“Don’t fuck this up or I’ll cut your throat bitch.”

Erika looked up. Her lead guitarist, Drew, was always cold to her. Made her feel intimidated and always had problems with her.

“Tell that to Jake. He’s the one who always fuck shit up.”

“I don’t fucking care. You’re a woman, and women are always fucked up.”

Erika tightened the grip of her fist. So tempted to punch Drew in the face but she held it for a bit longer, remembering how hurt he had been after the lost of his love. She understood Drew completely, because his love was also her best friend.

They stared at each other in hatred just 5 minutes before going on stage. There was a band on it and Erika liked their music. The drums sounded a lot like her style. Double pedal, and heavy, like her favorite band Avenged Sevenfold’s style. She peeked through the curtain and saw a skinny guy was playing it, his curly hair swinging everywhere, his shirtless body moved so fast and Erika was impressed.

After they had finished their last song, the crowd applause.

“Wow, that was amazing. Ladies and gents, give it up for Confide!!”

She clapped and smiled too, without knowing. But then she caught Drew’s eyes and her smile died.

“Now I know you guys have been waiting for this. Please go on the motherfucking stage, Fade Out May!!!”

She immediately went for to the drumkits when the MC finally announced the name of their band and there were like 500 people were watching and yelling their band’s name.

They were actually popular in the underground scene. And Drew was somewhat the audience’s favorite.

Their vocalist, Jake, was hammered as hell. And as always, it fucked up his singing. But their songs consist of mostly screaming so people didn’t really give a shit.

Erika was a great drummer but she felt like she didn’t belong here. She belonged somewhere else completely. Somewhere she hadn’t been looking down upon just because she is a girl. She belonged in a place where the band members were also a team, and not treating her like she was a piece of meat, ready to be fucked over and over and over again.

She hated this band.

And all of the members. The only person she can count on had passed and won’t be coming back. She needed to get away from all of this.

“Miss Wesley? Are you with us right now?”
She looked up, a bit startled by the voice that sounded like warm milk and she immediately feel starstruck.

Oh my God. I’m in their recording room, with Synyster Gates in front of me, holding his guitar, and Pro-Mark drumsticks in my hand, I’m in front of Jimmy’s drumkits! Am I really here or am I dreaming??

She can’t help but eyeing the room all over. She caught a glimpse of M. Shadows and Zacky Vengeance outside the room but there was no Johnny Christ there.

“I am. Sorry.”
“Well, no big deal. I would daydream on Jimmy’s stool too if I were you.” Synyster smiled at her sincerely. She flushed. Her cheeks went pink all of a sudden, embarrassed with her daydream just now.
“So what song are we playing?”
“Um, Second Heartbeat.”

Synyster raised his eyebrows and his mouth curved down to a funny shape, like he was implying ‘ooh, that’s a tough one.’

He started with the riff and she kept up with him. At least she was trying. There were a few beats that she missed, due to feeling so nervous playing with the recognized Synyster Gates, plus M. Shadows and Zacky Vengeance were both watching. But all in all, she rocked it.

She looked over to them while her hands were still drumming. They were now in the chorus part and she saw M. Shadows singing along with Zacky, but she couldn’t hear them.
She only can hear a faint sound of Synyster’s voice singing the ‘woahh..woahh’ part.

She tried to scream too, taking M. Shadow’s part. She loved singing but her voice was actually nothing compared to him.

Synyster nodded his head and closed his eyes listening to her sing. Then they both sang the chorus part together. She really was enjoying this.

After they were done playing, Synyster cut off his guitar sound with a loud noise and immediately shut them down. Then he went over to her, offering his hand. She took it, her knees trembled.

“Wow that was amazing Miss Wesley!” he hugged her and Erika, being the starstruck fan hugged him tightly back. M. Shadows and Zacky went into the room and clapped.

“A girl drummer! Look at her, Zacky. A small girl with big energy.” He complimented and Erika’s face went red. Especially when they hugged her like Synyster did.

“Thank you. It really means a lot to me.” She grinned widely. Too wide that she couldn’t close her mouth.
“You are an amazing drummer, Miss Wesley,”
“Please call me Erika, M.”
“Okay, Erika. I love the way you drum. Slightly a bit different from Jimmy but you were there. You nailed it!”

She grinned even more. Finally she was proving herself as a serious and passionate drummer.

“But unfortunately, we can’t hire a girl in our band.”

Her smile gradually faded. Her nightmare suddenly emerged to haunt her back. She quickly looked over to Synyster. Afraid that he will do the same in her dream. Synyster frowned at her.

“What are you looking at me for?”

She shook her head quickly, realizing she was now in the real world, and Avenged Sevenfold really didn’t hire chicks in their band.

“Nothing. Just remembering a nightmare that’s all.”
“Wow, really? We’re in your nightmare? Sorry about that.” Synsyter casually said this while unplugging his guitar from the amp. He definitely didn’t part with his chewing gum inside his mouth.
“As I was saying, we don’t hire-”
“Why not??” she protested even before Shadows could finish his sentence.
Shadows looked a bit startled.
“Because of so many things, Erika. You won’t get comfortable touring with us, and face it, we’re guys. Even if we’re all married and engaged and what not- come on, we’re guys.”

Erika understood. These guys that she looked up to weren’t really that much different from all the guys she was with right now. Always seeing her as only a girl, nothing more.

“I see. That was your only reason? You’re afraid that I could somewhat become a whore among all of you?”
The three of them stunned and rendered speechless. That was exactly what M. Shadows meant.
“That is…exactly what I’m worrying about.” Shadows shrugged and put his hands on his hips.
“Don’t worry. I don’t plan to slut around with you guys. I know that you’re all in a committed relationship, and I am serious about drumming. As I am serious about this fucking audition.”

The three of them looked at each other.

“Well then, we’ll call you when we’ve decided, okay?”
“Okay. Thank you for listening to me. And Syn, for accompanying me just now. It was an awesome jam.”
“Anytime, Miss Wesley.”
Then as soon as she went out of the room, the three of them put their heads together and talked about her.

“Dude, she’s good man. It’s all Rev in her. Technically.” Zacky let out his opinion first.
“I know. But that’s the problem. Technically she’s like Rev but, well – you saw what she is.”
“What? What is she?” Synyster asked innocently.
“She’s a girl, goddammit. Am I the only person who noticed that?”
“Come on man, since when you’re having problem with girls?”

Shadows rolled his eyes at Syn. “Since I got married. And you, Gates. You’re engaged to my sister in law. Imagine if we have someone like her in our band. You will be the first person to bed her.”

Synyster let out his loud arrogant laugh. “Please. Michelle is already too much to handle.”
“Relax dude. We’re too busy playing, we won’t have time to even think about her. She will just become one of the guys.”
Shadows inhaled deeply and let out a big sigh after.
“I don’t know. I have a bad feeling about this. But there’s one last person here to audition.” He said, looking down at the list in his hand. “Oh, he’s a friend of our drum tech. Mike recommended him. Let’s hear him out.”

Zacky got out of the room to call the last candidate in. After a few seconds, Arin came into the room, smiling and shook all of their hands.
“Hey dude. What’s up?”
“I’m good. It’s an honor to finally meet you guys.”
“Hey I recognize you! You were our roadie for Seize The Day tour right?”
“Yeah, Syn. Glad you remember!”
Syn then proceeded to plug his guitar back in and Arin went over to the drumset once he was done greeting both Shadows and Zacky.
“What are we playing?” as usual, Syn asked.
“Lips of Deceit.”
“Wow, way back. You do realize this started easy right?”
“Yeah I know. It’s all about timing.”

Syn raised his eyebrows at him. Jimmy once said that too.

Notes

A/N: well there goes chap 2...tell me what you think guys! in the meantime i won't be updating this story temporarily as i'm trying to focus on my current one, The Only Thing I Ask. i'm too stupid to multitask haha lol! love you guys <3