Atlanta, 2013

“Guys, wake up! We’ve arrived!”

I heard RJ was yelling around the bus, slapping on our bunk beds and waking us up violently.

“Dude, it’s 4 in the fucking morning!” I heard Josh groaned from his bunk above me.

“Yeah and I need you guys to come with me, to pick up my beautiful wife and daughter from the airport.”

“Man, this early?” I peeked out of my curtain and saw RJ was already dressed in a full tracksuit.

“Yeah. Jessie went off at 8 last night. She wanted to see the sunrise with me.”

Me, Josh, Joe and even Wesley groaned loudly in unison. I cringed at the cheesiness of these two lovebirds. They’re married for fuck’s sake!

“What the hell, RJ! If you wanna star in some romantic chick flick fucking movie, I suggest you do it alone and leave us out of this.” Josh argued again. I buried my face in my pillow, refusing to listen to them.

“What? Is it wrong for a married person to miss his wife?”

“Fuck, I’m married too! But me and Lydia aren’t as corny as you.”

“Not my fault your marriage life is boring! Hey, Lzzy.”

Oh shit…RJ had pulled my curtain off and snuck into my bunk. “What do you want from me..?”

“You’ve gotta go with me. You know Joanna misses you.”

I laid still and thought deeply, whether I should cherish my sleep more or my niece more.

“Fine. I’ll go with you. Just give me ten fucking minutes.” I groaned and sat up straight, yawning.

“Okay but just hurry up cause they’re already waiting.”

~*,*~

Already waiting, my big fat ass! They hadn’t even arrived yet and it was 5 in the morning now in Atlanta. The sun was about to rise and I can see that RJ was pacing restlessly. So much for viewing a freaking sunrise together.

“Just relax, bro. The sun will come up…tomorrow….bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow…” I started to sing and making him felt agitated even more.

“Argh for once Lzzy…for once I wish you can’t sing and your voice sucks so you could shut up.”

I laughed and shrugged, pulling my hoodie up. The airport didn’t look crowded, well, that was expected because we were here so early that those duty free shops hadn’t even opened yet. I yawned looking around; there was nothing to be seen actually. A few stewardesses walked by, strolling along their luggage; with a couple of pilot dressed in white uniform…they looked dashing. One of them had a really built body…reminded me of Matt.

If I ever get him to wear a complete white pilot uniform, I won’t let him out of my sight ever. I will lock him up in my bedroom and we both can give up on our music career. How’s that for a plan?

“Jessie, baby!!”

I startled from my train of thoughts when RJ suddenly screamed and I saw Jessie was running towards him with Joanna fatigued in her arms. They reunited in a kiss and then RJ took sleeping Joanna into his arms before turning to me.

“Lzzy, can you bring Joanna back to the hotel first? I have a date with my wife here..”

“Hey, this is your daughter! I can’t believe you’re ditching her..”

“She’s asleep! Besides, you’re her favorite aunt..she will be okay if she woke up next to you.”

“I’m her only aunt you twit.” I rolled my eyes and cursed in my mind. Why did I ever support my brother being married at such young age? And he couldn’t find a woman more mature than him? Now being the big sister, I always have to take care of their mess; be it with publicity or their daughter.

Luckily Joanna is my most favorite person on earth. Before Matt of course. I picked her from RJ’s arms and let the lovebirds went off together by taking a cab. Damn, I came here with a cab too. Still holding Joanna in my arm and plus, their two luggage, I rolled my eyes endlessly but forced to be patient because family is family. You will do anything for your family.

If it wasn’t for the love I have for my only brother, I wouldn’t get up so fucking early in the morning just to babysit this poor sugar without any heels on my feet and just a black hoodie on my head.

Damn, cab drivers aren’t exactly morning persons are they?

“Goddamn, that was a tiring flight. Hey Kidday, you mind carrying my backpack with you? I gotta have a smoke first. This is too fucking early man.”

“Fine Zacky. Only because you weren’t being an asshole on the flight earlier.”

I glanced to my left when I heard a ruckus suddenly emerged from there. A bunch of guys in black shorts, band muscle tees and baseball caps were standing quite afar from me and Joanna. They were getting into an ignited bus. They looked familiar..

“Hurry up, Z. Larry’s waiting for us at the hotel.”

“I just light this up man.”

That voice..that muscular broad back..those arms..and shiny hair..

“Matt!”

He turned and his jaw dropped when he saw me running towards him carrying a kid in my arms.

“Woah woah…Matt, don’t tell me you knocked up some local girl here?” Zacky said, his eyes bulged when I got closer.

“It’s me!” I pulled down my hoodie and Matt immediately grinned widely.

“Lzzy! Heyy!” He pulled me into a tight hug and it startled Joanna. She woke up, rubbing her eyes and stared at Matt.

“Hey, little one. Sorry I woke you up.”

She blinked at him and I can’t help but smile watching him pinching her cheeks and rubbing her nose. He looked so adorable with kids!

“You guys up for the Uproar too?”

“Yeah, but we’re not headlining. We’re just here as a guest but then we’ll have some interviews later.”

I nodded but then my eyes caught Zacky behind him, still inhaling from his cigarette.

“Hi Zacky.”

“Oh hi, Lzzy. I thought my invisibility cloak had finally working.”

I chuckled at his sarcasm. “Sorry I didn’t see you there.”

“I’m used to it. 10 years ago you were like that too.”

I blushed and ran my eyes away to Joanna. I notice Matt’s eyes were gazing at me, amusingly with his dimpled smirk cockily plastered on his face.

“What are you doing here, by the way?” Zacky asked and I just realized Johnny, Brian and their new drummer weren’t there with them. They were probably in the bus already..?

“Um, I’m here to pick up Joanna and her mom. But my brother left with only his wife and leave me with their daughter and..bags.”

Zacky let out a laugh but when Matt glared at him he immediately shut up. Yeah, my boyfriend has a power over his band mates! Anyway, do they know that me and Matt..?

“Do you need a ride back?”

Matt asked me gently and I melted at once. The way his strong hand stroking Joanna’s hair, made my knees buckled a little more.

“I would love to,”

“Come on then. If you’re one of us, get on the bus.”

“Aww, Matt..you listened..!”

“Of course I do. I love that song.” He said, smiling and resting his hand on the small of my back, sending shivers way down my spine. He helped me with Joanna’s and Jessie’s luggage and invited me into the bus.

Their bus is freakishly huge. The first thing I saw was a big ass couch in the middle with flat screen TV on the opposite, replacing the window. Wow. They only have four bunks which were two on each sides of the wall and the beds were spacious. They have a room at the back just like our bus but we used it as the TV room. If they already have the TV right in front…what was behind there..?

“My room is in the back. Master room.”

Hell no. They have a fucking master room, on a fucking bus? This is surreal.

I walked past their bunks and noticed that Brian and Johnny were already asleep, their curtains were half drawn and the young drummer was in his bunk, browsing through his phone.

“You can let her sleep here. My room is way more comfortable than the bunks.”

I stepped into the master bedroom and my jaw dropped again. As the leader of the band, Matt has the privilege to sleep in a king bed instead of bunk beds?

“Sometimes we switch places when the wives or girlfriends came to visit.”

I frowned at him and the bed, which was now occupied by Joanna.

“You guys did it here?”

He chuckled and pulled my hand, making sure he shut the door first. I can hear that the bus was now moving as Zacky had finished his cigarette and walked into the bus.

“No, the wives and girlfriends hadn’t visit in a long time. You are the first.”

He pulled me closer until I landed on his chest. His eyes traveled on my face hungrily.

“You look adorable in this hoodie.”

I gave him a soft chuckle and leaned in his ear. “There’s nothing underneath.”

He groaned instantly but then we were interrupted by Joanna’s voice. Damn how can I forget, there’s a kid here with us!

“Mommy…I’m thirsty..”

I quickly pulled away from him and sat on the edge of the bed. We should be ashamed of ourselves!

“You’re thirsty? We’ll arrive soon. Then we’ll get you a nice cold smoothie okay, honey?”

“Um, let me see what I can find here for her.”

Matt smiled at us and left the room. Joanna looked at me curiously and her eyes still half asleep.

“Who’s that, mommy?”

I baffled, didn’t really know how to answer since she was always used to the idea of me and Joe together. And now suddenly a stranger appeared out of nowhere, being so close to me.

“That’s Matt. He’s my..boyfriend.”

“Boy..”

“You’ll know someday, Jo. When you grow up.” I rubbed her back softly, putting her to sleep eventually when Matt came in.

“Shucks, Lzzy. We only have beer in stock. They forgot to fill up some real food.”

I smiled at him and looked down to Joanna who was now sound asleep.

“That’s alright. I can feed her when we’re back to our bus anyway.”

Matt sat next to me, rubbing my thigh gently and his eyes moving fast, thinking of something.

“Hey, since the Uproar is not until tomorrow night, why don’t we take her out to breakfast and sightseeing around town? I have to stop by the groceries to load our food anyways.”

“Woah, don’t you have assistants doing that stuff for you?”

He laughed. “As pretty as it seems, but our life is not like that. We pretty much do things on our own. We’re just a bunch of guys trying to make a living. Not some demand divas, except for Gates though. He’s an asshole when it comes to demanding.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Wow, good answer for a magazine interview.”

He laughed and kissed my lips. Oh how I missed his kisses..i just realized that we hadn’t shared any kiss ever since we met at the airport.

“I miss you Lzzy.”

“I miss you even more.”

We kissed again, forgetting that there’s a child between us. Damn, maybe we should probably stay as far as we can from each other as long as we have Joanna in our way. I pulled away, smiling at him and quickly sat on the far edge of the bed. He was confused.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just…there’s a kid here with us..”

He chuckled lightly and got up, pulling off his baseball cap and put it aside before he slumped down his magnificent ass next to me.

“Um, Matt...do your band mates know about us?” I moved farther when our thighs started to touch lightly. He sighed and smiled his adorable sexy smile, and scooted closer to me.

“Yes they do.”

I scooted further away.

“Lzzy, don’t run from me. How about your band mates?” he laughed, pulling my arms closer to him.

Oh shit. No they don’t know. I don’t even plan to tell them any sooner. Oh fuck, will he get mad at me for not telling my band mates about us?

Notes

A/N: haha i update this earlier cos im too fuckin excited! Freak Like Me is an awesome song and awesome video came out of it! watch it guys! XD