She Will Be Loved

I frowned at myself in my bathroom’s mirror. I folded up my tank to rest right below my chest and turned sideways. The scar on my waist had dramatically cleared up and now only faint pink letters were there. In it’s place, a small bump was now where my stomach had been completely flat. I ran a hand over it, at loss for words. It hadn’t seemed like I was really going to be having a baby when I went to the doctor last week. Now…well, it seemed like everything was real.

“Kota?” I recognized Zacky’s voice instantly.

“In here,” I called softly, took absorbed in my slowly showing belly. I didn’t register that Zacky had come into the bathroom until I felt his arms wrap around my shoulders from behind.

“What are you doing?” he murmured, lips on my neck as he kissed it.

“I’m having a baby,” I said softly.

“Babe, you told us this three weeks ago,” Zacky chuckled.

“But now it’s real,” I argued, hoping he would understand what I meant. I guess he did since he just nodded. His arms left my shoulder to let his hands rest on my tiny bump. I felt butterflies as his callused hands rubbed my belly.

“And it’s going to be a beautiful baby, just like it’s mom.” I looked up to catch Zacky’s seemingly endless, green eyes looking straight into mine. I smiled softly and relaxed back into him. We had only been together for about a month and a half, but he was the best choice I’ve ever made. “Now come on, I didn’t just come up here to woo you.”

“But the wooing was going so well,” I whined as his hands moved so I could pull my top back down. He chuckled, kissing my cheek.

“I will later, okay? Andrew and Thor need us to come in since we only have three more tracks.” Of course their manager was freaking out. Their album, City Of Evil, was days from all the tracks being done. Then the mixing and organization needed to be done.

“Fine,” I sighed dramatically, smile dancing on my lips. I straightened up my dark blue skinnies and made sure my black Vans were tied before following Zacky out of my room. It wouldn’t be much longer and then I won’t be able to fit these clothes. As we were walking down the stairs Brian ran up, picked me up bridal style, and carried me to the bottom. “Stop doing that!”

“Nope. You can’t put too much stress on your body,” Brian said in a matter of fact tone as he placed me to my feet again.

“When I hit five months! I’m barely on two!” I scowled, slapping his shoulder.

“Well sorry for me caring!” Brian cried dramatically, hands flying up over his head. I just shook my head walking towards the kitchen where I could hear the others. I was correct. Jimmy and Matt sat on a stool while Johnny was plopped on the counter. I waved to their hellos to grab a bottle of green tea from the fridge.

“That’s gross,” Matt stated, his nose wrinkling as if he smelt something bad. I rolled my eyes as I took a sip from the bottle.

“You and Zacky are both crazy, it’s amazing.”

“No it’s not,” all the guys said together. I glared and dramatically stormed from the kitchen and soon out the front door.

“Let’s go ladies!” I shouted back at them. I heard them mutter some insults under their breath but soon, one by one, the guys emerged from the house. “Hey, Mattiekins?”

“What do you want?” Matt asked bluntly. I sighed dramatically and rolled my eyes playfully.

“Why must you think I want something?” He simply rose an eyebrow at me. “Right. Anyways, can I drive today?”

“I don’t know,” Matt said slowly. I had gotten my permit last week and Matt still hadn’t let me touch a car, along with everyone else. Val would have, but she was at work a lot more recently. The guys were too worried of their ‘babies’ getting hurt.

“Come on! I could be the greatest driver in the world! You guys are too scared when I haven’t even been given a chance yet,” I complained. The guys all shared looks before sighing in defeat.

“Fine. But if we get too uncomfortable we pull over and I drive,” Matt warned.

“Deal!” I grabbed the keys from his outstretched hand and skipped to the SUV. I unlocked the doors before climbing into the driver’s seat. I placed my bottle in the cup holder before pulling on my seatbelt. I placed my feet on the pedals and waited patiently for the guys to climb in.

“Oh wow, she can reach the pedals,” Brian joked.

“Shut up Haner,” I murmured. I looked over at Matt, who sat in the passenger’s seat, and saw him grabbing the handle above his door so tightly his knuckles were white. “Oh come on! We haven’t even left and you find it in yourself to grab the ‘Oh Shit’ handle?”

“Just precautions,” Matt muttered. I rolled my eyes before placing one foot on the floor and starting the engine. I pressed down on the break to take the vehicle out of park and shift into drive. I then pressed on the gas and eased the SUV into motion. The radio was playing Paramore, successfully distracting the guys, and the ride was relatively smooth.

“And you thought I couldn’t drive,” I teased as I turned the vehicle off once I had parked us in the lot of the studio. We had made it in one piece and Jimmy had even compliment my cool cutting off of some asshole who couldn’t figure out which lane he wanted.

“I apologize,” Matt said sincerely, a smile on his face.

“Should be.” I handed him his keys before jumping out of the SUV, green tea bottle in hand. As soon as we got into the studio I gave Thor and Andrew a hug. They loved me for the pure fact I could make the guys get their shit done. Ah, the power of being an amazing girl.

“Okay. Rev, Johnny, we need to get your parts done for Trashed And Scattered,” Andrew informed. The two nodded and walked into the room behind the glass. Zacky, Brian, and I sat on one of the couches while Matt sat in the chair next to the bosses, chatting a little as the two inside the booth got ready.

“Stop picking on him, Brian,” I whined as I leaned on Zacky’s shoulder. Brian was calling him chubby again, as the guys have for the past week, and it was beginning to fuck Zacky up. I only knew because I was the only one he confided in about his feelings on the guys’ torture.

“Why? Zack doesn’t mind,” Brian argued from the other side of me. Zacky’s blank face said otherwise. I glared at Brian, crossing my arms over my chest. His eyes slowly trailed from mine to Zack’s. “You know I’m just kidding, right?”

“Oh yeah. I’m just getting called fat all the time, it doesn’t matter,” Zacky snapped. Both Brian and I winced. It really was bothering him, much more than he was leading me to believe. Zacky stood, leaning over to kiss my lips before heading for the exit. “I’m going for a smoke break.”

He was gone for a few minutes before Matt spoke up. “What the hell was that about?”

“Zacky’s getting tired of you guys fucking calling him tubby, that’s what.” Brian and Matt instantly looked guilty. “No more of that, alright? He already feels bad enough about his weight, you guys are just making it worse.”

“Yes ma’am,” they said in unison. I stood up and headed towards the exit to comfort Zack.

“Let those two know too,” I called back, waving my hand to motion for Johnny and Jimmy. I heard an ‘okay’ right before I stepped outside. The smell of smoke instantly hit my nose. Instead of sitting at the metal table Zacky was sitting on the curb of the lot. I walked over to him before sitting next to him.

“You shouldn’t be out here. The smoke is bad for the baby,” Zacky said quietly. I smiled and leaned onto his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his waist.

“I think it’ll be fine. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he spoke. He let out another stream of smoke before turning to smile weakly at me. “I’m just being too feminine and getting too emotional.”

“Well I like the softer side of you,” I laughed, pecking him on the cheek. He smiled and caught my lips in a kiss. It was weird to taste the nicotine in his kiss, but it was also nice. There was times I wanted to smoke again, but it wasn’t worth it. Besides, I didn’t want the chance of hurting the baby.

“Should we head back in?” Zacky asked, looking back towards the building behind us.

“I would like to. I don’t want the guys to pour out my tea again. I know you guys don’t like it, but Brian and Matt like to mess with me too much,” I sighed. He smiled before putting out his cigarette and then pulling me to my feet.

“I don’t think they will do it again after you punch them in the jaws last time,” Zacky reminded me. I laughed, remembering the incident three days ago. I left my bottle unattended and they poured it down the drain. I decked them each once in the jaw. Matt got a small bruise and Brian’s hurt so much he couldn’t talk for a whole day without it hurting.

“But you must remember they both have memory spans the size of a peanut,” I joked as we walked back in. Jimmy’s drums and Johnny’s bass echoed throughout the room. “It sounds amazing.”

“You just favorite Johnny,” Brian remarked, rolling his eyes. Johnny’s bass had a strange calming effect on me. When I would have troubles falling asleep he would end up playing random tunes on his bass until I fell asleep.

“Don’t hate just because I don’t have ‘I wanna fuck the lead guitarist’ syndrome,” I spat back. He fell silent, slumping in his seat causing me to laugh.

“Yeah, she much rather be with me,” Zacky said smugly as he sat down. I sat on his lap once he patted his thighs.

“Please, it sounds like she’d bang the bassist,” Matt snorted. I blushed deeply and threw my closed bottle at his head. He yelped and held his head in his hands. When he finally raised his eyes he glared at me as I laughed my ass off. “That’s it, the tea’s going down the drain.”

“No!” I cried as I ran after the singer.