She Will Be Loved

“Come on, we need to go meet up with my friends,” Zacky informed, heading the way I had just tried to go.

“F - friends?” I choked out. He had mentioned nothing about friends. Flashes of huge, muscular, scary looking men entered my mind. I would be stuck with these people, probably, for hours. They could do whatever they pleased with in that amount of time. Zacky must have noticed my fear because he was quick to consol me.

“Don’t worry, they’re really nice guys. They may be buff but they would never hurt you, I swear.” I studied him as he continued to ramble on.

“Fine! I’ll trust you,” I muttered. This cut him off and caused him to smile.

“Well then milady, let’s get to the airport.” I stared at him outstretched arm that was bent at the elbow. I sighed, linking my arm though his. We walked down the street to the airport silently. For such a packed town, adding an airport was just the cherry on top. As soon as Zacky and I stepped through the sliding glass doors five minutes later, a man’s voice boomed throughout the small area.

“Where the hell have you been Vengeance?!” A man with a fedora over his medium length hair stormed up to us. I was quick to cower behind Zacky. I was a bit confused on why this unnamed man called Zacky ‘Vengeance’, but I was much too worried about my personal health. His brown eyes snapped to my face before they went back to Zacky. “A groupie? That’s why you’re late?”

“Groupie?” I demanded, appalled at his words. Groupies slept with famous people just to brag about it. I was anything but a goddamn groupie. “Are you on fucking crack?”

“Got quite a mouth, huh?” I was left fuming at this arrogant asshole. Who the fuck does he think he is? Just as I was about to voice my thoughts another man’s voice interrupted.

“What are you two squabbling about?” I turned to my left only to have my eyes grow twice their normal size. The guy approaching us was the buffest of the three with a backwards cap and aviators. I shrunk behind Zacky yet again since I had slightly come out when I yelled at Fedora. The man pulled to a stop next to Fedora, his eyes studying me. Or, at least, that’s what I assumed. “And who’s this?”

“This is Dakota. She needs a ride to California,” Zacky replied casually. I had to do a literal face palm. Shouldn’t you kind of ease into something like that? Aviators and Fedora shared a look before turning back to us.

“Zack, we can’t just take a random groupie to California with us,” Aviators sighed. That was the last straw.

“Stop calling me a fucking groupie!” I shouted, fists clenched at my sides turning my knuckles white. The three men near me looked shocked. I began to grind my teeth out of annoyance as the silent began to lapse over us.

“Dakota needs to get out of this town. Long story for another time,” Zacky finally said after a few moments of silence. “Since Thor’s staying here and then traveling to New York in a few days I figured we could just use his ticket.”

The aviator guy sighed in defeat. “Fine. Go check yourself in Zack.”

“Okay.” With that Zacky left me standing there alone with his two friends. I awkwardly shifted on my feet, looking anywhere but at the two.

“Well I’m Matt.” My head snapped up to Aviators who was now talking. “This is Brian. You’ll meet the other two when they get back with their snacks.”

“Nice to meet you.” Matt nodded before walking back over to the waiting area. Brian was still standing, just glaring me down which made me swallow nervously.

“Listen kid, I don’t know what you’re playing at, but you better as hell not hurt him. He’s had enough shit recently as it is. He doesn’t need a little gold-digger or slut around.” My mouth fell open and shock flew through me.

“What the fuck are you talking about? I would never - ”

“What are you guys talking about?” Zacky asked as he walked up.

“Nothing,” Brian said sternly, walking off towards where Matt sat with a black haired woman. When she caught my eyes she smiled making me smile back.

“What was all that about?” Zacky questioned, confusion etched all over his face.

“Just getting to know each other,” I muttered. I wrapped my arms around myself for a small bit of comfort. Suddenly an extremely taller man ran from around the corner. He dashed up to us, leaning against Zacky so casually it was like he had been there the whole time.

“Why hello Zacky and girl. What’s up?” The blue eyed giant asked, his lisp obvious.

“Jimmy, where’s Johnny?” Zacky asked slowly. Suddenly, from around the same corner, was a guy much shorter than Jimmy with a black Mohawk. He was drenched in water from head to toe.

“What the hell did you do Rev?” Zacky demanded this ‘Jimmy’ fellow, or maybe it was ‘Rev’, as the wet guy stomped up to us.

“He poured a bottle of water on me because I stole one of his nachos,” the shorter guy, Johnny I suppose, hissed.

“Shouldn’t have touched my nachos bitch,” Jimmy said back happily. It was like he was telling him he was going on a vacation to Hawaii. He suddenly leaned around Zacky to see me properly. “Hello. I didn’t catch your name.”

“Dakota,” I whispered. I had to give him props for his smooth subject change.

“Way too formal! Any nicknames?” Jimmy pressed.

“Koty or Kota.” With how soft my voice was I was shocked he could hear me. He nodded with a brilliant grin.

“Well Koty, I am Jimmy. This soaking wet gnome is Johnny.” The shorter man gave me a smile before punching Jimmy in the gut. Jimmy leaned over, holding his abdomen.

“Asshole,” Johnny muttered, stalking off. Jimmy stood back up with a smile on his face, showing that Johnny’s punch hadn’t hurt him at all. He turned his attention back to us once Johnny was out of earshot.

“So what are you doing here Koty?” Jimmy asked curiously, taking my hand and leading me towards the sitting area. We sat in seats across from Matt, the girl, and Johnny. Brian sat in a seat in a right angle from Zacky, Brian refusing to look at me.

“I’m coming to California. I think,” I trailed off, peeking over at Brian. He was glaring at me again, causing me to look away again. Jimmy finally let go of my hand, must have forgotten he was holding it, and I quickly laid it in my lap. Everyone was giving me a strange stare, besides Brian, so I placed my attention on the floor.

“Well I’m Val, Matt’s girlfriend,” the black haired girl introduced after a moment. I just simply barely tilted my head up to smile at her in return. “I like your boots.”

“I hate them. I got them as a hand-me-down. I just wore them because they were warm,” I explained bashfully. I was probably tinted red in the cheeks. I felt stupid for explaining that all. I looked up to see her wearing a sleeveless black shirt that was tired to hang right above her belly button. A big, white skull with bat wings was stretched across her chest. “I like your shirt. What’s that on it?”

“This?” She looked down, pointing at the skull I was also pointing at. “You don’t know?”

“No,” I answered quietly, shaking my head for extra effect. By the look I was getting from everyone (besides Brian, he was looking at me doubtfully), I felt like it should be totally obvious. “Is there something I’m missing?”

“Yeah!” We’re - ” Suddenly Jimmy was cut off by some woman talking over the P.A. system.

“Flight 220, Boston to Los Angeles is now boarding at gate 2A.”

I stood with the group and the rest of the few people in the area and followed everyone to the gate where we were getting out tickets checked. Zacky held one out to me. Once I got to the front she ripped it in half and smiled. “Have a nice flight.”

“Thank-you.” I quickly walked down the walkway on Zacky’s heels. We stopped in the first class section, Zacky holding up an arm, sign for me to take me seat. I settled in the window one as Zack sat next to me. I buckled my seatbelt and placed my backpack under my seat. I zoned out as I stared out the window while our captain talked. After what seemed like forever we began our journey down the runway and then into the air. As Boston disappeared below me a nagging feeling entered my brain.

What if this was all a bad idea?