Love on the Brain

Jade’s hands tugged around the railing, holding on for dear life, as she saw Avenged Sevenfold perform their second concert ever. The band was great, even better than last time, as the crowd adored the combination of Matt’s soar vocals, Jimmy’s tight playing and Brian’s brilliance on his guitar. The guys had clearly worked their magic on the crowd, as cheering arrived after the band ended another song.

“You guys are incredible!” Matt announced into his microphone, sweat covering his forehead, as well as entire body.

Jade cheered along with the crowd, watching as Zacky went to whip off the sweat from his face, meanwhile Johnny picked up his beer took a swig from it.

“And now,” the singer went on, moving around the little stage, trying not to trip in the amount of tubes that were resting on the floor. “We’re gonna play one last song!” Matt growled, the crowd responding rather negatively to that.

“Ey, guys! We’ve just started out! We’ll be back before you know it!” the almost bold singer insured the audience, just as Jimmy twirled his drumstick, ready to move on to the last song on their little set list.

Jade could immediately feel the force from the crowd, as everyone started jumping along to the drums. Her eyes rested on her boyfriend, who was leaning against Zacky, both of them standing right in front of her eyes, with Johnny occupying the space next to Brian.

The song started of slowly, allowing the crowd to fully take in their rough sound, before Jimmy picked up his speed, making it impossible to follow the beat. The now dark-haired girl looked over at Val and Michelle, both of them hanging unto the railing and feeling the pressure from the crowd, before Matt grabbed the microphone and cupped it with his hands.

“So much time I’ve wasted! That I never really truly thought would come to this!” the singer growled into the microphone, the crowd adoring the sound of the band, as people kept pushing even harder.

Soon Jade could feel a pair of hands landing on her hips, as a brown-haired guy pulled her against his chest, her grip loosening around the railing as he did so. The petite girl looked over her shoulder, noticing the cheeky grin that twisted his lips. She wasn’t able to see most of his face as the venue was too dark, but by the lingering smell of beer, she could easily tell he had been drinking.

She tried to wiggle out of his grasp, wanting to return her attention on the band, but could soon feel how he all but dragged her away from her friends, his strength too much for her to escape from.

“Let go of me!” she squealed, her voice drowning in the heavy sound of Jimmy’s drums.

The guy’s hand was soon hovering over the fishnets she had borrowed from Val, his fingers caressing her thigh through them, meanwhile the dark-haired girl tried to tear herself away from his grip.

“Please stop!” Jade cried out, noticing how she had been dragged into the crowd and was soon about to be pulled out by the guy who had allowed his hands to creep unto her body.

“Let me go!” she voiced out loud, her eyes searching desperately for Michelle and Valary, who were nowhere to be found.

“Did you really think you could dress up like a little slut and not expect some attention?” the guy sniggered, his voice rusty, meanwhile he allowed his eyes to look down at her.

Jade only frowned back, furious about the way he thought he could just touch her like this. She dug her nails into his skin, watching as pain was inflicted on him and praying that he would soon let go of her.

“You can fight against it as much as you want, you little whore!” the guy yelled at her, applying more pressure to his grip and making Jade yelp out in pain.

Matt soon stopped in the middle of the song, his hands signalizing that he wanted the crowd to part, as he exchanged a look with his guitarist.

Brian pulled off his guitar, anger swirling in his now black eyes, as he jumped over the railing and pushed passed the crowd.

“Who the fuck do you think you are!” the guitarist all but tackled the guy who seconds ago had harassed Jade.

The dark-haired girl felt a lump in her throat, as Brian pushed the guy off his feet and watched as he fell unto the floor.

“You stay the hell away from my girlfriend!” Brian growled at him, his eyes never leaving the guy until the audience started glaring at the guy, obviously not happy about how he had ruined the last song.

“Fuck off, you disgusting piece of shit,” he told the guy, before he brought his hand around Jade’s torso, noticing how her entire body was quivering by panic.

“Can someone escort that fucker out of here?” Matt spoke into his microphone. “I’m sorry about that, guys! Once that shithead is out of here, we’ll continue,” the singer stated, as the entire band went from loud to mute, waiting for the guy to get out.

“Get the fuck out! I’m not fucking around with you!” Jimmy announced from his drum-kit, all of them pissed at the guy who had tried to hit on their friend.

Jade watched as the Berry’s pushed through the crowd, both of them sniggering, as they grabbed the guy from the floor and went to escort him out themselves.

“Are you okay?” Brian sighed, turning to his girlfriend, whose eyes were glowing with tears.

Jade separated her lips, ready to speak, as she realized that her lips were trembling and that she was in no position of talking right now.

She felt his thin lips against her forehead, before his fingers hooked around her wrist. Brian pulled her into the crowd again and walked her towards the railing, waiting with her as Michelle and Val surrounded her and made sure that they would stick with her throughout the last song.

The guitarist then jumped over the railing, Johnny handing him the guitar, before Matt went over to his microphone again. “Okay, fuckers! Where were we?” he growled, the crowd responding eagerly, as the band started on their last song again.

Jade could feel Valary and Michelle’s arms around her throughout the rest of the concert. Her heart was still hammering against her chest, as the earlier panic still hadn’t let go of her yet.

She had never experienced that kind of unwanted attention before. She had been catcalled before and she’d seen the way guys had looked at her when she walked by. However this was a different kind of unwanted attention, because the guy had literally forced himself on her, calling her a slut and assuming that he could just touch her based on what she was wearing.

She felt dirty.

As the concert ended, she excused herself and went outside for some fresh air, not wanting to occupy unnecessary space, as she knew people would walk over to the guys and talk to them after the show.

The dark-haired girl paddled down the hallway, her arms crossed over her chest, looking as though she was trying to hide something, meanwhile her gaze looked at the tip of her black shoes.

She suddenly felt much more aware of what she was wearing and how she looked. Was this her own fault? Maybe she shouldn’t have worn the fishnets and the miniskirt. Perhaps she could’ve avoided all of this if she just went for what she usually wore.

She couldn’t prevent the thoughts from drifting into her head as she stepped out and felt the cool breeze trace her bare arms. It was an odd and uncomfortable sensation that filled her body. She felt like an object. Like a cheap item that had just been thrown into the trash.

“That fucker was nasty as hell!” Jason announced, looking disgusted down on his own hands as he had just thrown the guy out of the venue.

“Are you okay, Jade?” Matt Berry asked, noticing the way she kept staring blankly down on the ground, her arms covering her chest in a way that looked as though she tried to protect herself from something.

“I’m just shocked,” she muffled under her voice, not believing what had happened only minutes ago.

“We’re glad the guys saw it though,” Jason said, trying to comfort the dark-haired girl.

“Yeah, Jesus Christ. No one should experience that kinda crap,” Matt agreed. “Brian’s a night in shining armour,” he sniggered.

Jade nodded slowly, chills creeping down her spine at the thought of a strange guy touching her like that.

“Jade!” Brian cried out, as it seemed as though most people had left the venue. “God,” he mumbled under his breath, his arms wrapping around his girlfriend and driving her into his chest.

Jade could feel her eyes explode, and before she knew it tears were dragging down her eyeshadow, smearing down her cheeks, as she could feel her entire body shake.

“Baby, please don’t cry,” he voiced softly, his arms gripping her tightly, meanwhile he placed his chin on top of her head. “You’re safe and I won’t let that happen to you ever again,” he promised.

“I feel so cheap,” Jade mumbled against his dark shirt.

“What?” Brian’s dark eyes widened a little.

“If I had just worn what I usually wear this wouldn’t happen,” she insisted, hiding her face against the fabric of his chest.

“Jade, don’t you ever fucking think that again!” Brian told her, bringing his hands on each side of her face and looking straight into her dark eyes. “That was not your fault. I don’t give a fuck about what you wore. He does not have the right to touch you without your permission,”

“I’m sorry for ruining your show,” she said, sniffling a bit and feeling fresh tears prickle eyes.

Brian only shook his head, before his thumb caught her new tear. He soon tilted forward and kissed her lips tenderly, allowing her mouth to fully taste him, before he wrapped his arms around her again.

“You didn’t ruin anything, doll,” he insured her. “We had a fucking blast and so did the crowd,” he promised.

“You’re too good,” Jade told him, whipping off the makeup with the back of her hand.

“I know,” he sniggered, before he kissed her forehead. “No more tears tonight, babe. Let’s go inside,” Brian said, sneaking his arm around her torso.

Jade nodded, feeling a lot more collected, as she followed her boyfriend towards her friends again, who all looked worried when they saw her.

“Come on, guys! Afterparty at our place!” Michelle announced, wanting to change the topic before Jade felt an uncomfortable amount of attention on her.

“Fucking brilliant!” Jimmy agreed, high-fiving the blonde, before people went to grab their belongings.

Brian took Jade’s hand and walked her towards the stage, wanting her by his side as he grabbed his guitar that he had left in a hurry.

“You guys were so great,” Valary said, sneaking her arms around Matt’s shoulders and making her toes lift her body so that she could peck his cheek.

“I know, right?” he sniggered, looking beyond pleased with himself.

“I can't wait to get shitfaced!” Zacky announced happily, slinging his guitar case over his shoulders and waiting for Johnny in order to go out and grab a cigarette.

“Gates, we’ll take it from here!” Jason told the guitarist.

“Yeah, just go and spend some time with your girl,” Matt said, noticing how Jade was paddling around the venue all by herself.

“Thanks, guys,” Brian smiled at them, as he grabbed his grey hoodie and walked over to the redheaded girl.

“Val’s right. You guys were great,” Jade told him.

“I think you’re my lucky charm,” Brian sniggered, sneaking his hands around her torso and bringing her closer.

His fingers danced over her temple and brushed a stray of red hair away from her face, before he kissed the crown of her head.

Brian soon noticed how she was quivering from coldness, goose bumps decorating her skin, as he handed her the hoodie. “Here. Would be sad if my lucky charm got sick,” he sniggered.

“You’re adorable,” she chuckled, kissing the tip of his nose, before she pulled on his hoodie, noticing how it nearly hit the denim skirt she was wearing.

***

The night continued at Val and Michelle’s house, as the living room had been filled up with tipsy teenagers, everyone enjoying the end of another week. Jimmy, Jason, Zacky and Johnny had managed to squeeze themselves into the couch, leaving Brian in the loveseat with Jade in his lap. Michelle had settled down next to her twin, who was sitting with her boyfriend, followed by Matt Berry.

“Fuck, this shit is good!” Jimmy cracked, his eyes puffy and red after all the smoking.

“Ey! You better share some!” Johnny voiced, waving his hand in order to gain the drummer’s attention.

“There you go, Short Shit,” the dark-haired drummer announced, handing the joint over to his friend.

The smell of weed and booze lingered over the entire living room, which Jade noticed better than anyone, considering she was the only one who hadn’t consumed anything other than coke that evening.

Brian soon got the joint for himself, taking in the smell of fresh burned weed, before he took a long drag and allowed the smoke to sink into his lungs.

“You’re not gonna offer the hot lady?” Jason chuckled, as Brian only rolled his eyes, placing his free palm on top of Jade’s thigh, feeling the fabric of her fishnets.

“She doesn’t,” he confirmed firmly, handing the joint over to Val, before he placed his other hand on her shoulder, making her tilt her head until he could nuzzle his nose against hers.

Jade was soon caught by the sound of her phone buzzing in her hand, as the redheaded girl unlocked her screen and instantly felt a lump in her throat.

'Hi, sweetie! Where are you? You were supposed to be home five minutes ago…'

It was as though her heart was resting in her throat, as her father’s message flashed on top of her screen. She had never been late before, and now she was breaking that reputation.

“What’s up?” Brian voiced, noticing that she went mute again.

She soon met his eyes, and saw how worried he was. Brian was still scared that she was beating herself up after the incident at the venue, and he would hate for her to blame herself for what that idiot did to her. He laced their hands together, kissing the top of her hand and brushing his thin lips across her soft skin.

“My dad. I should get home,” she muffled to him, leaning her head into the crook of his neck.

“You can’t leave now!” Jimmy announced, pointing his thin finger at the redheaded girl. “Not before we get some weed into you!”

Jade giggled, knowing Jimmy well enough to not take him seriously at this time of the day. “I’m sorry, but I have to,” she told him, patting the top of his messy black hair, before she climbed out of Brian’s lap.

“I guess one can’t be a rebel the entire day,” Michelle sighed, smiling at her friend and taking in the sight of the fresh hair colour.

“The Cinderella moment was funny though!” Valary cheered up, getting up from the floor and grabbing Jade’s bag in the process.

“Let me drive you,” Brian offered, as he would hate for Jade to walk home, especially after what had happened.

“Are you sure?” Jade mumbled, knowing that her boyfriend had been looking forward to getting shitfaced after the show.

“Of course,” he chuckled, stealing a quick kiss from her lips, before he grabbed his keys from on top of the table. “I’ll be back soon!” he told the others, as Jade hugged both Michelle and Valary goodbye, thanking them for the new hair style as well as the clothes.

“You can keep them for a while! I like seeing you in my clothes,” Val chuckled, wrapping the redheaded girl into another hug.

“Yeah! You rock this style!” Michelle agreed, kissing Jade’s cheek.

Jade soon emerged into the dark night with Brian following her closely. The two of them climbed into his car in silence, as Jade realized how exhausted she really was. It had been a long day, and she could feel it all over her body. The redheaded girl buckled her seatbelt, closing her eyes for a brief moment and praying that she wouldn’t fall asleep while her boyfriend drove her home.

Brian looked at her from the corner of his eye. He was thankful that he had decided to just go for a couple of beers before driving, or else he would not be able to make sure she got home safely. He had one hand around the wheel, and the other one resting on top of her thigh, patting it slowly in order to keep her somewhat awake.

“Does your parents know about your little transformation?” he sniggered, turning the radio on and letting it buzz in the background.

“Of course not. They would kill me,” Jade giggled, not quite sure how they would react when she arrived.

“Call me if you need it,” he said jokingly. “I’m really good at climbing through windows,” Brian added.

“Tell me about it,” she chuckled, as she could still remember how shocked she had been when he had surprised her the night he first kissed her.

The drive to her home ended too soon, and as Brian stopped in front of her house, Jade wiggled a little in her seat. She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to spend more time with Brian and feel his gaze watching over her, making her feel genuinely safe.

“What’s on your mind, angel?” he asked, noticing how she had disappeared into her own head. Brian placed his hand on her thigh again, soon feeling her hand on top of his.

“I don’t wanna leave,” she admitted. “I wanna be with you,” she told him, tilting her head until she could look straight into his dark eyes.

“I wanna be with you too, sweet,” he chuckled, placing his index finger under her chin and bringing his lips against hers. “But your parents will murder me if you don’t leave now,” he told her.

“Is that a risk you’re willing to take?” she cocked her eyebrow.

“No,” Brian admitted. “Because then I couldn’t do this again,” his voice turned into a whisper as he kissed her lips tenderly and felt the taste of her lipstick inside his mouth.

“I’m seriously considering climbing through the window,” Jade confessed, as he chuckled.

“I think that’s the safest way,”

“I really need to go,” she sighed, her thumb gracing the apple of his cheek. “Thanks for tonight,” she smiled, pecking his lips one last time.

“Get home safely,” Brian smiled, watching as she grabbed her messenger bag and paddled towards her house. He chuckled when he saw how she started climbing up the tree, her window barely open, as she gripped the edge of window sill and all but pushed her body until she disappeared inside.

She's crazy, he chuckled to himself.

Jade hit the floor rather gracefully, surprised that she actually managed to climb all the way. The redheaded girl then kicked off her shoes, her feet sore after the concert. She then threw her bag unto the bed and then freed her hair from her ponytail, the smell of fresh hair dye lingering under her nose.

“Jade!” her mother called, taking her by surprise as she opened the door and turned on the lights.

Her daughter’s eyes widened. She looked like a deer caught in headlights, as Esther’s mouth dropped, the older woman turning into a mute statue.

And then she screamed.