Stealer of Hearts

[[ Few Months Later ]]

Tuesday Morning and Good Charlotte sat around the studio with our luggage filled with new, clean clothes, waiting for the tour buses to come pick us up. Tuesday Morning is finally done with recording and Good Charlotte was joining us on the remainder of the tour.

We were all scattered around the room - some people were on the couch, some on the floor, and some sat on the rolling chairs that they have in offices - talking and messing around with one another.

"So I'll finally get to see your band play tonight," I said to Benji and Billy excitedly, sitting on an empty counter as they spun around in their seats - well, at least Benji was.

"Yeah!" Benji whispered enthusiastically. "And we'll finally see your band perform too!"

"My first Good Charlotte concert," I squealed. "And it'll be from backstage too!" I heard several honking outside and I leaned to the side to look out the door. I jumped down from the counter and shouted, "Buses are here!"

I ran out the door, pulling my bags after me and going on board our bus. I placed my bags in the bunk I was originally in and I ran back off the bus. I turned to my left and ran towards Avenged Sevenfold's bus.

I threw the door open and ran inside, knowing fully well that the door was unlocked and they were fully awake.

"We're done!" I skipped into the living room and onto Jimmy's back. "We're done!"

"I heard you the first time!" he said, laughing. He dropped me onto the couch and went into the kitchen.

"You're done!" Johnny exclaimed from next to me and opened his arm largely as I tackled him into a big hug. I saw Brian enter from the bunk area and I got up, running over to him and grabbing his hands. I started jumping around in a circle happily, pulling him into the pattern with me.

"Why are we going in a circle?" he asked, faking excitement.

"Because we're done!"

"How exciting," he whispered with sarcasm.

"I know," I mocked him. "Matty, aren't you proud of us?" I asked him as he walked by, with my hands laced together.

"Of course I am," he said, patting me on the head before plopping down next to Brian on the couch.

"You guys are no fun." I heard a door behind me click open and I turned around to see Zacky, coming out from the bathroom. I skipped over to him. "Hey."

"Hey," he said calmly, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards him. He bent down and gave me a kiss on the top of my head before heading to his bunk.

I followed silently behind him and sat on the edge of his bunk as he laid down on his side, staring back at me with a small smile. It's been kind of quiet between him and I lately; like things have calmed down.

Things were okay; they weren't great like before but they were okay. I guess things kind of got a bit awkward and silent after a certain incident.

[[ Back to A Few Days After the First Recording Day ]]

I was at my parent's house - which I still live in - alone, when the doorbell rang. I paused the video game that I was playing and got up from my place in front of the television screen. I answered the door and in front of me, stood Zacky, looking slightly angry with a magazine rolled up in his hand.

"Zacky - uhm, come in." I stood off to the side to let him in and he stormed into the living room. I rushed after him, worried. "Zack, what's wrong?"

"This." He shoved the magazine towards me. It was already opened to a page and I took a look at it. There was a page with an enlarged picture of Billy and I on the day that we first met - after going to the mall. "Do you mind explaining that?"

The headline read: Have Tabby found her new Zacky? and underneath, was a small caption that read: Tuesday Morning's Tabitha Laurence was spotted walking in a parking lot with Good Charlotte's Billy Martin after a whole day together - very closely, shall we add - in the mall.

"That was the first day that I met Billy." I sighed and sat down next to him with my body facing his. I rested an arm on the back of the couch. "You're not thinking that I'm cheating on you, are you Zacky?" I asked him.

"Well, what am I supposed to think?" he asked me, pain was evident in his eyes.

"That I won't do such a thing to you." I took a hold of his hand with my left hand. "You're too kind for anyone to even do such a thing to you. We're just friends and I assure you, the first time that I met Billy, was the only time that I have been alone with him."

He stayed silent for a while. "You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"You promise?"

"I promise Zacky." I laughed as he cracked a smile.