Status: On hold , help me?
Smile for Me
ten
We approached the club arm in arm, singing our favorite A7X songs as loud as we could. But I broke off mid-sentence when my phone vibrated in my pocket and pulled my arm away from Jen to dig it out.
I smiled and brought it to my ear. “Hey, you ready for the show?”
“Bet your ass.” Syn laughed. “So where are you?”
“We are in the parking lot, just about to stand in line.”
“Awesome. Look at the left side of the door and tell me if you see anyone standing there.”
I peered to where he said and did see a guy standing there, his arms crossed as he watched the crowd, seemingly uninterested.
“Yeah, I see him.”
“Okay. That is JB, and he is Matt’s brother. He’s waiting for you so go tell him who you are and he’ll take you right back to us.”
“Awesome. I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye.”
I slid the phone back in my pocket and pulled away from the two girls, telling them to wait for a minute.
“Who was on the phone?” Jen asked just as Emma whine.
“Katie, we need to get in line. Where are you going?”
“Just…wait there, I’ll be right back.”
They huffed and crossed their arms, watching me and I rolled my eyes before looking at the guy that was Matt’s brother. I wasn’t surprised, actually. They looked a lot alike and that’s when I remembered reading somewhere that M. Shadows had a twin brother, who acted as the band’s merchandise manager and helped out with the stage stuff.
He noticed me coming and smiled.
I smiled back nervously and when I was about a foot away, I stopped and asked, “Are you JB?”
He nodded and frowned a moment before his face cleared and he grinned. “You’re Katie, right?”
I nodded and clasped his hand when he stuck his out to shake mine.
“How’s it going?” He asked and was pretty soft-spoken, unlike his brother.
“It’s going awesome, and you? I hope you haven’t been waiting out here long.”
He shook his head. “Nah, it’s okay. So are you alone, or – “
“No, I have some friends, too.”
I turned and waved over Emma and Jen. They frowned and looked at each other suspiciously before joining us.
“JB, these are my friends Jen and Emma.”
He shook their hands, too, before he jerked his head to the door. “You ready to come inside?”
We nodded and he turned to lead us right into the bar.
There really wasn’t anyone inside, as they weren’t letting anyone in until the stage was completely set up. A couple guys were up on the stage fixing one of the backdrops and smiled at us as we passed.
“Katie, what’s going on?” Jen whispered to me.
“Yeah, how do you know this guy?” Emma added and JB grinned, but didn’t say anything.
I shrugged. “You’ll see.”
“So the guys just finished their sound check and their just hanging out back here until the show.” JB explained, taking us down a long hall to a closed door at the end.
He stopped and knocked.
“Unless you have beer or are a hot chick, go away.” Zacky shouted from the inside and we laughed.
“The beer thing is a problem, but I’ve got the hot chicks.” JB announced and there was a thump and male laughter just before the door was pulled open.
JB directed us inside and Emma and Jen entered first before I followed, and everyone shouted my name.
“Katie, you sexy bitch.” Zacky said with a shake of his head before hugging me.
I laughed and hugged him back before Jimmy and Johnny hugged me. Johnny attempted to grab my ass, but Matt smacked the back of his head and hugged me.
“Val’s in the washroom, but she’ll be right out.”
I nodded and laughed when Syn tackled me from the side.
“You look fucking awesome.” He shouted, smacking my ass.
Johnny whined. “Hey, how come he can do that and I can’t?”
“Because he’s Synyster fucking Gates, that’s why.” I told him and the guys laughed.
I turned and laughed when I saw that Emma and Jen were staring at me with their mouths hanging wide open. I stood between them, putting one arm around each of them before doing the introductions. They received their hugs and it wasn’t until the guys sat down that both girls turned to attack me.
“You bitch.” Emma hissed joking, shoving me to the side. “How come you never told us that you knew these guys?”
“Because I never did, not until a few weeks ago.”
I explained the situation and though Emma still pouted a bit, they understood.
“You never told them that you knew us?” Syn asked and I shook my head.
“I wanted to surprise them.”
“Are you guys ready for the best show of your lives?” Jimmy asked, sitting shirtless and twirling one drumstick between his fingers.
I nodded and laughed when Emma practically shouted, “I am so fucking ready, that I can’t even keep it together.”
“Awesome.” Zacky winked at her and I bit back a laugh when her cheeks reddened.
“Hey, Katie.”
I turned to see Val enter the room and smiled.
“I like your shirt.” She said before hugging me.
“Thanks.” I hugged her back, then pulled back to introduce the others. “These are my friends, Jen and Emma.”
She hugged them and they looked a little surprised.
“Forgive me for being in your face, but you are fucking gorgeous.” Jen said and Val laughed, but I could see a blush brighten her cheeks.
“Thanks.”
Matt sighed and wrapped one arm around Val’s shoulders, pulling her close to kiss her as he said, “Isn’t she?”
We three girls awed together and Val smacked his chest.
“Save that for later, Romeo.” Syn said, coming back from the hall. “They’re letting people in now.”
“Really?”
Syn nodded. “So what do you ladies want: front or side?”
We looked blankly at him.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“You girls can either be front row, or you can stand just offstage for the show.” He explained, standing beside me. “What do you want?”
I looked at them, not wanting to make the decision on my own.
“Front?” Emma suggested with a shrug and Jen nodded.
“Front and center.” Jen clarified, grinning at me. “Let’s mosh it.”
Emma nodded excitedly and I nodded, though I was kind of nervous. I remembered what had happened the last time and forced back a shudder.
“Don’t you want to be front and center?” Jen asked, noticing that I didn’t answer.
“Of course I do.” I said quickly, not wanting the guys to get the wrong idea. “There is no other way to see an A7X show.”
Syn laughed and I smiled at him before continuing.
“But it’s the mosh pit that worries me.”
Jen rolled her eyes, Emma laughed, and the guys asked what I was talking about.
Val touched my shoulder. “I was scared the first time I moshed, too, but you’ll be fine.”
“Oh, she’s moshed before.” Emma said.
“Then what’s the problem?” Jimmy asked.
“I almost died.” I said dramatically and everyone laughed.
Jen rolled her eyes. “Oh, you did not.”
“I did!” I exclaimed. “Do you not remember having to come with me to the hospital?”
Jen rolled her eyes again.
“What happened?” Syn asked.
I sighed. “Last spring break we went to Warped with some other friends and while in the mosh pit – we were at your show, in case you’re wondering – some dude elbowed me in the eye, and then I got pushed over and practically trampled. My friends had to pull me out and take me to emergency in the next city because I was knocked out.”
“She had to get stitches in her head and had a concussion.” Emma added, frowning. “That was traumatic.”
“You were okay, right?” Syn asked, obviously concerned and I nodded.
“Do you have a scar?” Johnny asked and I nodded, pushing my hair to the side to show off the jagged scar that ran from the corner of my forehead and across my temple.
“Sweet.” Johnny said with a nod before correcting himself. “I mean, it’s awful that you were hurt and everything but the scar is…yeah I’m just going to shut up now.” He sat down while we laughed.
“So it was at our show, huh?” Zacky asked.
I nodded and laughed. “Yeah, I remember the song you guys were doing, too. It was – “
“Unholy Confessions.” Emma and I said together before laughing.
Jen huffed. “You two are ridiculous. You were knocked over, big deal. You’re fine.”
I made a face at her. “Whatever, jackass. You’re just jealous because you don’t have a wicked scar to show off.” I winked at Johnny at that and he grinned.
“You girls want something to drink while we wait?” Matt asked. “You probably won’t be able to get anything from the bar just yet.”
Emma and Jen both accepted beers, but I declined.
“What’s this?” Jimmy demanded, pretending to be angry. “You come to our show and don’t want to drink?”
I shrugged and jerked my head to Emma and Jen. “Someone’s got to make sure these two stay out of trouble.”
“Hey!” Emma shoved me back playfully and I stuck my tongue out at her before JB came in.
“Ladies, time to get to the front.”
The other two quickly finished their beers and then we were saying good luck to the guys and walked out behind JB.
I smiled and brought it to my ear. “Hey, you ready for the show?”
“Bet your ass.” Syn laughed. “So where are you?”
“We are in the parking lot, just about to stand in line.”
“Awesome. Look at the left side of the door and tell me if you see anyone standing there.”
I peered to where he said and did see a guy standing there, his arms crossed as he watched the crowd, seemingly uninterested.
“Yeah, I see him.”
“Okay. That is JB, and he is Matt’s brother. He’s waiting for you so go tell him who you are and he’ll take you right back to us.”
“Awesome. I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye.”
I slid the phone back in my pocket and pulled away from the two girls, telling them to wait for a minute.
“Who was on the phone?” Jen asked just as Emma whine.
“Katie, we need to get in line. Where are you going?”
“Just…wait there, I’ll be right back.”
They huffed and crossed their arms, watching me and I rolled my eyes before looking at the guy that was Matt’s brother. I wasn’t surprised, actually. They looked a lot alike and that’s when I remembered reading somewhere that M. Shadows had a twin brother, who acted as the band’s merchandise manager and helped out with the stage stuff.
He noticed me coming and smiled.
I smiled back nervously and when I was about a foot away, I stopped and asked, “Are you JB?”
He nodded and frowned a moment before his face cleared and he grinned. “You’re Katie, right?”
I nodded and clasped his hand when he stuck his out to shake mine.
“How’s it going?” He asked and was pretty soft-spoken, unlike his brother.
“It’s going awesome, and you? I hope you haven’t been waiting out here long.”
He shook his head. “Nah, it’s okay. So are you alone, or – “
“No, I have some friends, too.”
I turned and waved over Emma and Jen. They frowned and looked at each other suspiciously before joining us.
“JB, these are my friends Jen and Emma.”
He shook their hands, too, before he jerked his head to the door. “You ready to come inside?”
We nodded and he turned to lead us right into the bar.
There really wasn’t anyone inside, as they weren’t letting anyone in until the stage was completely set up. A couple guys were up on the stage fixing one of the backdrops and smiled at us as we passed.
“Katie, what’s going on?” Jen whispered to me.
“Yeah, how do you know this guy?” Emma added and JB grinned, but didn’t say anything.
I shrugged. “You’ll see.”
“So the guys just finished their sound check and their just hanging out back here until the show.” JB explained, taking us down a long hall to a closed door at the end.
He stopped and knocked.
“Unless you have beer or are a hot chick, go away.” Zacky shouted from the inside and we laughed.
“The beer thing is a problem, but I’ve got the hot chicks.” JB announced and there was a thump and male laughter just before the door was pulled open.
JB directed us inside and Emma and Jen entered first before I followed, and everyone shouted my name.
“Katie, you sexy bitch.” Zacky said with a shake of his head before hugging me.
I laughed and hugged him back before Jimmy and Johnny hugged me. Johnny attempted to grab my ass, but Matt smacked the back of his head and hugged me.
“Val’s in the washroom, but she’ll be right out.”
I nodded and laughed when Syn tackled me from the side.
“You look fucking awesome.” He shouted, smacking my ass.
Johnny whined. “Hey, how come he can do that and I can’t?”
“Because he’s Synyster fucking Gates, that’s why.” I told him and the guys laughed.
I turned and laughed when I saw that Emma and Jen were staring at me with their mouths hanging wide open. I stood between them, putting one arm around each of them before doing the introductions. They received their hugs and it wasn’t until the guys sat down that both girls turned to attack me.
“You bitch.” Emma hissed joking, shoving me to the side. “How come you never told us that you knew these guys?”
“Because I never did, not until a few weeks ago.”
I explained the situation and though Emma still pouted a bit, they understood.
“You never told them that you knew us?” Syn asked and I shook my head.
“I wanted to surprise them.”
“Are you guys ready for the best show of your lives?” Jimmy asked, sitting shirtless and twirling one drumstick between his fingers.
I nodded and laughed when Emma practically shouted, “I am so fucking ready, that I can’t even keep it together.”
“Awesome.” Zacky winked at her and I bit back a laugh when her cheeks reddened.
“Hey, Katie.”
I turned to see Val enter the room and smiled.
“I like your shirt.” She said before hugging me.
“Thanks.” I hugged her back, then pulled back to introduce the others. “These are my friends, Jen and Emma.”
She hugged them and they looked a little surprised.
“Forgive me for being in your face, but you are fucking gorgeous.” Jen said and Val laughed, but I could see a blush brighten her cheeks.
“Thanks.”
Matt sighed and wrapped one arm around Val’s shoulders, pulling her close to kiss her as he said, “Isn’t she?”
We three girls awed together and Val smacked his chest.
“Save that for later, Romeo.” Syn said, coming back from the hall. “They’re letting people in now.”
“Really?”
Syn nodded. “So what do you ladies want: front or side?”
We looked blankly at him.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“You girls can either be front row, or you can stand just offstage for the show.” He explained, standing beside me. “What do you want?”
I looked at them, not wanting to make the decision on my own.
“Front?” Emma suggested with a shrug and Jen nodded.
“Front and center.” Jen clarified, grinning at me. “Let’s mosh it.”
Emma nodded excitedly and I nodded, though I was kind of nervous. I remembered what had happened the last time and forced back a shudder.
“Don’t you want to be front and center?” Jen asked, noticing that I didn’t answer.
“Of course I do.” I said quickly, not wanting the guys to get the wrong idea. “There is no other way to see an A7X show.”
Syn laughed and I smiled at him before continuing.
“But it’s the mosh pit that worries me.”
Jen rolled her eyes, Emma laughed, and the guys asked what I was talking about.
Val touched my shoulder. “I was scared the first time I moshed, too, but you’ll be fine.”
“Oh, she’s moshed before.” Emma said.
“Then what’s the problem?” Jimmy asked.
“I almost died.” I said dramatically and everyone laughed.
Jen rolled her eyes. “Oh, you did not.”
“I did!” I exclaimed. “Do you not remember having to come with me to the hospital?”
Jen rolled her eyes again.
“What happened?” Syn asked.
I sighed. “Last spring break we went to Warped with some other friends and while in the mosh pit – we were at your show, in case you’re wondering – some dude elbowed me in the eye, and then I got pushed over and practically trampled. My friends had to pull me out and take me to emergency in the next city because I was knocked out.”
“She had to get stitches in her head and had a concussion.” Emma added, frowning. “That was traumatic.”
“You were okay, right?” Syn asked, obviously concerned and I nodded.
“Do you have a scar?” Johnny asked and I nodded, pushing my hair to the side to show off the jagged scar that ran from the corner of my forehead and across my temple.
“Sweet.” Johnny said with a nod before correcting himself. “I mean, it’s awful that you were hurt and everything but the scar is…yeah I’m just going to shut up now.” He sat down while we laughed.
“So it was at our show, huh?” Zacky asked.
I nodded and laughed. “Yeah, I remember the song you guys were doing, too. It was – “
“Unholy Confessions.” Emma and I said together before laughing.
Jen huffed. “You two are ridiculous. You were knocked over, big deal. You’re fine.”
I made a face at her. “Whatever, jackass. You’re just jealous because you don’t have a wicked scar to show off.” I winked at Johnny at that and he grinned.
“You girls want something to drink while we wait?” Matt asked. “You probably won’t be able to get anything from the bar just yet.”
Emma and Jen both accepted beers, but I declined.
“What’s this?” Jimmy demanded, pretending to be angry. “You come to our show and don’t want to drink?”
I shrugged and jerked my head to Emma and Jen. “Someone’s got to make sure these two stay out of trouble.”
“Hey!” Emma shoved me back playfully and I stuck my tongue out at her before JB came in.
“Ladies, time to get to the front.”
The other two quickly finished their beers and then we were saying good luck to the guys and walked out behind JB.