Vengeance Is a Syn

I was lost in my thoughts when I felt Val yanking the headphones from my ears.

“Hey, what was that for?” I frowned, confused, grabbing the headphones.

“Stop being that depressed little fucker you’re being!” she cried. “We’re all having fun there and you’re here sitting all by yourself!” she pointed at the sea where each of my friends were playing volleyball.

“Yeah, I’d already understood that…” I shrugged sadly.

“Come join us,” she sat down next to me.

“I think it’s best if I stay here…”

“No, it’s not,” she shook her head. “Come on, Hay. It’s the last week of school. We’ll be graduating in a matter of days!”

“I know,” I sighed, putting the headphones back on my ears. “And that’s scaring the shit out of me…”

“Why?” Val asked curiously.

“Because… I don’t know…” I whined. “Everything will be so different… I mean… I’m used to being with the guys all the time, but after graduating… I’ll go to college, Matt, Jimmy, Brian and Zacky will focus on Avenged Sevenfold and Johnny will split his time between the band and school. Nothing will be like these days ever again.”

“That’s why you have to seize these last days, sweetie.” Val said. “Sitting here all by yourself won’t help anything.”

“But if I go over there I’m afraid I’ll ruin your fun…” I said.

“Why do you say that?” she cocked her eyebrow.

“Because of Brian…” I shrugged. “I’m okay with all of the other guys. I’m even okay with Zacky… We already spoke, and he apologized for what he did and told me he wouldn’t get in between Brian and me anymore… Not that he has any chance of doing that right now,” I said. “Hell, he even talked with Brian already and they act like brothers again. It’s like nothing happened. But whenever I get close to him he stops acting like he was acting before. It’s like having me in the same room as he is makes him mad! That hurts, you know?”

“You have to understand that he’s hurt with what happened…” Val tried to give him some reason.

“So am I, Val!” I whined.

“I know, I know,” she nodded. “But you two are getting along a lot better in these past few days.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “At least we talk a bit… But only when you guys are around.”

“Better than nothing,” she chuckled.

“True,” I smiled.

“Come on,” she sat on her knees and pulled my hands. “Let’s go have some fun with them,” she nodded her head towards the water where everybody was.

I bit my lip and debated whether I should go or not.

“I’m better here, listening to music.” I excused myself.

“And depressing yourself?” she raised one eyebrow. “No way, I wanna see you smile!”

“I’m not depressing myself!” I frowned.

“Oh, really?” she put her hands over her hips.

She grabbed my iPod and looked at the screen, shaking her head in disapproval.

“What’s wrong?” I looked at her with a cocked eyebrow.

“I've got a roof over my head, as if I'd rather be alone with me instead!” she sang. “And you tell me that you’re not sad!?”

“Oh, shut up, I like this song!” I poked grumbled. “Close yet far, drop me a line and tell me how the hell you are! I'll tip my hat to those who can't believe it's me. Though I never, never, never, ever wanted this to be.” I sang loudly, winning a bunch of odd glares from the people around us.

“You’re such a freak!” she shook her head. “Now you’re coming with me for sure!”

She put my iPod on her bag and pushed me so that I was standing up. I rolled my eyes and walked with her to the water.

“Finally!” Matt whined, looking at me.

I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arms around me. I still tried to avoid looking over the place where Brian was staying.

“Aw, is poor Hailey cold?” Jimmy mocked, walking in my direction.

“Actually, yes, a little,” I said, and then I extended my arms once I realized that Jimmy was planning on doing something to me. “What the hell are you doing, James Sullivan!?”

I ran to hide behind Matt’s back and Jimmy chased me the whole way, laughing manically.

“Bad decision,” Matt smirked, picking me up.

“Ah, so you were all planning on trapping me!?” I gripped Matt’s arms so that I wouldn’t fall. “You stupid motherfuckers, let me go!”

They all started laughing and Zacky and Jimmy started throwing water at me. Val and Lacey sat on the border of the sea, laughing their asses out and Johnny whispered something on Brian’s ear.

For a moment I just wished I was a fly to hear what he had just said.

Brian smirked and nodded, and I covered my eyes to protect them from the water that Zacky and Jimmy were throwing at me. Matt kept holding me with a vice grip that I couldn’t get out off and when I opened my eyes, I didn’t see Johnny or Brian.

The next thing I know, I felt two hands grabbing my legs and two hands gabbing my arms, and, suddenly, I stopped feeling Matt’s arms supporting my weight. I opened my eyes and screamed as I realized that I was being carried to the beach’s deck that was just above the water.

“Short Shit, what the fuck do you think you’re doing? Put me down! Now!” I trashed my legs, but he managed to keep holding them in place.

“No way, sweetheart!” he laughed evilly. “You’re going to the water!”

“But I don’t want to!” I whined, half laughing, half being serious.

“You don’t have any vote on the matter,” he shrugged, approaching the border of the deck.

“Don’t you dare letting go of my arms, …”

My heart stopped when I looked above me and saw Brian grabbing my arms.

Oh my god, he’s actually not ignoring me! Is this the real life?

“You heard the boss,” he chuckled, nodding towards Johnny, who smiled confidently. “You’re going to the water.”

“Argh, I hate you all!” I kicked my legs again.

“Shut up!” Johnny laughed.

“Come on; throw her to the water, already!” Matt laughed.

“You’re officially banned from my family, Mathew Charles Sanders!” I shouted. “From now on, you’re not my brother anymore!”

“Shut up, you’re such a pussy that we have to throw you to the water! This would be a hell of an easier task if you decided to enter the water by yourself!”

“But it’s cold!” I whined. “You two, put me down!” I looked at Johnny and Brian.

“No can do,” Brian laughed, and, without any warning, they both threw me to the ocean.

I was glad that the deck’s height wasn’t very high and that the fall didn’t hurt, but I was pissed at all of them.

I returned to the surface and gasped for air.

“There, now she’s ready to join our game!” Jimmy smiled.

“Argh,” I groaned. “Assholes, you’re all fucking assholes! You two included!” I pointed at Val and Lacey.

“Why us?” they both asked.

“You didn’t help me!” I pouted, making them laugh.

“Come on, sweetie,” Val laughed. “Let’s play some volleyball!”

We all got together near the shore and the guys proceeded on making the teams.

“Okay, Zacky, you pick one team and I pick the other,” Matt said. “You can start.”

“Okay,” Zacky nodded. “Syn.”

Brian walked to Zacky’s side and they high fived each other.

“Rev,” Matt said, and they both did the same as Zacky and Brian.

“Hailey,” Zacky said.

I gulped and turned on my heels to their side. I walked over there and Zacky high fived me.

“We’re so gonna win this!” he said, making me laugh.

I looked at Brian and smiled slightly. He smiled back and held his hand in the air.

“I don’t get a high five?” he raised his eyebrow, smirking.

I chuckled softly and high fived him. “Sure.”

He smiled back and I heard Matt picking Johnny.

Zacky chose Val and Lacey went to Matt’s team. That made me, Zacky, Brian and Val play against Matt, Jimmy, Johnny and Lacey.

“Okay, we’re far better than they are,” Zacky nodded. “We’re gonna win this shit in a matter of seconds!”

“Don’t be so confident, Zee,” I said. “Matt and Jimmy are really good.”

“So are we!” Brian said.

“I don’t know about you guys… But I’m kind of a failure at this game…” Val scratched the back of her neck.

“It’s okay,” Zacky said. “Hailey and Brian stay at the front and you and I stay at the back. If you see that you can’t get to the ball just tell me and I’ll get it, okay?” Val nodded. “Now, let’s go!”

Brian and Zacky cheered and I and Val laughed, following them.

We started playing and we were tied practically the whole time.

“Come on,” Jimmy whined. “We said we’d end the game when one of the teams reached 30 points, but we’re already in the 40’s!”

“This game’s doomed!” I said. “The result is always tied!”

“Let’s play it this way,” Matt said, grabbing the volley ball from the sand. “Whoever scores more points out of five wins?”

“Deal,” Brian nodded.

“Let’s start then,” Matt threw the ball at the air and started the game.

Four points later, we were tied with two points each.

“You know,” Zacky said. “Whoever wins this point gains the set.”

“Let’s hope the winners are us!” Val said.

Zacky threw the ball in the air and started the game. Jimmy hit it once and Matt passed it to our side. Brian hit it once and Zacky dove to the sand so he could pass it to the other side. Johnny hit it sloppily and passed it to our side and I dove to the sand and kicked the ball in the air, which let Brian hit it and score a point for us.

I got up from the sand and we all cheered.

“Awesome job!” Brian grinned at me.

I smiled, a really big smile, may I add, and hugged my three team mates at the same time.

“You suck!” Matt grumbled.

“Bad loser,” I poked my tongue at him.

“You were just lucky!” Johnny crossed his arms over his chest.

“You really need to learn how to cope with your defeats!” Zacky chuckled.

“Who cares?” Jimmy threw his arms in the air. “Let’s go to my house. Dinner’s on my mom.”

Everyone cheered once again and we all drove to Jimmy’s house on the cars that we’d brought to the beach.

Once inside, they played a little while Lacey, Val and I helped Jimmy’s mom with the food.

She told us we could go and join them since the food was now ready and being cooked on the oven.

We walked to the garage where they should be, but we only found Brian in there.

“Where’s everybody else?” Val asked.

“Hum… Matt and Jimmy went to pick something on the music shop and Johnny and Zacky went to the kitchen to check if everything was alright.”

“Oh, I’ll warn them that we’re already down here!” Val said quickly, rushing to the door.

“And I… hum… am going to the bathroom!” Lacey smiled cheekily. “See ya soon.”

“Wait-…” I said, but she rushed to the door as well.

I can’t believe they left me all alone in a room with Brian, when they knew how that made me feel!

I turned around and Brian was rubbing the back of his neck nervously and looking down at something on Jimmy’s desk.

I sighed and sat on the couch. The silence of that room was creeping me out and it was extremely uncomfortable.

I cleared my throat and looked up.

“You have any idea if they’ll take long to get back in here?” I asked.

“Hum… no, I don’t know…” he shook his head, not looking at me.

I nodded and stared at the wall again.

Could this moment get any more awkward?

I sighed in relief as I heard the door being opened and Jimmy and Matt’s voices.

“Where’s everybody else?” Matt asked.

“Lacey’s in the bathroom and the others got lost in the kitchen,” I answered and they nodded.

A couple of hours later we decided it was time for us to go. Zacky would drive Val home, since they lived close to each other, Brian would walk, since his house was just on the next road and Johnny and Lacey would spend some time together.

“Wanna go for a walk?” Matt asked me. “I don’t feel like going home already, and you look like you need some fresh air.”

“Yeah, that can be a good idea,” I smiled.

Matt kissed Val goodbye and I hugged everyone goodbye as well. When I reached Brian’s place I simply smiled at him and said goodbye. He answered the same way and I waited for Matt by the front door.

“Ready to go?” he asked me.