The Real Story of Heaven and Hell

I walked around the house in a numb state. Everything was trashed, not a single spot left untouched from the destruction. I wanted to cry but I couldn’t. Lil needed me to be strong. Lil, the unflappable twin, had completely lost it. So that meant for once I needed to be the strong one. I won’t lie, I just really wanted to crawl up in a corner and cry until I finally couldn’t.

I hugged Lil tight one more time before I let go of her. She grabbed for my hand when Jimmy started to pull her away. She looked so lost and broken, a lot like I was feeling; that I knew today was the day for lies. I would act like everything was okay, even if I knew it would never be okay again. I forced a smile on my face and a positive note to my tone. “I’ll be right down Lil. I just want to go check something in my room quick.”

She nodded quietly, letting Jimmy move her down stairs a very un-Lil like reaction. I couldn’t breathe as I walked into my room. Nothing was left, nothing. It was all gone, destroyed with mindless violence. A lifetime of memories erased in a blink of the eye.

Zacky had silently followed me into the room, standing guard in the doorway. I was thankful he was here, giving me the freedom to do as I wished in this moment. I kneeled on the floor in front of the charred mess that had once been my jewelry box. My breath stilled as I reached for it.

It fell apart in my hands and I struggled not to lose it. In this box had been my mother’s gold cross. It hadn’t been jeweled or fancy, but it had been hers. It was the only piece of her I had and now it was gone too. I wrapped my arms around my center as a deep pain I had never felt before gripped me hard.

Before I could utter a word Zacky was there, kneeling on the floor behind me. He pulled me into his arms whispering soothing words the pain wouldn’t let me hear. “It’s gone. My mom’s cross is gone. How could I let this happen?” I was in so much pain. I was numb and I didn’t care. It’s a strange place to be. For the first time in my life I was hopeless and yet couldn’t bring myself to care.

Zacky rocked me gently as I just sat there, unmoving. “Shhhh. She’s still with you; she’s always been with you. The necklace was just beautifully spun metal, not her.”

I looked up into his beautiful green eyes filled with compassion and sorrow. It was like seeing me in pain hurt him. I reached up laying my hand on his cheek, my fingers resting just below his eye. “I’m sorry.”

The confused look he gave me was adorable. “What for?”

I didn’t look away from him, I couldn’t. I was lost in his eyes. “Making you sad.”

Zacky smiled as he pushed hair back away from my face. “I’ve felt many things since first meeting you, but sadness has not been one of them.”

I felt my heart melting from the sincerity in his voice, sparkling in his beautiful eyes. I could easily fall for him. If I wasn’t, ya know, being hunted. “Zacky…”

He brought his finger to my lips telling me to silence. He closed his eyes and started leaning in for a kiss. My own eyes closed on their own accord. I was about to be kissed for the first time, my heart was racing.

“You guys about done in here? Hell Girl is getting antsy.” Brian’s voice was cold and impersonal, dead, like I felt inside. Zacky and I pulled back at the same time; he was smiling while I was bright red.

“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.” I muttered as I got up quickly and all but ran out of the room and down the stairs to where Lil waited.

“Bout fucking time!” She snapped when she saw me.

I did my best to hide my flinch, Lil never got angry at me, ever. She certainly had never raised her voice to me. I hugged her cause, well, I needed the comfort mostly. “Sorry.”

Lil squeezed me hard enough I almost couldn’t breathe. “Shit. I’m sorry Sera. I didn’t mean to yell, I just need to get the fuck out of here.”

I pushed down everything I was feeling and locked it away for later, when I was alone. I pulled back giving her a bright smile, the kind I knew she couldn’t help but smile back at. “Forgiven. Now let’s go get some blended java goodness!”

Arms linked we walked out of the house together for last time. We would never return to this place. It was the final chapter in what had been our old life. Everything was going to be different from now on. I just hoped the next chapter of my life turned out to be longer than a few short pages in the book of life.

A little while later…

Starbucks was turning out to be a horrible idea. You would think we were in some kind of candy store with the way all the women were gawking at the guys. I get it, I really do. They’re freakin hot, but I could live without the eye fucking going on. “Stupid bitches need to stop gawking.” I muttered under my breath.

Well I thought I had muttered it but Lil lifted up her coffee cup. “Amen sister!”

Brian, who was sitting beside me, must have heard too cause he started smirking. “Don’t like us getting female attention?”

I snorted before sipping on my vanilla caramel frappicinio. “It’s just so rude.” My whole coffee buzz was being ruined by these harlots. Harlots? Really? Did I just use that term?

When the big chested bimbo waitress came over I wanted to gag. I mean did she really have to bend over that far? I think not. Lil snorted as she fawned over Jimmy. I’m gonna be sick I thought as she asked them if ‘there was anything else she could for them’.

I laughed as I heard Lil mumble something about her doing the world a favor and killing herself. All of the guys turned their heads away from the dye job wonder at the sound. They looked at me for a second before turning to give Lil a suspicious look. She of course smiled sweetly at them. “I didn’t do anything, swear.”

Jimmy gave her a look that clearly said he didn’t believe her. “Yet.”

Lil finished off her coffee and stuck her tongue out at him.

Everything felt normal, like we really were just six friends hanging out. That was until all four guys, who had been relaxed, sat up straight in their chairs.

Lil and I both responded by doing the same.

Zacky was the one that spoke. “We need to move before they sense them.”

All four guys stood up at once. “Zacky. You and Jimmy go distract them while we get the girls to the car.”

With a nod Zacky and Jimmy got up and left. I watched them leave a knot forming in my stomach. I looked up at a very serious looking Brian. “Syn?” We only used their real names at home, when we were out we were to use their code names, Brian’s was Synyster Gates.

“We have to get Lil to safety.” Was his unemotional response. He hadn’t even bothered to look at me when he spoke.

“Now what the fuck is going on?” That was from a very annoyed Lil.

“Angels. And they’re not the harp carrying kind.” Matt explained as he wrapped an arm around Lil and pulled her close to him. He whispered something in her ear and she turned her head into his chest. To anyone else it would look like they were a happy couple. Of course I knew better.

Brian wrapped his strong arm around my waist effectively shielding me from the direction I heard Jimmy’s loud voice coming from. “Don’t say anything.” He whispered into my ear as we walked quickly to the SUV. I told myself that the chills that raced down my spine were from the fear of being attacked, not the sinful treble of Brian’s voice, or a reaction to the feeling of his warm breath on my neck.

We were no sooner in the SUV when Matt put it in drive and took off.

“What about Jimmy!” Lil all but growled as she turned to look out the back window.

“We can’t leave him and Zacky!” I pleaded to the backs of the now deaf front seat passengers.

Matt looked at us from the rearview. “They’re meeting us at the mall.”

Lil crossed her arms over her chest. “Why the fuck do they have to do that?”

Brian turned his head towards us slightly. “Because if they saw two angels chillin with demons they would get suspicious.”

I guess it made sense but I still didn’t like the idea of leaving them behind. But if it came between choosing them or Lil, I would choose my sister every time. The rest of the car ride to the mall was quiet. I was worried about Zacky and Jimmy, I kind of assumed everyone else was too.