Back To California

Johnny spent the rest of the night talking to Helena, and much to his surprise – he didn’t try to seduce her. He actually wanted to get to know this girl. He loved the way her brown, long and straight hair looked in the light from the fire, how her hair was caressed by the warm breeze from the ocean and how her blue eyes shone when she laughed. Johnny was falling hard and fast – and he knew it. However, to the short man, it seemed as if Helena felt the same way for him. She would look at him in a way he wasn’t able to describe, and smile every time he looked at her. She brought him back to her hotel room, considering Brian was most likely hooking up with someone. They fell asleep in each other’s embrace, and Johnny woke up to someone nibbling softly on his neck. He opened his hazel brown eyes slowly; thinking last night – and this – was just a dream. However, he looked directly into the smiling blue eyes of Helena, and he could feel his body tingle.

Helena and Johnny spent the day at the beach. She had told Johnny the previous night that she was a freelance photographer in Greece. He had been surprised to hear this; she spoke perfect American, and he would’ve guessed she was from around the Maryland district. He smiled a lot to the camera, and he had a feeling that she took so many pictures of him because she wanted to remember these days with him forever.
“Ah, shit!” he said as he sat down on one of the sun beds, “This shit was hot!” Helena laughed.
“Well, duh! You sat on the freaking metal thingy!” Johnny took off his aviators and threw them carelessly into the sand next to the sun bed. As he ran out in the water to cool himself down, Helena sat on the edge of the sun bed and snapped a picture of his sunglasses. They reflected her with the camera, and also a bit of the sun bed. Helena smiled as she studied the picture before she put her camera in her bag and ran into the water with Johnny.



It was now the day that the boys of Avenged sevenfold would leave what Johnny could only describe as his perfect haven. He had packed his bag the night before, and all he had to do this morning when the others packed their bags, was to carry it out in the van. After he had packed his shit up, Johnny ran to find Helena. He found her sitting on the same spot as she had fallen into his arms. He walked over to her, and sat down next to her. Without saying a word, Johnny pulled her into his arms and held on to her tightly. He really didn’t want to leave, he knew it would take a long time until the next time they would see each other. He felt her tears make his chest wet, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was the crying woman in his arms. He tilted her chin up, and kissed her lightly. As she responded, the kiss became rougher – not because they were filled with passion, no, this kiss was filled with the sorrow two young persons in love can build up when they realize this is the end. She pulled away from Johnny, her lips red and plush after the kiss. She seized her bag and started to look through it – obviously after something particular. When she found it, a small smile played over her lips until it disappeared and was replaced by the sorrowful look again.
“Here.” She said, the wind was carrying her words over to Johnny, or else he never would’ve heard them. He took the piece of paper, and saw it was a picture of his aviators and her in the reflection, behind the camera. Johnny knew exactly what day that photograph was taken – it was from the day after the barbeque. The day Johnny had kissed her for the very first time. They hadn’t made love, and this made their relationship even more special – at least Johnny thought so.
“I’ll come after you one day, Helena.” He whispered into her ears softly. She nodded, and he grabbed her hand and they slowly walked hand in hand back to the car that would take Johnny back to California.



Johnny never saw Helena ever again. As a freelance photographer, she was sent all around the world to take pictures. She had gone to Libya to photograph the war going on there, between Muhammar Gaddafi and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, Libyan rebels had bombed the camp where Helena and several other photographers and reporters had stayed. There hadn’t been any survivors. Johnny never got to know this, so he just thought she ignored him. As he sat in his back yard in the sun, he took the picture out from his back pocket to look at it – again. He had looked at it several hours a day, thinking about how he never told her he loved her, and how he probably never would be able to tell her this. He got up from his chair, walked in to his little office, sat down in the big, brown chair and put the picture in front of him so he could see it every time he looked up. Then he got to work.



“Okay, Johnny, what ‘ya got for us?” Matt asked. Zacky, Brian and Jimmy were sitting right next to the singer, and they were just as curious as Matt was. Johnny rolled his eyes at his friends' lack of patience, and he put a chair in front of them. He blushed as he told them why he had invited them over.
“I... uhm... I’ve written a song.” He muttered. Zacky frowned.
“What? Why? You’ve never written a song by yourself?” Brian elbowed the rhythm guitarist, getting a high groan in response. It was pretty obvious to the boys that Johnny was heartbroken, and they didn’t know what to do.
“Alright,” Jimmy said and crossed his arms, “Let’s hear it then.” Johnny grabbed an acoustic guitar and sat down in the chair in front of his friends. He was quite nervous; he knew they would be honest with him. If they didn’t like it, they would tell him so, but also tell him how he could improve it. Johnny strummed the first chords and cleared his voice. Then he started to sing:
How long I’ll wait
Just to say goodbye
ten different ways to enjoy this night
can’t do this anymore
won’t feel you anymore

How long I’ll wait
Just to say goodbye
You could never let me in
Holding on until the end

The time I waste just to say goodbye
Out of your way
I could do this right
Can’t see you anymore
Won’t feel you anymore

How long I’ll stay
Just to say goodbye, say goodbye
Leave it all the fights and all
Summer’s getting colder
Drive all night to hold you tight
Back to California
Days went by
We waited and I guess we’re getting older
We couldn’t win in the end
You’re gone

I’m miles away
Turning out your lights
Ten different ways I could end this night
Can’t do this anymore
Won’t feel you anymore

How long I’ll wait
Just to say goodbye, say goodbye
Leave it all the fights and all
Summer’s getting colder
Drive all night to hold you tight
Back to California
Days went by
We waited and I guess we’re getting older
We couldn’t win in the end

You’re gone.

As Johnny strummed the last fading chord, tears fell down his face. None of the boys said anything; they just got up from their seats and embraced their best friend.
“You really loved her, huh?” Zacky asked softly. Johnny just nodded his head, unable to speak. He found the picture she had given to him, and he knew that as long as he kept the picture, he’d never forget her. Jimmy understood what the younger man was thinking and lit his lighter up. Johnny held the picture in the flame a couple of seconds before he took the picture out on the asphalt. Ironically, the last thing to turn into ashes; was the reflection of her.