Seize the Day

After my brother and Johnny left the room, I decided to get up. I showered and put on clean clothes, and when I got back into my room, Kim was at the right end of the bed, curled up under the covers and sleeping intently. I smiled to myself as I glanced at her, and then left the room, quickly shutting the door behind me.

"You guys should have heard them! They were going at it like, hardcore," I heard my brother's voice say, followed by a couple people snickering afterwards. I walked into the living room to see my brother, Johnny, Matt, Brian, and Jimmy, sitting around my living room.

Shadows looked up at me when I stopped in the doorway. "Hey Zacky," he said, fighting to contain a smile. "So I heard you were uh... busy last night," he said before laughing again. They all joined in, except for Brian who let out a nervous chuckle. Something was up with him.

"Oh dearest brother Matthew of mine?" I asked, looking at the back of his head. He turned from his seat on the couch and looked at me.

"Yes?..." he asked cautiously.

"Run."

He looked at me with wide eyes and bolted up from the couch, just as I jumped over the back and scrambled after him. I chased him into the kitchen where he was backed into a corner with nowhere to go.

"Zack... come on. I was only messin'..." he whimpered. He knew I could beat his ass if I wanted to. I just inched my way closer to him, smiling evilly to scare him.

Suddenly his gaze shifted to somewhere over my shoulder. "Hi Mom!" he squeaked. I turned around quickly. Mom never liked it when I horsed around with Matt. But no one was standing there.

"Haha! Sucker!" Matt laughed as he slipped past me. I dove after him and got him around the ankles, causing him to tumble to the floor, making a loud crash.

I pinned him facedown to the floor, pulling his arms behind him.

"Oww Zack! Stop!" he half laughed, half whined.

"Repeat after me: I, Matthew Baker, swear on my life that I'll stop being a fag, or my gay lover Johnny gets it."

"Hey, don't bring me into this!" Johnny said as the other guys were laughing.

"Say it," I said to Matt again.

"I... Matthew Baker, swear on my life that... God Zacky, you're so gay..." my brother said, muffled into the floor. I pulled on his arms again.

"Alright alright! I, Matthew Baker, swear on my life that I'll stop being a fag or Johnny gets it," he whimpered.

"You forgot to say he's your gay lover, but close enough," I said, and got off him. He stood up and brushed himself off, shooting a glare at me as he sat back down on the couch.

"That's what you get for messing with someone who'll kick your ass," I said as I sat down on the other couch.

"So... how was it?" Jimmy asked with a sly smile.

"You guys are a bunch of girls. This is what girls do when they get together," I chuckled.

"Oh come on..." Matt (not my brother) said.

"How about not?" Brian asked.

"Oh shut it. Just cuz you're jealous doesn't mean you gotta ruin our fun," Matt said to him.

"I'm not fucking jealous. Shut the fuck up," Brian replied, noticeably aggravated.

"Sure you're not," Jimmy spoke up with sarcasm.

"I'm fucking not! I'd just rather not hear about my two friends fucking each other."

"Whatever," Matt said.

Was Brian jealous? I mean, that would be a good explanation for why he looks at Kim and I strangely when we're together.

I was interrupted from my thoughts when someone cleared their throat in such a manner to gain attention. We all turned and looked up. Kim was standing there, leaning against the doorway with her arms folded.

"Hey," I said to her and she smiled softly.

"Hi. Please don't tell me you are all a bunch of girls, sitting around trying to get Zacky to tell you about last night. Lord knows I had enough of that when Brian used to tell you fools everything," she said, still smiling.

"See, that's what I said when they asked," I laughed as she walked over and sat on my lap sideways, her legs resting on Shadows' lap.

"Zacky..." she whined as she rested her head on my shoulder. "I have to go back home today..."

"Damn, that's right. I completely forgot your parents are coming home tomorrow," I sighed, holding onto her a fraction tighter than before. I felt her take in a deep breath and let it go slowly.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"It's almost 11."

"I think I should go then. That'll give me enough time to persuade Louisa into buying a cover story that I stayed with... Zoey or something. And then at least make it look like I've been living there. Maybe mess up my room a little or something," she said.

"Do you think your parents will know that you've been living here for like a week?" my brother asked her.

"I'm hoping they don't," she said. "Alright, I'll see you later. Probably at school," she said before kissing my cheek and getting up. She walked toward the door to leave before I felt something strange. It was just a feeling that something might just go wrong.

"Kimmy?" I asked as she had her hand on the doorknob. She turned to look at us. "Do you want me to drop you off?"

"No, I'll walk. I need to make sure I walk normal but the time I get home," she said with a wink. I smiled.

"If you need anything, just call me, alright?" I asked.

She smiled. "Alright, I will. I love you Zacky," she said and I could have sworn I saw Brian twitch.

"Love you too."

"Bye guys," she said and then walked out the door. I still had that feeling that something would indeed go wrong.

I walked the distance across the entire town until I got to my house. I walked up the front drive, and unlocked the door. Considering I hadn't eaten since yesterday at lunch, I decided to get something from the kitchen. I stepped over the threshold into the kitchen and stopped, my eyes going wide.

"And just where the hell have you been?" my mother asked. She looked pleased that she caught me. My face began to grow hot. That's what it always did when I was in trouble.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be home til tomorrow?" I asked quietly.

"Well, we came home early. Anyways, where the hell were you?" my father asked. He didn't look very happy at all...

"I - I went for a walk," I stuttered.

"And just who were you with?"

"No - ... no one," I said.

My father breathed in deeply before making this interesting barbaric noise. He rushed over to me in a fit of rage, grabbed me by the hair right at the scalp, and dragged me across the room. He was aiming for the marble countertop. He slammed my head downward and I was able to put my hand down below my face to lessen the impact. My face it my hand, hard. He yanked my head back, and pushed me back across the room. I fell into a pile in the corner against the floor, breathing heavily.

"Who were you with?" my mother asked, not even caring about what just happened. I think Japan made them both fucking insane.

"I was with Zacky alright!? Jesus Christ..." I grumbled, rubbing my fingers over my forehead where it hit my hand just moments before.

"We told you to fucking stay away from that boy!" my father shouted.

"I don't care what the fuck you say! He's my boyfriend and we love each other! You two need to fucking get over yourselves!" I yelled back, standing up and balling my hand into fists at my sides.

"Well then we'll just lock you in your room... And you're going back to private school. Maybe then someone will be able to keep an eye on you," my mother replied.

I glared at her. And then a thought struck me.

"You know what?! I don't have to put up with this bullshit! I'm eighteen and I'm an adult and you two can't do shit about it!" I shouted at them.

"As long as you're living under this roof we can make you do whatever we want."

"Then I'll move the fuck out! Anything to get away from this hell hole you've put me in!" I said, almost screaming at them. I was half expecting my father to come back over and give me a piece of his mind, but he didn't.

"You can't move out. You have nowhere to go," my father sneered.

"I'll live with Zacky! I've been living with him and his family this whole week! And they care about me more than you ever will!" I said and ran to the stairs. I stormed up to my room and snatched the phone up, dialing Zacky's number.

"Hello?"

"Zacky, I need you to drive over here right now," I said, taking deep breaths to keep myself calm.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Just... hurry. Zacky, I need to ask you something."

"Alright, what is it?"

"Can I move in with you? I know its short notice and all, but I need to get out of here for good," I said, my breathing increasing again. I was going to go into panic if I didn't calm down soon.

"Sure. I'll be there in a couple minutes. Just stay calm alright? I love you," he said.

"I love you too. Bye," I said, and we hung up.

I went into my closet and grabbed all of my suitcases and duffels I owned, totaling about 5. I grabbed all the clothes it was necessary to have and stuffed them into three of the bags. I went into the bathroom, grabbing all my cosmetics and styling supplies, and threw them into a suitcase with a couple pairs of shoes. I went around my room, grabbing valuables, CDs, and other assortments and random items I couldn't leave behind and packed them into the last case. I placed this case on my bed, took the others that I knew had no breakables, and threw them out the window onto the front lawn.

I shut off all my bedroom lights, grabbed that one last suitcase, and headed out of the room.

I hurried down the stairs, turning down the hall to get to the front door. I reached the door and opened it before my father lunged out of the kitchen and grabbed my arm tightly.

"You aren't going anywhere young lady!" he shouted, tightening his grip even more.

"Don't fucking touch me or I'll call the cops!" I screamed in his face, but he still didn't let go.

"Let go of her now," I heard a male voice from the door. It was Zacky, and the look on his face said he was not one to be messed with. Being that Zacky had more bulk than my father, the grip on my arm loosened and I grabbed Zacky's hand and quickly walked out of the house.

"Your other bags are already in the car," Zacky said as he got in the car. I put my suitcase in the back with the rest of my stuff and got in the passenger seat.

"You alright?" Zacky asked.

I nodded shakily and not another word was said. He sped down the street and back across town to his house. We got inside and all the guys were still there.

"Holy shit what the hell happened to you!?" Brian asked as I stepped through the door.

"Nothing," I said as Zacky and I set down my stuff.

"That's not what the bruise on your forehead is telling me."

I sighed and walked into the bathroom, looking in the mirror. Brian was right. I had a bruise right above my right eyebrow where it hit my knuckles when my father went crazy.

I looked down at my hand and there was a bruise on my knuckles as well. I sighed and walked back into the living room, knowing the guys would want to hear my story. They were not going to be happy with my father, that was for sure...