Girl I Know

"You dyed your hair?!" Both Diana and myself yelled as Bri walked in with Zacky, hand in hand.
"You like it?" Bri asked, smiling.
"You're blonde!" Diana gasped, playing with Bri's hair.
"What's with everyone doing something to their hair today?" I asked, giggling. "First Brian does that!" I pointed at him. He looked up at me with food in his mouth confused, clearly not paying attention.
"What I do?" He asked, food falling out his mouth.
I scrunched my nose, disgusted. "You're a pig." He laughed, making more food fall out as he tried to catch it. "And now Bri dyes her hair blonde. Who's next to change their damn hair?!" I asked.
"Oh, stop your bitching." Matt laughed. I threw a towel at him.
"Syn! Stop eating before there's none left! Fat ass!" Diana scolded Brian, hitting his hand with a spoon.
"Ow, you bitch." He whined, rubbing his hand.
"Suck it up." Diana stuck her tongue at him. He glared but then smirked.
"Where Jimmy go?" I asked, leaning against the counter.
"Has anyone noticed how fuckin large the toilet is upstairs?" Jimmy asked, running into the room.
"Uhm, no?" I laughed.
"Could go swimming in that shit.." He mumbled, grabbing a beer.
"Okay..." Bri muttered. "When can we eat? I'm starved."
"Guess now since Gates's fat ass is still eating." Matt chuckled, jerking his thumb at Brian.
"Fuck off." He flipped him off, his mouth full.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, goofball." I said, playing with his new wild looking hair.
He tilted his head back so that he can look up at me, chewing his food as he smiled. "But you loves it, Nikki Babe."
"Yeah, about that.." I smiled, rolling my eyes.
"Hello?" Someone called out as they shut the door, Bella barking as she went to go greet them.
"Hey, Michelle." I smiled when she walked into the dining room.
"Hey, Nikki." She grinned back, hugging me. "Hey, everyone. Congratulations on Best New Artist."

Everyone mumbled their Hellos and Thanks as they dug into their food, stuffing it down their throats as if it was their last meal. Michelle took the seat beside Brian right away, going straight to conversation with him. I sat between Johnny and Jimmy as I laughed with everyone, all of us joking around while we ate. Just like one big family.

I would occasionally peek in front of me to see Michelle whispering to Brian in his ear, a smile on her face while he looked dead bored as he stuffed his face. My eyes zeroing in on her hands wrapped around his large tatted bicep, feeling it up. My hand tightened around the knife in my hand as I glared, some wave of emotion taking over as I watched them. Or well, her.

Why I felt this way was beyond me. Brian was only a friend to me, I swear he was. I guess I just think she didn't deserve him. He had told me last night about the two of them when they were dating, how she would go out and cheat on him while he was either at the studio or on tour. And how he walked in on her and his cousin in bed together when he came home from tour. It made me disgusted knowing she has done that to him. But he said that he was glad that they broke up, he never wanted to get back with her. So that's good. As much as I liked Michelle, she was my friend and all, but Brian deserved way better than that.

The night carried on as we all hung out back on the deck as we drank, danced and partied it up. I went inside after a while to pull the cake out of the fridge, setting it on the counter when I heard the back door open then shut. I glanced up to see Brian, walking my way and check out the cake.

"Like it?" I asked, nodding at the cake.
He nodded. "Looks good."
"Great, I was worried it looked dumb." I said, reaching up to play with Brian's new hair style.
Brian smirked, chuckling. "You really don't like my hair, do you?"
I shook my head. "No, I do like it. I just miss your long hair too."
"It's still long. I only got it trimmed up and have it styled for that sex hair look." He shrugged.
"It does look really good on you." I complimented him. He smiled, but something wasn't right about it. "Brian, what's wrong?" I asked softly.
He sighed heavily, staring at me for a minute or two. "I was scared out of my mind tonight." He admitted.
"Why? Cause of the fire? Brian, it was just-"
Brian pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly to his chest. "I was scared for you, Nikki."
"For me?" I asked, confused.
"Yeah. I didn't know if you were okay and it drove me insane the longer it took to find you. I was scared I would find you in the ambulance truck."
"I'm fine, though. I'm clearly okay if I'm still standing here now." I told him.
"I know. I just can't get it out of my damn head that you were in a fire that could have gotten worse. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt." He mumbled into my hair.

I didn't say anything. I just stood there in his arms as he hugged me tightly to his chest, trying to make sense of his words. Never would I have thought the big, tough Synyster Gates would confess his fears to someone. Especially me. The one who has angered him from the start with my stubbornness and temper. Then Zacky's words rang through my head.

"From what he's told me, he loves you..."

"Brian.." I said his name softly, looking up at him. Lost in his warm chocolate eyes.
"Yeah?" He said, just as soft.
"What's going on in here?" Someone slurred.