm me down. I told you, I'm a pathetic person.

Matt finished his beer and set the glass down near my hand to get my attention.

"So, you're Violet's sister?"

"Yeah."

"She's a nice girl. I think she and Jimmy are a match made in heaven." He leaned his head over towards them. Violet was sitting Jimmy's lap, giggling to whatever he whispered into her ear.

“Yeah,” I nodded, wishing I wasn’t so socially awkward. I also wished Kade was here, but I knew that would never happen.

“Shannon! Let’s dance!” Ellie dragged me over to the make sift dance area.

“Shouldn’t you be working right now?”

“It’s my break! I wanna get Zacky’s full undivided attention!” She yelled over the music, getting me to dance with her. Oh what the hell, I thought as ‘Addiction’ by Dope came on.