I'm Not Your Protege, Just Your Kid

We were currently on our way to Portland, Oregon for the next show. Devon and I were sitting on the couch reading magazines that we bought on our last stop when we heard the guys coming towards us. I kept my face behind the magazine and continued to lay on the couch.

“So, what do you guys think?” Zack asked.

Devon and I shifted our books at the same time and examined Zack. Matt was standing behind him with a big grin and a shaver in his hand. I noticed that Matt had shaved his head again and apparently so did Zack, leaving him with just tiny hairs on his head.

“You guys look like walking testicles,” I flatly said and went back to reading my magazine.

“I agree,” Devon said and stretched is long legs out and went back to flipping pages.

Brian, Johnny, and Jimmy burst into laughter as their two fellow band mates went sulking towards the bunk room. Jimmy lifted my legs and sat down before placing my legs on top of his.

“I hope you guys know that it’s going to be freezing in Oregon ,”

“It is?” Johnny asked.

“Yes, it’s December and it’s most likely snowing there right now as we speak,” Devon said.

“Damn, we didn’t pack any winter shit,” Brian cursed.

“Sucks to be you,” I shrugged.

“Why didn’t you guys give us a heads up?” Jimmy whined and stared at me from over the top of my magazine.

“For once I put faith into you and thought you guys had enough brain cells to figure out that it’s December and we’re touring in states where it snows like crazy, I guess I was wrong,”

“What are we going to do guys?” Johnny whined, walking over to us with a plate of food. “We’re going to freeze to death,”

“You’re not going to freeze to death. The only time you’ll be exposed to the cold is when we have to walk from the bus to the venue,” Devon reassured them.

“You sure?” Jimmy questioned.

“Yes, now shut up,”

The bus fell into a comforting silence, but Brian has the incapability of shutting up for more than five minutes.

“So what are you guys getting for Zack’s birthday?” he asked.

Devon and I shared a fearful look. We completely forgot about Zack’s birthday which was in a couple of days, four to be exact. My mind was blank as I tried to think of things to get Zack. What the hell do you give to someone for their birthday when they already have everything?

“What are you guys getting him?” Jimmy asked Devon and I.

“You’ll see,” I shrugged and descreatly bit my lip in nervousness.

“You don’t have a present do you?” Brian smirked.

“Yes we do,” I argued.

“Then tell us,” he said and crossed his arms.

“No, you guys will see it the same time Zack will,”

“I’ll be waiting,” he smirked once more and got up from his seat at the small kitchen table.

“Now that Brian’s gone do you guys have a gift?” Johnny asked.

“Absolutely not,” Devon and I said.

“I’m sure you guys will think of something,” Jimmy said.

“I hope, that’ll be the shittiest day for Zack,”

“Well, we’re only in Sacramento , so you guys have four days to think of something before the show,”

Xxx

I was woken up out of my sleep the next morning when the bus hit a large speed bump. I groaned in my sleep and rolled over in my tiny bunk.

“What the hell happened?” I groggily said while poking my head out the bunk.

“We hit a rather large speed bump and now one of our tires are starting to go flat,” Matt explained when he walked into the bunk area.

“Great, so now what do we do?” Zack asked from below me.

“The other bands have been notified and we’re going to check into a hotel until the bus is repaired,” Matt said.

“Thank goodness, I’m already sick of these tiny ass bunks,” I said.

“Well, start packing up your stuff we’re about 10 minutes away from the hotel,”

Everyone grumbled but nonetheless got out of their bunks and started getting their stuff together. I climbed down too and bent underneath the last bunk to grab my stuff.

“Gross Jayden, can you start wearing some clothes to bed from now on?” Devon whined.

“Shut up,” I snapped and dragged my suitcase out.

I grabbed some basketball shorts that I found on the floor and put them on. They were too big for me so I pulled the string which didn’t do much anyway. I stuffed my feet into some flip flops and brought my suitcase to the front of the bus.

“Aren’t those mine’s?” Brian asked.

“I guess,” I shrugged and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

The hotel came into view and the bus slowly came to a stop near the front. Everyone grabbed their belongings and shuffled off the bus. The other two bands came off of their bus too and I saw Jacoby in the distance. I tried flattening out my hair, but it refused to listen to me.

“Give it up Jayden, he’s too old for you,” Devon chuckled.

“Shut up, I can dream,” I glared.

We made it into the hotel where the managers were talking to the workers at the front desk. Our large group waited in the lobby as the rooms were being purchased.

“Alright guys, we got the rooms,” Larry said as himself and the two other managers handed out keys. Devon and I decided to share a bedroom because I didn’t feel comfortable sharing with anyone else seeing as how I’m the only girl.

The groups went into separate elevators and went up to their designated floors. Our floor was the 8th one and Devon and I had the fourth door on the right. I pushed the key card inside and my mouth fell open. There were two big beds for each of us and the big window overlooked the beach that was across the street. I threw my bag by the door and jumped on the bed by the window.

“So, have you talked to Alex since we left?” I slyly asked Devon.

“Have you talked to Aiden since we left?” he shot back. I shut my mouth and he sent me a triumphant smirk.

A knock came at the door and Devon walked over and answered it. Whoever was at the door I couldn’t hear what he was saying so I patiently waited until I heard the door click.

“Who was it?” I asked him.

“Jason, he said that everyone was going to the beach and to be downstairs in five minutes,” he said while digging through his suitcase for swimming trunks.

“Alright,” I said and hauled myself off the bed. I grabbed my stuff and walked into the bathroom to change.

A minute later I came out in my swimsuit and pulled a shirt on over it.

“Here you go,” Devon handed me a towel.

“Thanks,” I said and grabbed my camera out of my bag.

I made sure to snatch up my key before following Devon out the door and down the hallway to the elevator. We stepped in and an older couple came in after us. The old woman looked up at us and gave us a disapproving look when she took sight of our piercings.

“Stupid old hag,” I said under my breath to Devon. He snorted and the old lady shifted uncomfortably next to me.

Devon and I crossed our arms over our chests and intentionally stared at the old woman. Every once in a while she’d either flatten down her hair or fix her clothing. Her eyes were glued to the lighted numbers on top, anxiously waiting for it to reach the first floor. Finally, what probably felt like an eternity to her, the elevator binged and the doors opened. The old woman took her husband by the arm and rushed out of the small cramped space and she gave us one last look before rushing out the hotel doors. In the distance I saw the guys give us weird looks as we approached.

“Why did that lady run away from you guys like a bat out of hell?” Zack suspiciously asked.

“I have no idea,” I said in a serious tone and a straight face.

“Yeah right,” he raised an eyebrow at me.

“Alright, let’s get a move on,” Matt bellowed.

Our large group went outside the hotel and walked across the street to the beach. I can just imagine what people driving in their cars thought when they witness a large group of nearly 20 people dressed in black and covered in piercings and tattoos walking across the street. They probably thought we were a cult or something and were about to perform a sacrificial ritual or something on the beach. I snorted at the thought and a few people looked up at me in which I quickly shut up and cleared my throat.

“This spot looks good,” Alex said and threw his stuff on the ground.

The other bands members agreed and threw their stuff on the warm sand too. Some started setting up the equipment while others shed their clothes. My mouth fell open and I nearly felt myself drool at the sight of 15 or more men strip, I was definitely in heaven.

“Jayden, I know I’m sexy, but quit staring so much,” Brian joked.

Some people chuckled and I quickly closed my mouth as I felt my face heat up. I caught a glimpse of Jacoby’s body and felt my mouth open again. He was just tempting me to drag him away to a bush and rape him.

“Keep your eyes off of him,” Zack sighed and turned me around.

“Oh come on man! I was enjoying that view,” I whined making the guys chuckle.

“I know you were and I have no doubt in my mind that you’d go through with whatever you were thinking of in that sadistic little mind of yours,”

I rolled my eyes and placed my towel down on the sand. I took off my flip flops and took off my shorts and top. A few guys whistled from far away and Avenged turned around. Their eyes became wide at the sight of me and I gave a confused look.

“Jayden, what is that?!” Zack screeched and pointed to my bikini.

“A bathing suit?”

“No it’s not! That’s just underwear,”

“You’ve seen mom in less than this so cut me some slack,” I huffed.

“That’s different,” he said and looked at me a second longer before shuddering in disgust.

“Not really, all women have the same body parts,” I noted.

“She’s got a point there Zack,” Jimmy said while still looking at me.

“You’re not helping Jimmy. And stop looking at my daughter!” he yelled.

Of course his excessive yelling caught the attention of other guys roaming around on the beach and they too started checking me out. Zack took notice and grabbed my beach towel and wrapped it around me.

“Zack, get off!” I screeched.

“Not until you cover up,”

“What the hell Zack?! You want me to wear sweatpants and a jacket to the beach?” I shoved him off and threw the towel to the ground.

“Can you at least put your shorts on?” he pleaded.

“Fine, if that’ll get you out of my ass,” I huffed and pulled my shorts back on.

He gave me the thumbs up and I rolled my eyes before setting my towel back down and laying on it. I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of the guys as they played football.

“Hey Zack!” I called. He looked back and I snapped a picture of him with a confused look on his face.

“I want a picture of you guys,” I said.

“Why? You see our sexy faces everyday,” Brian said.

“I’ll make sure to cut you out of the picture,” I said.

“No!” he wailed.

“Then shut the fuck up and pose,” I ordered.

The guys made a gangster pose and I giggled before snapping a picture. This is how it went for the rest of the day, I’d yell at random people to pose and they’d freeze and make it weird stance or face and I’d catch it on film. I took quite a few pictures of myself too with the different bands. I’m sure you can all imagine how I felt when I took pictures with Atreyu and Papa Roach and when I took single pictures with Jacoby and Alex.

“Alright, you and Devon need to get more pictures together,” Zack said and snatched the camera out my hand.

“But I’m supposed to be the one behind the camera,” I pouted.

I sat next to Devon on the sand, crossed my arms and pouted while Devon smiled at the camera. Zack took the picture and chuckled at the screen when he saw it.

“Come on Jay, cheer up,” Devon begged. He poked my sides and I let out a loud laugh and Zack caught it on film.

Devon and I wrapped our long arms around each other and smiled at the camera. We posed with the Avenged guys and I decided to put my camera away since it was starting to get dark. The Berry brothers decided to collect some firewood while we goofed off and they were now in the process of making a bonfire. Within 15 minutes it was up and running and everyone huddled around the fire for warmth. I sat between Devon and Zack and leaned against Zack. He ran his fingers through my hair and I felt my eyes start to droop.

My eyes closed momentarily and a bright flash emitted making my eyes snap open. Jimmy was giving us a cheesy smile while holding up my camera.

“You guys looked too adorable, I couldn’t resist,” he said.

I rolled my eyes and gave him a tiny smile before I leaned on Devon’s shoulder now. I felt him put his head on top of mine and wrap an arm around me. My eyes drooped once more and that damn flash went off again. I opened my eyes again and saw Jimmy with my camera.

“I swear Jimmy, if you don’t cut that shit out I’ll make sure you can’t take another picture again,” said and grabbed my camera.

Once I tucked my camera away I shut my eyes for the third time in two minutes. This time no flash went off and I gladly went to sleep right there on the beach, surrounded by people who cared for me.