Not a bad thing

Izzie’s POV
Brian took me to the end of the hallway in his “wing”. There was a large black wall, with a door in the middle and on the left of the door was a quote “Music is not what I do, it’s who I am”. Brian took my hand and lead us into the room. The wall I was looking at, was decorated with guitars. All the same, only different colours. “I designed that one, together with my sponsor. It´s the best I ever had. It´s perfect for me”. Brian told proudly.

The other wall in the room was graced by a few other guitars, I recognised the first guitar Brian got from his dad. The other ones must be special too. I looked around a little. Recording equipment filled almost all the free space in the room.

“Look” Brian said, gently turning me around. I saw this amazing painting of Jimmy, beneath the painting there was a quote “My life is kinda like a story, that if I told you about it, you probably wouldn’t believe. It would seem like fiction. That’s me – The Rev” It was written in Jimmy’s handwriting. I teared up. Brian still holding my hand, squeezed it a little tighter. “That is beautiful Brian, it’s so amazing.” I sobbed. Brian stood next to me and looked at the painting too. “I was building this room and Jimmy was hanging out with me. I was ordering the decorators around and came back into this room. Jimmy had written this quote on the wall. At first I was a little annoyed. It was my brand new house. A few weeks later I finally got to finishing this room, I didn’t want the decorators to do it, this is the most important room in the house. The day I wanted to go here and started painting, I received the call.” I didn’t have to ask him what call. “I decided to leave it there. I painted the rest of the wall, let someone make the most amazing painting of Jimmy and make it a Jimmy tribute wall. In this way, he is always with me, making music.” He pulled me to his side, looking at my face. “Don’t cry Izzie, he is at a better place now” I was wiping away my tears, trying to smile at Brian. “I saved the best for last, this will cheer you up.” Brian smiled at me. He walked to the other side of the room. He took out a guitar and showed it to me. It was black, with white striping, just like my car. My jaw fell open. “This is my favourite guitar. I play the most songs on this one, during our shows. You inspired me for the design” I replied “Well, my car did” Brian chuckled “Okay, okay, your car did. But are you convinced now that I really missed you a lot?” I looked at him and hugged him “I was never questioning that, Bri”.

“We have to get back down Brian, you are the worst host ever.” We walked down, his arm around me. We walked into the garden and it seemed like no one really missed us. Lynn was engaged in a heated conversation with Zacky and Johnny and Elisabeth was talking to Arin. “Where’s Shadz?” Brian asked Johnny. “I was getting beers, if we have to wait for you, we will wait forever” I turned around when I heard Matt’s deep voice. My heart stopped. He had taken off his shirt. I felt my cheeks flush. Damn, that man is sexy. Brian walked towards Zacky, Johnny and Lynn, bringing them their beers. He sat down next to Lynn. I saw him slightly touching her hand when he handed her her beer. I could see what he wanted from a mile away. I decided to leave it. Maybe Lynn will have her fun and will be over it then.

“I don’t really think he will need our help with this one, do you think?” I heard Elisabeth’s voice next to me. I looked at her, shaking my head “What Brian wants, Brian gets”. She smiled “That’s usually how it goes. Want to sit?” I grabbed a chair and sat down next to her. “He showed you the house? Did he show you his favourite guitar? I now get why he is so attached to it.” I felt my cheeks turn red, but Elisabeth was smiling at me warmly. “Don’t feel embarrassed, you were an important part of his life, this is how he worked through it.” She looked down shyly “I’m sorry for hating you at first. I only knew the stories, how you broke Brian’s heart and I was just worried you would do it again. I get protective of him sometimes.” I looked at her. I understood what she said, I knew that feeling. “He explained everything to me though and I can see how he looks at you, it’s the same look he gives me. He must really love you” This woman was really upfront, I liked it, no going around it, just say what you think. “I just feel sorry that I missed such an important part of his life” I said quietly. “But you are here now, aren’t you?” She replied. “Thanks Lizzy, you make me feel so much better about it. It is good to know he had a friend like you around to take care of him. In many ways” I winked at her. She laughed “Yeah, the sniper thing. You were the original right? How did this started anyways?” I told her the Iris story. “At lunch the next day, he talked to Sean, and I talked to Iris. By the end of the day ....”

I stopped mid sentence. I saw something glimmering in the corner of my eye. It was Matt, jumping in the pool. Someone should forbid that man to do any activities showing that much skin. That body, dripping wet. I was almost drooling “Izzie, you there?” I heard Lizzie talk to me and regained my attention to her. “He’s something right? He knows it too. He has had plenty of girls, but none of them stuck around. Maybe for the best, he finds himself the most stupid types. I laughed “Yeah, men have the tendency to do stupid stuff like that. Thinking with the wrong part of their body.” Lizzie chuckled. “All right, you know the original sniper story now, how did you and Brian meet? Did you two really never date?”

Lizzie started to tell the story of her and Brian. They had met 6 years ago when she was at a record store signing with her boyfriend. The boyfriend had treated her bad, but she had stuck with him. “I don’t know. I just wanted it to work. My relationships always ended badly and were over quick. Maybe I have to admit that my taste in men could be a tad better” She chuckled. “I know the problem”. She glared at me and then at Matt, she opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. She went on with her story.

“So, we were there at the record store. I had my album signed and my boyfriend was waiting for me at the back of the store. He was mad at me. In his eyes I had flirted with Brian, but the only thing I had said to the guys was “Hello, I love your music”. I didn’t even have time to defend myself, I felt him pull my arm to get me out of the store roughly. I don’t really remember how it happened next, but before I knew it Jimmy and Brian were there. Jimmy shoved my boyfriend and Brian took me out of there. He took me outside and we just kept walking. Before I knew it, we were at their hotel bar, drinking. Brian and I hit it off right away. We talked for hours. The next day they were flying to Europe for a short tour, but Brian kept in touch. It might sound really stupid, with Brian being hot and all, but I never wanted anything more from him. I was just grateful to have a friend at that time and that kind of stayed that way.”

I caught her glaring at Zacky again. There was definitely something going on over there. “The night they came back from the tour, we went out drinking. I met the others then too. It was an epic night. I was sleeping over at Brian’s, because I wasn’t living here at that moment. But he had a girl over, as usual. His house then, wasn’t as big as this one, so the next morning, the girl entered the living room and saw me lying there on the couch. She looked confused, but she was totally in love with Brian, so she was just glad he fucked her. Stupid groupies. Brian soon followed the girl. Looking at me with a helpless face. It appeared the girl had been really clingy that morning, wanted to spend the day with him, go out for a few dates. She had blurred that all out when she woke up.” I looked at Lizzy “Uh oh, he’s still at his worst in the mornings?” Lizzy nodded. He just sat next to me on the couch, hung over, his head in his hands, while the girl was blabbering about what to name their first born. “ I laughed out loud “Is that really happening to these guys?” Lizzy confirmed “Yes, you wouldn’t believe what some of them will say or do... Sooo, Brian sat next to me, suddenly he turned towards me and said “Can’t you talk to her? Maybe she’ll listen to you”. So that was my first sniper job, I kinda never stopped doing it ever since. But it wasn’t that much in the beginning. Brian went off the deep end when Jimmy died, and there were days I had to dump two, or even three girls. He just didn’t care.”

This part hurt. I knew he must have had a hard time when Jimmy died. He also told me himself. But it was different to hear it from someone that obviously cared as much about him as I did. “Please don’t beat yourself up over this. All the guys got into drinking, drugs and sex. Apparently it was their way of coping. Brian and Matt took the longest to get back again, ah well, Brian’s still not really here I guess. But he seems so much better now you are back in his life. I think he needed to touch base with his past again. So it’s only good you are here now. And I’m lucky you weren’t here for a while, I probably wouldn’t have had such a connection with him, if you were. So, let’s not be sad anymore and just enjoy you being here again, I don’t think they will let you go anymore and I could really use another female in this group” Lizzy grinned. Again, she glared at Zacky, who was now sitting alone, talking to Matt and Johnny, who were hanging out in the pool. “Lizzy, can I ask you something? Since we are trying to be friends and all?” “Sure, shoot!” “What is going on with you and Zacky?” Her eyes shot open. “That obvious huh?”

Notes

I will be on a business trip tuesday and wednesday, so I decided to make it up to you guys before hand... And post 2 chapters a day this weekend.

Here's number 2 for today, hope you like it! :-)