Sister of Syn

"The city is at war, playtime for the young and rich. Ignore me if you see me 'cause I just don't give a shit!" I intoned, pulling Zacky's car into his driveway. "The city is at war; bless the young and rich with designer drugs and designer friends." I hopped out of the car and hurried inside. "I'm back!"

It was the night before we were scheduled to go back on the road. Zacky and I had decided to have a movie night with Matt, Sara, Brian, and Jeanie. After all, we hadn't seen them since the New Year's Eve party.

Zacky descended the staircase, hair wet from the shower. "Did you get everything?"

I held up two bags. "Enough popcorn to feed a third-world country and six movies guaranteed to make you young at heart."

Zacky took the bags, set them on a nearby table, and pulled me into his arms. His mouth covered mine; his hands slid up the back of my camisole. I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my body against his.

Suddenly, the front door opened. Zacky groaned and released his hold on me.

"Hey, guys!" Brian walked in. "Give me a hug, tiddlywink. I haven't seen you in over twenty-four hours. I barely remembered what you look like."

"Ha ha." I hugged him.

"Where are the others?" Zacky asked, heading for the kitchen.

Before Brian could answer, Matt, Sara, and Jeanie strolled through the front door, talking and laughing.

"What movies did you get?" Matt questioned.

I plopped down on the sofa. "I'll give you a hint: they're all Disney movies."

Sara frowned. "How is that a hint?"

"Aladdin, Mulan, The Aristocats, Oliver and Company, Finding Nemo, and The Lion King," Matt listed.

"You are correct," I confirmed.

Sara stared at us. "We know each other very well," Matt told her. "It's like we share one brain."

"Melia got the smarter half," Zacky cracked, coming back with three Heinekens. He handed one each to Brian and Jeanie, then opened the last one for himself. "If you kids want anything to drink, you know where the kitchen is."

"You can't call me a kid anymore," Matt said. "I mean, unless you consider Melia a kid, too. And what does that make you?"

"Matty, let me explain something to you," Zacky said, sitting beside me on the sofa. "You're my little brother and I'll always view you as a kid. The same way Brian will always view Melia as a kid."

Brian gave me an affectionate look. "Very true."

I smiled at him.

"So, what are we watching first?" Jeanie wanted to know.

"The Lion King!" Brian and I yelled.

Matt glanced at Jeanie with a grin. "Like you had to ask."

Jeanie sighed in mock resignation. "I know. I just keep hoping that the answer will be different one day."

"We could always watch Flesh for Frankenstein instead," Brian teased.

Jeanie rolled her eyes and swatted at him. Matt went to the kitchen and retrieved three Cokes for Sara, me, and himself while Brian put in the movie.

"Okay, I've got to give you the warning," Jeanie said to Sara. "Those two—" She pointed at Brian and me. "—will sing every damn song in these movies."

"And they have a tendency to quote Finding Nemo," Matt added, giving Sara and me our Cokes.

Sara arched an eyebrow, amused. "The tough and rowdy Synyster Gates has a soft spot for Disney movies?"

"Yep, and if you ever tell anyone, I'll kill you," Brian joked, situating himself on my other side. "Alright. Everyone ready?"

Jeanie laid across the recliner, head resting on one arm and legs draped over the other. Matt and Sara sprawled out on the floor with a blanket and some pillows. "Ready," the three of them responded simultaneously.

Brian started the movie.

*****

Most of the popcorn ended up being used as ammunition in a very rowdy popcorn war that spread all through the house. Brian and I annoyed the living hell out of everyone singing the Disney songs. Matt and Sara annoyed everyone by sneaking off to make out. (They ended up bombarded with popcorn.)

It was almost two in the morning by the time we all trudged upstairs to bed. Brian, Jeanie, Matt, and Sara were staying the night.

"I can't believe Brian actually has that damn song from Oliver and Company memorized," Zacky commented, stripping down to his boxers and crawling into bed.

I shrugged. "He can't help it. I watched that movie incessantly when it came out. He was the only one who would hang around and watch it with me." I changed into one of Zacky's tee-shirts and climbed into bed beside him.

"Your brother is a softy," Zacky stated.

"So?" My tone was a bit defensive.

"Easy, wild child." Zacky held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I think it's cute."

I giggled. "Cute? That's not a word one would normally use for Bri. I don't think I'd say that to his face."

Zacky chuckled.

"I HEAR YOU TWO IN THERE!" Brian shouted from the guest room next door. "GO TO SLEEP!"

I could hear Jeanie giggling. Zacky and I laughed.

"Wanna tease him?" Zacky asked with a devious smirk.

"What did you have in mind?"

Zacky attacked my ribs with his fingers. I squealed. "Zacky!" Giggling, I squirmed and tried to fight him off.

"DON'T MAKE ME COME IN THERE!" Brian called.

"DON"T MAKE ME COME IN THERE!" Zacky called back.

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE FUCK UP?" Matt hollered from the extra room at the end of the hallway. "WE'RE TRYING TO SLEEP IN HERE!"

"MATTY, I WILL KICK YOUR ASS!" Zacky threatened.

"BRING IT!" Matt challenged.

"REEL IN THE TESTOSTERONE!" Jeanie ordered. "AND GO TO SLEEP!"

"THANK YOU!" Sara and I both exclaimed.

"I'll show you testosterone," Zacky said, and kissed me deeply.

I drew back first. "We are so not doing this with my brother in the next room."

Zacky pouted. "Why not?"

"MELIA, ZACKY, GO TO SLEEP!" Brian yelled. "WE HAVE TO BE UP IN ABOUT FIVE HOURS, SO NO KINKY STUFF!"

Zacky blew a raspberry, and I heard Jeanie burst into another round of giggles. I laughed.

Zacky sighed dramatically. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to be content with being close to you."

"You should be anyway," I shot back.

"I am," he said seriously, and wrapped his arms around me, snuggling close.

*****

Touring with the boys was different now. I was no longer just a younger sibling tagging along; I was Zacky Vengeance's girlfriend. That little fact opened the door to a whole new world and the full rock star experience. Instead of going to a hotel room with Jeanie or Matt once we left the clubs, I now joined Zacky in his. And sex wasn't all that went on behind the closed doors. Jimmy and Kristy often hung out in the room with us because Jimmy and Zacky had an affinity for cocaine and the other guys were more into drinking than drugs. Or so I thought. Kristy sometimes snorted a few lines, but she usually just kept me company.

In the first month, I tried marijuana, cocaine, and crystal meth. I didn't like cocaine or crystal meth at all, so marijuana became my drug of choice. All it did was give me the munchies, and that I could handle.

Then, on Valentine's Day, Jimmy practically broke down the door of the hotel room Zacky and I were sharing.

"Whoa!" He stopped short upon entering, causing Kristy to almost run into him. "What the hell? Did you guys rob a florist?" Our room was filled with roses of almost every color.

Zacky laughed. "No. It's just that everyone bought Melia flowers for Valentine's Day."

"Yeah. Everyone except you, James," I said with a playful pout.

"I brought you something better," Jimmy claimed.

"What?" I queried curiously.

"I scored some heroin," he announced.

Zacky's green eyes widened. "Seriously?"

Jimmy nodded, looking proud of himself. "Oh yeah. I took the liberty of preparing it for us. All we've gotta do is shoot it."

Kristy and Jimmy came to sit on the bed with Zacky and me.

"Virgins first," Jimmy said, offering me the needle.

"No, thanks," I refused.

"You sure?" Zacky asked.

I nodded.

Jimmy shrugged and put the needle to his own arm. "You know, I can see why this is Brian's drug of choice."

It took me a second to register what he'd said. When it sank in, I gaped at him. "What?"

"Your brother likes heroin," Jimmy repeated.

"No, he doesn't," I argued. "Bri doesn't do drugs."

Jimmy and Zacky exchanged a glance.

"He doesn't," I insisted. I'd never seen him use any drug. Nor had I ever found him messed up from any substance besides alcohol. He had promised me that just because he was a rock star didn't mean he was going to try every drug known to mankind. He had promised that he would be careful and that he would stick to alcohol because he knew he had an addictive personality and if he tried anything harder, he would become an addict.

"I don't know what kind of bullshit he's been telling you," Jimmy said. "He likes cocaine and heroin."

I looked at Zacky, who nodded confirmation with a sympathetic expression. "No." I got to my feet. "You're lying."

Zacky stood and gripped me by the shoulders, meeting my gaze unwaveringly. "Babe, we're not lying."

I fought free of his hold and slapped him. Kristy gasped. Jimmy just stared. Zacky touched his cheek, where my hand print was red against his pale skin. His eyes held a hint of hurt but were mostly filled with sympathy and understanding…and perhaps, a touch of pity.

Tears blurring my vision, I ran out of the room.