Love on the Brain

Brian was laying on the floor in Matt’s garage, a cold beer cracked open by his feet, meanwhile his hand was holding unto the neck of his black guitar. The dark-haired boy soon sat up, as he was greeted by their newest member, Johnny Seward, who had plumped down in Matt’s old couch.

“Michelle’s a fucking genius for introducing you to us!” Zacky announced, as he took a swig from his beer, grin covering his pierced lips.

“Yeah! Make sure to tell ‘Chelle that, babe,” Matt agreed, his arm sneaking around Val’s waist, as the girl smirked to her boyfriend.

“Ey, Short Shit! Can you hand over a beer?” Jimmy yelled, as the nickname he had given Johnny had become the only name he used when talking to the bassist.

“Sure,” Johnny hesitated at first, as he had still not gotten used to the wicked drummer.

“So, Seward. Confession time,” Matt started, his dimples popping up as he spoke. “Do you have a thing for Michelle?”

The freshman looked taken aback, as he cleared his throat. The bassist picked up his beer and took a swig in order to refresh himself, while he felt how everyone was looking at him.

“N-no,” he stuttered. “We’re just friends,” he insured them.

“Come on! Don’t be shy, Short Shit!” Jimmy said. “She’s a rad chick! If you wanna know what she tastes like you gotta ask-” just as the drummer was about to speak, Valary smacked him in the back of the head.

“She’s my fucking sister, you creep!” Val snapped.

Brian chuckled, as the guys liked to remind him of the times he had hooked up with Michelle at parties. Jimmy had always told him that Michelle had a thing for him, but Brian had always considered it to be a stupid crush that didn’t mean anything. Michelle was just a friend he had hooked up with few times, and with Jade watching him closely, he assumed it wouldn’t be more hook-ups in the future.

“I’m gonna go out for a smoke,” Brian announced, as he abandoned his guitar at the floor and picked up his beer.

The guitarist soon fished for his package of his cigarettes, placing one of them between the tiny gap of his thin lips, before he walked out of the garage and cupped his hands while applying fire at the butt of the smoke.

He inhaled the scent of strong Marlboro, his index finger tapping the end of it as stray fell from the tip of his cigarette. He soon brought it towards his lips again and inhaled like before, enjoying the smoke that filled his lungs.

“I invited your new friend to the beach party,” Valary announced, a clever smile curving her dark red lips, as she walked closer to him.

Brian cocked his eyebrows, not quite understanding what she was getting at. “Who?”

“Jade, of course,” Val responded, speaking as though she was just stating the obvious.

“God, not her again,” Brian rolled his eyes. “Why? She’s just a snob,”

“Says the guy dating a cheerleader,” Valary cocked her eyebrows at him, before shaking her head and snatching the cigarette from him. “You really are something, Haner,”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he sniggered back.

“Of course you will,” Valary retorted. “I saw you with Jade here the other day,” she added.

“Are you gonna give me the same speech as Michelle?” Brian asked, glancing over at the raven-haired girl.

“What did ‘Chelle tell you?”

“Well, she was really surprised to see the two of us together, and later on she started mocking us because she’s convinced we’re actually becoming great friends,” he told her.

“I don’t think she’s mistaken,” Valary admitted. “There’s something going on between the two of you. A little tension,” she mocked.

“Seriously?” this time it was his turn to cock his eyebrows at her. “I’ve been with Maddie for over a year now,” he said.

“Come on, Haner. You guys aren’t that serious anyway,” Val pointed out.

“Look, we just have a different kind of relationship,” he insisted.

“You mean, the kind where you both thrive to make the other jealous? Sounds really fun and exotic,” Val rolled her eyes.

“Shut up,” Brian sniggered, shaking his head, as he picked up the rest of the cigarette and took one last drag.

“Be nice to her,” Val all but demanded.

Brian chuckled. “I’m always nice,”

“Haner, I mean it. She’s a sweetheart, so don’t try to fuck her up,” Val warned him.

“How would I do that?”

“You have your ways of driving them crazy,” she responded. “She’s not a piece of meat you can sink your teeth into,”

“I would never hit on her,” Brian insured Valary, who didn’t look the slightest convinced by his words.

“Seriously!” he added.

“I’ve seen the way you look at her, Bri,” this time it was Val’s turn to smile. “You like what you see,”

“Are you blind?” Brian looked almost offended. “She’s not even close to my taste!”

“No, that’s why you’re so fascinated,” Val continued. “You’re used to hitting on girls who would never turn you down, like my sister. But Jade? She intimidates you,”

“What’s going on out here?” Matt asked, as he and the rest of the guys had decided to join them.

“Val’s trying to fucking psychoanalyze me or some shit,” Brian muttered, before he went to fish for another cigarette.

“That’s my girl,” Matt grinned, as he planted a kiss against her temple.

“What are you doing to him, Val?” Zacky sniggered, obviously enjoying the way she was fucking with Brian’s head.

“Just telling him the truth,” she shrugged back, as she went to brush some of her hair behind her earlobe.

“Which is?” Johnny asked, before he took a swig from his beer again.

“That he has a little crush on Jade,” Val smirked.

“Bullshit,” Brian mumbled under his breath. “I have a girlfriend,” he reminded her.

“Which is never around,” Zacky pointed out, supporting Val’s statement.

“And who's a total bitch when she’s around,” Matt added.

“Fuck off,” Brian hissed.

“Of course you’re into this new chick! Have you ever not been into someone with a vagina? Except for Val though,” Jimmy said. “Hopefully,” the drummer added.

Matt gave the drummer a nasty glare, while he tightened his grip around Val’s waist.

Brian once again rolled his eyes, before he grabbed his phone and realized that Maddie had tried to call him.

“Hi, babe,” he said, waiting for her voice to appear on the other line. “No, I’m not busy, I’ll come over,” a smirk curved his lips as he spoke to her.

The guys collectively roll their eyes, as Brian hung up and they knew they were being ditched.

“I’m gonna go,” the guitarist announced, taking no one by surprise.

“I can’t believe we’re being ditched for a bootycall,” Jimmy shook his head.

“You’re just mad because you’re not getting anything,” Brian mocked, while he packed his guitar.

“Gross fuckhead,” Jimmy responded in disgust, as he watched his friend grab his car keys.