All or Nothing

Eliza and Katie walked through the mall, each holding a coffee cup. They had less than a week before Christmas, and it seemed as if the entire world was out doing last minute shopping. Of course, they were, too, but they weren’t going to admit that.

Since Val and Matt had gone on their honeymoon, the guys had spent very little time together, which meant Eliza and Katie hadn’t seen much of each other as Zacky was always around. Finally, after much begging from Zacky to come along, they ditched him and came to L.A. to do some light shopping.

“I just don’t see why you won’t stay,” Katie said as they made their way into a store.

“Do you realize how awkward Christmas is going to be, Katie? Hell, we haven’t even spent a Christmas together when we were dating. Now we’re not together and we have to be forced to spend Christmas together? I’d rather sit at the studio by myself all night.”

“Well, then come to Delaware with me.”

“I thought you were staying here, though?”

“For the most part, yeah, but on Christmas Day I’m going to Delaware.”

“How the hell did you manage tickets for that?”

“I’ve got my connections,” Katie said, holding up a brown shirt. Eliza shook her head no at the choice and Katie put it back. “Zacky was going to go with me, but if you want to come, you’re more than welcome to. He’ll understand.”

“I would love to see your parents again,” Eliza conceded.

“See? You don’t need to spend a holiday alone, stupid. What about this?”

Eliza’s thoughts were dragged away from the skirt Katie was holding as she saw the Affliction section of clothing for men. A bit sad, her eyes raked over the different racks before falling on a few of them that looked familiar. She realized that they were the ones Brian had shown her a long time ago that he’d wanted for his birthday. She’d ended up getting him something else, but she felt an invisible rope tugging her towards the clothes.

“I’ve got to go pee,” Katie announced.

“I’m going to wait here,” Eliza said, not taking her eyes off the clothes.

“Alright, I’ll be back in a minute,” Katie said, and Eliza could feel her worried gaze.

Once Katie was out of the store and sight, Eliza moved to the racks of clothes, pulling out a few shirts. She found a couple pairs of jeans, too, and when she passed a table containing some V-Neck shirts, she paused and grabbed a couple of them, too. To make sure Katie didn’t become suspicious, she found a few things for herself. Not caring that she was dropping a ton of money, she stood at the counter and paid for her things.

“So I’ve got a question for you,” Katie said as they met near the entrance of the store.

“Alright,” Eliza said and finished off her coffee before throwing it away.

“If you want Brian back, why are you so angry?”

“You know that feeling… when you’re so pissed off at someone…but yet you want them to come back anyway? Like think about this. Let’s say you slept with Brian.”

“What? No, ew,” Katie said, scrunching up her face.

“Just go with me, here, okay?”

“Fine, but that’s disgusting. No offense, but he’s…yours.”

“Thanks,” Eliza said and smiled. “What I meant was… let’s say you slept with Brian and I found out. I’d be so pissed off at both of you, but I’d want to tell someone about it. You being my best friend, would be the person I’d want to tell…yet I couldn’t because I’m pissed off at you. I want you there, but I’m so fucking mad at you. I’m mad as hell at him for not believing me, but at the same time…all he’d have to do was come back, kiss me, and say he’s sorry. That’s all he’d have to do.”

“What about the whole Kaicey situation?” Katie asked.

“Fuck her. I’m so sick of seeing her and worrying about her it’s not even funny. If he wants her, he wants her. Whatever.”

“I tried to get Val to fire her before, but she won’t.”

“Well, one of these days, she’s going to push my buttons too far.”

“Kaicey or Val?” Katie asked and they smiled.

“Kaicey, most definitely. Little tramp,” Eliza said as they walked to another store.

They poked around a bit before Eliza accidentally backed into someone. Laughing, she turned around to apologize and came face to face with Brian’s dad.

“Papa Gates,” she said and her face turned to shock.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he said with a big smile.

“Hi,” Eliza squeaked out.

She reached in to hug him and watched as he said hello to Katie and hugged her as well.

“You look good,” he said, smiling at her again. “Christmas shopping?”

“Uh, yeah,” she said and her grip on the bag containing clothes for Brian got a bit tighter.

“What are your plans?”

“Uh, well, actually…I was gonna hang around here for a bit and then go with Katie to Delaware to see her family.”

“Oh, alright. Well, everyone’s getting together at the house this year on Christmas Eve. I’d love it if you came by. McKenna would love to see you and so would Lucy. I think Brent’s even coming to town.”

“That sounds great,” Eliza said and tried to smile but knew it looked forced.

“Only if you want to,” Papa Gates said. “Only come if you want to. Everyone’s coming, but I know they’d love to see you. I know it’s a bit awkward, but just because you and shithead aren’t together, doesn’t mean you aren’t still family, Eliza.”

“Thanks, Papa Gates,” she said and smiled.

They said their goodbyes and walked in an awkward silence for a few minutes.

“Are you going to go?”

“I guess I have to, now. He specifically threw McKenna and Brent in there because he knows I can’t say no to them, especially McKenna. That girl adores me and she hasn’t seen me in months. He knows I feel like an ass and that’s why he brought her up.”

“Well, I guess we’re going, then.”

“What do you mean?”

“You really think I’d go without you? I may be dating Zacky, but I only know him because of you and I knew you first. You come before everyone,” Katie said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Eliza smiled and moved closer to her friend, linking arms. “That’s why I love you.”

Suddenly, Katie grabbed her arm and turned them around.

“What the hell?” Eliza asked.

“I remembered there was a store I wanted to go to back here.”

“Katie, I have to go that way,” she said, tugging her arm free and turning around. “We’ll stop at that store on our way back.”

“No, Eliza, I think—”

That’s when Eliza saw the magazine stand in the window of Barnes and Noble. It was lined with rows and rows of Revolver with hers and Brian’s pictures. She stormed into the store and picked up a copy of it. She flipped through to the article. She’d received a call from Amy, and she’d told her to chose any of the pictures she wanted, but she forgot it was coming out.

Splattered across four pages were multiple pictures of her, of Brian and of them together. The words were a blur as she read across them.

“Celebrities date each other every day, that’s no secret, but when two come together such as Eliza Grey and Brian Haner, Jr., the world of Rock and Roll is in for huge domination.

Combined with his success in his band, Avenged Sevenfold, and her huge pipes and up-and-coming band, Shades of Grey, Eliza and Brian make a dynamic duo. Not to mention, it was like they were specifically made for each other.

I watched as the two interacted the whole photo shoot and I must say that in all my years I’ve never seen that much chemistry between two people. I knew going into the interview, I wanted to ask one main question, and so when I asked Eliza what it was like to date a rock star, she just laughed at me.

“I don’t know…I don’t consider Brian a ‘rock star’, really. I mean, I do, but at the same time, he’s the guy who ripped my Pride and Prejudice book in high school. He’s the guy who’s been there for me through a lot of things, so I don’t see him as famous or whatever. I see him as my fiancée.”

They spent another hour talking and laughing with us and even then, I could see the love they had for each other. He held her hand the entire time, which was too sweet. Not once, even when she had to scratch her nose, did Brian let go.

“I just couldn’t imagine myself with anyone else,” she said and with the smile she gave him, I suddenly wanted my own rock star boyfriend.

Eliza’s eyes watered as she tore her eyes away from the article. She closed the magazine and moved to the cash register, handing the woman a ten and collecting her change without saying anything to Katie.