The Forbidden Fruit Always Tastes Sweeter

I finished up in the balcony and had found the photographer for Chelsea's party making sure he took pictures of what she had requested. Then, I went and found one of the club's staff and had them make sure the back room was still stocked.

Finally, I had a breather and went over to the bar on the side. "Hey Jack." I smiled at the bartender. "I think I'm going to make you work."

"For you, beautiful, I don't mind." He chuckled and lazily got off his ass on one of the stools and went behind the bar. "What will it be?"

"I'm feeling fruity. How about a blue Hawaiian?" I leaned against the counter.

"Light or hard?" He smirked, already knowing the answer about how much rum to put in.

"Hard-"

"Just the way I like it baby." He mocked in a girly voice.

"Aw, you know me too well." I laughed.

"So, during the concert I want you over frequently so I can get you drunk off your ass for your last night." He smiled softly.

I shook his hand grinning. "That's a deal." He laughed and pulled me up over the bar giving me a quick kiss. "It's going to be all alright, beautiful."

I smiled taking my drink. "I'll see you later then."

He gave me another kiss and helped me off the bar. "That you will." He chuckled and leaned on the bar waiting for the doors to open.

I walked to the back lounge room for the band. "So gentlemen, is there anything else you would like?"

"Yeah, who was that bartender you were getting cozy with?" Jimmy asked grinning like a fool.

"Oh Jack?" I laughed. "He's promised to get me drunk tonight."

He came over and wrapped his arm around my shoulder teasing, "If I knew you were that easy, I would have had you shit faced last night."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think your wife would like that very much. I'm more of a monogamous kind of gal myself."

He smirked, teasing, and slapped my ass. "Shame. But, speaking of which, where is she? I lost track of her."

"Upstairs, in the VIP lounge." I laughed, taking a gulp of my drink. "If that's all?" I looked around the room to see no objections. "Then, I'll check in a few."

Danny got up and followed me out. "I want to talk to you."

"See in order for a conversation to work you generally need two people. Though, I won't stop you from talking to yourself." I began to walk down the hall.

Danny walked in front of me preventing me from going further. "Look I know you're scared, but don't you miss yourself?"

I leaned against the wall and looked up at him. "Everyday." I whispered finally admitting it, the rum probably helping it slip off my tongue more than I wanted to.

"You are coming home right?" Danny asked.

"Yeah." I finished off my drink.

"Going to finally go back to your talent?" Danny asked figuring now was as good of a time as any to bring it up. He was wrong.

"You're pushing it now." I stood from my position on the wall and walked down a different hallway hoping to get myself lost. I was so close too, but that stubborn guitarist was blocking my way. Not in the mood for company I groaned and took a step back. "What now?"

He took a step closer. "I was wondering if you would like to get a drink with me later?"

"If I see you after, then maybe. Though, I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you." I smirked.

He took another step closer. "And why not?" Brian asked amused at the challenge before him.

"Although you do have a cute nose." I smiled slightly and kissed it. "I'm just your casino hostess." I smiled once more and walked past him down the hall like planned and tapped my glass as I tried to lose myself once more.

After a few more hallways my cell phone began to ring. It was Derek letting me know that Chelsea's dinner party was done and she was coming backstage. Meaning that I had ten minutes until doors opened to let the rest of the guests to enter.

Brian walked back into their room and touched his nose. His face contorted with confusion. "A cute nose?"

"Yo Syn, where's your head at?" Zacky asked him.

"I don't know." He chuckled still confused. He looked up at Val. "Hey Val, I'm sexy right? From a girl's perspective."

She laughed as she took a seat on Matt's lap. "Who's got you questioning Brian?"

"That Lucy chick said-" Brian shook his head. "Nah, just forget about it."

Danny walked into the room hearing the last bit of the conversation. He chuckled amused and took a seat on the adjacent couch. "What did she say to you?"

"I have a cute nose." Brian mumbled.

"What was that?" Danny grinned.

"That I have a cute nose." He said louder, out of frustration. "I mean what kind of thing is that to say?"

Danny laughed as well as everyone else in the room. "The sad thing is that she means it. So what, you going to try to 'round my friend?"

Brian resisted touching his nose knowing that would just humiliate him more. He shrugged. "Probably not."

Danny laughed harder. "That's so typical of her."

"What?" Johnny asked sitting up interested.

"She turned him down." They all started laughing harder.

"Oh, fuck you all." Brian glared and grabbed a beer.

"Poor Synyster Gates." Val cooed. "Turned down flat."

He rolled his eyes trying to not let them get the best of him.

I gave a thumb's up to the guys in the back to play a CD mix and open the doors. I went to the bar where Jack smirked and gave me a strong Tequila Sunrise. I took my drink and went to get Chelsea's party. She was a sweet kid, just turned 18. They were all ready to mosh it out as well as a VIP room in the balcony for them.

Chelsea spotted me and threw her arms around me. I lifted my drink so it wouldn't spill on us. "Hey sweetie, happy birthday."

"Thank you!" She grinned and eyed my drink.

"A sip." I handed it to her.

"Yes!" She took a gulp and squeezed her eyes shut. "Wow, are you sure that's not Tequila straight."

"It could be." I shrugged.

Chelsea laughed. "So what's this rumor that I've been hearing that Daddy's firing you?"

"No rumor." I took a rather large gulp myself.

Her jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?"

"Afraid not." I looked at my glass only a little less than half full.

Chelsea frowned, not happy with her father's decision. "I could get him to change his mind. A daddy's girl has that power."

"Don't worry about it Chels, but thank you anyway. It's all going to be okay." I smiled, figuring to just roll with it and not let it bother me any longer.

"Does that mean I could visit you sometime?" She asked hoping. "You know, show me these tricks that I read about you in this old magazine?"

I looked at her un-amused. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't." She ginned. "So is that a yes?"

I laughed slightly and nodded my head. "Of course."

"Yes!" She jumped excited. "You're going to mosh with us right?"

"I don't know." I said slowly trying to think of a valid excuse.

She saw right through that and pushed me into the direction of the bar. "Go get yourself a beer and come back up front."

"You know I'm only serving plastic, right?" Jack warned me taking my empty glass.

"Unfortunately." I pouted as he handed me one; I preferred glass. "Thanks babe."

"At the rate you're going, I'll see you in a bit, Luce." He laughed and went to serve another customer.

I made my way through the crowd to find the girls up front. I smiled at how they were claiming one of the guys for their own and talking about the conversations they had with the band earlier.

"Hey Luce?" One of the girls called me. I turned my head giving them my attention. "Which one would you want?"

I smirked. "Doesn't matter much to me. Though, I have to say Gates isn't that bad of a kisser."

"You didn't?" Chelsea asked in awe.

"He had my keys." I shrugged.

They all squealed. "No way!"

I laughed. "You girls are too funny."

"Well, excuse me, Miss I handle VIP's." Melissa, on of Chelsea's friends mocked me.

"I know." Chelsea laughed agreeing. "Poor Lucy had to deal with a famous band instead of her usual millionaires."

"Billionaires." I corrected her smirking. "Billionaires my dear."

"Whoop-di-do." She twirled her finger around and rolled her eyes. She put a hand on her hip. "Stop changing the subject."

"Oh so you noticed, huh?" I grinned innocently.

"You should have a better justification than 'Oh he had my keys'." A different friend of Chels smirked.

I shrugged. "He did start it though."

They grinned at my response, but instead of pestering me further, they all began screaming as Avenged Sevenfold took not only the stage, but the entire room.

Halfway through the show they dedicated their performance to Chelsea and sang happy birthday.

Jack had been keeping me well supplied with alcohol and hydrated with water so the hangover wouldn't be too excruciating tomorrow morning.