The Most Unexpected Faces

Previously:

“Andy” Chris took over the conversation from where Zander had left off. “We want to try again, make a fresh start and make use of the potential we had together. What we’re asking is this. Would you consider reforming as a band with us? Come home with us, Andy. Come back where you belong”

*****

ANDY’S POV

~

“What?” I heard what he said but I didn’t believe that he said it; therefore, I wanted it re-confirmed to me.

“Would you consider reforming as a band with us?” Chris repeated patiently. I could just see his pale brown eyes hidden under his red fringe; they shone with the kind and caring look that they always used to. Fragments of old memories started to piece themselves back together in my head and I started to remember the boys I’d forgotten about.

I remembered Chris’s hate of violence.

I remembered Zander’s strange love of blue drinks.

I remembered that Jack is really ticklish on the back of his neck.

The characteristics and personalities of the boys I knew so well started to flood into my brain. It was like seeing them again brought back a black and white image of them; now they’d spoken to me though it was like someone had taken a pack of markers and coloured them in again.

I remembered it all:

Jack’s fear of spiders, his love of coffee, the way he swears he’s a failure in love, the way his face lights up when snow is forecast…

Chris’s love of the way hair dye smells, the way he’s fussy about pizza toppings, the way he always rings your mobile when he arrives rather than pushing the doorbell, the way he drinks enough Irn-Bru to drown small elephants, the way he sings in the shower and doesn’t care who’s listening…

Zander’s crazy dance moves, his inability to decline shot dares, his love of pranks, his affection towards his friends, his need for cuddles when it gets cold and he can’t be arsed to get a blanket, his old purple hoodie that he treasured…

It took them confronting me in person to realise it but then I knew. As much as I wanted to hate them I couldn’t; they stood by me through a load of shit and even though they didn’t help much with the Craig thing I didn’t hate them. To be honest I probably would’ve felt like they did - scared of what would have happened if I’d tried to interfere. Not to mention they said that they hadn’t realised the extent of what was happening.

I took a good look at the three boys in front of me.

My old friends, my ex-bandmates, my past, my memories, the kids from yesterday.

That’s what we were then, kids. Teenagers who were still adjusting to making their own decisions, who’s eyes were just opening to the world around them, who had dreams and aspirations that we wanted to achieve but weren’t always prepared to put the effort in for.

We’ve all done some growing up since then, I think.

I thought about what they’d asked of me.

I’m not going to lie and say that the idea of being in a band with my child-hood friends isn’t appealing but I can’t leave Black Veil Brides. I just can’t. I love the guys, we’re a family. Not to mention the fans, it would kill them if I left; sure bvb could find a new singer but I know from personal experience that when members of a band you like leave and are replaced, you can never like the replacement as much as the original. It’s just not the same. Not to mention the fact it would be like betrayal. And ASHLEY! Oh my God Ashley, this could ruin us!

It should have been an easy decision. It really should have been, but still I stood here confused. I was pretty sure of my decision but I didn’t want to answer just yet; I told them this.

“I might have to take you up on your offer of thinking about it for a bit. I can’t make a decision right now” I admitted.

They just smiled at me understandingly.

“Take as long as you need to, Sixxy” Zander said, this time the use of the nickname didn’t annoy me.

“Your band is going to start wondering where you are, we better get going” Chris said, smiling apologetically at me.

“Oooh! Can we get Slush Puppies on the way back? I want a blue-raspberry one!” Zander exclaimed with a grin.

“You haven’t changed, Zander, you haven’t changed” I smiled.

Strangely enough, I felt tears start to build behind my eyes. Not sad tears though, happy ones.

Obviously being re-united with my old friends evoked more emotions than I thought.

I was about to discreetly wipe my eyes before they spilt over, when I realised the guys were smiling at me in a similar state.

I didn’t even think before I did it; I just stepped forward and spread my arms wide to pull them all into a hug. They immediately stepped forward and wrapped their arms around each other and me. No more was said about the band, or Craig. We just stood there, holding each other and quietly crying as I was finally re-united with the most important people from my child-hood.