It Sounds Like Fiction

Fourth of Five

Wren knew she only had a small window before her parents got back from their business trip, and in that small window, she knew she had to make things right for Jimmy. She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to help him, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t. So, the next morning, after a night of tossing and turning, Wren got up and made plans to meet the band at their next venue, which was six hours away in San Francisco. Jimmy hadn’t made an appearance since the night before, so without telling him her plan, she grabbed his floorboard box of treasures and began her trip.

With tons of help from her GPS, Wren found San Francisco and the venue easily. Her plan was just to get in without a ticket, find a way backstage and make them hear her out. Though, how she was going to achieve those three things was beyond he With tons of help from her GPS, Wren found San Francisco and the venue easily. Her plan was just to get in without a ticket, find a way backstage and make them hear her out. Though, how she was going to achieve those three things was beyond her.

The doors were already open when Wren arrived, but she wasn’t stupid enough to think she could get passed the security. Not without some help, anyway. First, Wren decided to circle the building, hoping to find a door ajar or unlocked. No such luck. She was about to head back to the front of the building when one of the side doors opened and a young man about her age stepped out. He wore a blue shirt with the venues logo on it and held a cigarette between his lips.

Wren was never much for flirting, she never even had a boyfriend. Still, she knew she had to try something. “You know,” she said walking up to him, “those things are bad for you.” Wow…and the award for dumbest opener goes to…

The young man smiled and turned to her. Wren noticed instantly how attractive he was. Smiling he said, “Are they? Guess I better quit then, huh?” He took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled the smoke, still smiling.

“Sorry,” Wren blushed. She sucked at this whole flirting thing it would be better if she just came clean and hoped for the best. At worst, she would just stick around after the venue again, though, she really didn’t want to do that due to the drive she had in front of her. “It’s just…I came six hours for the show and then realized I left my ticket at home.”

“Bummer,” he mumbles. “So, you were hoping to flirt with me in hopes I would sneak you in?”

Wren blushed again, now that he said it out loud she realized how stupid of an idea it was. “Stupid, huh?”

The guy nods. “Eh, I’m used to it. We get that a lot around here and not just from girls.” Wren nods, completely unsure of what to say and feeling more and more like a fool. “None of them are as pretty as you, though,” he grins, taking another long drag off his cigarette.

Wren smiled and looked away. She wasn’t used to compliments from complete strangers. “Well, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” The guy stomps out his cigarette. “Alright, I’ll sneak you in under two conditions.”

Wren raised her brow. “What’s that?”

“First, you have to tell me what’s in that box in your hand and then, you have to let me take you out for dinner one of these days.”

Wren was completely taken aback by his offer but nodded with a smile. Even if she decided she didn’t want to go, there was nothing he could do about it once this night was over. She opens the box, knowing this was going to be harder to explain than it was explaining why she was busy every time he asked her out on a date.

The guy gives her a weird look as he peers inside and sees its contents. “Uh, that’s a weird set of things to bring to a concert. Is that a picture of the band when they were younger?”

“Uh, yeah it’s kind of a long, weird story,” Wren admitted, hoping he wouldn’t press it.

The guy shrugs. “Well, alright. Come on.”

Wren smiles as the guy leads her through the door he came out of. She couldn’t believe this was actually working! He showed her through many different hallways and rooms, making small talk along the way, and eventually lead her out into a large room filled with hundreds of people. Wren noticed the Avenged Sevenfold merch booth not too far off.

“Alright,” the guy smiled. “Just keep your head down and you should be fine. They don’t usually check for tickets or anything once you’re inside, so you should be good.”

“Thank you again. Really, you have no idea how much this means to me,” Wren expressed and she meant it. He had no idea what he was doing for her.

The guy smiles. “Well let’s not pretend I'm not doing this out of the kindness of my heart, I'm getting something out of it, too,” he winks, causing Wren to giggle. He pulls his phone out of his back pocket. “I just realized, I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Colin.”

“Wren,” Wren grinned.

Colin grinned back and typed something into his phone before saying, “I really was serious about wanting to take you out on a date sometime, Wren. Can I call you?”

Wren nodded before she even knew what she was agreeing too. Her phone number tumbled off her lips as Colin typed it into his phone.

“Alright, gorgeous, I have to get back to work but I will text you or call you tomorrow,” he said. “Have fun, okay?”

“Thank again,” Wren smiled and watched as he walked off.

“Alright,” Wren thought, “back to business.”

She entered the first hallway she came across and then made her way to the direction of where she thought the stage would be. She knew the dressing rooms couldn’t be too far away. She turned down so many hallways, met so many dead ends, and dodged so many security guards before she even thought she was getting close.

She made another turn, hoping it to be the last and suddenly, she bumped into someone. “Hey, sorry I didn’t…what the fuck?”

Wren looked up, expecting to see a security guard getting ready to throw her out but instead she came face to face with Brian, who was exiting the room right next to them. The commotion caused a couple of heads to stick out of the room.

“What the fuck are you doing back here?” Brian asked. Without waiting for Wrens reply said, “Billy, can you please get rid of her?"

“Who is it?” Another voice came.

Zack made an appearance and rolled his eyes. “Just some crazy fan girl.”

A guy who looked like a security guard stepped out into the hall and made a grab for Wren, but she stepped out of his range. “Come on, ma’am, don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”

“Wait!” She exclaimed as he made another grab for her. At this point, the entire band had approached the doorway. “I came back with proof!”

She raised the box in the air causing everyone to look up. “Where is your bracelet? How did you get back here?” Billy asked.

Wren ignored him. “I have a box of his things. It was a type of time capsule and you guys all made individual ones and hid them somewhere. He hid his under the floorboard of his then-, my now-bedroom. He said all of you were supposed to open them on Johnny’s thirtieth birthday because he was the youngest.”

The all narrowed their eyes at her, except for Brian who rolled his. “Who told you that?” Johnny asked.

“Jimmy,” Wren breathed.

“Bullshit,” Brian cursed, “Tell the truth!”

Wren shoved the box at him. “I am.”

Brian reluctantly opened the box. “We don’t even know what he put in his.”

“But this does look like his handwriting,” Zack admits, picking up one of the pieces of folded paper.

Brian passed the box to Matt. “Whatever, I can’t believe you’re actually falling for this bullshit made up story, Zack.”

“Jimmy always said if he told the story of his life you’d think he made it up,” Johnny said.

“That it would seem like fiction. That’s where he got the nickname from,” Matt nodded.

“But this isn’t his life!” Brian retorted aggressively. “He’s dead!”

Wren waited patiently while they talked it over, wincing every now and then when Brian would raise his voice. Finally, Matt said, “Okay. I’ll go check it out but God help you if you’re lying, girl. This isn’t something you joke about.”

“I know,” Wren answers.

“You can’t be fucking serious,” Brian looks at his friend like he’s crazy.

Matt sighs. “For some reason, I think she’s just going to keep following us until we do this. I'm not saying I believe her.”

Brian scoffs. “What the fuck ever. If you want to give in to this bullshit, be my guest but I'm not listening to another damn word of it.” And with that, he pushed past everyone and stormed down the hallway.

“So, you’ll come?” Wren asked.

Matt nods. “We’re off tomorrow before our show Monday in Las Vegas. I was going to spend the day gambling, but…” he trails off, shrugging, “Worst case scenario, I can spend a few hours with my wife and kids.”

Wren grinned. This was actually working! Her parents weren’t due back home until late tomorrow night, so as long as they were gone before then it would work out perfectly.

“Oh, hell,” Zack said. “I’ll come too. I’d love to spend a little time with Meaghan and Tennessee.”

“Well, I guess that means I'm in too. That just leaves Gates and Brooks,” Johnny says.

“Oh,” Brooks shakes his head. “I’ll hold the fort down in Las Vegas; give you guys some privacy with Jimmy.”

“What?” Johnny asks. “You believe in ghosts, Brooks?”

Brooks shrugs. “Why not?”

“So, just Brian then…” Wren trailed off. Would three out of four of Jimmy’s best friends be enough to send him off to the other side?

“We’ll get him there,” Zack promised.

“We’ll see you in the morning. If you’re lying, you best not show up,” Matt raised his brow.

He could make all the threats he wanted but she knew the truth. “Okay,” Wren grinned. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Jimmy.