Induced Euphoria.

"You look so beautiful," Zacky grinned and pressed his lips against Laney's temple. 
"Thank you," She blushed lightly and rested her head against the curve of his neck. "Zacky, what are we gonna do today?" 
"I was hoping we would just lay here all day," He beamed and draped his arm across her bare waist, pulling her closer to his body. Zacky loved the way her nude body melted with his, he loved the way her brunette hair fell against his skin, and the innocent look in her eyes, even when she's seen so much filth. Zacky had never felt this way toward anyone ever, not even his ex girlfriend of four years. The way he felt was the epitome of love at first sight. His badass exterior was washed away the first day she waltzed right into the practice studio.

Laney flipped on the television in Zackys room, TLC blared loudly. The Kennedy Home Videos was playing and almost immediately Laney was intrigued. "This is what I love," She smiled and pulled Zackys oversized VU shirt over her head. "I love humanizing someone. Take a family like the Kennedy's, when you think of them you think politics and that's it. But they're more than that!" Zacky loved the way she was so enthusiastic about what she was saying. "They're this great family, sure they have major problems but who doesn't. When I watch these home videos, they're real people, just like you and me." She sighed and kept her eyes glued to the television. 
"I went to Washington DC awhile ago, I got to see the internal flame and Patrick and Bobby and Jack's grave. God, everything there was just so heart breakingly beautiful. I cried for hours, just sitting there in Arlington Cemetery, hours. My problems seem so minuscule when you look at the miles and miles of white crosses." Laney paused for a moment, not only to recollect but to see if Zack was still listening. Not only was he listening but he was actually eager to hear what she was going to say next. "Want to go back there, I want to experience everything I saw there again. I went there three years of me being sober and I had never felt so alive. You need to go there Zack, I need to take you." 

Laney got dressed at her own home. She slipped into a flowy cropped vintage Black Sabbath shirt and ripped jean shorts. The door bell of her apartment rang and she ran to open the door. "Alex," She smiled. 
Alex stood before her dressed in a black Bruce Springsteen shirt that showed off his full sleeve tattoos and cuffed jeans. His red converse stepped onto her wood flooring and pulled her into a hug and a soft peck on the lips. 
"You look pretty," He smiled. Pretty. Not beautiful, pretty. 
"Thank you," She pulled her lips into a grin and followed him out the front door. "Where to?" She asked as he laced his fingers into hers. 
"I was thinking we could drive up to Costa Mesa, you know shop around The Lab." He fiddled with the keys in between his fingers and unlocked the car. 

"You know, I just realized why your brothers seemed so familiar to me," Alex said as the couple roamed the racks of Buffalo Exchange. 
"Huh?" Laney asked as she held up a red knee high dress. 
"He's in Avenged Sevenfold," Alex turned to look at her, on his head was a black 50's fedora. 
"Yeah," She smiled. "You a fan?" 
"No offense to you or your brother but I don't really know, I kind of think they're just another shitty metal band."  Laney bit her lower lip and gritted her teeth. He could have atleast lied to her. 
"I understand," She smiled. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, for example, I fucking hate Bruce Springsteen." 

By the end of the day Laney was back at home. Her head hurt and the only thing that was easing her pain was the soft purring of her kitten and the comedy of the SNL cast. 
Hey, I didn't mean to make you angry today, sorry. I wanna make it up 2 you. Party @ my house Saturday. Come @ 10.  
A text message from Alex read. A smile crept across her face as she realized he must have known he made her upset, and it bothered him. 
Sure, see you there. :)

"Hi mommy," Laney made her way into the hospital room with Matt trailing close behind. 
"Hey guys," She welcomed them with open arms. "How are you?" 
"Great," Matt smiled and glanced over to Laney. "How are you? How was chemo today?" 
"Same old same old," She beamed. Her lips were cracked dry and her eyes sunk in. Her hair was almost all gone, yet she refused to shave the rest. "Aren't you recording today?" She asked Matt with an arched eyebrow. 
"Don't worry about me ma," He laughed softly and pressed his lips against her forehead. "I am later though." 
"Good, you gotta make that money," She grinned and pat his back. "And you missy, what are you doing today?" 
"I'm hanging out with Zacky," 
"Zacky?" Matt boomed. 
"They've been hanging out," Their mother smiled weakly and laughed. "Be happy for your sister, Matthew." 
"I am mom," He gritted his teeth and shook his head. "It's just fucking weird." 
"I understand," Laney said, "But I like Zack okay?" 
"Okay," He sighed and wrapped an arm around his baby sister.

"I bought this movie, I'm not really sure what the hell it is but I thought we could watch it together," Zack smiled and marched in Laney's apartment with a box of pizza and a six pack of Cream Soda. 
"I've actually been in need of a day like this," Laney sighed. 
The past week hand been tough, the teenager she had been talking to, Andrew, had died of a heroin overdose. Also, the doctors had given the news to Matt, her father, and Laney that their mother wasn't going to last much longer.
"I could tell," Zacky hugged her tightly, "On the phone you sounded stressed. I knew this would make you feel better." 
"You're too good to me Zacky James Baker," 
"You're too good for me Laney Taylor Sanders." 
If only he knew, She thought. If only he knew.