The Aviators

“Jason Denmore, he’s a wicked guitar tech, Walter put me onto him.”

Michelle and I walk into the house in time to hear Brian raving about some new guy he met in Los Angeles. He is a guitar technician that specialises in working with metal and progressive rock bands. As Brian’s rambling on, Matt pokes his head out from the living room and grins, his eyes falling upon the bags we’re toting.

“Hey, you’re back.” He tilts his head at us an expression of wonderment on his face. He is obviously, like all men, pondering the wisdom behind women who buy copious amounts of stuff from their favourite stores, and then never actually using the things they purchase.

I smile in answer. Right now, I don’t trust myself to speak. I’ll just let my twin do all the talking. Or at least that’s my plan, whether she orMatt stick to the script remains to be seen.

Michelle nods, putting her bags on the floor, plastic crinkling as she looks to the other room. “What’s Bri going on about?”

Matt shrugs and steps over to take my bags from me. “Just some new guitar tech.” He eyes me, a serious expression now on his face. “Have a good time?” He keeps looking at me, waiting for a response.

As I move to step by him, I clear my throat and murmur a quick answer. “Yeah, it was alright...”

I catch Michelle raise an eyebrow at me. I shake my head in her direction. She sighs and heads into the living room. I make to follow her, but Matt stops me, taking my left elbow in hand and pulling me over to the kitchen bench.

“Sit.” His tone brooks no refusal.

I slowly slide my ass onto the stool, looking down at my hands. One of my nails is chipped; I play with it. Matt frowns and leans his hip against the bench, examining me. I peer up at his face. There is a furrow in his forehead; his hazel eyes hold an expectant look.

“Valary.” He uses my full first name, an obvious sign that I have to talk to him. No getting out of this.

Biting my lower lip, I take several deep breaths, before speaking softly. “Yeah, we had a good time. Did some shopping.” I rub my hands on my pants, sweat making my skin feel clammy. I can’t explain the feeling. Don’t want to explain it. Instead, still rubbing at my pants, I add softly, “Got some new clothes, so I won’t have to keep wearing yours.”

Matt’s lips twitch as he nods a glimmer of laughter in his eyes. But then he asks, “Anything interesting happen?”

That question gives me pause. Here, and now, would be the perfect time to tell him about that guy who came up to us, but at the same time I feel that I don’t want to bother Matt with it. Shaking my head, I cast a longing glance toward the living room. I hope he takes the hint.

But, instead, he growls low, leaning into my comfort zone. “Val. Talk to me.”

I bite my lip, meeting his stern look. Taking a deep breath I fish into my back pocket and pull out the card the guy left on our table, holding it out to him.

He frowns, lips pressing together in a thin line. “What’s this?”

I lift my shoulders, crossing my arms over my breasts. He takes the card and squints narrowly at it, eyes scanning the text. I wait, quietly, watching the expression on his face change as he reads. His eyes darken, lips tightening in a thin line.

He tosses the card onto the bench then pins me with a look. “Who gave you that?”

Breathing out, as I brace my hands against my knees, I say in confusion, “This guy at a cafe Michelle and I were at. He was kind of staring at us. Creeped me out. And then he left that card.”

Matt nods slightly. “Go on.”

I blink. “That’s it.”

“Uhuh.” Matt smirks, yet his eyes are grave. “Why’d you take the card?”

That I do know the answer to. However, I feel a bit weird trying to explain my reasoning to Matt.

He leans more against the bench and tilts his head to the side. “Val?”

Shaking myself, I frown a little, meeting his gaze. “Something...I felt something.” I rub my bottom lip. “The Guild...I...don’t know. I had this thought, that there might be a connection. I don’t know. Just thought maybe you could look it up? See what it’s about?”

Peering up into his eyes I try to gauge his response. Matt says nothing though, and pushes away from the bench, pocketing the card and motioning for me to follow him.

Realising I’m not going to get any answer from him I slip off the stool and walk behind him, as he heads for the living room. I halt in the doorway, observing him as he plonks himself down next to Zacky, who just so happens to have his laptop open on his lap. I tilt my head, as he glances at Matt and gives a little smile.

“Guess what, Shads?”

Matt chuckles and rolls his eyes. “What, V?”

“VU has a whole new line of clothing.” Zacky grins like a kid at Christmas. Not that I’d know what someone feels like at Christmas, I do not remember ever celebrating that time of the year. I’m sure I did with Michelle when I was really little. But who remembers that?

Zacky is still speaking. “It’s a Halloween theme. Fucking rad.”

I watch as Matt smiles faintly, but then his brow creases in thought. “Hey, man. Do me a favour?”

Zacky sucks at his snakebites, nodding. “Sure?”

Matt casts a look toward where I’m standing. I blink at him. He stares at me for a second as he retrieves the card from his pocket. Then he faces his friend again, holding the card out to him between his index and middle finger.

“Search this.” His voice seems tense, but I can’t really decipher his tone. It might be just pure curiosity, or it could be anxiety. Who knows? Only him, I guess.

The guitarist presses his lips together as he takes the card and turns it over, reading the text. One hand holding the card, he uses the other to tap into the search engine. At least that is what I presume. I still haven’t moved from my place in the doorway.

Jimmy notices me standing there and gets up from where he’s sitting with my twin and Brian. He walks over to me and smiles warmly.

“Hey, whatcha doing, Valary? Come sit with us.”

I hesitate, looking over at Matt and Zacky. The drummer snorts and places a hand against my right shoulder.

“Don’t worry about them, come join us.”

I shake my head slightly. “No, I’m fine, thanks...” I bite my bottom lip, taking a step back. “Actually, I’m a bit tired. Think I might go lie down.” I’m not being completely honest; I actually want to write down my feelings about the day, but it’s not like I want to say that to Jimmy, that’s only for me, and Matt, to know.

Jimmy smiles gently, rubbing my arm softly. “’Kay, take care, then.” He drops his hand, turning to walk back to the others.

I sneak a quick look over at Matt again; he’s leaning close to Zack, gaze focusing on the laptop. Whatever their searching, must be intriguing because neither seems to remember the presence of the others, even when Jimmy starts lobbing peanuts over in their direction. I giggle silently to myself, shaking my head.

As they all seem to be preoccupied in one way or another, I see this as a chance to leave them at it. So, I back out of the doorway and go to our room, shutting myself in. For a moment, I just lean against the door, breathing slowly, allowing my thoughts to settle in my mind.

Grabbing my journal from the nightstand, I then scramble onto the middle of the bed, clutching my pencil in my right hand. I twirl it absently between my thumb and forefinger. Then propping myself up on some pillows on my side of the bed, I flip it open to a blank page, and am about begin to writing, when I notice that the previous entry was not written by me.

I blink, and lean close to look at the handwriting. Recognising the characteristic curl at the end of the capital letters I realise it is Matt’s penmanship. I stare and stare at the words he has written, and wonder when exactly he could have done so.

Shaking my head, I glance toward the door for a moment, the distant sounds of the guys talking and arguing, floating down the hallway. I dismiss it as background noise and return my focus to the journal, pausing for a long moment, before making a decision.

I’m going to read his entry. See what he has to say. After all, since he’s written it in my journal he obviously can’t be expecting me not to read it. Perhaps he wrote something in there for me to read? Maybe he decides to confess his und- yeah, right. Don’t even go there. He’s probably just made some commentary on my previous diarising.

Plumping up the pillows, I rest back against them and flip back a few pages to the point where Matt has begun his entry. However, before I start reading, I once again check the noise levels outside the room.

Still the same, still busy enjoying each other’s company. Sighing, I settle down, tucking my chin into my chest and allowing my eyes to focus solely on my master’s words.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Matt’s Message

Yeah, so, I got bored because the guys decided to go outside and have a smoke. You know I don’t smoke anymore, not even socially, so I popped in for a lie down. Saw your journal laying on the night stand and had a bit of a read.

Then I figured I’d insert a little note.

Obviously.

So.

One: I hope you had a good time with Michelle. I can’t say that we see eye to eye on anything...but then we kind of rubbed each other up the wrong way back in high school. I just can’t believe that you and she are twins, to be entirely honest. You’re such polar opposites. But, then again, maybe if you’d actually grown up together, that might have been different.

Shit, just the fact that you’re a slave...no words can really describe how that makes me feel. Maybe I’ll try and explain to you face-to-face. Yeah, I know I bought you...paid cash for you...but...yeah.

You amaze me, y’know that? You just manage to put into words these observations that just...jump off the page. Makes me feel like I’m there with you. Heh, I guess I was, hey?

Anyway, you know what still gets to me after these past few months? The fact you’re still so self-fucking-conscious about your body. Yes, I’m gonna put this out there, in writing...just so you know. There’s no need for it. Do you realise how many women would...wish so hard for a body like yours.

Oh, now. Don’t blush. I’m just telling you like it is. Perhaps seeing it here in my hand writing will convince you that it’s true. Because, there’s one thing you have to know about me.

I never lie.

Never.

It’s against my whole...moral code, or whatever.

Wow, I sound like a sap. Okay, enough sweetness. I could fill a pot of it...heh.

Be serious, Shads.

Right. I’m gonna reach my point in a minute.

You’re beautiful, stunning. That night, at the gig. You stood out. And, I just had to, I’m not sure. Have you. That sleazy scumbag, Giovanni...I wondered how you ended up with a guy like him? Maybe you’ll tell me that story one day? Or write it in here for me to read?

Yeah, so...just take this to heart. You. Are. So. Damn. Beautiful.

Period.

Don’t question me on that.

Ever.

Anyway, that’s me done. Heh, that’s the most I’ve ever written, which hasn’t been a public blog to our fans on MySpace. Go figure.

Now back to our usual broadcast...

Shads.

Notes