Welcome to the Family (On Hold Until Further Notice)
Welcome to the Family
Crrack! I felt my nose snap back into place and let out a howl. My grip on Zacky’s hands tightened immensely and he clenched his teeth from the pressure.
“S-sorry.” I said through gritted teeth, tears welling up in my eyes. Brian started stroking my face, trying to distract me from the pain by whispering comforting words next to my ear.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about me.” Zacky said, giving his hands support by placing his elbows on the counter.
“Is the pain going away any?” Matt asked.
“N-no.” I replied. The tears were now freely falling down my face. Brian continued whispering in my ear and wiping away the tears whenever they would surface again.
“We should move her to the couch. It’ll be more comfortable.” Zacky said.
“Do you want to do that, Ash?” Brian whispered. I nodded and started to slide off the counter.
Brian hooked his arm under my legs and picked me up, holding me like a baby. My hands slowly slipped out of Zacky’s and I wrapped them around Brian’s neck. Brian carried me over to the couch and slowly laid me down, grabbing pillows and putting them behind my head and at my feet. “Thank you, Brian, and everyone.” I said, shutting my eyes.
“How’s the pain now?” Zacky asked, concern laced in his words.
“It’s less intense. Going away slowly.” I replied in choppy sentences.
“That’s good. Just rest here for a little bit so you can get your strength back.” Matt said, rubbing my arm.
“Don’t worry. We will be right here next to you.” Brian assured me. The four of them sat down with their backs against the couch, right next to me.
I placed my hand on the back of Brian’s head and stroked his hair. Brian looked back at me and smiled. I leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. This time, the kiss lasted for about two seconds. He pulled away, looked in my eyes for a little bit, smiled, and turned back around. I adjusted myself so I was more comfortable and closed my eyes. By now, the pain was just a dull throbbing. I didn’t plan on sleeping any more than I already had, so I decided to just rest my eyes and let the pain slowly fade away.
***
After about fifteen minutes, I opened my eyes and stretched. All four of the guys turned around simultaneously and smiled at me. I smiled back and continued stretching. The first one to speak was Zacky.
“How you feeling?”
“Better. No thanks to you guys.” I said happily, finishing my stretch.
“That’s great. Does your nose hurt anymore?” Brian asked.
“No, not really.”
“Awesome.” Brian smiled and kissed my cheek softly.
I returned the kiss. I happened to look over at Zacky and noticed he was staring at Brian and me with an expression that was very obvious. Jealousy. I shook it off and ended the moment with Brian by sitting up on the couch.
“Are you hungry or thirsty?” Matt asked, walking over to the kitchen.
“Just a beer is fine.” I replied, looking behind me at him. He nodded and managed to grab four beers at once, distributing them out among us and getting another one for himself. I thanked him and pulled the tab on the beer, taking a long, much-needed drink.
“Wow. You drink?” Johnny asked, surprise written in his face and voice.
I laughed. “Yeah.”
“You just got, like, fifty times cooler in my book.” Johnny replied. I laughed again. “What happens when you get drunk? If you ever have, I mean.”
I looked at him with a feigned serious expression. “Trust me, buddy. You do not want to see me drunk.” Johnny’s eyes grew large and everyone burst into a chorus of laughter.
“Does that mean you become slutty or what?” Johnny asked. We all stopped laughing.
“Woah, dude. Too far.” I held up my hands.
“Sorry... I don’t know where that came from.” Johnny mumbled and walked off into the kitchen.
“Sorry, Ash. He can be an ass sometimes.” Brian apologized.
“It’s ok. It’s not his fault. He’s just curious, I’m sure.” I said, trying to lighten the mood. It seemed to work, because everyone laughed again. Johnny walked back into the living room and sat away from everyone else. “Johnny, I’m sorry.” I said, trying to make things right again.
“It’s fine.” He snapped.
“Dude, she’s apologizing for something you did. Be nice.” Matt scolded. Johnny sighed and his face softened.
“Sorry, Ashy.”
“Ashy? What’s up with all the nicknames all of a sudden?” I said. Everyone laughed again, even Johnny this time.
“Ashy. I like that. That’s my nickname for you now.” Johnny said, grinning. I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, Brian’s is Ash, your’s is Ashy. I suppose Zacky and Matt want to make one up for me too.” I said, throwing my hands up in the air in defeat.
“Hmm...” Zacky said, concentrating hard. “What’s your middle name?”
“Christina.”
“Ooh. Pretty. How about AC?” Zacky suggested.
“Um, no.”
“Well, then how about just A?”
“Yeah, I guess.” I shrugged.
“Yes!” Zacky said, holding up his fist for me to bump. I rolled my eyes playfully and bumped it.
“Now for Matt’s.” Johnny said. We all looked at him.
“Lynn?” Matt said simply.
“I like that.” I smiled. Matt smiled back and nodded.
“Okay, so it’s Ashy, A, Lynn, and Ash.” Brian confirmed, pointing at each of the guys respectively.
“Ugh. I’m regretting this now.” I groaned.
“Why?” Johnny puzzled.
“I hate nicknames.” I answered, covering my eyes with my hand.
“Well, don’t your parents or siblings have a nickname for you?” Zacky asked. A lump formed in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes.
“My mom called me... Beautiful Angel.” I whispered. “My dad called me Sugar Princess. My brother called me Ashes. And my- my sister called me-” I took a deep breath. “Ashtina and Chrislynn.” Tears were now falling steadily down my face. Brian hugged me.
“Why... why are you crying?” Zacky said, slightly alarmed.
“My parents, my siblings, everyone I love... is dead. Even my best friend, Abby.” I said, choking on my words. “Dead in one second of my poor judgement.” Brian’s jaw dropped and he ran over to me, wrapping me in a deep embrace.
“What happened?” He whispered, sitting down next to me and intertwining his fingers with mine. “If you don’t mind me asking.”
“No. It’s okay.” I sniffed, wiping my eyes with my sleeve. I took a deep breath and began my story:
“It was October 10th, 2008, the day after my birthday. I was wearing my favorite red tank top that Marie bought me yesterday and my black ripped jeans that I wore to my first metal concert. My family, Abby, and I were driving home from a family friend’s party in the family suburban. My mom, Elizabeth, was driving, my dad, Corey, was drunk in the passenger seat, Abby and I were in the two front rear seats, and my sister, Marie, and my brother, Alex, were in the very back seats. Abby and I were gossiping, laughing, doing normal teenager stuff. My mom had to stop to get gas. She was backing out and couldn’t see, so she asked if it was clear. I- I wasn’t looking and just said ‘yes’. There was a semi-truck roaring down the highway... It was too late...
“I- I was sure that I had died too. But I saw this... black figure standing over me... I was fading in and out of consciousness but I remember exactly what he asked me.
‘Do you want to save yourself, or your family?’
“I- I hesitated. I wanted my family and friend to be saved, but I... I wanted to save myself too... I was selfish and weak... I chose me... Over my family...” A tear managed to escape from my eye.
“He said with this creepy smile, ‘Good choice. I give my power to you.’
“The next thing I knew, I was in the wreckage again. Everyone... everyone was dead, except for me... There wasn’t even a single scratch on me.” Another tear slipped down my face. “If I could go back, I would save them and not me...” As I finished my story, I couldn’t hold my tears any longer. Brian wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I buried my face in his chest, my tears starting to soak his shirt. Zacky laid his hand on my knee and rubbed it comfortingly, while Matt and Johnny stood around me with their hands on my back.
“I’m so sorry, Ashlynn.” Zacky whispered and kissed my knee.
“You’ve been through hell, you were forced to live on the street, and now this whole thing with that stupid bastard...” Matt said, anger beginning to surface in his voice. “It’s too much for someone like you to endure. You don’t deserve it.”
I looked up at Matt and smiled through my tears. “Thank you, Matt. That means a lot.” I whispered.
“You need a loving family that will take care of you. You need a guy who will treat you like a queen, even when it’s inconvenient for him.” Brian said, stroking my cheek.
More tears, this time from happiness, started flowing down my face. “Brian...” My eyes shone with understanding. “You mean...?”
Brian smiled and nodded. “Welcome to the family, Ashlynn.”
“S-sorry.” I said through gritted teeth, tears welling up in my eyes. Brian started stroking my face, trying to distract me from the pain by whispering comforting words next to my ear.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about me.” Zacky said, giving his hands support by placing his elbows on the counter.
“Is the pain going away any?” Matt asked.
“N-no.” I replied. The tears were now freely falling down my face. Brian continued whispering in my ear and wiping away the tears whenever they would surface again.
“We should move her to the couch. It’ll be more comfortable.” Zacky said.
“Do you want to do that, Ash?” Brian whispered. I nodded and started to slide off the counter.
Brian hooked his arm under my legs and picked me up, holding me like a baby. My hands slowly slipped out of Zacky’s and I wrapped them around Brian’s neck. Brian carried me over to the couch and slowly laid me down, grabbing pillows and putting them behind my head and at my feet. “Thank you, Brian, and everyone.” I said, shutting my eyes.
“How’s the pain now?” Zacky asked, concern laced in his words.
“It’s less intense. Going away slowly.” I replied in choppy sentences.
“That’s good. Just rest here for a little bit so you can get your strength back.” Matt said, rubbing my arm.
“Don’t worry. We will be right here next to you.” Brian assured me. The four of them sat down with their backs against the couch, right next to me.
I placed my hand on the back of Brian’s head and stroked his hair. Brian looked back at me and smiled. I leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. This time, the kiss lasted for about two seconds. He pulled away, looked in my eyes for a little bit, smiled, and turned back around. I adjusted myself so I was more comfortable and closed my eyes. By now, the pain was just a dull throbbing. I didn’t plan on sleeping any more than I already had, so I decided to just rest my eyes and let the pain slowly fade away.
***
After about fifteen minutes, I opened my eyes and stretched. All four of the guys turned around simultaneously and smiled at me. I smiled back and continued stretching. The first one to speak was Zacky.
“How you feeling?”
“Better. No thanks to you guys.” I said happily, finishing my stretch.
“That’s great. Does your nose hurt anymore?” Brian asked.
“No, not really.”
“Awesome.” Brian smiled and kissed my cheek softly.
I returned the kiss. I happened to look over at Zacky and noticed he was staring at Brian and me with an expression that was very obvious. Jealousy. I shook it off and ended the moment with Brian by sitting up on the couch.
“Are you hungry or thirsty?” Matt asked, walking over to the kitchen.
“Just a beer is fine.” I replied, looking behind me at him. He nodded and managed to grab four beers at once, distributing them out among us and getting another one for himself. I thanked him and pulled the tab on the beer, taking a long, much-needed drink.
“Wow. You drink?” Johnny asked, surprise written in his face and voice.
I laughed. “Yeah.”
“You just got, like, fifty times cooler in my book.” Johnny replied. I laughed again. “What happens when you get drunk? If you ever have, I mean.”
I looked at him with a feigned serious expression. “Trust me, buddy. You do not want to see me drunk.” Johnny’s eyes grew large and everyone burst into a chorus of laughter.
“Does that mean you become slutty or what?” Johnny asked. We all stopped laughing.
“Woah, dude. Too far.” I held up my hands.
“Sorry... I don’t know where that came from.” Johnny mumbled and walked off into the kitchen.
“Sorry, Ash. He can be an ass sometimes.” Brian apologized.
“It’s ok. It’s not his fault. He’s just curious, I’m sure.” I said, trying to lighten the mood. It seemed to work, because everyone laughed again. Johnny walked back into the living room and sat away from everyone else. “Johnny, I’m sorry.” I said, trying to make things right again.
“It’s fine.” He snapped.
“Dude, she’s apologizing for something you did. Be nice.” Matt scolded. Johnny sighed and his face softened.
“Sorry, Ashy.”
“Ashy? What’s up with all the nicknames all of a sudden?” I said. Everyone laughed again, even Johnny this time.
“Ashy. I like that. That’s my nickname for you now.” Johnny said, grinning. I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, Brian’s is Ash, your’s is Ashy. I suppose Zacky and Matt want to make one up for me too.” I said, throwing my hands up in the air in defeat.
“Hmm...” Zacky said, concentrating hard. “What’s your middle name?”
“Christina.”
“Ooh. Pretty. How about AC?” Zacky suggested.
“Um, no.”
“Well, then how about just A?”
“Yeah, I guess.” I shrugged.
“Yes!” Zacky said, holding up his fist for me to bump. I rolled my eyes playfully and bumped it.
“Now for Matt’s.” Johnny said. We all looked at him.
“Lynn?” Matt said simply.
“I like that.” I smiled. Matt smiled back and nodded.
“Okay, so it’s Ashy, A, Lynn, and Ash.” Brian confirmed, pointing at each of the guys respectively.
“Ugh. I’m regretting this now.” I groaned.
“Why?” Johnny puzzled.
“I hate nicknames.” I answered, covering my eyes with my hand.
“Well, don’t your parents or siblings have a nickname for you?” Zacky asked. A lump formed in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes.
“My mom called me... Beautiful Angel.” I whispered. “My dad called me Sugar Princess. My brother called me Ashes. And my- my sister called me-” I took a deep breath. “Ashtina and Chrislynn.” Tears were now falling steadily down my face. Brian hugged me.
“Why... why are you crying?” Zacky said, slightly alarmed.
“My parents, my siblings, everyone I love... is dead. Even my best friend, Abby.” I said, choking on my words. “Dead in one second of my poor judgement.” Brian’s jaw dropped and he ran over to me, wrapping me in a deep embrace.
“What happened?” He whispered, sitting down next to me and intertwining his fingers with mine. “If you don’t mind me asking.”
“No. It’s okay.” I sniffed, wiping my eyes with my sleeve. I took a deep breath and began my story:
“It was October 10th, 2008, the day after my birthday. I was wearing my favorite red tank top that Marie bought me yesterday and my black ripped jeans that I wore to my first metal concert. My family, Abby, and I were driving home from a family friend’s party in the family suburban. My mom, Elizabeth, was driving, my dad, Corey, was drunk in the passenger seat, Abby and I were in the two front rear seats, and my sister, Marie, and my brother, Alex, were in the very back seats. Abby and I were gossiping, laughing, doing normal teenager stuff. My mom had to stop to get gas. She was backing out and couldn’t see, so she asked if it was clear. I- I wasn’t looking and just said ‘yes’. There was a semi-truck roaring down the highway... It was too late...
“I- I was sure that I had died too. But I saw this... black figure standing over me... I was fading in and out of consciousness but I remember exactly what he asked me.
‘Do you want to save yourself, or your family?’
“I- I hesitated. I wanted my family and friend to be saved, but I... I wanted to save myself too... I was selfish and weak... I chose me... Over my family...” A tear managed to escape from my eye.
“He said with this creepy smile, ‘Good choice. I give my power to you.’
“The next thing I knew, I was in the wreckage again. Everyone... everyone was dead, except for me... There wasn’t even a single scratch on me.” Another tear slipped down my face. “If I could go back, I would save them and not me...” As I finished my story, I couldn’t hold my tears any longer. Brian wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I buried my face in his chest, my tears starting to soak his shirt. Zacky laid his hand on my knee and rubbed it comfortingly, while Matt and Johnny stood around me with their hands on my back.
“I’m so sorry, Ashlynn.” Zacky whispered and kissed my knee.
“You’ve been through hell, you were forced to live on the street, and now this whole thing with that stupid bastard...” Matt said, anger beginning to surface in his voice. “It’s too much for someone like you to endure. You don’t deserve it.”
I looked up at Matt and smiled through my tears. “Thank you, Matt. That means a lot.” I whispered.
“You need a loving family that will take care of you. You need a guy who will treat you like a queen, even when it’s inconvenient for him.” Brian said, stroking my cheek.
More tears, this time from happiness, started flowing down my face. “Brian...” My eyes shone with understanding. “You mean...?”
Brian smiled and nodded. “Welcome to the family, Ashlynn.”
Would like to see Brian and Ashlynn end up together in the end. :)
2/6/14