Wanted

Eliza was gone before Katie and Zacky woke up. When Katie walked into her room to apologize, she saw Eliza was gone and cried again. Zacky had come upstairs then.

Eliza took the first flight to California. She should’ve gone back to New York, but she’d already promised McKenna and Jimmy that she’d be in Huntington for Christmas.

She hugged Jimmy as soon as she saw him and they talked a lot during the ride from Los Angeles. She’d asked him to take her straight to the Haner house so she could see McKenna and Suzy. He’d waved to her as she left the car. She was staying with him and he was taking her things there, promising to pick her up later.

Suzy had immediately answered the door, hugging her and bringing her inside. Eliza declined the food or drink and a smile lit her face as she saw McKenna stumble to get down the steps.

“Holy cow you’ve grown!” she cried as McKenna launched herself at Eliza.

“I’ve missed you,” McKenna said as she buried her head in Eliza’s neck.

“I missed you too, princess.”

“Come on, I want to show you something!”

Eliza left her purse in the living room as McKenna grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs. McKenna’s room was still the same, save for a few more posters of her brothers’ band and Eliza herself. She turned to see McKenna holding a purple and teal guitar that looked awfully familiar.

“Brian got this for me last year for Christmas,” she boasted.

“Holy crap! That’s amazing,” Eliza said, looking at the guitar.

The signature deathbat was on the neck, accented by “MAC” spelled out in Old English script. Eliza smiled as she looked at it.

“Want to hear me play?”

“Of course I do, Mac.”

Eliza smiled as she listened to McKenna pick along the strings, so much like her older brother.



Brian rubbed his face as he pulled up to his dad’s house. He was supposed to be meeting him here for some help on some of the songs for the new album. Jimmy had been pressing the album hard and they’d all taken a day off, but Brian still needed a bit of help.

He pushed the door open and took a deep breath in. Suzy was in the kitchen, he could tell, making dinner. He walked to the living room and paused. He saw the purse on the ottoman and thought it was weird, considering she left her purse on the table by the door.

Giggling could be heard from upstairs and then the guitar and he figured McKenna had friends over. He walked into the kitchen.

“Hey,” he said.

Suzy whirled around, her eyes a bit wide which confused Brian.

“Holy crap, you scared me, Brian! What are you doing here?”

“Dad’s supposed to help me out with a few things,” he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“Is that today?” she asked.

He watched her whirl back around quickly. “Yeah, that was today.”

“Mac upstairs?” he asked, turning to the door.

“Uh, yeah!” Suzy said as she tried to wipe her hands on a towel and follow him. “She’s got company!”

Brian heard her but he kept going up the stairs. He turned the corner to see Eliza sitting on the bed with McKenna who had her guitar in hand. Eliza was teaching her a chord and he remained silent. He smiled as he heard her playing “Right Here” and knew McKenna had asked Eliza to teach her. Eliza was quietly singing to the song, correcting small mistakes.

He wasn’t sure what McKenna’s obsession with that song was, but he smiled at the sight. It was almost as if Eliza was teaching her own child and he suddenly frowned. When he shifted, his foot hit the door and both bright purple and pink heads turned towards him. McKenna set her guitar down and ran to him, hugging him.

“Now we all can play!”

“I’ve got some stuff to work on with Dad, but you’ve got a great teacher there, Mac,” Brian said, his eyes on Eliza.

She stood up and walked to him, hugging him. He kissed the side of her head and she walked back to sit on the bed.

“Are you staying for dinner?” McKenna asked him.

“I sure am,” he said with a smile.

He turned to leave when Eliza called out to him. He turned to see her setting McKenna’s guitar on her bed and promising the girl she’d be right back. She pushed him out the door and leaned against the wall.

“I got into a fight with Katie last night.”

Brian frowned. “About what?”

“Us.”

That one word sent Brian’s mind racing.

“What did you tell her?”

Eliza sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She brought her thumb to her mouth and chewed on the nail. He could see her eyes moving behind her eyelids and when she looked at him there was a sheen to them.

“We’re not friends anymore,” she said with a noise that sounded like it was half sob, half laugh. “We got into an argument because I was texting Arin and she flipped out and she got mad because she thought I was fucking Arin—”

“Are you?” Brian interrupted.

Eliza looked confused with the switch of topics. “What? No, I’m not sleeping with Arin. He’s helping me out with a few things. Brian, how can I sleep with him when I’ve been sleeping with you?”

“It wouldn't be that hard," he said, but when he saw her face, he stopped. "I’m sorry, that was a stupid question.”

“So, it pretty much went how that just went. She accused me of sleeping with Arin and I said the same thing, how could I be sleeping with him when I was sleeping with you and she freaked. She went off on me one second about how I was in love with you and I shouldn’t be messing with Arin and when I mentioned that about us, she flipped out saying I could ruin everything.”

“What exactly is ‘everything’?” Brian mused.

“I don’t fucking know!”

He looked at Eliza and noticed how broken she looked. Her eyes were dull and had huge dark spots underneath them and she kind of sagged.

“Where are you staying?”

“Jimmy’s house,” she replied and swiped at her eyes.

“Why don’t you come by tonight?”

Sniffling, she looked at him. “Okay.”



Three days later, Jimmy and Eliza pulled up to Brian’s dad’s house early. Cars were piled in the driveway and she saw Zacky’s car at the head of the pack. She mentally prepared herself for what may happen, but knew it was inevitable. She wanted to spend time with her boys and just because she was angry with Katie didn’t mean she had to change her plans.

Eliza fidgeted with the hem of her sweater dress. Even for California, it was a bit cold on Christmas, making everyone set aside the shorts for at least a day.

Jimmy carried the ceramic dish of food that Eliza had made for her as they walked into the house. They were immediately greeted by Suzy and Brian Sr. Eliza made her way into the house to hug Brent who was hovering by the living room. Still talking to him, she turned to survey the open room filled with people. Zacky was sitting next to Johnny, talking to a few people that knew the Haners’. Matt was sitting with his nephew in front of the television watching cartoons and her eyes moved to the left to see Val and Katie standing together, talking. Both of them were looking at her.

Suddenly, she didn’t want to be there anymore. Her anger drained out of her as she watched her two best friends blatantly talk about her and she felt slightly ganged up on. She tried to make herself as small as possible as Jimmy came to stand beside her and speak to Brent. Suzy came up to her then and asked her into the kitchen to help with a few things.

Once in the kitchen, she let out a sigh and looked around. Brian and McKenna were standing in front of the fridge with their backs turned to the two women.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing?” Suzy accused, putting her hands on her hips.

Both of the siblings whirled around, obviously caught, with shocked expressions on their face.

“Nothing!” they both said at the same time.

“Out,” Suzy said, hooking a thumb over her shoulder.

McKenna saw Eliza and ran to hug her before disappearing in the hallway. Brian paused to hug her as he exited the room, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She smiled and turned to help Suzy before dinner.



After dinner was a whole other story.

Val had barely spoken to her and Katie had just given her glances. Even though she was hurt, Eliza was more pissed off at how childish Katie was acting. She grew even more mad when she saw Val hovering by her side more often than not.

Zacky and Matt seemed unfazed by how their girlfriends were treating Eliza and acted as though nothing was wrong. She was extremely grateful for them, but eventually she couldn’t take the stares anymore and found herself walking to the back deck.

It was odd to think that a year before she’d been on the same deck, contemplating taking a bump of coke when she and Brian weren’t together. Now, they still weren’t together, and she wasn’t doing coke, but she had a feeling he’d find his way out here.

Sure enough, she heard the screen door open and close a few seconds later. Quietly, he came to a stop beside her and lit his cigarette.

“They’re being extremely bitchy.”

“I expected it,” Eliza said sullenly.

“It doesn’t matter, though. They’re supposed to be your best friends and they’re acting like you’re Amber or some shit.”

Eliza made a face at the mention of his ex-girlfriend’s name, but she didn’t say anything. They stood there, listening to the wind blow before Brian spoke again.

“I’m sorry.”

Eliza turned around and pulled herself on top of the railing to sit. “It’s not your fault. I should’ve never opened my mouth.”

“We knew it would come out eventually.”

“I know, but I never expected a reaction like that from her. I shouldn’t have left New York.”

“I’m glad you did,” Brian said as he came to stand between her legs.

She watched as he flicked his cigarette away from them and he smiled at her. Sighing, Eliza leaned forward to rest her head on his chest while his arms wrapped around her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

The door opened and they pulled apart. Brian turned around and Eliza leaned to see around him. Katie was standing there, a drink in her hand.

“Wow, Wonder Slut is at it again,” she said and stepped back inside.

Brian’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He stared at the place Katie was just a few seconds ago before turning back to Eliza. Her cheeks were flamed red and tears coated her bottom eyelids. Hastily, Eliza swiped at her eyes with her sweater sleeve and shoved herself off of the rail.
She moved past Brian to the steps off of the deck and started down them.

“Eliza, where are you going?”

“I’m going back to New York. I never should’ve left.”

“No, Eliza—”

“Tell Suzy and Brian thanks for dinner, okay? Also, tell Mac I love her. See you, Brian.”

He watched as one side of her mouth lifted to a sad smile and she turned away.

Frantic, Brian ran back inside to find Jimmy. Eliza shouldn’t walk back to his house, especially on Christmas Eve. He whispered in Jimmy’s ear and they both immediately left the room. Brian snatched up her purse and waited as Jimmy pulled on his jacket.

“What’s going on?”

They whirled around to see Val in the front hallway, looking at them.

“Nothing that fucking concerns you,” Brian said, icily.

“Where’s Eliza?”

“She’s walking. She left because you and Katie obviously have some friendship issues to fucking sort out.”

“What happened?” Katie asked, coming to stand beside Val.

Brian’s anger intensified as he watched Katie look around, obviously expecting to see Eliza. He stalked towards her just as Jimmy pulled the door closed behind him.

“You were an outsider before she brought you into this group. You have Zacky because of her, and you two,” he said, motioning to both of the girls, “have each other because of that girl out there who called you her best friends. She just started walking to Jimmy’s house on Christmas Eve because she didn’t feel wanted with the only family she’s got left.”

Val covered her mouth with her hand and Katie’s face dropped as if she realized what she’d done.

“I am in love with her and she’s in love with me and for you two to act so fucking judgmental against that is fucking stupid. I hope you’re happy; your best friend is going back to New York because of you.”

His chest rapidly rising and falling, he turned away from the stunned girls and stalked upstairs, leaving them speechless, staring at the front door.



Eliza spent the rest of the week curled up either on the couch or on the bed. Annisa and Wiki had come over to spend time with her and even Dominic and Hunter stopped by, but she didn’t feel like doing anything. She watched movie marathons and even popped in a few seasons of “Charmed” while she waited for things to get better.

Katie’s ringtone burst through the silence, making her and Wiki jump from their places on the couch. Eliza debated for three rings if she should answer it or not and finally picked it up, pressing the “Accept” button before pressing it to her ear.

“What?”

There was no sound on the other end and at first she got pissed off but then she started to hear a faint noise on the other end.

“Katie?”

Finally, she heard something, and she frantically tried to turn the volume up on the phone. She pulled the blanket off of her legs and stood up, walking away from the television.

“Katie, if you’re going to continue to be a bitch, just fucking hang up, okay?”

A sob came from the other end, followed by her name and Eliza realized Katie was crying. Her heart sped up and every bad thing was forgotten at the sound of her best friend crying.

“Katie? Honey, what’s wrong?”

Another sob, but then she heard Katie trying to say something.

“What? Katie, I’m sorry… I love you, please don’t cry, okay?”

“Eliza…”

“Yeah?”

“Jimmy’s dead.”

Eliza’s heart stopped and her ears shut out every noise. She vaguely saw Wiki come into the room, obviously talking to her, but she didn’t hear a thing. Tears pricked her eyes and she felt her heart squeezing inside of her chest. Her stomach heaved and she dropped the phone, her hands shaking. Her vision started to fizzle to black and her breathing became short and labored.

Finally, all the air was expelled from her lungs in one long scream as she fell to her knees, Wiki rushing to her side.

Jimmy’s dead.