The Only Thing I Ask

“WHAT?!”
Brian poke a finger into his left ear when Matthew screamed, like he used to in most of their songs.
“YOU DID WHAT?!”
He ignored Matthew’s screaming and took a sip from his Jack Daniels again. He stole it from Zacky’s stash in the studio’s kitchen.
“WHY THE FUCK DID YOU LIE, HANER?”

Matthew was raged. All of his perfect plan went down the drain when the monster in Brian came back again. He knew Brian lied, he knew everything. Just what he couldn’t understand was why would he deny something so clear?

He sat down on the couch, sighing heavily. Now, how will he face Valerie, knowing that her sister had been played by his own best friend? He finally buried his face in his palms.

“You never told me she has a boyfriend.”
Matthew looked up, palms apart.
“What?” half-whispered, he replied.
“She, your motherfucking angel twin, has a fucking boyfriend. Happy?”

Matthew’s eyes bulged in horror. His voice stucked in his throat. It never occurred to him that Michelle has someone else already in her life. Of course she is beautiful and hot. Of course there’s so many guys who wanted her! Of course! Why didn’t he thought of this before!

“You’re goddamn right. Next time, when you try to hook me up with someone, make sure she’s single.” As if he read Matthew’s mind, Brian stood up and coldly walked away. Part of him died when he knew that Michelle belonged to someone else. Another part of him was still a freezing-to-death, icy cold bastard.

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

It was a cold Saturday night, the band was still recording in the studio. Michelle couldn’t believe that she was here again. She had to, Valerie forced her to be the driver knowing that they would all be drinking tonight. She had nothing better to do anyways. It’s been 4 days since she last fought with Brian on Thanksgiving dinner.

“Come on, Mich. What are you waiting for?”

Valerie and Matthew knew what happened and thank God they finally gave up. The thing is, Valerie only knew that Brian was being a jerk, and Matthew only knew that Michelle has a boyfriend. Luckily the topic of ‘hooking up Michelle and Brian’ became taboo between them so they’d never discussed it.
After two flights of stairs, Valerie opened the big door like she always did.

Only Matthew and Brian were in the lounging area with Brian playing his guitar loudly and Matthew was listening. They didn’t realized Valerie and Michelle had stepped into the studio.

“Hey guys!”
Matthew looked up suddenly, quickly put his index finger over his lips.
“Recording.” He mouthed. Valerie covered her mouth and apologized.
Michelle sat down on the couch and listened to Brian’s guitar playing. It was so heavy, but yet dynamic. His long and slender fingers glide comfortably on the fretboard of his guitar, making it looked so easy.

“Aw fuck I screwed up! Again, again.” Brian cursed and unintentionally spun around. When he saw Valerie was there, his eyes quickly moved to search for Michelle.
“Welcome back.” He said as his eyes finally locked with hers.
Michelle shrugged but her heart still pounding fast. “What’s that song called?”
“Beast and the Harlot. Like me and…you.” Brian replied with a smirk.
Michelle laughed. “You mean you’re the harlot?”
Brian raised his eyebrow. He didn’t know how to reply so he just made annoying sounds with his guitar to piss Michelle off.
“Stop it Haner! It’s too loud!”
Brian ignored her request, and continued playing with his distortion gadget even more to drive her insane.
Michelle got up and held onto his guitar’s fretboard, making the sound stop stinging. Brian, on the other hand felt taken aback and suddenly raged.
“NOBODY touches my guitar.” He stated clearly and coldly. His gaze was piercing sharp and for a moment it looked like they were competing in a staring contest.

“Er..you guys? Can you please stop fighting?”
Both Brian and Michelle snapped by Matthew’s voice. Michelle took her hands off the guitar and put them across her chest.
“Asshole.” She mouthed but Brian totally heard it.

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

They all had fun hitting the club tonight. At least most of them. It wasn’t a typical nightclub with dubsteps smeared through the speakers. It was actually an underground gig club that serves alccohol beverages and a dancefloor. Michelle never knew that this place existed.

“That band! Is Amazing! We’ve played with them before!” Matthew shouted, because the music was too loud. There was a band on stage playing super loud music, and screaming that Michelle couldn’t understand shit. She nodded and noticed that there were also fans of Avenged Sevenfold there, screaming when they saw all five of them walked into the club casually.

For once, Brian broke his rule and flirted with one of his fan. She was short, spiky punk haired, dyed purplish and had sleeve tattoos just like him. Michelle couldn’t bring to watch them. Her heart dropped, but her feet won’t move away. She was standing still in the middle of a crowd with her sister already lost in embrace with Matthew.

She searched for other Avenged Sevenfold members. They were all busy being popular. They were surrounded by fans wherever they go. Michelle had no choice but to sit alone at the bar.
“Beer please.” She know she shouldn’t drink but seeing Brian again, and fighting with him made her feel weak inside. At least a glass of beer will make her brave.

“Now now, sweetheart. What are you doing?”

Michelle turned, Jimmy was standing beside her wearing a ‘tsk tsk’ expression.
“Aw, Jimmy. Just one glass. I promise.”
“Go ahead. I’m not stopping you.”
“Thanks Jimmy, you’re a honey.”
“I always knew that!”
Michelle drank her beer when it arrived in front of her. Jimmy was watching her carefully.
“What?” Michelle chuckled, when she noticed that Jimmy was staring.
“Nothin’. I just wanna look at you. Maybe after this, who knows. I’d never have that chance again.”
Michelle stopped drinking. “Why would you say that?”
Jimmy shrugged. “Maybe things won’t work out between you and Syn. Maybe you’ll leave us.”
“Oh, Jimmy. I would never leave you.”
He shrugged again. “Yeahh..everybody says that. In the end they just pack up and leave, you know?”
Michelle frowned. Is there something that he’s not telling?
“No Jimmy, I wouldn’t. I love you,”
“As a friend right?”
She stunned. Was Jimmy expecting something else?
“Figured. Anyway, good luck with Syn. From now on, I let you go.”
She frowned even more. But when Jimmy made dramatic pose like he was on Titanic or something, she laughed. She watched Jimmy disappeared within the crowd before catching Brian’s eyes, who’s now grinding on the dancefloor with some chick. That facial expression was clearly to annoy her. She rolled her eyes and got back to her glass of beer.

After somewhat her seventh glass of beer, Michelle started to feel dizzy. She felt like she was the bravest person in here ever. Bring it on, Haner!
“Hello there.”
Michelle turned around. There was a stranger, a man, sitting beside her.
“Hello.” She replied, amusingly.
“You seem happy.” The stranger said.
Michelle laughed. Her eyes can barely open now.
“Happy? I’m sad!” then she laughed again.
“Sad? Why are you sad?”
Michelle looked around for Brian. “Do you see that guy?” she randomly pointed to Jimmy who was now dancing with Johnny.
“He stole my heart.” She drunkenly pointed to her chest.
The stranger stunned, jaw apart. “The Rev?”
“Brian! Synyster Gates! Whatever.”
“Wait, what?”
“He stole my fucking heart!” Michelle looked down to her feet. “And he only wanted to play with it!”
Michelle drank again. “Another beer please!”
“I think you’ve had enough.”
“NO!” she cried. Who the hell is he? Trying to take away the one thing that can make me brave! She couldn’t get a clear look at this stranger’s face.
“Let me take you home.”
All that she knew after that was dark, and pitch black.