A Far Cry From Innocence.

I laid across the worn leather couch in the studio in the basement. I sighed, rolling my head until it hung slightly over the edge as I looked at my bandmates. I had explained to them bits and pieces between half-assed rehersals of songs. I figured they wouldn't have much to say but they all looked at me like I was completely clueless.

"Sometimes, I think there's nothing in your head but air, Hazz. Like, if I look in one ear, I'll be able to see through. You're so oblivious, it pains me."

I glared for a moment before I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Sorry I'm not all knowing like you, the great and powerful Ryland." I mockingly waved my hands as the sarcasm added some acidity to my voice. "Why don't you share in your wisdom?"

"No, for once, he's actually right. I mean, it's obvious what Zacky wants to tell you. I can't believe you haven't already figured it out. It's pretty obvious." Coraline's black lips twisted into a smirk on her pale face. She drummed her fingers on her chin, looking at me in amusement.

I groaned and draped my arm over my eyes. Was it really something that obvious? I thought I was usually pretty sharp and caught on to things, but I guess I was as clueless as my friends were. It was killing me that they were playing around with my apparent stupidity.

"Guys, be nice. She can't help it if she doesn't know. No one ever knows when someone likes them." Angeles walked over and sat on the couch beside me, tapping me gently with his drum sticks as he smiled down at me.

My eyes widened slightly at what he had said. "When someone likes them"? He couldn't mean that Zacky liked me, could he? I had known him for years, he was my brother's best friend! I suddenly felt light headed and confused. "What? What do you mean 'when someone likes them'?" I demanded as I quickly sat up, staring between my friends.

Ryland snorted a laugh and exagerated a roll of his dark eyes. "You really are stupid! What do you think it means? I know you know, the look on your face says it all." He shook his head and tongued his lip ring, looking at me in disapproval; which was honestly a way he looked at everyone most of the time anyway, but I could feel the disappointment.

"You guys are wrong. Zacky doesn't like me. I-it... it has to be something else!" But the more I thought about it, the more obvious that seemed to be. I remembered my brother's words the first night. "You're a sicko, preying on some girl that's not even eighteen!" My stomach dropped a little and I shook my head. It all made so much sense now, and I understood why Brian had been so mad.

After my revelation, I couldn't bring myself to continue the rehearsals. My bandmates left, bidding me farewell all except for Ryland, which wasn't unusual. I sat on the couch, hardly paying attention to the Five Finger Death Punch takeover on Fuse. I was so into my thoughts and out of touch with the world around me, that I didn't even notice Brian had gotten home until he came up behind me.

"HAZZARD TO SOCIETY." He leaned over the back of the couch and put me in a headlock, startling me near out of my skin. He ruffled my hair and let me go, walking around and plopping down beside me. "You alright, kid? You look a little..." He moved his hands around his head then pushed them out in front of him.

I raised a brow and chuckled quietly. "That was a great description," I said sarcastically. I sighed and sat back, rolling my head to release tension in my neck. I looked at my brother, watching his brow crease in concern. I looked down at my knotted hands. "I think I know..."

He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped. "Know what?" There was suspicion in his voice that he tried to hide but I caught. I repeated what I said, glancing up at him through my bangs for only a second before my eyes fell back to my hands. "He told you?" he asked through grit teeth.

I looked up and his eyes were closed, his jaws clenched tightly. I shook my head, despite him not being able to see, and sighed. "No. I figured it out by myself. Well, not really. I mean, Hellrazor helped a lot since I'm too stupid but yeah... I know and it isn't because he told me." I sighed again.

Brian opened his eyes and looked at me, expression guarded. He just stared at me for a while then he shook his head and sighed. "I was hoping I could prolong it as long as possible. You're my baby sister and I have to look out for you and, well, I know Zack." He looked at me. "But I guess now you know. And he didn't tell you, so I won't get mad. And you're right, you're almost eighteen... So you can make your own decisions." He rubbed his hand through the back of his hair and stood up awkwardly. "I'm, uh, gonna go to Matt's for a while. I'll see you tonight."

I wordlessly watched my brother leave again, wondering why he was so bummed out all of a sudden. I sighed when he shut the door. He was letting me decide what to do, he was letting me be an adult... but, right now, I really didn't know what to think, nevermind what decision to make.