I Found You, Something Told Me To Stay - (Jason Berry/Zacky Vengeance)

Chapter Fifty-Five.

Here's fifty five! Enjoy! :)

Please vote and comment, tell me what you think!

**

It was only tonight that I’d realised just how quickly the seasons had changed from summer to autumn. I’d been getting used to the colder weather and enjoying it much more than the hotter weather, but after being so used to many weeks of sun and barbecues with the Avenged family, it felt a little odd to see them all sat in my garden around a bonfire with winter clothes on. It was certainly a good kind of odd, though.

With the fire being the only thing that lit the garden—apart from the dim light on the decking—it was hard to tell if Zacky was meeting my gaze that seemed to wander over to him every few minutes. He’d not said a single word to me or even acknowledged me since we’d arrived. I knew we had to act natural, but the best way to do that was by being around each other like uncle and niece in front of everyone else, and I knew this sulking of his was all down to the situation earlier when my dad had very nearly walked in on us.

I let out a sigh and rested my head in my hand, glancing at him yet again. He seemed deep in thought, the fire and darkness of the night mixing together and only half lighting up his face. He stared into the flames, his fingers lightly drumming a rhythm on his knee while he didn’t even acknowledge Brian on one side of him and Jimmy on the other. Over the two months that we’d been together, we’d had plenty of arguments. Some had been pathetic and petty, others had been more of a serious nature, but I had never seen him sulk like this.

It honestly shocked me that no one else seemed to notice the way he was pouting forward like some petulant child. Jimmy was usually pretty good at picking up on things like this, but he’d not seemed to have a clue. Or maybe everyone had noticed and had just chosen not to say anything. Either way, I could cope with Zacky’s mood until he snapped out of it, I was just worried he’d raise suspicion.

“Is there any particular reason why you’re kicking the grass so violently?” Charlotte’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I turned my head to look at her, then forcing my foot to come to a stop that I hadn’t even realised had been kicking at the ground. Charlotte simply watched me with raised eyebrows, but she soon let out a chuckle.

“Jeez, what’s on your mind?” She asked, studying my expression. “You’re never this quiet.”

I shook my head. “Nothing. Just...think I might be coming down with something.”

“Again?” She exclaimed. “Man, your immune system really is shit.”

I nodded, happy to let her believe my lie than to try her hardest at getting the truth out of me. There was no reply for a moment, which had me hoping that that conversation was over, but Linds then spoke.

“I’m starving.” She announced, standing up from her lawn chair. “Midge, Charles, come with me to get some food.”

Immediately taking that as a good reason to rip away from the awkwardness I was feeling, I shot up out of my chair and tried to stride to the back door leading to the kitchen as casually as possible, ignoring the confused gazes pinned on me from the abruptness of my getaway.

The warmth of the house instantly enveloped me as I stepped through the door and went over to sit at the kitchen island. Only seconds later, the door reopened, and Charlotte and Linds followed me in.

I left them to continue with their conversation they were having as they made their way over to the food, not offering any of my own input. When I’d been helping my dad with the food earlier, I’d quite been looking forward to it, but my appetite had since completely vanished. They began to help themselves with the food, soon turning to me with plates filled with hot dogs, bread and baked potatoes. I sent them the most convincing smile I could manage while I drummed my fingers against the worktop, and the two of them simply raised their eyebrows at me.