I Will Drink To That

Jack stared at the chocolate-eyed man in front of her for what seemed forever. Hips lips were moving signaling he was talking, but it was like her world was on freeze and she couldn’t hear a sound. Brian leaned forward and snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Hello?”

She began to blink rapidly and slowly slipped off Gera’s lap. Standing, she looked at Brian, Gera’s worried expression, to the confused ones around her.

Then she began to run the other direction.

Seeing Brian was a sobering view, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from tripping in the gravel to the right of Gera’s back porch. Her eyes blurred and she looked around frantic, a few onlookers staring curiously. Jack stood as fast as she could and took off toward the house once more. She fell once more before escaping to the downstairs bathroom,

%*@#

Brian looked at the woman across him. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. Long braids were through her hair now he couldn’t help but take mental note of the few purple ones that stuck out. His mind began firing off questions, and his mouth attempted to keep up but she didn’t answer a single one. “Earth to Jack? Hello?”

He watched as the stranger he used to know stood and literally ran the other direction. “Fuck” He swore setting his drink down and beginning to follow her.

Matt lightly shook his head and was the first to speak. “The fuck?”

“Her name is Jack.” Johnny sighed. Inside he swore at himself; he wasn’t thinking earlier when he invited the guys to the party.

“We got that much.” Zacky snorted.

“Jack used to live next door to Jan, Brian’s mom. From sixth grade to Brian joining Avenged, they were inseparable. Eventually they developed more of a ‘Joey loves Dawson’ aspect to their relationship and became more.”

“Bad break up?” JT3 asked, curiously about the small blonde.

“You could say that.” Johnny snorted bitterly. “Brian began to choose the band over Jack, and kind of started to blow her off. Finally about a week passed of him ignoring her, so Jack went over to find out what was up. When she got there, she found him practically dry humping a pretty girl on the couch. I remember that day perfectly, it was raining and she came over crying, I still remember trying to pick up all the pieces…” He trailed off, a sad expression sweeping over his face, but it was soon replaced with annoyance. “Anyway, Jack left town shortly after and hasn’t been back since yesterday. She still doesn’t know the girl Brian was with on the couch he is marrying next month.”

@$$

Jack looked around the bathroom and saw a girl perched on the sink, and a guy standing in front, arms wrapped around her. The couple stared at Jack, utterly confused. “Oh, uh, shit sorry.” She stammered out. “I’ll be going now.” She slowly stuck her head out the door, and saw no sign of Brian so she took that as her chance to escape to Johnny’s bedroom. Jack locked the door and slowly stepped away.

“How’d I know you run in here?” She heard from behind her. Jack jumped a foot in the air and turned to see Brian sitting on Johnny’s bed. She held a hand over her erratically beating heart.

“You scared me.” She said softly. Jack stayed where she was and sunk to ground, pulling her knees to her chest. “What do you want?”

He ignored her. “Your knees are bleeding.” He stated, and sure enough crimson streaks were running down her legs.

“I fell in the rocks.” She whispered, just now feeling the sting.

Brian couldn’t help but look at her and see the little girl he knew so long ago. He disappeared into the master suite’s bathroom and returned with a damp cloth, peroxide, and a few bandages. “This might sting.” He stated, pouring the antiseptic on the cuts.

Jack softly hissed at the sting but she trained her eyes to stay on Brian’s. Silence passed and Brian began putting on the bandages. “You look different.” She commented.

“You’re drunk.”

She let out a breath and stood. “Exactly why I should be going.” Her clumsy feet tripped over one another and she hit the ground once more that night. “Or not.”
Brian quietly scooped the intoxicated woman into his arms and carried her over to Johnny’s vacant bed. He pulled the blanket over her and laughed at a momentary lapse of nostalgia. “I can’t count how many times it was you attempting to drag my drunken ass to bed. Never thought the tables would turn.”

“ Don’t. ” Jack commanded sharply. “Don’t joke like we’re actually friends or something. It’s just too much.”

Brian’s eyebrows furrowed and he sighed deeply. “Jack please I-“

“No. Like you said, I’m drunk. I won’t remember in the morning, so just save your breath.” She shook her head.

“Don’t be like that.” He rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Why shouldn’t I?” Anger laced her voice but it soon turned bitter. “Besides, don’t you have a fiancé to go home to? Or have you already forgotten her as well?” Jack cursed herself as soon as the words left her lips. She had said too much, much like she always seemed to do around Brian.

He took a step back. “You know about her?” He whispered. “Forget? What are you talking about?”

Jack pressed her eyes closed tight and turned on her side, her back facing Brian. “Just go.”

#%@^$

“How the hell do you always manage to hurt yourself?” Johnny Gera chuckled. He leaned in the doorframe of the kitchen, two cups of coffee in his hands.

Jack took hers eagerly took a sip of the sweet caffeine. Her eyes glared at the scabs on her knees. “I need to be put in an impenetrable bubble where no object or or person can hurt me.”

Apologetic eyes met hers. “I’m sorry about last night. I wasn’t thinking when I send that text out.”

She waved him off his her hand. “I had to see him eventually, most of it’s a blur really. Forget about that though, I don’t wanna think about it.”

“What do you propose we do then?”
“Johnny you know where I really want to go and have been in years?” Jack asked, excited all of the sudden. He looked back amused, awaiting her answer. “The beach.”

%$#&$

Jack peered at the waves behind large sunglasses and an over sized, floppy, sun hat. Her long braids were braided into pigtail braids. She slipped her zebra print cover up over her head, revealing her simple black bikini. Women walked by, over dressed for the beach, and glared at Jack, who seemed to captivate the attention of any male on looker. Johnny smiled at the obliviousness of the unknowingly-beautiful woman in front of him. His eyes widened in surprise at the large tattoo on her back.

“I always said you were a fallen angel and all you were missing was –“

“Wings.” She glanced back at him with a small smile. She turned back to the ocean as he set out their beach chairs and laid out the towels. “You hold me too high. I’m not an angel in the least.” She whispered.

Johnny shook his head but dropped the subject. A football came spiraling in their direction and landed at Jack’s feet. She picked it up in time for its hazel-eyed owner to come running after it.

“I am so sorry about that.” The man she recognized as Matt said taking it from her gently. “Hey, wait, aren’t you that girl from last night? Jack right?”

She had ran into M. Shadows? “That’s what I’ve been told.” She grinned waywardly.

Johnny rolled his eyes. He had gotten a text from the guys a little while ago about what his plans were for the day. This was a set up and Jack was their prey. “What a coincidence running into you here.” Gera said pointedly.

Matt gave his friend a look before turning his attention back to Jack’s crystal blue eyes. “You guys want to come hang with us? We’re just hanging out, brought a few beers.”

“I don’t know, we just got here and I don’t want to intrude.” She said shaking her head.

Yes! was Johnny’s only thought. Jack wasn’t taking the bait to be put under their microscope to be judged like some bug.

“Oh come on.” Matt said smiling, showing his heart melting, puppy dog stare and dimples. “You wouldn’t be, I promise.”

“Is Brian with you?” She asked timidly.

“Nope.” Matt smiled cheekily. He, Jimmy, Christ, and Zacky made it a point to think of excuses that they were busy to tell Brian so they could hang out with the mystery Jack. “Just me, Zack, Jim, and Christ.”

Johnny’s eyes flickered exasperatedly back and forth between Matt and Jack. She was caving fast and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.

“What could it hurt?”

@#$&*

“That’s fucking hilarious!” Jimmy roared, clutching his stomach as he laughed, tears trailing from the drummer’s eyes. The others around him found themselves in the same position.

“Well did you get caught?” Matt asked once he caught his breath.

“Of course we did!” Jack hollered, laughing. “We got so close! Brian got all paranoid thinking this was going to get us hauled off to jail so he made sure to pick up any evidence that we were smoking in his room but then Johnny here,” she said jabbing a finger at Gera along with a teasing look, “looked Brian’s mom straight in the face and just busts out laughing. Like a hysterical madman laughing. His mom knew right away.”

“Hey, I was fourteen, and pot just makes me all laughy.” Gera whined.

“Pass me a beer will ya?” Jack said smiling sweetly at Zacky. He obliged, grinning back.

“How the hell did we not know you when we were younger? I know we went to different high schools but damn, Brian should’ve brought you around.”

“He was just afraid you’d ditch him cause you’d like me more.” Jack quipped, flashing an award-winning smile. Johnny watched worriedly, knowing it was a sore subject for her, knowing that smile was fake.

Matt seemed to catch on to their new friend’s mood shift. “So how long you in town for?”

“Orginally for a few weeks, but now I think a couple of days is enough for me.” Jack answered honestly, taking a drink.

"Nope!" Jimmy declared loudly. "I think we'll keep you." He quickly stood and scooped Jack into his lap. "My new buddy, you're even better than Johnny." He said squeezing her tight, and rocking the small woman back and forth like a baby.

"Yeah!" Christ agreed, ecstatic. "Now Jimmy can man handle and belittle you instead of me."
Everyone laughed, and once the laughter died down, Jack sat comfortable atop Jimmy's lap, too lazy to move.

"Matt?" The group turned to see three women walking toward them. The one speaking had light blonde hair, and she was followed by a much shorter girl with honey blonde hair, and a taller platinum blonde woman. The women reached the group and Matt quickly looked up.

"Val!" Matt said standing, like a little kid who was caught doing something that they shouldn't. "I thought you were going out to lunch?"

"I went at noon." She answered, eyes narrowed. "It's almost seven. You've been on this beach drinking all day long."

"Us?" Zacky mumbled, "We'd never do that." He mumbled sarcastically, causing the others in the sand to snicker.

"It's not that bad." Matt reasoned. "No one is drunk, we were just hanging out, Johnny's friend is in town." He gestured to Jack, who looked like a deer in the headlights under the other women's gaze.

"Hey Lea!" Jimmy called to the shortest of them. "I found us a new buddy." He said wiggling his eyes suggestively. "Jack this is my Leanna." Jimmy stated proudly.

"It's nice to meet you." Leanna smiled walking over.

"It's not at all like that, he pulled me over here." Jack rambled, remembering she was sitting on Jimmy.

Leanna laughed. "I know hon, he does that." She then leaned down and kissed the tall man's lips. Jack slipped away from Jimmy's lap while Leanna began to explain her day to him and noticed the other woman had sat down next to Zacky.

"Hi, you must be Jack, I'm Gena. It's nice to put a face to the new 'mystery Jack' the guys have been speaking of." She smiled brightly, and Jack decided she liked this woman as well. "I really love your braids."

"Thanks. If I stay here much longer, I'll have to take them out soon." Jack replied.

"Well hey, I own a salon downtown, if you want to come by. I can take them out, wash your hair, and put them back in. That way you'd be good for another week." Gena offered.

"Actually that would be amazing!" Jack agreed happily. She was worried she'd have to go without them til she got home to her own stylist.

Johnny smiled at the women, glad they were getting along. Even Val warmed up to Jack once they began to talk a while. The girls were loving her, unlike how they can't stand Brian's current fiance.

"So Jack what do you do?" Leanna asked.

"I actually own a few bars in Boston, New York, and in Philly." She said taking a drink of her beer.

"Really?" Zack asked intrigued. "What's it called?"

"Jack Of All Trades." She smiled. "The first one opened was in my home in Boston."

"I've actually heard about it." Gena commented. "It's apparently the place to drink in Boston. I heard we we're getting one in Cali, is that true?"

"It's up in the air right now, I've thought about checking out a few spaces. Gera think's it's a good idea."

Johnny nodded, "I'd see you more."

"It would be awesome." Zacky agreed. "Any places in Hunting Beach?"

"One I thought about looking at while I'm in town." Jack answered.

Time passed the and the group began to ask more about Jack. "Well I'm beat." Matt yawned standing. It was well passed dark and the night air began to nip away at them.

Jack exchanged numbers with the girls. "Hey, we're having a BBQ tomorrow and you need to come." Val demanded. "Everyone is coming over about three, Gera knows the way to the house." The blonde explained, walking away. "It was good meeting you, see you tomorrow!" She waved.

Everyone else offered similar goodbyes and soon Jack and Johnny were home once again. "They were nice." Jack smiled. Johnny grinned and hugged Jack tightly. She decided they were more than Brian's band, all of them were actually a family.