Wanted

When they were told the doors were going to be opening soon, Avenged Sevenfold and the rest of the group, plus Thomas who showed up a bit late, headed down to the floor to get front-row seats. There, they were introduced to Arin and Emily Summers.

Eliza had told Katie all about what she’d done, and Katie almost punched the girl then and there, but Zacky held her back. Brian leaned in and explained what the band was going to do and Katie calmed down.

Less than an hour later, the venue was filled to the brim with screaming guys and girls. When they turned around, they saw Good Charlotte posters everywhere, but every once in a while they would see signs and t-shirts dedicated to Shades of Grey.

Not too much longer, the lights started dimming and the crowd cheered. Eliza had told them to be ready for a show, but they weren’t exactly prepared for what was coming. Two plumes of flames burst from either side of the stage. Sounds of a song came from seemingly nowhere, as everything went black again. A few seconds later, Eliza’s voice came out of the darkness, earning screams from the crowd.

“I hate you for the sacrifices you made for me. I hate you for every time you ever bled for me. I hate you for the way you smile when you look at me. I hate you for never taking control of me…”

White lights flashed, showing the band in their positions, Eliza in the center, Dominic to the right of her and Hunter was to the left. Wiki was behind them, her sticks poised in the air ready to drop when the song started back up. Eliza’s guitar hung around her body, but her hands were on the microphone.

“I hate you for always saving me from myself. I hate you for always choosing me and not someone else. I hate you for always pulling me back from the edge. I hate you for every kind word you ever said. I’ll bleed you dry now.”

Eliza screamed the last line, her hands leaving the microphone and picking up her guitar. She strummed downwards and a heavy metal feel came full blast at the group below her. Along with the crowd, they all cheered.

“Blood, blood, blood, pump mud through my veins. Shut your dirty, dirty mouth, I’m not that easy. Blood, blood, blood, pump mud through my veins; I’m a dirty, dirty girl, I want it filthy.”

The crowd went wild as she screamed the chorus.

Katie glanced over to see a look of disgust on Emily’s face and she fought down the urge to beat the shit out of the girl, again.

She felt Zacky pinch her side and she glanced back at him. His eyebrow was quirked up and she stuck her tongue out at him. Through his glasses, his eyes crinkled in laughter.

On stage, the band was finishing their song and moving on to the next one. Eliza looked down at her guitar as she strummed a few chords. The band came in after two bars and Eliza stepped back from the microphone. When the whole band came in, she flipped her head over, throwing her body around for a few seconds before coming back up to the microphone.

“I see nothing in your eyes, and the more I see the less I like. Is it over yet in my head? I know nothing of your kind, and I won’t reveal your evil mind. Is it over yet? I can’t win! So sacrifice yourself, and let me have what’s left. I know that I can find a fire in your eyes. I’m going all the way, get away, please…

You take the breath right of me. You left a hole where my heart should be. You gotta fight just to make it through, cause I will be the death of you.

This will be all over soon. Pour salt into the open wound, is over yet? Let me in. So sacrifice yourself, and let me have what’s left. I know that I can find a fire in your eyes. I’m going all the way, get away, please…

You take the breath right out of me. You left a hole where my heart should be.”

Eliza’s hands left the guitar as she looked almost pained when her hand touched her heart.

Brian smiled at the image before him. He knew how passionate Eliza had always been and it was amazing to see her doing so well.

They finished that song and moved on to “Hero”, from their old album, to which some of the group was surprised to see people singing along with. Brian chuckled at a memory of the last concert he’d attended when they’d first played this song and how angry he’d been at how close she was with Hunter. Now, all of that seemed so silly.

When the song was finished, Eliza took off her guitar and Brian could see people moving around, bringing a keyboard out to the front of the stage. His brows furrowed because he didn’t remember a song with piano in it, but his curiosity was piqued. Eliza grabbed a plastic cup from one of the speakers on the side of the stage and she came back to the microphone.

“So, I have this really good friend who happens to be gay.”

People cheered in the crowd and Eliza smiled.

“In case you guys didn’t know, gay friends are the best. You should totally go get one, like right now! But that’s not the point of this story. Actually, there are two stories, but whatever. So, this friend and I were out shopping, what else? Well, we came across this…person. Let’s insert story two here. A while back, said friend was reading a magazine and noticed this article of some girl talking shit about me. Now, I didn’t get mad because let’s face it, when daddy has to buy your fame, I don’t really care, okay? So, now that you know someone was talking shit about me, let’s fast-forward to when my friend and I were out. We ended up seeing this person out. I’m not going to repeat what this person said to my friend, but let’s say it wasn’t nice.”

There were a few people hollering for her to tell what was said, but she just took a huge gulp of her drink, set it back on the speaker, and walked over to the keyboard.

“This person happens to be dating our drummer’s cousin and is in the audience tonight!” Eliza paused for the booing that ensued. “I’m not gonna mention any names, but I would like to dedicate this song to her. You know who you are.”

She flexed her fingers and started playing a tune, with Wiki doing a riff on her drums a few seconds later.

“Look inside, look inside your tiny mind. Then look a bit harder, 'cause we're so uninspired, so sick and tired of all the hatred you harbor.

So you say it's not okay to be gay. Well, I think you're just evil. You're just some racist who can't tie my laces; your point of view is medieval.

Fuck you, fuck you very, very much. 'Cause we hate what you do, and we hate your whole crew, so please don't stay in touch. Fuck you, fuck you very, very much 'cause your words don't translate and it's getting quite late so please don't stay in touch.

Do you get, do you get a little kick out of being small minded? You want to be like your father, it's approval you're after. Well, that's not how you find it.

Do you, do you really enjoy living a life that's so hateful? 'Cause there's a hole where your soul should be; you're losing control a bit and it's really distasteful.

Fuck you, fuck you very, very much, 'cause we hate what you do and we hate your whole crew so please don't stay in touch. Fuck you, fuck you very, very much 'cause your words don't translate and it's getting quite late so please don't stay in touch.”

Thomas was beside Brian bent over in laughter. Katie was smiling from ear to ear, and Brian looked to his left to see Arin trying to hide a smile. Beside him, Emily had a look of pure surprise and astonishment on her face. Once the song was over, her look of surprise turned into hatred.

Eliza stepped up to the microphone with her cup, once again with her guitar around her neck. Her drink was in her hand and she was smiling. She looked out over the crowd and saw Thomas wiping his eyes, laughter still on his face and her smile got bigger. She looked down the line from him to see Emily trying to pull Arin away.

“Whoa, there, sweet cheeks,” she called, making Emily stop. “We’re not done yet, honey. You can’t leave until the show’s over, and trust me…It’s far from over.”

Eliza downed her drink and set the cup down.

“We don’t normally do songs like this, but I felt this was appropriate… sort of.”

She looked directly at Arin and started singing the opening of “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne. Katie lost it then and started laughing. The look on Emily’s face was priceless. She was so mad at Eliza it wasn’t even funny.

“You brought this on yourself,” Arin said in her ear, pinning her in place.

They didn’t play the entire song, Brian noticed, when she walked back to the speakers to get the new drink that had appeared. Hunter went to the microphone, then.

“We had this genius thought… well, Eliza came up with it, but we perfected it, that we would like Arin to come on stage. He’s got a few words to say to his girlfriend.”

Cheers went up and Wiki clicked her sticks together. Arin climbed over the railing and Dominic helped him up on stage. He walked back to the drum kit where Wiki was standing up. She handed her sticks to Arin who took a seat and got comfortable. Wiki came down and took Eliza’s guitar from her before putting it on. Brian didn’t know she played guitar and was just as confused as everyone else.

Eliza put both hands on the microphone as Arin counted off. A hard-rock song started playing and Eliza was nodding along with it.

“Don’t listen what your girlfriend says, she reads those magazines that say you failed the test; you don’t have what she needs. I slither like a viper and get you by the neck. I know a thousand ways to help you forget about her.”

Eliza’s hand shot out and she pointed straight at Emily.

“That bitch can eat her heart out! Love bites, but so do I, so do I. Love bites, but so do I, so do I. Love bites!

My lips are pale and vicious. You’re foaming at the mouth. You’ve suffered in the darkness. I’ll suck the pain right out. So come and taste the reason I’m nothing like the rest. I kiss you in a way you’ll never forget about me.”

Again, Eliza’s arm shot out, pointing directly at the girl who looked angrily like she was going to cry.

“That bitch can eat her heart out! Love bites, but so do I, so do I. Love bites, but so do I, so do I, so do I! It checks you in and kicks you down, and chews you up and spits you out. It messes with your sanity by twisting all your thoughts around. They say it’s blind they say it waits but every time it seals your fate. And now it’s got you by the balls it won’t let go until you fall.

I was down and out, got up I said ‘Hey love I’ve had enough!’ I’ve felt pleasure without pain. My soul you’ll never tame!”

They finished out the song with Eliza throwing her hair around. The entire group in the audience looked at Emily. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she looked angry, but she didn’t move. Her eyes were trained on Eliza, shooting daggers.

On stage, Eliza was laughing and having a great time. She knew Emily wouldn’t leave, not yet. She had one more trick up her sleeve, knowing Emily would wait for that, and of course, there was Arin’s part to play in all of this. She glanced back at him as he nodded and she turned around, making sure everyone else was ready for the next song.

“COME ON!” she screamed and the music started.

Wiki was shredding on the guitar with Eliza standing next to her. She held the microphone in her hand as she played air guitar beside the pixie-like girl.

“You're one mean stripper with a microphone, and I'd respect you more if you just took off your clothes. You're a waste of three minutes and a dance routine and your daddy had to buy the record company,” Eliza sang, winking with the last line.

“Guess I'll be the bad guy, so get mad at me. I'm only sayin' what everybody thinks…

You ain't no Madonna, no you ain't no pop queen. You're just a prima donna suckin' off the paparazzi,” Eliza sang, acting like she was giving the microphone a blowjob, before smiling.

“Gotta shake that ass 'cause we know you can't sing. You think that you're the real deal; you're nothin' but a strip tease.

I can only listen to you in a magazine. You're the reason there ain't music on MTV, and I got a stack of ones, but it ain't for your CD. I'm only sayin' what everybody thinks.

You ain’t no Madonna, no, you ain’t no pop queen. You’re just a prima donna suckin’ off the paparazzi. Gotta shake that ass ‘cause we know you can’t sing. You think that you’re the real deal; you’re nothin’ but a strip tease.

So take it off, nice and slow…Or take it off my radio.

You ain’t no Madonna, no, you ain’t no pop queen. You’re just a prima donna fuckin’ all the paparazzi. Gotta shake that ass ‘cause we know you can’t sing. You think that you’re real deal; you’re nothing but a strip tease.”

The entire group had a smile on their face by the end of the song, knowing the connotation. Eliza’s smile lit up her whole face as the song ended. Arin got up from the drums and walked to Eliza who handed him the microphone.

“Emily, I just wanted to let you know, in case this wasn’t clear enough…We’re over.”

All eyes went to the girl fuming to their right as the crowd cheered wildly. They watched as she stared at Arin for a few seconds before disappearing out of sight.

“Bye, bitch!” Thomas hollered.

The crew laughed as the band on stage moved around, singing their next song. Brian watched Thomas hug Arin, who appeared from the stage as the band sang a song called “Our Truth”. He knew Eliza had an amazing voice, after hearing it for over three years, but it was like he was hearing her again for the first time every time.

When the song finished, Eliza took her guitar off and handed it to a tech before moving back to the microphone. Hunter picked at his strings, a dark song starting to play.

“Take a breath, hold it in. Start a fight you won't win. Had enough, let's begin; Nevermind, I don't care.

All in all you're no good. You don't cry like you should. Let it go, if you could, when love dies in the end.

So I'll find what lies beneath your sick twisted smile as I lie underneath your cold jaded eyes. Now you turn the tide on me, 'cause you're so unkind. I will always be here for the rest of my life.
Here we go. Does it hurt? Say goodbye to this world. I will not be undone. Come to life; It gets worse.

All in all, you're no good; You don't cry like you should. I'll be gone when you fall. Your sad life says it all.

So I'll find what lies beneath your sick twisted smile as I lie underneath your cold jaded eyes. Now you turn the tide on me 'cause you're so unkind. I will always be here for the rest of my life.

Don't carry me under; you're the devil in disguise. God sing for the hopeless, I'm the one you left behind.

So I'll find what lies beneath your sick twisted smile as I lie underneath your cold jaded eyes. Now you turn the tide on me 'cause you're so unkind. I will always be here for the rest of my life.”

Eliza ended the song, opening her eyes that she’d closed during the last two lines. She smiled as the crowd cheered. She walked back to the side of the stage to take a sip of her drink and grab her guitar.

The next song they played was called “I Miss the Misery” and Brian found it a bit confusing. Normally, Eliza’s song hit somewhere within their life, but that one didn’t make sense. A frown on his face, he listened to them end the song and Eliza switched out her guitar for her acoustic one. A stool was brought to the front of the stage and she sat on it. Dominic and Hunter moved to one side of the stage, making Wiki and Eliza the centers of attention.

“This is a song that I wrote, like two days ago, and Wiki came up with a part for it and so we’re gonna debut this for you guys tonight. Let us know what you think.”

Her face reflected the solemn feeling to the song as she strummed along the guitar. Her fingers moved with precision along the neck, and she opened her mouth to sing.

“Think of me when you're out, when you're out there. I'll beg you nice from my knees, and when the world treats you way too fairly, well it's a shame I'm a dream.

All I wanted was you, all I wanted was you.”

Eliza closed her eyes and nodded along with the flow of the guitar and drums together. Nisa latched onto Brian’s arm and leaned into him.

“She wrote this song for you,” she whispered in his ear.

“I know,” he replied, smiling. “She sang it to me that night.”

Annisa just smiled at him, her eyes crinkling.

“I think I'll pace my apartment a few times and fall asleep on the couch; wake up early, the black and white re-runs that escape from my mouth, oh,

All I wanted was you, all I wanted was you. All I wanted was you, all I wanted was you.

I could follow you to the beginning, just to relive the start. Maybe then we'd remember to slow down at all of our favorite parts

All I wanted was you, all I wanted was you, all I wanted was you, all I wanted was you.”

Brian hollered just a little bit louder than the rest of the group as she finished the song. She could clearly see him under the lights in the front row and she smiled just a bit bigger at him.