Vengeance Is a Syn

----- * Hailey’s POV * -----

We had dinner in an outdoor café and then took a walk on the beach.

“I already talked with the people that are organizing the prom.”, I said, leaning to Brian’s side.
“Really?”, Brian asked, looking down at me. “What did they say?”

“Well… Us girls, we have to wear a dress that’s either purple or pink. Something between those colors. We can wear white too, if we want. Anyway, it has to be one of those colors. You guys can wear any color you want.”, I said. “But please don’t choose a gray tuxedo! Or yellow, or any garish color!”

“Do you really think I’d choose any of those colors?”, he laughed out loud.

“I’m just asking you not to choose them, I didn’t say you would wear them!”

“But don’t worry, ‘cause I won’t pick those colors.”, he chuckled. “But I’d love seeing you on a purple dress.”, he smirked.

“Oh really?”, I asked, amused, and he hugged me from behind, planting a kiss on my neck.

“Hum hum.”, he nodded. “You’d look so sexy in it!”, he whispered in my ear, making me blush slightly.

“Well, now that I know that…”, I said, getting out of his embrace. “I was thinking about buying a purple dress… But now I’ll definitely opt for the white one!”

“Oh, thanks a lot!”, he pouted.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck, standing on my tip toes.

“I was kidding, you fool!”, I giggled, kissing his forehead.

“So does that mean you’ll buy a purple dress?”, he asked.

“Hum-hum”, I smiled.

“Good.”, he smirked.

I shook my head and laced our fingers again, resuming our walk.

“So, the prom is in the last weekend of May.”, I said. “On Saturday night. It’s two months from now, but I think the girls will want to go on a shopping trip soon.”

“Does that mean they’ll steal you from me?”

“Yes.”, I nodded. “But it will only be for a day, hopefully.”

“That’s too much for my liking…”, he pouted again.

“Aw, is Synyster Gates going to miss me?”

“Maybe, maybe not…”, he smirked.

“Idiot!”, I pouted.

“Of course I’ll miss you!”, he laughed. “I’m used to having you next to me all the time!”

“That leaves me thinking about something…”, I muttered, looking down.

“What is it?”

“It’s just… No, never mind about it…”

“Come on, Hay. What’s bothering you?”

I bit my lip and kept looking down. “Will… Will we still be together when you guys leave for the tour?”

“Yes, of course.”, he said. “At least when it comes to my part.”

“Are you sure?”

“Hailey, why are you so insecure?”, he asked, stopping on his tracks and holding both of my hands.

“I don’t know… I’m just scared you’ll leave me for some other girl you meet there!”

Brian chuckled and starting walking again, leading me to somewhere in the beach.

“Where are we going?”, I asked, trying to take my hand out of his hold.

“I want to take you to some place I know …”, he answered.

“Brian… I don’t like this…”, I mumbled.

We walked for a little while and approached a place surrounded by palm trees. He pushed the palm trees away, creating some space for us to be able to walk to the other side.

He motioned his hand, telling me to walk further and I hesitantly obeyed him.

My jaw dropped with the sight that was in front of my eyes. It was a concealed spot, completely surrounded by rocks and trees that led to a small opening where the shore ended. There was some sort of cave that had its entry blocked by some rocks and the sand was white and clean. The water was crystal clear and had the piercing blue tone that distinguished the California beach.

“You still don’t like this?”, he asked, smiling.

“Brian!”, I said, still amazed, taking in the sight that surrounded me. “How did you find this place?”

“I used to come here with my dad when I was a kid.”, he shrugged, approaching me and snaking his arms around my waist, making my back rest against his chest. “Do you like it?”

“This is beautiful!”, I whispered. “Why did I never know the existence of this place?”

Brian chuckled and rested his chin on my shoulder.

“I’m glad you like it.”, he said, kissing my cheek and returning to his previous position.

“Why did you bring me here?”, I asked.

“I’m just trying to prove you that I won’t leave you.”

“You know what? I’m sorry…”, I said. “I’m sorry for being so hesitant… It’s just that I-…”, Brian cut me, pressing his lips against mines.

“When will you start trusting me, Hailey Sanders?”, he asked.

“I trust you…”

“Then let me tell you this: if I ever left you, I’d be the stupidest guy this world has ever known!”, I laughed. “ Tell me, why do you think I’d leave you?”

I thought for a while but before I could answer, Brian cut me again.

“You can’t even find a reason why!”, he smirked proudly.

“You’re such an idiot! Why am I even with you!?”, I chuckled, shoving him away playfully.

“Because you can’t resist my charm!”, he smiled, picking me up from the ground. I laughed and used his shoulders as a support.

“I’m so dumb for l-…”, STOP IT HAILEY! Don’t you say the l word!

“For?”, Brian asked expectantly.

“For liking you!”

“Oh…”, he nodded. “No, you’re not. I like you too.”

“It’s nice to know that.”, I smiled.

We stood there in that little piece of paradise, laying in the sand and looking up at the sky, next to each other.

“What are you doing?”, Brian asked, tilting his head to the side and eying me curiously.

“I’m counting the stars.”, I said, making him chuckle.

“You’re such a silly girl!”, I looked at him with a sad expression and he used his arm as a support for his head. “You’re my silly girl, though.”

I hit his arm, playfully and shook my head, smiling.

“You know…”, he said. “When we become famous and start making a shitload of money, you’re going to come to every tour with us.”

“No, I’m not.”, I said.

“What? You don’t want to go?”

“I do, but… I’m gonna have my job by that time.”

“Come on… You know I’ll be able to support you financially in a few years if everything goes out as planned… It’s every girl’s dream to have that life.”

“Well, it’s not mine.”, I answered. “I want to succeed in the career I choose! I want to be a famous photographer, have my photos known all over the world…”

“I’d still prefer if you were with us.”

“Well… I’d really love to take concert photos… So if I’m lucky enough I may get hired to be your tour photographer!”

“I hope that’s true… ‘Cause I wouldn’t like sharing you with anyone.”

“And that way I could make sure you didn’t get close to any groupie!”, I said making him laugh.

“Why choosing a groupie when I have you?”, he asked, kissing me.

I smiled into the kiss and caressed his cheek.

“Keep thinking like that!”, I said.

-----

“Hailey!”, Val sang happily as she stormed inside my room.

I dropped my phone and brought my hand to my heart. To say that she scared me was an understatement!

“Oops, sorry!”, she apologized, picking up my phone and handing it to me.

“Dude, you could try taking some sedatives!”, I tried to stabilize my breathing. “You scared the shit out of me!”

“Well if you weren’t grinning like an idiot to your phone you would have heard me when I entered your house!”, she spat. “Anyway, I didn’t get to ask you how was your night yesterday.”, she said, lying on my bed and grabbing a magazine that was resting on the nightstand.

I sighed contently and plopped down next to her.

“It was amazing.”, I smiled. “Well, until that part where I almost slipped a word I shouldn’t be even thinking of!”

“You told him you love him?”, she gasped.

“No!”, I nearly shouted. “Why would I say that? I don’t even feel like that about him!”, I laughed nervously, trying to hide my embarrassment.

“If you almost told him that you love him, what does it mean, Hailey?”, she crossed her arms over her chest. “It means that you love him!”

No, shit! Great conclusion, Val! Clap, clap!

“Did I really hear what I think I heard?”, Matt said, standing by the doorframe.

Oh, you can only be kidding me! Not Matt too!

“You know what? You two, out of my room! Now!”, I shouted.

“Hailey loves Brian!”, Matt laughed. “Brian, baby! I love you!”

“Matt, shut the fuck up!”, I yelled.

“Oh, baby, I love you too!”

“Shut the fuck, up! Get out of my fucking room, you idiot!”, I said, shoving him away from my room in the less friendly way. “You too, Val! Out!”

“I can’t believe you finally admitted it!”, he laughed and I shut my bedroom’s door in his face as loudly as I could. I ran to my bed and hid under the pillows, trying to hide the sounds of him making fun of me.

“Matt, that’s enough!”, Val scolded him. “You’re really an idiot sometimes!”

She knocked on the door but I just sniffled, trying not to cry. The last thing I needed was Matt making fun of me.

“Honey, please open the door.”, she kept knocking. “Sweetie, Matt’s not here anymore.”

I reluctantly got out of bed and opened the door, but before I let her enter, I peeked my head out, making sure that she was telling the truth.

I let her in and she eyed me with an apologetic look.

“Matt’s sorry… He didn’t mean to make you angry…”

“Well, but he did!”, I spat. “Hell, I don’t even love Brian, and now he’s gonna make up stuff and tell him!”

“Sweetie, he’s your brother, he wouldn’t do that!”

“I hope he doesn’t.”

“I’m sure he won’t.”, she smiled, squeezing my shoulder. “But about last night… You didn’t finish telling me how it was.”

I smiled at her and shook my head, telling her where he had taken me.

“Okay, I need to know where that place is!”

“I’m not telling you where it is.”, I laughed. “He’s such a cute guy, Val! I like him so much!”

“I can see it, just look at your eyes!”, she laughed.

I giggled and rested my head on the pillows, letting out a content sigh.

“Oh my god, you really can’t hide it anymore!”, she grinned, looking at me.

“Hide what?”

“It’s written all over your face that you love him!”

“Don’t start with that again!”, I grumbled. “You know it’s not true!”

“Deny it!”, she demanded. I looked at her suspiciously. “Say that you don’t love him!”

“I… I…”, I stuttered. “Why would I do that?”

“There. I have my proof that you love him.”, she nodded. “Don’t hide your feelings from him… He feels the exact same way for you!”

“You think so?”

“I’m sure!”, she nodded.

I smiled and Matt knocked on the door.

“Can I come in?”, he asked, hesitating a bit.

“Yes.”, I replied coldly.

He sucked on his bottom lip ring and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry, Hay…”

I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. “I forgive you, Matt. But you’ve gotta stop being an asshole!”

“I know… I’m sorry for that… I really am!”, he said. “I forgot it’s horrible to hear people telling you those kind of things…”

“I think this is your revenge for the times where I mocked you about how in love you were with Val, right?”, I chuckled.

“Hey! He’s still in love with me!”, she laughed, grabbing his hand.

“Of course I am!”, he smiled, kissing her hand. “Truce?”, he smiled at me.

“Of course.”, I smiled, hugging him.

Val stood up and looked at me.

“Let’s go, honey.”, she said. “We have some shops to visit!”

“Today?”, I asked.

“Today.”, she answered. “Emma, Michelle, Leana and Lacey are already coming over here.”

I sighed and threw my head back.

“Okay… Let me just call Brian and tell him I can’t be with him.”

“Wow, does that mean we’ll have our lead guitarist free for today?”, Matt faked a shocked expression.

“You have him every day!”, I poked my tongue at him.

“I was joking!”, he laughed, stroking my hair.

“You can go and I’ll meet you in a second.”

“Okay. Don’t take too long!”

I rolled my eyes at her and chuckled.

She left the room and I called Brian.