The Final Decision
Chapter XVI
“Matt what the fuck are you doing here?!”
“Oh my god! It’s M. Shadows!” The girl squealed. I turned my gun off and stood up.
“How in the hell did you find me?”
“I’ve been searching every fucking tattoo shop in the city. You need to come home Lex.”
I rolled my eyes. “And why is that? So I can ruin my life some more?”
“After work meet me at the restaurant down the street. The Mexican food one. We’ll talk then.”
I sighed. “Whatever, I get off at 5.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.” And with that he turned around and walked out of the shop.
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew them?”
“I did say that I knew them better than anyone.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not some stupid fangirl. I used to be married to Zacky.” I started my tattoo gun back up and started back on the tattoo.
“You mean to tell me that you’re Lexi Baker?”
“Well, used to be.”
“Used to be?”
“We’re divorced.”
“Why?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“C’mon tell me.”
“No, I won’t feed to your fangirl ways.” I chuckled at myself.
“Bitch.” She mumbled under her breath.
“Hey, watch it. Remember this artwork is solely in my power. How old are you anyway?”
“I’m 19.”
“Ah, I can see why you act that way then. Are all their fans that way?”
“Pretty much.”
“So they all like them because they’re attractive?”
“No, we like their music.”
“Name ten songs.”
“Um, well there’s Bat Country and Beast and the Harlot. Oh, and Seize the Day.”
“That’s three.”
“Isn’t one called Holy Confessed?”
I burst out in laughter. “It’s called Unholy Confessions. See you just proved my point.”
“Well, so what if I don’t know the names. I’m bad with names.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then how many albums do they have out?”
“Two.”
“Wrong. Face it, you like them for their looks.”
“This is a tattoo appointment from hell.”
“Good news for you I’m about fifteen minutes away from being done.”
So I was being unprofessional, but I was highly enjoying it. I love it when I meet fans that think they know everything about them. I laugh in their faces because some of them don’t even know the music. They are like a pack of animals. They see an attractive man and they go after it as if it’s the last thing on the planet to eat.
“Okay, all done.” I said after I finally finished the piece. I was impressed by it. It was my first Avenged tattoo to ever do. Go figure it was Brian. Oh, the irony. She got up and made her way to the mirror and I helped her look at it.
“I love it.” She smiled.
“I’m glad. Sorry for picking on you. I just enjoy terrorizing their fans. It’s amusing.”
She shrugged. “It’s fine. I would do it too if I was in your shoes.”
“Okay, well come back after it heals so I can look at it.” I smiled at her and she made her way out. Finally.
The rest of the day went by way faster than I wanted it too. I didn’t want to go to the restaurant and talk to Matt. I know exactly what he wanted to tell me. He was going to beg me to come back because they all miss me. Blah, blah, blah.
“Alright, I’m out of here.” I sighed, slowly walking out of the shop. I got into my car and made my way to the restaurant. Once I pulled into the parking lot, I already saw Matt’s car. I assumed he was already inside so I just got out and went in.
“A table for one?” The hostess asked once I came in.
“No, ma’am. Thank you, but I’m here to meet someone.”
She smiled. “Okay, right that way.” She pointed towards the area that most people sat in. I sent a smile back and walked towards where she pointed and I spotted Matt. He waved me over and I sat down.
“I was afraid you weren’t going to show up.”
“I thought about it. I’m not going to lie.”
“Well, I’m glad you came.”
“What was so important for you to tell me?”
“Well I’m not going to waste your time with the same ol’ shit you’re probably already prepared to hear.” I nodded. “But I am going to explain why you need to come home, besides the fact that we all miss you.”
“It better be something good.”
“It’s obvious that you haven’t heard.”
“I cut ties with ALL of you. How would I hear something about you?”
“Well the news, fans, I don’t know.”
“It’s newsworthy?” I started to get nervous.
He nodded. “It isn’t good.”
“Well dammit Matt, tell me.”
“It’s Zack, of course.”
“What the fuck happened?” I yelled. Everyone in the restaurant turned and looked at me. Oops. “I’m sorry.” I mouthed to them. “What happened?” I asked, my voice way lower than before.
“He spiraled into a depression, Lex.”
“That’s it?”
“Let me finish.” I nodded for him to continue. “He spiraled into a depression after you left. He wouldn’t come into the studio or anything. All of us tried to call him, but he wouldn’t pick up. So finally we just showed up and knocked on his door. He wouldn’t answer so we busted down the door and he was up in his room. He was unconscious.” My heart sank.
“Don’t tell me he’s gone.” My voice cracked.
“No, he’s not. He’s in the hospital, though.”
“Why? Why was he unconscious?” I asked, worried.
“He took a shit load of antidepressants and overdosed.”
Tears instantly fell from my eyes. “Is he okay?”
“Luckily, yes. He’s in the hospital, but we got to him just in time.”
“I’m the reason he did it, huh?”
“You and Avery. His life just crumbled, Lex.”
“He asked for it.”
“No, he didn’t. He reacted just as any other man would. You cheated on him the night you guys got back from your honeymoon!”
“He didn’t have to say the harsh things he said to me.”
“Lex, grow the fuck up. Do you even hear yourself?”
“Did you honestly expect me to just go home after telling me this? Do you even want to know how well I’m doing? How can you expect me to drop everything and go running back?”
“I figured you wouldn’t be this heartless. I just wanted to let you know. He’s asking for you. No, wait let me rephrase that. He’s BEGGING for you, Lex. He’s fucking miserable. Just keep that in mind.” He got up and stormed out of the restaurant.
I sat there for another few minutes and decided to just go home. Matt already ate, so I just didn’t get anything. My mind raced and my heart ached. I reacted horribly to that. Zack was in the hospital from overdosing on antidepressants because I left him. Matt was right. I’m a heartless bitch. Before my mind could even process anything, my car was driving towards the hospital. I couldn’t go home knowing that Zack was begging for me in the hospital and the reason behind it all is me.
“Oh my god! It’s M. Shadows!” The girl squealed. I turned my gun off and stood up.
“How in the hell did you find me?”
“I’ve been searching every fucking tattoo shop in the city. You need to come home Lex.”
I rolled my eyes. “And why is that? So I can ruin my life some more?”
“After work meet me at the restaurant down the street. The Mexican food one. We’ll talk then.”
I sighed. “Whatever, I get off at 5.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.” And with that he turned around and walked out of the shop.
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew them?”
“I did say that I knew them better than anyone.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not some stupid fangirl. I used to be married to Zacky.” I started my tattoo gun back up and started back on the tattoo.
“You mean to tell me that you’re Lexi Baker?”
“Well, used to be.”
“Used to be?”
“We’re divorced.”
“Why?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“C’mon tell me.”
“No, I won’t feed to your fangirl ways.” I chuckled at myself.
“Bitch.” She mumbled under her breath.
“Hey, watch it. Remember this artwork is solely in my power. How old are you anyway?”
“I’m 19.”
“Ah, I can see why you act that way then. Are all their fans that way?”
“Pretty much.”
“So they all like them because they’re attractive?”
“No, we like their music.”
“Name ten songs.”
“Um, well there’s Bat Country and Beast and the Harlot. Oh, and Seize the Day.”
“That’s three.”
“Isn’t one called Holy Confessed?”
I burst out in laughter. “It’s called Unholy Confessions. See you just proved my point.”
“Well, so what if I don’t know the names. I’m bad with names.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then how many albums do they have out?”
“Two.”
“Wrong. Face it, you like them for their looks.”
“This is a tattoo appointment from hell.”
“Good news for you I’m about fifteen minutes away from being done.”
So I was being unprofessional, but I was highly enjoying it. I love it when I meet fans that think they know everything about them. I laugh in their faces because some of them don’t even know the music. They are like a pack of animals. They see an attractive man and they go after it as if it’s the last thing on the planet to eat.
“Okay, all done.” I said after I finally finished the piece. I was impressed by it. It was my first Avenged tattoo to ever do. Go figure it was Brian. Oh, the irony. She got up and made her way to the mirror and I helped her look at it.
“I love it.” She smiled.
“I’m glad. Sorry for picking on you. I just enjoy terrorizing their fans. It’s amusing.”
She shrugged. “It’s fine. I would do it too if I was in your shoes.”
“Okay, well come back after it heals so I can look at it.” I smiled at her and she made her way out. Finally.
The rest of the day went by way faster than I wanted it too. I didn’t want to go to the restaurant and talk to Matt. I know exactly what he wanted to tell me. He was going to beg me to come back because they all miss me. Blah, blah, blah.
“Alright, I’m out of here.” I sighed, slowly walking out of the shop. I got into my car and made my way to the restaurant. Once I pulled into the parking lot, I already saw Matt’s car. I assumed he was already inside so I just got out and went in.
“A table for one?” The hostess asked once I came in.
“No, ma’am. Thank you, but I’m here to meet someone.”
She smiled. “Okay, right that way.” She pointed towards the area that most people sat in. I sent a smile back and walked towards where she pointed and I spotted Matt. He waved me over and I sat down.
“I was afraid you weren’t going to show up.”
“I thought about it. I’m not going to lie.”
“Well, I’m glad you came.”
“What was so important for you to tell me?”
“Well I’m not going to waste your time with the same ol’ shit you’re probably already prepared to hear.” I nodded. “But I am going to explain why you need to come home, besides the fact that we all miss you.”
“It better be something good.”
“It’s obvious that you haven’t heard.”
“I cut ties with ALL of you. How would I hear something about you?”
“Well the news, fans, I don’t know.”
“It’s newsworthy?” I started to get nervous.
He nodded. “It isn’t good.”
“Well dammit Matt, tell me.”
“It’s Zack, of course.”
“What the fuck happened?” I yelled. Everyone in the restaurant turned and looked at me. Oops. “I’m sorry.” I mouthed to them. “What happened?” I asked, my voice way lower than before.
“He spiraled into a depression, Lex.”
“That’s it?”
“Let me finish.” I nodded for him to continue. “He spiraled into a depression after you left. He wouldn’t come into the studio or anything. All of us tried to call him, but he wouldn’t pick up. So finally we just showed up and knocked on his door. He wouldn’t answer so we busted down the door and he was up in his room. He was unconscious.” My heart sank.
“Don’t tell me he’s gone.” My voice cracked.
“No, he’s not. He’s in the hospital, though.”
“Why? Why was he unconscious?” I asked, worried.
“He took a shit load of antidepressants and overdosed.”
Tears instantly fell from my eyes. “Is he okay?”
“Luckily, yes. He’s in the hospital, but we got to him just in time.”
“I’m the reason he did it, huh?”
“You and Avery. His life just crumbled, Lex.”
“He asked for it.”
“No, he didn’t. He reacted just as any other man would. You cheated on him the night you guys got back from your honeymoon!”
“He didn’t have to say the harsh things he said to me.”
“Lex, grow the fuck up. Do you even hear yourself?”
“Did you honestly expect me to just go home after telling me this? Do you even want to know how well I’m doing? How can you expect me to drop everything and go running back?”
“I figured you wouldn’t be this heartless. I just wanted to let you know. He’s asking for you. No, wait let me rephrase that. He’s BEGGING for you, Lex. He’s fucking miserable. Just keep that in mind.” He got up and stormed out of the restaurant.
I sat there for another few minutes and decided to just go home. Matt already ate, so I just didn’t get anything. My mind raced and my heart ached. I reacted horribly to that. Zack was in the hospital from overdosing on antidepressants because I left him. Matt was right. I’m a heartless bitch. Before my mind could even process anything, my car was driving towards the hospital. I couldn’t go home knowing that Zack was begging for me in the hospital and the reason behind it all is me.
Update soon please. I love this story.
4/30/17