He never felt so happy. After Jimmy passed, all life was like being sucked right out of him, leaving him to become a shell of a man, searching for ways to overcome the emptiness in his heart.

He tried to fill the void by doing the one thing he loved the most; music. But everything just reminded him of his best friend. Every notes, every chords, every melody, every lyrics. He just couldn’t find the fun in doing it anymore.

He couldn’t believe it for himself, the thing that could make him feel alive again is the presence of a woman.

Right when he was about to enter the hotel’s convenience store, his eyes caught a sight of someone familiar by the receptionist counter, asking for something. That tall man – just as tall as him – and with a lean body that could melt any girl’s heart and probably Addie’s heart too – is nothing but a mere threat for him.

“What the fuck is this guy doing here?” he mumbled to himself, raging jealousy built within him. He wondered whether Addie called him to come here or did he just came by spontaneously.

Brian saw the guy flirted with the receptionist girl and he couldn’t believe how angry he became because of that. Though he didn’t want Addie to be in a relationship with him but seeing him twirled his fingers with the receptionist’s hair and twinkled his eyes to her just making him fuming with madness.

“Son of a bitch.” He growled along with his feet automatically paced forward, his hand swiftly grabbed the collar of the guy’s shirt.

“Whoa, hey hey hey!” Andy screeched, tilting his head back in defense with both hands trying to shove away Brian’s strong grip.

“Brian?” he cackled, and followed by a loud laugh after. Brian was confused and baffled as to why did he laugh but nevertheless he didn’t move his grip away.

“Funny I ran into you. I’m here for Addie, man. What’s with the attack?”

“Bastard. How could you do this to Addie? You fucking seduce another girl when you know she’s-”

“I could say the same to you.”

Andy leaned forward swiftly until their foreheads almost touched. Tension rose up high, both oiled up in fury and fists curled within their palms. Their breathings went heavy, struggling to calm down but the silence broke when Andy finally said;

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you look at Addie. You have a girl by your side too. Why do you want my girl?”

Brian choked up in his own words. He stood there, speechless and unraveled with his hand started to loosen the grip on Andy’s collar.

“That’s what I think.” Andy said cockily and harshly pushed Brian’s hand away from him. He got the information of Addie’s room so he went past Brian with his chest pumped in victory.

Andy’s words made him lost in a deep thought. Brian didn’t have any comeback on that. He’s still the same person as he ever was. Cheating bastard. A heartbreaker. He remembered something he had forgotten hours ago. Closing his eyes shut, reluctantly he let out a deep sigh and making his way back to his own room.

---

She was dressed in red lingerie, dirty blonde hair fall perfectly down her spine and with a matching see through nightgown wrapped around her body. She gazed into the mirror, looking satisfied with her beauty tonight. He will be mesmerized and all of his defense will fall apart, she convinced herself. But it has been a painful two hours or more, waiting for her man to show up.

Her painted fingernails drummed on her thigh while she laid down her back, anxiously hoping that at any second now, Brian will come through that door and swept her away with a wonderful kiss.

Two hours had become three, and four and eventually she found herself waking up abruptly, bolted upright when she heard somebody shuffled beside her. She slanted to her left, a muscular yet skinny figure was lying there, with his back facing her. He curled up in a pose where he would be as much farther away from her as he can. His breathing was a bit unstable, as his arms folded and stiffed.

“Brian?” she called softly. He didn’t answer.

“Brian, baby. Where have you been?” Michelle went closer and rubbed his tattooed arm gently, trying to get him into the mood. Still, he froze without a sound.

“I’ve been waiting so long, I fell asleep. But now I’m awake-”

“Michelle.” He said darkly, his hand slowly moved her palm away. “I can’t be with you.”

Michelle tottered back, shocks were sent all over her body and fear roamed within her. She was afraid of losing him, of losing everything.

“That’s okay, darling. We can try again tomorrow.”

“No.” he barged and sat up straight. His face completely turned to her now as she only saw his eyes and lips in the middle of the moonlit room.

“Not tonight, not tomorrow. Not ever. I just can’t be with you anymore.”

“No Brian, why?! Why did you do this?!”

“I don’t love you Michelle.”

“Bullshit! We were happy just a few hours ago!”

“I wasn’t.”

“I don’t want to!”

“Michelle, please. Let me go.”

“Bullshit! Bullshit! I don’t want to hear this anymore!”

Michelle got up from the bed and quickly ran into the bathroom, locking herself in there.

“Michelle! Michelle!”

Brian chased her from behind but the door slammed onto his face making him cursed aloud. He banged on the bathroom door but Michelle just ignored him and cried alone in there.

“Shit, Michelle! What do I have to do to make you give up on me?”

Yes. He cheated, he used her for his pleasure only, he ignored her and had done any possible mean things to her but still she didn’t want to let him go?

“Fuck!” he kicked the door for the last time and went out of the room.

He decided to go back to Addie’s room but his encounter with Andy earlier made him think that it’s not such a good idea. He didn’t know what to do or where to go, so while his mind gone autopilot he found himself sitting in the hotel’s bar, drinking shots of vodkas and glasses of beers alone.

At times like these, he wished Jimmy was here with him.

---

He watched his every move – from the moment he entered the bar until his seventh glass of beer. A smile crept up on his scruffy face, his eyes turned dark and evil. Everything was going as planned. They were like marionettes under his controlling hand because the orders from his master just didn’t quite fit anymore.

He aimed for money, and his master aimed for everything. One thing that his master told him to do was; get rid of this guy. He had a plan of his own, eventhough he had to use his own master in it, but the plan were going quite well so far.

His target was like a fish lured by bait, swimming straight into the trap in his most vulnerable self. Right here, he could accomplish the plan on killing him. He didn’t care if his master told him to wait for the right time because he needed money that badly.

Slowly pulling up his black hoodie above his head, he dug for a silencer in his pocket. His feet moved closer and closer to the drunken man. Though he looked very drunk, he’d still poured the beer in his glass and drank up.

The silencer gripped in his palm and slung out of his pocket, ready to aim on the target’s head.

“Yo, Gates!”

Shit! Shit! Shit! He thought. He quickly turned away when he saw a huge black guy approaching his target. He’d completely forgotten about this other security guy.

“Gates! Goddamnit you’re fucking drunk!”

Synyster Gates slurred a smile at the black guy. Shaking his head in cloudy disappointment, the black guy hoisted Gates’ body up and brought him out of the bar.

“Damn it.” he cursed under his breath. His perfect plan failed. Time to report back to his master.

---

McKenna flicked her eyes open suddenly when she felt a warm hand rested on her stomach. She quickly looked to her left; a glimpse of two person sleeping on the bed with loud snoring clearly visible in front of her.

“Aggh!!” She quickly jumped and screamed, rolling away from them as she realized that they were Brian, her brother and Big T, the security guy. Both sleeping soundly on the bed next to her.

She fell down from the bed hitting something squishy yet hard and a hurling voice of utter pain and shock emerged from underneath her.

“Ughh!!”

McKenna widened her eyes; she was lying on top of Arin who scrunched in pain because she fell onto him earlier.

“Oh my God, Arin! I’m so sorry! I’m sorry!” She struggled to get up but Arin locked her legs with his own. Eventhough his eyes closed in agony but his lips curled up in a smile as he chuckled.

“Wow, you’re pretty strong for a small girl.” He muttered and finally opened his eyelids. His round eyes quickly met hers and rested there comfortably. McKenna blushed in a nice color of red, complimenting with her bright purple hair as Arin started to touch her arms gently.

“Morning.”

“Morning, Arin. Now please let me go.”

“I’m pretty comfortable this way.”

She blushed again and Arin smiled watching her.

“Arin, my brother is here.”

Arin bolted upright, quickly bringing McKenna’s body to the side as he saw Brian was still snoring next to Big T on the bed. He sighed in relief. McKenna chuckled slightly watching his panic expression and Arin couldn’t help but laughed silly to himself.

“Thank you for letting me crash here last night. I’m gonna go back to my room.”

“You’re welcome.”

McKenna got up and Arin followed, sending her to the door. At the doorframe, she turned around and tiptoed, giving a peck on his cheek.

“You’re okay, Arin.”

This time, he was the one blushing like a schoolboy in a crush.

Notes

A/N: uh-huh..only one chap today :P