All or Nothing

Katie hollered up the stairs for Eliza, but no reply came.

Confused, since Eliza’s car was in the driveway, Katie made her way up the stairs. Music was blaring out from behind Eliza’s door. Opening it, Katie was confused to see clothes thrown everywhere; on the bed, on the floor, clothes were even covering Eliza’s computer. Music was pouring out of the speakers on either side of the computer.

“Eliza, what the fuck,” Katie said with laughter.

Eliza’s head stuck out from the bathroom and a smile was on her face. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head and she wasn’t wearing make-up. That’s how Katie thought she should spend every day because she honestly didn’t need makeup. Perhaps it was because of the wonderful things that had happened since she’d become best friends with Eliza, but she couldn’t help but smile every time she saw her.

“You’ll never guess what happened,” Eliza said, leaping over clothes to stand in front of Katie.

“You won the lottery?”

“No.”

“You are taking me to Disneyland?”

“No, but I promise we will go,” Eliza said with all seriousness. They both laughed.

“I give up,” Katie said.

“We’re getting a new manager!” Eliza squealed, clapping her hands. “We’re also going to hold auditions for a new drummer!”

“That’s amazing!” Katie said, truly excited for her best friend.

“That’s not all,” Eliza said, biting her lip as she tried to contain herself.

“Just spit it out,” Katie said, rolling her eyes.

“I’m going to be on the Ellen DeGeneres show!”

“Holy shit!” Katie said, her eyes as big as saucers.

“I’ve got to finish packing!” Eliza said, her eyes moving around her room randomly picking up clothes.

“How long are you going to be gone?” Katie asked skeptically.

“Uh, most likely a week,” Eliza said as she tapped her chin with a finger looking around her room. She took a few steps and picked up two pieces of clothing. “Would these look good together?”

“I think so. Listen, Eliza…there’s a party in three days I really want you to be there for.”

“What’s it celebrating?” Eliza asked, pausing to look at Katie.

“It’s a late birthday for Matt, since they were gone for his. We’re throwing it at Johnny’s,” Katie said, rushing to think of something.

She hadn’t expected Eliza to be going out of the state, let alone question the reason of the party. Normally, she just went along and said she’d be there.

“Oh. Well, I’ll try to make it if I can. I’m sorry, I wish I had known sooner,” Eliza said, resuming her packing.

“Alright. When are you leaving?”

“Uh, my flight leaves at six,” Eliza said, stopping to look at her phone. She had two hours left to pack and get ready before she had to leave.

“Well, come here,” Katie said, moving towards Eliza.

She wrapped her arms around her best friend and smiled as they pulled apart.

“Be careful, okay? Let me know when you land and shit?”

“I will,” Eliza said and smiled. “Love you, Katie.”

“Love you too, loser. I’m going to meet up with Zacky for dinner. You don’t need me to drive you, right?”

“Nah, I’m good,” Eliza said and smiled as Katie smiled and waved before disappearing out the door.

The smile immediately fell from her face. She knew for a fact Katie was lying about Matt’s birthday because they’d had a celebration the first week they’d come back from tour. Something was fishy about this “party”, and Eliza was dying to find out what it was about. Unfortunately, she would have to wait, because she was going to be late for her flight.



Katie burst down the steps of Matt and Val’s basement steps almost out of breath.

“Whoa there, track star, what the hell is up?” Jimmy asked as Katie stood up after almost falling down the last two steps.

“Eliza’s not coming,” she said, looking straight at Brian.

“What?!” he burst out, almost dropping his guitar as he stood up.

“She’s going to New York. Someone called her today and said that they’d found a new manager or something, so she’s leaving for New York in a few minutes.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Brian asked, obviously angry.

“Well, guys, I’m out,” Jimmy said and moved away from his kit.

No one said anything as he walked out, everyone focused on Brian.

“This fucking sucks,” he said, running a hand through his hair as he sat back down.

“We can’t cancel,” Matt said, thinking.

“I know we can’t,” Brian said exasperatedly. “I just wish she was going to be there.”



Eliza had been in her apartment for an hour when she realized she was bored. She didn’t necessarily want to call the guys or Nisa yet, wanting to be alone in the last place she’d been with Brian.

In fact, she stared at her bed for almost thirty minutes before she set her suitcases on it and started unpacking. She had her phone playing music from the nightstand and she almost wished now she had some sort of pet.

Fortunately for her, the doorbell rang just then. Confused, she turned towards the door and walked downstairs. Looking through the peephole, her brows furrowed before recognition took hold and a smile lit up her face. She quickly unlocked the door and pulled it open.

“What the hell are you doing here?!"