Gimme One Reason.

The next morning I woke up with my face stuffed in to my pillow, my feet hanging partially off the bed. The bottle of Jack was empty beside me on the night table. I sighed and knocked it under my bed. I hoisted my body up and ran my hand through my hair. A yawn escaped my mouth before I stood up. I grabbed a hand full of clothes, a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top, and made my way to the bathroom.

I stepped in to the shower and turned the water as hot as it would go, stripping myself and stepping in as soon as steam engulfed the room. The water seared my skin, immediately turning me in to a steamed lobster color scheme. I let the water run down my face, soaking my entire body as I held my breath.

I stepped from under the water and washed and conditioned my hair, pinning it up on top of my head so I could shave and wash the rest of my body. After I was done I stayed in the water for a few more minutes, soaking in the pain as it subsided and became normal. I turned the water off and dried off, pulling on my clothes before brushing my teeth and ignoring my makeup bag calling my name. I had no immediate plans so I didn't even want to attempt makeup.

I hung my towel over the door and walked down stairs, I could hear voices from the living room but walked right past in to the kitchen. I quickly poured some Bailey's in to a coffee mug and returned it to the cabinet before anyone walked in. I made my coffee in with the liquor and took a sip, smiling as the flavor tingled against my lips. I looked up, feeling someone watching me, and my eyes met Matt's.

"Hi." He smiled at me, concern coating his light brown eyes.

"Hi." I nodded back "Did you stay the night?" I asked.

"Always." He walked over and made himself a cup of coffee, kissing my head as he walked by "You smell good."

"It's called a shower." I laughed and hoisted myself up on the counter "About yesterday... I'm sorry, I snapped at you too and it was so uncalled for." I took a breath in as Matt turned to me, pouring cream in his coffee.

"You did snap, but it wasn't totally uncalled for. I didn't do anything wrong, but you were upset. It's a relationship hazard dating a Baker." He smiled at me "You had reason to be upset, I didn't take anything personally, I knew you needed time to cool off."

I sighed "God, Matt. Thank you."

"Zack's in the other room though if you want to apologize to him, he's worried about you.." Matt bit his lip and walked over to me, opening my legs and standing between them "He thinks you hate Jacky."

"I do." I snarled "Like... Ugh!" I huffed "Thanks. For bringing up Satan's name first thing in the morning. I don't hate her, whatever. I'm pissed she's ignorant. I'm pissed my brother is dating some ignorant bimbo. But I guess I don't completely hate her." I huffed and looked down "I should go apologize to him."

"Good idea Lizzy." He kissed my lips quickly, squinting at me as he did "What...." He took my coffee mug and before I could protest he tasted it, spitting it in the sink immediately "It's fucking like ten in the morning, Liz. Alcohol, really?"

"Yes." I patted his shoulder as I used him to lower myself to the floor as to avoid that horrible pain when you barely jump off an object in your ankle. "To numb my mind, so I don't murder anyone."

"Great." Matt laughed, following me in to the living room where Zack was finishing up a level of some army game they were playing.

"Zachary James Baker." I stood between him and the television, surprisingly he didn't shove me out of the way as normal, he just stopped and looked me in the eyes. Obviously worried. "I'm sorry... I'm really sorry for flipping out on you and I guess.." I paused and rolled my eyes "Her."

"Oh Liz," Zack stood and hugged me, lifting me off my feet and spinning us around as Matt picked up his controller and resumed "I was so worried you weren't going to talk to me, and that you'd hate Jacky-"

"I said I was sorry for flipping on her, not that I liked her." I pouted as he hugged me tight "Fine, whatever. We need to re-do the first impression though, cuz her's sucked ass." I mumbled in to Zack's arm as he set me down. "And don't worry, leaving crossed my mind. But then my boyfriend would have had to choose between us." I smirked as Matt ignored us.

"Ass. Anyways, can I invited her over? A less... populated introduction?" Zack asked "She felt really badly after that... Especially for throwing you in the pool."

"She fucking better, those were my favorite leather pants. Now they're ruined." I crossed my arms tight "Have her over. I'll go dump this out and make a sober cup of coffee, face this like a man."

"Uh..." Zack stared at me "Sober coffee?"

"Oh, yah, there's Bailey's in this. Do you think I can handle any of you fuck faces sober?" I laughed and walked in to the kitchen, yay, little miss peppy ass was coming over. Fucking fun.

Matt's POV

She looked so tired, like she hadn't slept in years. Liz was sitting on the love seat with Jacky, talking animatedly about something they had in common. Makeup or something equally as stupid. But she wasn't even wearing any, not that it was bad, she was still beautiful as ever. But she definitely was covering up the lack of sleep with the pounds of concealer she used.

Her skin was weathered, for seventeen she looked... Tough? I don't know the word for it, not sounding like a douche bag. I sighed and looked down at my phone, Val was blowing it up again. Telling me to go to Hell and all sorts of shit that she should be keeping her mouth shut on. I shoved my phone in to my pocket and resumed my attention to watching Liz and Jacky. Zack was off somewhere upstairs, I think he mentioned showering. He was planning on taking the girls out today, I don't think Liz planned on it though.

"OH!" Liz laughed as Jacky showed her a picture on her phone "That's... Oh wow." She laughed, glancing up at me and wincing, bearing her teeth in a fake laugh.

"What?" I laughed.

"Nothing, girl stuff." Liz rolled her eyes and took her phone out "Matt." She tossed it at me.

Synyster mother-fucking GATES bitch.. please answer me.

I laughed, that must have been how Brian got her to answer her phone, yah sure.

"Hello?" I asked.

"This isn't Liz... LIZ! Did you get a sex change so you sound exactly like Matt?" Brian laughed "Where is she? Still barricaded in her room?"

"No... bonding with Jacky."

Brian choked on whatever he was drinking "What? Really?... I mean good." He laughed a little "Michelle wanted to know if she wanted to hang out, but Val went through her phone and deleted everyone's numbers."

"Lovely. Uh, I don't know I think there's a plan..." I paused and got up and walked out back "Zack wants to take them out for the day, take a drive up the coast to the pier, go out for dinner.." I rambled "I mean, I bet you guys could come with us.."

"Lemme ask Mich, hang on.." I heard yelling in the back ground and then a crash "Yah, yah she'd love to. If Zack doesn't mind though. Ask him and let me know... Fuck, I gotta go. She just fucking fell over the kitchen table trying to get to the living room quick.. Bye."

"Bye." I laughed and hung up, returning to Jacky and Liz's conversation. Liz looked barely alive, very bored, and somewhat half asleep "Hey, babe, can I steal you for a second?"

"Oh, yah, I'll be right back." She patted Jacky's hand with a smile and I dragged her off to the kitchen "Oh my god Matt it's like she doesn't have a brain. Is it empty in there? She has no sustainable things to talk about! Like if we did a lobotomy on her I feel like she'd stay the same! Matt," She paused, staring at me as I tried not to laugh "Do you think Zack would be mad if we-"

"If you cut in to his girlfriend's skull?" I laughed at her as she grabbed a butter knife "Yah, I think he'd be a little pissed."

"But I really wanna know.." She glanced around "Anyways, why are we in here?" She put the butter knife down and crossed her arms.

"Zack wants us all to go out today, bond.... Brian and Michell-"

"YES." She grabbed my arms, tugging at them "Please give me Michelle, I need.." She looked behind me "Another intellectual, please." She made puppy dog eyes at me "I'll make Zack let them, tell Brian yes. I have to go entertain captain bleach brain until he comes back down.." She groaned and walked back out, immediately pasting a fake laugh on as Jacky began another conversation.

Either she was really fucking with Liz and being too nice, or Zack really had an issue picking women.