The Only Thing I Ask

“That’s actually a good riff, Syn.”

He didn’t stop messing around with his acoustic guitar, but looked up to the voice.

“Yeah?” He replied, as he non-chalantly banging his head slightly in sync with his fingers plucking on the strings. His best friend, Matthew sat down in front of him, with a bottle of beer in his right hand.

“Yeah, maybe we could write that shit up. Sometime.”

He shrugged, still didn’t stop playing.

“Maybe.”

Then there was silence. Not awkward, more like Matthew is enjoying the rhythm from his guitar.

“Look, um, I hope you didn’t mind about last night.”

He looked down to his chord fingers. “No. Why would I?”

“Well, I know you fancied her. It’s just, she likes me more, bro. What more could I’ve done?”

Syn, or Synyster Gates, or as his real name is; Brian Haner Jr eventually stopped playing. He got up, patted Matthew on his shoulder and replied.

“It’s cool, bro.”

He went off with his guitar, leaving Matthew feeling guilty all over again.

Last night was the seventh show on their USA tour. There was this ‘groupie’ as they called it, voluntarily offering themselves to this band, Avenged Sevenfold. Among these girls, there was one that Brian had his eyes on. Sure they were nobodies; they were just their fans and probably have nothing better to do than to hook up with rock stars like them. But this girl, she kept quiet while the others frantically screaming and went fan-girls all over them. She looked like she’d been forced to come here. And that attracted him. He tried talking to her, but he had his alter-ego mode on last night. Instead of words coming out of his mouth, he showed off his guitar skill. Occasionally he flashed a cocky smile which he seemed more like a jerk than a ladies’ man.

The other band mates were not at all annoyed by his action. Brian had always been known for his cockiness, alter-ego, and cold attitude towards girls though he mostly didn’t mean to.

This girl, her hair was long and black, round eyes sparkled like stars, lips full and red, didn’t smile at all. She frowned and gaped at Brian. While her groupie friends were all over the other band mates, she just sat there, on the sofa in their tour bus, with her hands across her chest. There was no one to blame but Brian himself. He truly sucks at wooing women. If it’s not because of his godlike guitar skills, his good looks and perfect face shape, he wouldn’t have gotten female fans at all. He’s too cold, that bastard.

Then there came Matthew or M. Shadows - as a front man of the band, the most favored person ever, voted by their fans over some ridiculous magazine - into the bus. He went to buy a pack of cigarettes earlier, so he didn’t know that they had guests. When he stepped into the bus, his eyes met hers. The girl completely ignored Brian’s existence as she locked eyes with Matthew.

As for Matthew, he thought he had found an angel.

They both looked like they’ve found the one.

**************************************************************************************************

Zacky looked up to see someone standing in the doorway. It was Brian, holding his guitar and lazily walked towards the sofa.

“You okay, Syn?”

Brian looked over his shoulder. Zacky was playing with his phone and The Rev was snoring next to him. He merely nodded to the question.

“Is this about that groupie last night?”

“No. Leave it.”

Zacky wouldn’t just ‘leave it’. It’s not in his nature.

“Come on, man. They’re just fans. Don’t you have that cold rule where…you won’t hook up with your own fan?”

Brian gave Zacky a slight cocky smile. Everybody in this band knew about his cold rule. He will not fall in love with a fan. He’d rather find someone who didn’t know anything about him.

“That’s why. You saw how she suddenly all giggled up when she saw M. That completely turns me off.”

Zacky chuckled and went back to his phone. “Yeah. Good for M too. He’s been lonely for far too long.”

Brian continued messing with his guitar, trying to brush away the image of the girl from his mind.

Call him bastard, call him mean, and call him anything. He won’t fall for his fan, at least not again. He did once, and then he realized, fans don’t last forever. Especially when you’re in your lowest moment. When the world hated you.

The world hated him once. The girl who he had poured his heart to went away and moved on to another star to root for. He was left with nothing but friendship to this band. That low moments changed him, he’s no longer a lover boy. He closed his heart and built an alter-ego wall.

Fortunately, his alter-ego is what made him famous for what he is now. He’s recognized as one of the greatest guitarist of all time and his female fans loved his cocky and cold attitude. It’s his selling point.

“Whoever the fuck can break the ice in your heart, I’d hug her I tell ya.” Zacky casually said this after a short moment of silence with his eyes still on the phone. Brian smiled briefly before realized that Zacky had been on the phone since this morning.

“What are you doing?”

“Hmm?”

“That. Who are you texting?”

Zacky glanced at him. “Nobody. Mind your own fucking business.”

“It’s almost 5.”

“Oh yeah, we gotta pack up for the show tonight. Wake him up, Syn.” Zacky ordered, putting his phone away and went into the shower. Apparently he hadn’t showered since yesterday. Brian looked over to Jimmy or ‘The Rev’ who was now snoring even louder.

“Rev. Hey, Rev! Wake up!” he shook Jimmy’s leg as he woke him up.

Jimmy sat up straight, but his eyes still closed.

“Wha…wha…?” he mumbled.

“Wake up dude, it’s almost time to pack.”

And with that alarm, Brian placed his guitar neatly on his guitar stand and walked out of the studio room. Jimmy was still blurry, and ten seconds later he lied on his back again, dozing off.