I'm Not Your Protege, Just Your Kid

Everyone was running around the small dressing room like chickens with their heads cut off. Devon and I were calmly sitting on the small chair as we watched the guys fuss about getting their things together for the show. They were to be on stage in less than 10 minutes and some of them were far from ready. Jimmy was still looking for his drumsticks, Matt was hell bent on finding his aviators to wear for tonight. Zack wasn’t even halfway dressed yet because Brian had locked himself in the bathroom to fix his hair where Zack’s clothes were and Johnny’s mohawk wasn’t standing up like he wanted it to.

“I think I should go help them out a bit,” I said to Devon .

“I guess I’ll help Jimmy and Matt find their stuff,” Devon sighed.

Devon went to the right and I made a left to the bathroom. I pushed Zack out the way and cleared my throat. I started banging on the door to get Brian’s attention.

“Brian! I have to take a piss! Get out!” I screamed as I continued to pound on the door.

“Go use another bathroom! I’m fixing my hair still!” he screamed back.

“Brian, if you do not get out of the bathroom in three seconds I’m taking a piss in your hat!” I hollered.

“You wouldn’t!”

“Oh yes I would! I drank five bottles of water and it’s all about to come out!”

Brian opened the door and rushed out of the bathroom. He snatched his hat up from the table and cradled it in his arms.

“Alright Zack, you can go get dressed now,” I told him.

“Thanks,” he smirked and hurried into the bathroom.

“Hey! I was doing my hair!” Brian whined.

“Oh shut up, it doesn’t even look good anyway,” I snapped.

I dragged him over to the chair in front of the small vanity mirror and stood in front of him. I poured some hair gel into my hand and started to run my fingers through his hair. I moved around to the back and started styling the small strands of hair. I finished his hair within a matter of seconds and wiped my hands off on the towel that was sitting on the table.

“Wow, thanks Jayden,” he said.

“No problem,” I said and called Johnny over.

He sat down in the chair and I grabbed the half empty bottle of gel. I squirted some in my hands again and got to work on his mohawk. I took my time to make sure each of the spikes were straight and even.

“You guys are on in five minutes,” Jason Berry popped his head in.

“Shut the fuck up Jason! These guys don’t need pressure added on to them right now!” I yelled and threw the empty bottle of gel at his head.

Just like I feared the guys started freaking out now, all thanks to Jason. Johnny started fidgeting his leg as he worried about the time constraint.

“Calm down Johnny,” I reassured him as I worked on the last spike.

He said ‘okay’ and kept quiet for just a little while longer.

“There you go,” I grinned and looked at my artwork.

“Thanks Jay, you’re a lifesaver,” Johnny thanked me.

“No problem,” I smiled.

I wiped my hands off again and I heard the bathroom door open. Zack came out fully dressed with his hair already done.

“Don’t you look sharp,” I teased as I watched him tie up his red bowtie.

“I do what I can,” he chuckled.

Devon was still helping Jimmy find his drumsticks and I rolled my eyes. I started looking for them too and I quickly spotted them under littered bottles of beer cans and bags of chips.

“Here Jimmy,” I said and thrust the sticks in his face.

“Thanks a lot Jayden,” he hugged me.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You guys are so disorganized,”

“We usually aren’t. I guess it’s just nerves,” Matt commented.

A knock came at the door and Jason poked his head in. “Is it safe to come in now?” he asked.

“Yeah, sorry about earlier,” I told him.

He nodded and told the guys they were up. One by one the guys filed out of the room and Devon and I followed behind.

“So, are you guys excited to finally be back on stage?” I asked the boys.

“Hell yeah! I’m ready to bang the shit out of my drums!” Jimmy cheered.

Papa Roach was walking down the hallway and they each patted the guys on the back and wished them luck. Jacoby grinned at me and patted my head. When he was out of earshot I turned back to the guys with a dreamy look on my face.

“Jacoby touched me,” I sighed and clasped my hands together.

“Get a grip on your self, you still got that guy back home,” Zack said.

“Shut the hell up,” I snapped.

I gave each of them a hug and wished them luck. Zack gave me a kiss on the forehead before running up the stairs. He saw me rub it off and he chuckled.

“How the fuck are you guys doing tonight?!” Matt screamed into the microphone.

The crowd answered by screaming their lungs out.

“Are you guys ready to blow the roof off this mother fucker tonight?!” Matt asked.

Once again the crowd cheered to Matt’s question. I watched in amazement as each of the guys started setting up as Matt continued to talk to the crowd. Off stage they were just a bunch of grown men who acted like kids, but once they got on stage, their whole attitudes changed completely. They were more confident and carefree. They didn’t have people giving them dirty looks because of how they were dressed, their tattoos or their piercings. The same things goes for Devon and I, no one gave us funny looks for being way too tall for our ages, or for having piercings on our faces. For once I actually felt like I belonged somewhere. For once in my life, I was absolutely livid at my mother. Instead of keeping us and introducing us to our father, she threw us away like yesterday’s trash. We were kept away from a lifestyle that would’ve easily accepted us because mom decided to run away and than give us up.

“Jayden, are you okay?” Devon asked.

“Yeah, why?” I asked.

“Because, I’ve been calling your name for the past 15 minutes. The guys already went through five of their songs,” he said.

“Oh, sorry,” I halfway apologized.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” I half heartedly smiled.

He gave me a skeptical look before turning back towards the stage where the guys were talking to the crowd.

“So, as you guys might’ve read on the internet that I have two kids, twin’s to be exact,” Zack said into the microphone.

“Seems like Zack, was getting busy,” Matt chuckled into the mic.

Brian played a little riff at his end of the stage as the rest of the band chuckled.

“Well, to put rumors to rest, I’m going to tell you the truth. Yes, I do in fact have twins who are 16 and they’re with us right now on tour. Their mother was my first serious girlfriend back in high school,”

“Tell San Diego about how awesome they are,” Brian added.

“Oh yes, almost forgot about that. My kids are two very talented guitar players, especially my daughter who also sings her lungs out,” he grinned.

He gave us a small wave and we waved back.

“Would you guys like to meet them?” Johnny asked.

The crowd cheered and Brian played another small riff and Jimmy banged on his drums.

“Alright guys, here are my kids. Will you guys please come out?” Zack asked us.

Devon and I looked at each other and shrugged before walking up the steps. We waved to the crowd and they erupted into a big cheer once more.

“Yeah, I know. They’re way too tall for their age,” Zack said.

“That’s what makes it even funnier when they stand next to Johnny Christ over there,” Matt laughed and pointed at Johnny in the corner. Johnny gave Matt the middle finger and continued drinking his beer.

“Well San Diego, this is my daughter, Jayden,” Zack said and pointed to me.

Wolf whistles could be heard echoing around the arena as my face turned red. Someone shouted ‘you’re fucking hot’ and another shouted ‘nice rack’. I crossed my arms over my chest as Devon wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

“You guys better stay away from her,” Zack warned the crowd.

“Yeah, she’ll kick your ass if her brother doesn’t do it first,” Brian said.

“Alright guys and this is my son, Devon,” Zack introduced him to the crowd.

A bunch of girls started screaming and screaming a number of things at Devon. As the crowd started calming down someone screamed ‘you’re sexy’.

“Well, I don’t know about all of that,” I said into the microphone.

The crowd laughed as did the guys.

“You’re not a looker yourself,” Devon added and the crowd continued to laugh.

“Says you, your opinion doesn’t count,”

“Hell yeah it does, because I’m Devon fucking Baker,”

“Alright kids, that’s enough,” Matt said.

“You guys can go back now,” Zack told us.

Devon and I waved to the crowd once more and disappeared from the crowd’s view. The guys talked a bit more and went back to playing their set.

“Thank you guys! Good night!” Matt yelled into the microphone a little while later.

The lights dimmed and the curtain slowly came down as the guys made their way off the stage. They were all sweaty and out of breath and I cringed away from them.

“You guys did well,” I told them.

“Thanks,” they chorused.

Zack went to throw his arm around my shoulder but I backed away from him.

“I’m not giving any of you hugs until you take a shower,” I told them.

“Yeah, you guys smell like ass,” Devon added.

“Fine, are you guys gonna head back to the bus now?” Zack asked us.

“Yeah, I don’t wanna be mobbed by all the girls,” Devon arrogantly stated.

“Come on before I tell Alex what you said,” I told Devon and dragged him by the back of his shirt.

“If you do, I’m telling Aiden how you wanted to grab Jacoby’s ass,” he smirked.

“Who wouldn’t want to grab his ass?!” I exclaimed as Devon typed the code into the bus pad.

“I don’t,” he mumbled.

“Yes you do, don’t deny it Devon,”

“I prefer to grab girl’s asses, preferably Alex’s,”

“Like you ever had the balls to do it,”

He stayed quiet and I let out a triumphant laugh. I kept teasing him until he tackled me to the floor. I shrieked as we went down and we started rolling around on the ground. I eventually got on top his back and pulled his arm back.

“Say it!”

“No!”

“Say it!” I pulled his arm back more.

“You’re the hottest girl to ever exist on this planet and I’m the ugliest creature to have ever been brought into this universe!” he yelled.

“That’s better,” I said and patted his head and let go of his arm.

Someone cleared their throat and we saw the guys standing in the doorway. I quickly got off his back and fixed my shirt.

“Wow, you guys are insane,” Johnny commented from the back.

“It’s a gift,” I shrugged.

“A gift from hell,” Devon mumbled and shoved me on his way to the bunks.

“You’re just jealous,” I stated before saying ‘good night’ and walking to the bunks too.

I changed into my pajamas and climbed into my bed. Right when I turned on my side to fall asleep I heard my phone go off. I sighed before grabbing it out of my bag hanging on the bed post. I saw that I had a message and opened it.

Good night beautiful =]
Xoxo Aiden

I felt a smile make its way on my face and I typed back quickly before shutting off my phone and going to sleep.