I'll Be Here Waiting

Zacky was pacing around the side alleyway like a frantic lunatic. This wasn't something he did very often, but he was angry. No, not angry, infuriated! It took an awful lot to make mad, especially this mad. In fact, this was possibly the angriest he had ever been in his entire life. He wasn't even this mad when she left. If anything he was upset when she had deserted him, NY angry. The memory of her departure flashed through his angry pron mind mind as he furiously inhaled the cigarette that was clenched between his pieced lips.

It was a chilly late afternoon in mid November as Zack walked toward the restaurant Danni was working at. He had just gotten done with band practice at Matt's garage & was on his way to meet Danni before she got off work. He felt strange as his feet carried him the few blocks it took to arrive there. Something just seemed, different, out of place. He shrugged it off, though, figuring it probably just had something to do with the chilly air that was all around him.

Sitting down at the bar, he lit up a smoke while his eyes scanned the building in search of Danni. She wasn't anywhere in his sight, but he did see her boss, Darren, approaching him.

"Hello Zack, what brings you here today?" Darren asked politely as he came to stand on the right side of Zacky.

"Just waiting for Danni as always." Zack quickly took a glance at his watch. "She in the back punching out?"

Darren gave Zack an odd, questioning look. "Danni didn't show up for work today, Zack. She didn't call in or anything."

That was it, that was all it took for Zacky to rush out of the restaurant. His paces were quicker than normal as he turned, sprinting onto his street. Sounds of The Misfits came blaring as he through open the door to his basement while rushing down the stairs. There he found his brother Matt getting drunk with a few friends. Almost instantly he shut the music off getting protesting glares as his presence became known.

"What the fuck Zack!?" His brother yelled in a drunken slur.

"Where's Danni?"

"I dunno, she fucking left like 10 minutes ago."

"What do you mean she left?" Zack spoke, frozen in place.

"I don't fucking know! She grabbed all her shit & left!"

He was no longer frozen on the spot. He was running full speed down the back roads of Huntington Beach until he finally caught sight of her.

Zacky tightly closed his eyes as the memory came flooding back like a tidal wave. He began shaking in anger & pain before slamming his fist into the brick wall behind him. He barely flinched as he watched the blood drip into a small puddle onto the cracked pavement..

"What the fuck was Johnny thinking, bringing her here after 8 fucking years!"

He was shouting to himself as hie lit up another cigarette, completely ignoring the blood seeping from his left fist. He didn't need to turn around when he heard small footsteps behind him. He knew exactly who it was.

"What're you doing here Danielle?" He asked, taking along drag in.

Danni sighed at the name he had used. "I'm beginning to wonder that myself." She said, fiddling with her hands, eyes on the ground just like always.

"Is that suppose to be funny?" Zack took a final drag before tossing the butt. "Because it's not." He still hadn't turned to face her.

"I wasn't trying to be funny, Zack. I just wanted to talk."

He didn't say anything, just folding his arms about his chest, back still facing her.

"At least look at me, Zack."

He laughed loud. "And where have I heard THAT before?" He said mockingly.

"Oh stop being so hypocritical, Zacky!" Danni snapped back.

Zacky finally turned to face her. "I'M being hypocritical? You're that one that fucking left!"

"I didn't have a choice, Zack!"

"Yes, you did.You could've stayed. But instead you ran off just like you always do instead of trying to fix the problem. But whatever, I guess I wasn't important bough to make you stay."

He started to walk off but Danni wasn't about to let him leave that easily without letting her explain.

"I get it, Zacky! Okay! I fucked up! Big fucking surprise there, another mistake for Danni! You think I don't realize that? I left because I didn't want to hurt you!"

Zack turned around slowly in anger. "You didn't want to hurt me? You LEFT Danni! You ran off without explain why! I waited every fucking day for almost 8 years. Part of me DIED when you left. But so much for not wanting to hurt me. Well guess what, Danielle, I'm done waiting. I've moved on, & maybe you should, too."

It was his turn to leave her this time. He walked back inside to arena, slamming the door dramatically as he bitterly walked past his band-mates who had been ever so covertly listening from behind the closed door.

Danni dropped to her knees, sobbing into her hands. That seemed to be the only she knew how to do anymore. And she hated it. She hated feeling weak & defenseless.

Brian cautiously kneeled in front of her, trying his best to comfort his hurting friend.

"Don't blame yourself, kid, Zack's just upset. He doesn't know what he's saying."

Danni sniffled. "But it is my fault, Syn. He has every right to be mad at me after what I did. I just wish there was a way I could make everything alright again."

Brian turned toward Matt, Johnny & Jimmy, contemplating for a second before turning his head back to Danni.

"Come home with us." He stated simply.

Lifting her head, Danni gave a quizzical look, not quite understanding him correctly as she wiped away her tear-stained face.

"Come back to Orange County with us."

"Yea, Dan. Come back home, make a fresh start. I'm sure Val would love to see you. We all want you there." Matt, who was now kneeling next to Brian, said.

"Yea, all but Zacky." She said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Fuck Zack! He'll just have to get over it! Jimmy yelled, hands thrown up in the cool air.

Danni couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm, & random outbursts.

She did miss Huntington Beach. There was no other place in the world that even came close to Orange County.

The thought lingered in her mind for a few moments before finally deciding on her choice. There was no way she could say no to them. She was going home, no matter how much things would be different for better or worse, she was going back to the place & people she left behind. The place & people she loved the most.