I rolled out of my bed, slipped on my dressing gown and looked at my phone to see the time. 4AM. We landed in OC and arrived at the group house probably about 2 hours ago. Everyone had gone to bed when we had come in, I was to wait until tomorrow for the tour of the house. Steph had decorated the room I was in especially for me. One wall was plastered in pictures from our childhood, the others were painted a deep purple colour, exactly my colour. I made my way over to the door opening it as quietly as I could, I didn’t want to risk waking anyone else up. I tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs. I went in the direction I had done when I first entered the house, to the kitchen. I opened a few cupboard does to find myself a glass to get some water. Once I had this I went into the connecting room on the left, the front room. I didn’t bother turning on the lights, I just sat myself down on one of the large black leather couches and snuggled myself into a cushion.
I must have fallen asleep shortly after as when I opened my eyes light was pouring through the gaps in the blinds. Movement came from in the kitchen, so I got up stretched and headed in there. Matt was busy looking through the fridge, he was just wearing a pair of shorts, I couldn’t help but admire his large tattooed body.
‘Boo’ He jumped, slamming the fridge door turning around to look at me ‘Sorry’ I laughed
‘Jeeze Emz, could have given me some kind of warning’ he smiled ‘What are you doing up so early?’
‘Couldn’t sleep, I came down here about 4 this morning’ I yawned.
‘Aww bless you. Want coffee?’
‘I could seriously murder one!’ He grinned again before making us both a coffee. ‘so, Where did the muscles come from?’ I joked ‘Last time I saw you, you were a weedy kid’
‘Oi, shut up.’ I stuck my tongue out at him.
‘Loving the arm sleeve’ I said pointing to his right arm.
‘Oh, thanks. I’m thinking of getting the right one done soon, you know matching pair. I have to say it surprised me seeing you yesterday covered in tats, not that they don’t suit you or anything’
‘Ha, yeah my way of rebelling to my parents. Check the new one out I had done a few days ago.’ I showed him the one on the side of my neck, he loved it. He came and sat on the stool next to me where we both sipped our coffee and Matt told me about Avenged Sevenfold, their band.
‘Morning people’ A sleepy Steph appeared at the doorway, She walked over to me and gave me a hug ‘How did you sleep?’
‘Yeah so so, couldn’t really switch off’
‘hmm I bet’ She grabbed a coffee.
‘I loved my room though. Thank you’
‘Don’t mention it’ She smiled. Jimmy was the next one to join us. He walked over to me giving me a hug and kiss on the forehead, before going over to Steph and sweeping her up into a large hug, planting a soft kiss on her lips.
‘errr hmmm’ I coughed. They both pulled away from each other, Steph blushed a deep shade of red. ‘Got something to tell me?’ I grinned at them, winking. Matt chuckled.
‘Ermmm’ Steph responded.
‘Well I’ll inform you’ Matt said, ‘Jimmy and Nienie here have been (air quotation marks) seeing each other for a while, just neither will ask the other out’
‘Matt shut up!’ Steph laughed.
‘OOOOOOO check you two out!’ I clapped. I couldn’t be more happy, the thought of my two best friends being together made my heart melt. ‘Since when?’
‘Since just after you left’ Jimmy said, I sat there with my jaw open.
‘Four years and you haven’t been on a date or made it official?! What are you playing at’ I teased. I turned to Matt ‘seriously?’
‘Yeah, we keep telling them to sort it out, even leaving them alone for ages, but nope, nothing. We thought at one stage on our tour they were gonna hook up, but no’
‘You two disappoint me’
‘Anyway! Let me show you around’ Steph said, her red face slowly turning back to the normal colour. I followed her out of the room, and up the stairs. She showed me who’s room was whos, whilst banging on the doors to wake the others up. Brian was the last room, she banged the door and all we heard was swearing coming from the other side. We decided it was time to make a quick run downstairs before he actually opened the door.
‘And the last room, is the games room and band room’ Steph said as she pushed open the door. The room was painted black, with the bands logo on one wall and also a framed copy of their first album. There was a pool table, a large TV, instruments and a mixing deck in the room along with some large couches.
‘Jeeze, their band really took didn’t it?’
‘Mmm Hmm, they have just released a new album too, I’m telling you the fan base is going mad for them!’
‘Frigging sweet’ I smiled as I followed Steph back into the main part of the house. The guys were no longer in the kitchen, instead they were sat outside by the pool, so we headed outside to join them.
‘Hello OC sun, how much I have missed you’ I said as I held my arms up. The guys looked over and laughed.
‘Want a beer girls?’ Zacky asked.
‘Sure’ I said as he passed me one ‘Thanks’ I cracked it open and took a seat on the floor, as the guys were hogging all of the sun loungers.
‘So how does it feel to be home?’ Brian asked swigging his own beer, looking at me from over the top of his shades.
‘So far so good.’ I grinned. ‘Might take me a while to get used to this heat though’ I was still in my pjs which consisted of a vest top and some boy shorts.
‘Do we have any plans for the rest of the day?’ Johnny asked.
‘Nah dude, chill out day I’m voting for.’ Jimmy said.
‘Yeah, you’ll have to excuse us if we seem a little lazy, we only finished touring the day before we came to get you’ Matt said.
‘Hey no worries, don’t let me interrupt. I suppose if I’m staying I might as well start looking for work, you know to pay my way’
‘Don’t be silly. We all discussed this, we’re earning enough from the second label to afford you and Steph not to carry on working.’
‘Well that’s nice of you all, but I would feel so much better if I could at least put money in the kittie for food or alcohol.’ I said, which was true,
‘I know what you mean, I’m still working, much to these guys objections’
‘We’ll how about we make a deal with you both’ Brian said ‘You both work part time, and when we tour you come with us. Steph you can still do hair, and well Emz, didn’t you used to do fashion design at school?’
‘How the hell did you know that?’
‘Well we did want to know you’ He laughed ‘But yeah anyway, how about you do wardrobe for us?’
‘Seriously?’
‘Yeah why not’ Zacky said, ‘Steph has some of your old school work and has shown us you have the eye’ I grinned.
‘Awww man I’d love to!’
‘That’s a deal!’ Steph yelled as we all slinked beer bottles togther.
‘What you going to do for part time work then?’ Jimmy asked ‘You can be my slave?’
‘Well I think that position is already taken’ I teased ‘I’m gonna see if I can get some more bar work or something’
‘Will you be alright doing that?’ Matt asked sounding slightly concerned.
‘Well you did find me working In a bar’ I laughed.
‘Ok then another condition, we’ll get you a job at ‘O’Neil’s’ which is our local, we can trust them there’ Steph said.
‘Isn’t that the bar we went to a few times when we were younger?’ I asked as I couldn’t quite remember the name. Jimmy nodded. ‘Sweet yeah I’m cool with that’ I stood up from my place on the floor. ‘I’m going to take a shower’ They all nod and I headed back inside and up to my room.
I sat down on the edge of my bed and pulled out a slipknot tee and some skinny jeans to wear. My cell phone was flashing on the bedside table where I had left it yesterday, indicating that I had a missed call, so I flipped it over to see who had called. Jesse. I pressed redial and waited for her to answer.
‘Emz, hello!’
‘Hey Jesse’
‘How are you? You left in such a hurry last night we didn’t get the chance to say goodbye’
‘I know, I’m really sorry’
‘Hey no need to be sorry, your mate Steph explained what was happening and I am happy for you, but I will miss you’
‘Awww I’ll miss you too. You’ll have to come visit at some point though’
‘Oh hell yes, even Luke and Rosie have mentioned coming over to see you when your settled’
‘Wow that would be so cool’
‘Are you really living with Avenged Sevenfold?’ She asked out of the blue
‘erm yeah, I didn’t know who they were until last night’
‘Man you are so lame, there that band I played in my truck on the way to the party. I am so jealous’ I chuckled. ‘Anyway I’ve got to go, my moms cooking dinner for me tonight’
‘Okay then Jesse, stay in touch’
‘Of course I will, bye bye’ She said before hanging up. I felt warm after speaking to her, I was worried that her, Luke, Rosie and Barney weren’t going to speak to me after leaving them in the dark like I did. I checked my cell again for any other missed calls, not surprised to see that my mom or dad hadn’t even bothered to attempt to call me. Oh well. I put my cell back down, and headed off to have my shower.
Once I was showered and dressed, I dried my hair and applied my usual eyeliner and mascara before heading downstairs. Everyone had now gathered into the front room on the sofas, Brian was sitting strumming on his guitar.
‘Still as good as ever at singing’ Jimmy laughed along with everyone else
‘What?’ I asked turning red.
‘In the shower singing a bit of Metallica’ Zacky said. My face suddenly felt hotter than before.
‘Sorry’ I mumbled
‘haha shut up’ Brian said ‘You still been playing?’ He asked pointing to the guitar.
‘Oh yeah, whenever I got the chance to. I learnt the solo for seek and destroy the other week’
‘Prove it he said passing me the guitar grinning’ So I more than happily took it from him and sat down next to him, and proved it.
‘Wow that was awesome!’ Zacky grinned
‘Told you she was good’ Matt smiled over to me, I smiled back.
‘Extremely good!’ Steph laughed. ‘I’m voting beers, pizza and a movie tonight, whos up for it?’ She was answered by some cheers ‘Okay me and Emz, are sorting the film. Matt and Jimmy you can sort of the pizza, and the rest of you can go out and buy us some more booze’ Johnny, Zacky and Brian salute, taking the piss before running out of the door before Steph could slap them.
We gave Jimmy and Matt our pizza request and they disappeared into the kitchen to place the order. Me and Steph sat in front of the DVD cabinet trying to decide on a film to watch.
‘Fancy not telling me about you and Jimmy’ I nudged her arm playfully.
‘What? I kinda thought you might think it was weird’
‘Not at all’ I smiled hugging her ‘Now what are we going to watch?’
‘Haha, I know, remember the first time we watched a nightmare on elm street at yours?’
‘What and we couldn’t sleep’
‘Yeah, lets watch that again’ We laughed as she pulled the DVD out. ‘I’m gonna nip in the shower quick before we start, the boys wont be back for another 10 mins yet anyway’ She says as she left the room. I sat myself down in the middle of one of the couches. Matt appeared from the kitchen and took a seat next to me.
‘You know, we need to set them two up’ I laughed to him.
‘Yeah we’ve tried, but it might work with your help’
‘Oh of course it will work’ I grinned. ‘How about you anyway, where’s your mrs?’
‘Ha, you have to be kidding. Since the band took off all we have had interest from is money grabbers’ he frowned
‘Aww Matty’ I smiled and leaned onto his shoulder. I think I must have shocked him as he tensed up for a few minutes before relaxing and placing his arm over my shoulder. We sat there for a good while in the same position, until the font door burst open.
‘BEER’ Zacky yelled as he carried some bags followed by the other two. I hopped off of the couch to help them put the beers into the fridge. The pizza arrived shortly after, we all ate and drank before sticking the DVD on. I climbed onto one couch next to Steph, Jimmy to her right and Zacky to my left. The other guys sat on the other two couches.
‘Pause it Steph, I need the loo!’ Zacky yelped as he jumped off of the couch and ran to the stairs.
‘Beer break’ Matt said as he went into the kitchen, bringing us all a beer back. As he passed me mine, he sat down in the now abandoned seat to my left. When Zacky returned we carried on with the film. One bit of the film, the bit me and Steph got scared on the first time, we both hid our faces in our hands. Steph leaned to jimmy to hide her eyes. I felt Matts large arm wrap over my shoulder and pull me to him, so my head rested on his large toned chest. I couldn’t help but breath in heavier inhaling his aftershave and his deep aroma, it was addictive. Even after the film had finished I continued to lay on his chest, where I must have drifted to sleep, as when I awoke, it was only me and him on the couch. Some one had placed a blanked over us both. I shifted slightly.
‘Hey you ok?’ Matt whispered gently.
‘Mmm hmm’ I said as I made myself comfy on him again, his free hand brushing through my hair. I quickly feel back to sleep.