Don't Look Back

It was a nice day when school finally got out. The sun was shining and not a single cloud could be seen in the clear blue sky. Everything was going according to plan so far.

I followed Matt and the rest of the guys into the parking lot where we all separated into our own different cars. Of course I rode with Matt like he had asked me to and Johnny and Jimmy took the back seat. Zacky had his own car so he had Ana and Brian with him.

I could feel the sweat starting to build up on the back of my neck so I decided to put my hair up with a stray hair tie that was tied around my wrist. A few, thin strands hung out around the sides and down my shoulder but it looked cute all the same.

“Whoa I didn’t know your hair was pink in the back.” Jimmy awed, sitting up a little in his seat so that he could see my hair more clearly. “That looks really cool.”

“Thanks.” I smiled back at him, lightly blushing from his compliment and subconsciously ran my hand through my hair, making it’s long length lie on my shoulder instead. I caught a wink from Matt as I turned around.

About ten minutes later we finally arrived at Matt’s house and I couldn’t have been any happier. School had been long so the sudden change of scenery was very nice.

I sat my bag down by the front door like the rest of them had done and followed them down the hallway that I guessed led to garage since we had to go through the kitchen to get there. Jimmy was already perched on his chair behind his drums while Zacky and Ana occupied the couch, a fresh beer in each of their hands. Zacky caught me looking at him so he must have thought that I had wanted one for myself.

“Would you like one?” He offered, already bending over the arm of the couch to open the mini-fridge to retrieve a can for me. I caught it as he tossed it through the short distance.

“You’re allowed to drink them?” I asked, looking down at the green, cold metallic can in my grip.

“Nah my parents don’t care.” Matt said, coming up behind me and yet again giving me another wink. “Relax babe it’s fine.”

I nodded as I gave him a re-assuring smile, trying to play it off that I wasn’t embarrassed by my idiotic question. It seemed as if they were all waiting, looking at me from the corners of their eyes as they wondered if I was going to actually drink it. So to humor them I casually popped the tap and raised the can to my lips, taking a small swig of the bitter alcohol. It felt like fire as it went down my throat at first but after a second or two it dimmed into a numbing buzz. I felt re-assured that they didn’t know it was my first beer because they all just slightly smiled, going back to doing whatever they had previously been doing.

An hour later had passed and now it was just me and Ana sitting on the couch, watching the guys rehearse their songs as we pretended to be their audience. I had to admit that they were pretty good for a garage band. Their sound was a mix between Metallica and Guns ‘N Roses but yet they still embodied their own style. I had actually come to find out that Brian and Johnny were relatively new to the band. Brian had been playing for years since his dad had taught him everything he knew and it seemed that he picked up rather well since his guitar skills could easily be matched up against the guitar gods such as Slash or even Kirk Hammet. He was very good to say the least.

I wasn’t about to underestimate Johnny though. For a bass player he had very good techniques himself. I learned that he was the third bassist for them, their previous two leaving for personal reasons that none of the guys really wanted to talk about. I guess they were personal or sensitive subjects so I didn’t press the issue.

They played about nine songs, a few angry ones about wasted time, lying and cheating so I assumed that they were Val inspired, another subject that I didn’t press. But all in all they were phenomenal so I didn’t have to lie when they asked me what I thought.

But during the whole time of them playing I couldn’t help but let my eyes wonder over Matt. He put so much passion into his singing, well screaming to tell the truth, but the sight was still mesmerizing to watch. His hazel eyes filled with so much emotion as he jammed along with his friends, getting lost in the music as if nothing else mattered to him but the microphone in his hand. I couldn’t help but feel turned on.

“Alright guys let’s take five.” Matt panted, stopping their practice after their ninth song and reaching for his water bottle. I’d probably be out of breath too after a performance like that.

“You guys are really good.” I complimented, giving them a reassuring smile as they all copied Matt by reaching for their water, Jimmy making me snicker as he reached for a beer instead.

“You don’t think we sound too emo?” Brian chuckled, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead to get rid of the sweat.

“No I don’t think you sound too emo Brian.” I laughed at his choice of words and couldn’t help but playfully roll my eyes. “You sound really good. The next Metallica I bet.”

They seemed to like the sound of that so it didn’t surprise me when all of their faces beamed with satisfaction. I once again only laughed.

Another ten minutes passed of them just goofing off as they took their break, Zacky sitting on the couch next to Ana to start a make out session and Matt throwing an empty beer can at him as soon as he saw. I could already see that he was the over protective brother type. Zacky didn’t try it again until Matt left the room for another beer for me and himself.

“Baker knock it off!” he yelled and threw a random baseball at him that had been lying on the ground. He didn’t throw it too hard but just enough to make it sting.

“Mother fucker!” Zacky groaned, holding his side where the ball had hit hip. “You’re getting dangerously close to the family jewels there asshole.”

I laughed as Matt just rolled his eyes, taking a seat next to me and handing me my beer. “Well you better keep those family jewels away from my sister while I’m in the room then.”

Zacky rolled his eyes as he just put his arm around Ana now, who had been laughing the whole time at her boyfriend and her brother’s bickering. I couldn’t help but join her.

“Are you laughing at me?” Zacky pouted to her, sticking his bottom lip out as he acted hurt. “You find my pain amusing?”

“Oh baby,” she soothed, taking his cheeks in her hands and placing a soft kiss on his lips. “I find it rather hilarious.”

Zack just continued to pout as the rest of us laughed, making him flip us off as soon as Ana took him back into another kiss, his finger going down the deeper it got.

“Alright!” Brian yelled, pretending to act sick as he slipped his guitar strap back over his shoulder. “Quit making me horny and let’s get back to practice.”

Jimmy busted out laughing and did a cheesy ‘cha ching’ on his drum like you would after someone told a corny joke, only making me playfully roll my eyes and laugh once again as everyone did the same.

I looked over to Matt as he got up from his seat next to me, secretly feeling a little sad that he was leaving me but then the thought of me having him all to myself tonight at the bonfire made up for it. I kept getting butterflies every time I thought about it and I really hoped that he wasn’t going to be taking me out to any big restaurant because I don’t think my stomach would be able to handle it, my nerves already feeling it up and making me feel jittery.

I watched him walk back over to the microphone, Zacky getting off the couch to get his guitar and Johnny standing beside Brian with his bass already over his shoulder.

“You guys want to work on the new song that Zack wrote?” Jimmy asked the rest of them, Matt shrugging and looking over to Zacky. “Well you were the one that wrote it man. What do you want to do?”

“Yeah we will in a little bit.” Zacky replied, turning on his amp back on and making a few strums across the strings. “But don’t you think we need to finish Illusion first before we start anything new?”

“Yeah I guess you’re right.” Matt agreed, taking the microphone off of the stand and moving the cord so that it wasn’t around his feet. “Did you ever find someone who might be able to sing that one section in the beginning?”

“I tried but everyone I talked to said that they didn’t think they’d be able to pull it off. Kayla said she might be able to do it but you know how she is with her band.”

“Yeah she hardly ever has any time.” Matt sighed. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to keep looking then.”

“What are you guys talking about?” I asked. “Are you trying to find a singer?”

The guys looked at me as I spoke up from my spot on the couch, timidly looking back and forth from each other before Matt answered me. “Well we’re looking for a girl to sing on a part for one of our songs…well more like scream but we can’t find anyone to do it.”

“And you need a girl to do it?”

Zacky nodded his head as he spoke up this time. “Well we thought a girl screamer would sound bad-ass…plus it kind of goes with the song since it’s along the basis of rape.”

I uncrossed my leg as I stood up from my seat next to Ana, shyly glancing at them. “Well…I could do it if you want. How long is the part?”

Matt smiled at me before he reached over the table to grab a sheet of paper, which later I found out to be a sheet of lyrics.

“The Art of Subconscious Illusion?” I said, reading the title in front of me.

Matt nodded his head as he stood from behind me, looking over my shoulder to read them. “Yeah and here’s the part that we are needing the singer for.”

I couldn’t help but get a small amount of chills as his arm accidentally grazed past mine to point to a section that was about two thirds of the way down the page, it’s part highlighted in an orange highlighter. He must have noticed because he immediately pulled away and to my displeasure I wish he wouldn’t have because I liked him standing there.

The part was only about 2 lines long but from what I read they weren’t bad at all, actually they were pretty damn good. “So who wrote this one?” I asked, raising my head to look at the guys.

Matt halfway raised his hand with a smirk. “I did, about a month ago.”

I smiled myself as I looked back down at the lyrics. “Well it’s really good.“ I picked my head up to look at him again, lightly biting my lip as I spoke in a soft tone. “Did you write this from someone you knew personally?”

He shook his head as he sat back down on a stool next to me. “Fortunately no I didn’t…I just thought that it would make a good idea as a song. Expressing how vulnerable a girl would feel in that situation.”

I nodded my head as I re-read the lyrics again, smiling as I finished. “Well it’s very good Matt. You and Zacky are very good writers.”

“Ahem.” Jimmy piped up from the back of the room, crossing his arms over his chest in a mock way of anger. “Those two pretty boys don’t write everything you know.”

I laughed as I handed Matt his lyrics again. “Oh I’m so sorry Jimmy. You’re a very good writer yourself…even though I haven’t seen anything of yours yet.”

He laughed as he sat back down at his drum set. “You will eventually.”

I playfully rolled my eyes with a small smirk and turned my attention back to Matt. “Ok so you want me to do this for you? I’ve haven’t screamed in awhile so you’ll have to excuse me if I’m a little rusty.”

He lightly laughed as he stood back up again, going over to the spot that he would be singing from. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine. We’ll play it and I’ll sing your part first so you can hear it and then I’ll help you out if you‘re having anymore trouble with it.”

I nodded my head as I stepped back from his little ‘performance spot’, Brian picked up his guitar, Zacky playing a few little notes and Rev kick starting on his drums.

“Alright guys let’s make this fucking sick.” Matt said before he picked up the mic and Brian and Zack immediately began to play the intro to the song.

I followed along the best that I could while reading the lyrics as Matt sang, occasionally catching his eyes on me, me in vice versa and paid even more attention when it got to the part that I would be singing. It was very loud and full of growls but I thought it sounded pretty fucking awesome to tell you the truth. Hopefully I can pull it off.

The song came to an end and I clapped with Ana, her letting out a small wolf whistle which made the rest of us laugh.

“That was unbelievable you guys! I thought that you would be good but damn that was fucking awesome!”

Jimmy laughed as he once again began to twirl his drumstick between his fingers, the rest of the guys slightly bending over to try and catch their breath.

“Fuck man I need to start working out more.” Zacky panted, earning a small laugh from Johnny.

“I thought Ana gave you all the workout you needed.”

A glare was thrown in Johnny direction, not only from Zacky but Ana and Matt too.

“Watch it midget that’s my sister you’re talking about.” Matt warned.

Johnny put his hands up in mock defeat and playfully backed away as if he were scared.

“No that’s alright M.” Ana spoke up, crossing her arms over her chest. “Little Johnny’s just upset he still carries around the title of the big V.”

Johnny didn’t say anything to her remark but a small blush was relevant across his cheeks, clearly showing that he was embarrassed.

“Aww come on An that was a little harsh.” Brian spoke up. “…It’s not his fault all the girls are taller than him.”

I laughed with everyone as Johnny playfully flipped him off, him focusing on his bass again. “Yeah whatever you guys. Are we gonna work on this song some more or not?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Matt said, still lightly laughing as he was trying to stop. “I want to get this done before we leave anyways.”

I kept my focus on Matt as he asked me to come stand next to him now, holding out the mic for me to take. I stood next to him holding it in my hand but I was pretty nervous to be able to do this in front of them. I wasn’t lying when I said I hadn’t screamed in awhile and I was afraid that I would make a complete fool out of myself.

“Alright do you want me to sing it one more time before I let you do it?” Matt asked me, keeping his spot beside me in front of the rest of the band. “Or do you think you can do it by yourself?”

I nervously shook my head as I handed him back the mic. “Just sing it one more time for me. I’m pretty sure I can get it after that.”

He nodded his head as he stood beside Zacky, turning in his direction to speak to him. “Alright just start it at the first guitar break before the 2 lines.”

Zack nodded his head himself and him and Brian did as they were told, Jimmy and Johnny following along with them. The part came up again and I intently listened to how the two lines were supposed to be sung. Punching slowly my mind can’t change the speed…no matter what I do or how hard I try…

“Alright I got it.” I said as they finished once more. “Where do you want me to stand?”

“Right here.” Matt said, pointing to the spot beside him. “I’m still gonna have to sing the backups along with you so we’ll have to share the same mic.”

I smiled at him as I did as I was told, him returning the favor as Zacky and Brian once again started to play again. I counted down to the break of my part and gripped the microphone in my hand to scream the lines the best that I could, holding it back up for Matt to sing as well. I looked to my right and saw that Ana’s jaw was slightly dropped with a huge smile trying to drape across her lips. Evidently I had done pretty good.

The song ended about 30 seconds after my part was sung and I noticed that I had the same reaction from the rest of them as Ana had done. I didn’t know what to do as they kept looking at me so I said the only thing that came to my mind.

“Ta-da.”

Everyone laughed, Jimmy and Brian breaking out into an applause as the rest of them followed suit.

“That was so bad-ass!” Zacky laughed, draping an arm across my shoulders. “Dude you need to sing more often for us.”

“Hey now.” Matt chuckled, “I’m the singer of this band remember.”

“Not for long if Treva keeps that up.” Jimmy laughed and I couldn’t help but blush.

“Well I guess I’ll let Matt keep his spot.” I smirked as I gave him back the mic, giving him a small wink as he chuckled.

“That was pretty bad ass though Trev.” he complimented, draping his arm around my shoulders after Zacky had let go of me. “Your old band is really missing out.”

I blushed again from his praise, and also from the fact that his skin was brushing against mine. I hope he didn’t notice or if I didn’t start stuttering from loss of focus from his gorgeous green eyes. “Thanks Matt.” I told him. “I’m glad I could help you guys out.”