A Life Better Than Reality Lies in My Dreams

Sitting in the DFW airport I started getting a little nervous as the departure time started getting closer. I was shaking my leg when Amber leaned over and put her hand on it to stop it. "Quit it. You're shaking the whole damn row of seats!" "Sorry I get nervous flying. I can't help it." I said looking up at the boarding times seeing that ours was less than 10 minutes away. "You should be excited! We are going to CALIFORNIA!" My best friend said. I smiled at her. She was always to the one to be overly excited about things when I could only be a little excited. I mean she would get excited that our friends were all getting together to do something simple like go out to eat. Amber also tended to be more excited than me about big things as well, like a 2 week vacation to California. We've been planning this trip for a year. Since we both had enrolled in summer classes last year and had been going to school non-stop, we promised each other to take a long vacation at the end of May. "Flight 283 to LAX now boarding." The stewardess said over the intercom. Amber and I stood to stand in line and wait to board the plane. "You going to be ok?" Amber asked looking up at me. Amber was only 5"0 even and I stood practically a foot taller than her. She had naturally dark red hair that only people wish they could have. She had a few freckles over her face and light green/blue hazel eyes. "Yeah." I replied looking ahead at the door. "I'll be fine after takeoff. I promise." We found our seats and I sat by the window with Amber beside me in the middle seat. "I hope no one sits next to me." She said setting her carry on in the vacant seat." I smiled and looked out the window as the plane began to make its way to the runway. When we reached the desired altitude and leveled out I let out a sigh of relief. "Ok, now I can breathe normal." Amber turned and took out her headphones. "What? I didn't hear you I was listening to my iPod." I laughed and shook my head. "Nothing." I decided to pull my iPod and book out of my backpack. I selected "Lost" by Avenged Sevenfold to be the first song I listened to and put the music on shuffle. I opened my book and settled in for the 3 hour flight.

When we landed in LAX Amber almost started jumping up and down. "We're here! We're here! I can't believe it! CALIFORNIA! Start looking around for famous people!" I laughed and said, "Amber I've been here once before and I didn't see any famous people." She just rolled her eyes and tried to take everything in as we walked to baggage claim. We had plan to spend one night in L.A. so we could sight see and take it all in. The rest of the time we were going to stay in Huntington Beach to be away from all the L.A. chaos and in hopes of catching a glimpse of Avenged Sevenfold since it was their home town. We stepped outside and I flagged down the first taxi I saw. "Um yeah can you take us to the downtown Hilton?" I asked the driver stepped around the back of the taxi to help us put our luggage in the trunk. "Sure, no problem." "Thanks." I said as we climbed in the back. Amber and I both kept our eyes glued to our windows sightseeing from the taxi. "So is this your first time to L.A. ladies?" The cab driver asked as we got closer to downtown. "Well I've seen the airport before but I went to Bakersfield so I didn't see L.A." I said not taking my eyes off the scenery passing by. "It's my first time." Amber said looking forward and smiling. "So where are you from?" "Texas." Amber and I said simultaneously. We both laughed and the cab driver smiled. "Cool." We pulled up at the hotel and I gave the driver his money. The bell hops were already unloading our luggage when I got out of the cab. We walked to the front desk and the lady there smiled. "Welcome to the down town Hilton, how may I help you?" "Yes, we have a room under April Summers." I said smiling back at her. "Yes Ms. Summers. Room 1220. The bell hop will show you." "Thank you." I said as I turned to follow Amber and the bell hop to our room. The room was a really big room with two queen size beds and a sitting area next to the huge window. I gave the bell hop a tip as Amber pulled open the blinds. "OH. MY. GOD." She said each word as its own sentence. "What?!" I asked then stopped as I looked out the window. "THIS VIEW IS AMAZING!" Amber screamed as she jumped up and down. "And these beds..." She said climbing on to the one closest to her. I joined her and we held hands and jumped up and down like little girls. "We are going to have the best time of our lives these next two weeks!" She said as we stopped jumping. "Yes we are!" I said throwing my suitcase on the bed that was still made.

We went immediately got ready to go sightseeing. We took a cab to Hollywood and started walking the Boulevard. We did the typical tourist stuff of taking pictures in front of the Chinese Theater and with stars of our favorite celebrities. We got back to the hotel and got ready to hit the night life. We picked a bar that I had looked up on the internet that played Alternative/Metal music. We went inside and a local band was playing. I didn't catch the name but they were like a mix between Bless the Fall and Atreyu. "I like them!" Amber screamed when we found a table to the back. "Yeah!" I yelled back at her. When the song was over a waitress came over to us. "Can I get you ladies something to drink?" I looked at Amber and smiled. "Jaeger bomb?" Her eyes lit up. "YES PLEASE!" "Um can we get 2 Jaeger bombs and then we are going to need 2 Malibu and pineapple drinks as well." I said handing the lady a 20. "Ok. be right back." I started looking around the bar to see what kind of people were in there. I turned and noticed two guys looking in our direction. One was tall and skinny with blonde streaks in his black shaggy hair. He was wearing a hoodie with neon music notes all over it over a yellow v neck shirt. He was also wearing black skinnies with a white studded belt. The other one was a little shorter with messy caramel color hair which was half hidden under a grey beanie. He was wearing a burgundy Glamour Kills shirt and black skinnies with a black studded belt. "Look at those guys over there." I motioned with my head to Amber. "Oh they're hot!" She had to scream because the band started another song. "Eh. Yeah for guys who wear skinny jeans." I said. Amber rolled her eyes knowing I liked my guys tatted and pierced. I looked back towards the guys and the shorter one gave me a head nod. I smiled and he leaned over to his friend and they came across the room to our table. They were almost at our table when I looked at Amber wide eyed and screamed "OH MY GOD!!" She didn't have time to ask me what because they had reached our table. Her eyes got wide telling me she noticed what I noticed.

"Hey I'm Alex." The caramel haired one said. "And I'm Jack." The
tall one said plopping down beside Amber and putting an arm around her. "You are from All Time Low!" I said as Alex sat next to me. "Yeah. You a fan?" He asked. I just nodded as the waitress came with our drinks. "Oh hell yeah! JAEGER BOMBS! Can we get two more please?" Jack yelled at the waitress over the music as she handed me my change. She nodded and walked up to the bar. "You have to wait on ours and we'll do it together." Alex said leaning closer to me so I could hear him. I nodded and told Amber. She smiled and then leaned over to talk to Jack who still had his arm around her. He smiled and nodded when he pulled away from her. Amber reached in her purse and pulled out her camera and snapped a picture of her and Jack. "Can I get a picture with you?" I asked Alex when they were done. "Yeah no problem." He said. I pulled my camera out and we both threw up the peace sign that Alex is so famous for giving. When the waitress came back Alex asked her something and she nodded her head. He grabbed my camera and handed it to her. "She's going to take a picture of us taking a drink!" He yelled so all of us could hear. The waitress counted down by holding up her fingers and we put our drinks to our lips and she snapped the picture. She started to hand me my camera back and I asked "Can you get one more of us without drinking?" She snapped the picture and I handed her a tip and said thanks. "So girls who drink Jaeger bombs have to be awesome. What's your name?" Alex asked leaning to me so I could hear. "April!" I yelled over the music. "Well hello April. Who's your friend." he said nodding over to Amber who was telling Jack her name. I nudged her and told her to tell Alex her name. "She leaned over me and yelled, "Amber!" The band finished their song and I told Jack my name. When we finished a second round of drinks Alex asked, "Where are you staying?" I smiled and said "The downtown Hilton." He put his hand over his mouth and said "US TOO!" I laughed and Jack said "Well then let’s go hang out there then. It will be quieter." We all nodded and got up and headed to the hotel.

We went to their room witch was a floor above ours. We settled on the floor with a bucket of ice and some Captain Morgan, Grey Goose, and a 12 pack of Mountain Dew in the middle of us. "So what are you in town for?" Alex asked as he mixed me some vodka and soda. "Vacation. We've been going to school for a year straight now and we needed a break!" I said then took a big drink. "We need music!" Jack said turning on his iPod that was in an iHome. "Shake it!!" he said as he pulled Amber up off the floor. Metro Station's "Shake it." Came on and they started twisting around by the beds. I started laughing and finished my drink. Alex took my cup and filled it again. "Are you trying to get me drunk Mr. Gaskarth?" I said taking the cup from him. He leaned in about an inch from my face and said with a grin, "Maybe I am." I smiled and chugged the drink in less than a minute. "Let's dance then!" I stood up and grabbed his hand to pull him up. We were dancing around very stupidly and then suddenly all the alcohol hit me. I stopped and swayed a little. Alex put his arms around my waist. "You ok?" He said looking concerned. "Yeah. It just hit me. Let’s sit and drink some more." I said walking back over to the booze. "Atta girl!" Jack said meeting me at the drinks and sitting down. Amber and Alex did the same. "So why are you guys in town?" Amber asked taking a drink from her cup. "We had a meeting with the record company about the next tour." Jack said pouring himself a shot of Captain. "Cool. Who are you going with?" I asked. "That's why we had the meeting we don't know." Jack said wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He let out a burp and I said "Nice one." and started laughing. "Well I know a band that should tour with you." Amber said looking at me with a smile. I cocked my head to the side not catching the joke she was trying to make. "Oh?" Alex asked smiling back at her. "And who would that be?" "Our friends' band No Such Thing." she said breaking her gaze from me to look at Alex. I laughed and said "Oh my God. If only it were that easy Amber. They can't take unknowns on tour with them." "Well are they good?" Jack said looking from me to Amber and back again. "They are AMAZING!" Amber said excitedly. "Come on Jack, come with me to get my iPod and I'll show you!!" Amber jumped up and started for the door and Jack looked at Alex and I and raised his eyebrows up and down with his sticking his tongue out to the side and got up to catch her. I just laughed and laid back stretching my arms above my head."Hmmmm." I sighed as I felt the effects of the vodka taking a hold of me. I closed my eyes and felt Alex lean over me.