Excited couldn’t even express the right feeling they were experiencing right now. Having to stand in the backstage with big names like Iron Maiden and ACDC after they had performed opening act for them was just overwhelming for these five new guys.

It was shown in the glow of their faces when they nodded their head, enjoying the music on stage, as the biggest fans of their favorite bands. Matt shook hands with his favorite singers, as the others greeted their favorite musicians.

Valary and Michelle watched from the sidelines, smiling at them as the boys were so starstruck right now. After they were done being dorks and biggest fans, they walked out of the backstage, still talking about the magical moments in their lives.

The twins came over to them, greeting their men by wrapping arms around them. Brian responded with a passionate kiss on Michelle’s lips while Matt was still feeling awkward to make a move. He felt surreal that the most popular girl in school was now embracing his toned waist tightly.

“Uh hey Val. You guys still waiting for us?”

“Of course we are. We came here by cab. You gotta take us home.”

Matt glanced over at Brian who already moved towards their van with the others. “I guess we should. Come on.”

“I’m gonna show you a good time on our way home, Matt..” she seduced, slowly snaking her fingers down his abs, while he held his breath upon her actions.

“Re..really? Um…okay.”

He nervously put his arm around her shoulders, earning a chuckle from her as she grabbed his wrist, tightening the wrap. As they walked together to the van, suddenly a man walked up to them, holding a small boy in his hand who excitedly jumping in glee when Jimmy greeted him.

“Hey you guys are awesome! But haven’t seen you play in Warped before. This is your first time?”

All the guys of Avenged Sevenfold who never had a fan from outside Orange County before felt flattered at once.

“Yeah, it’s our first time. You’ve seen us out there?” Matt offered his hand and the man took it.

“Of course! My son loves you guys!”

The boy – who Matt guessed his age is probably around 11, excitedly shaking hands with them and being especially crazy about Jimmy. Jimmy crouched down, meeting the kid’s eyes.

“Hey buddy. You like playing drums huh?”

“I sure do! Dad, you have to buy me a drum set! I wanna be like him! You’re awesome, man!”
Jimmy smiled and dug out behind his back pocket, bringing out a pair of drumsticks.

“Here you go. This is for you. When you get your first kit, play it using these okay?”

The kid gasped and turned to his dad immediately. He jumped in bewilderment as he took the drumsticks from Jimmy.

“Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you man!!”

“My name’s Jimmy Sullivan. Just call me The Rev. What’s your name, buddy?”

“I'm Arin. Oh my God! Dad, I have my first drumsticks!”

Jimmy got up after hugging the little boy for one last time and gave him a high five together with all the guys. They invited them to Huntington sometime, before continued to head back to the van.

---

“I bet you guys have never tried this.” Valary began, fishing something out from her designer labeled handbag, making Matt turned his head towards her.

The boys were smoking their last supply of weed while singing Enter Sandman through the radio. Brian’s arm wrapped around Michelle while Valary settled herself beside Matt comfortably.

“What’s that Val?” Jimmy yelled from the driver’s seat but his eyes still remained on the road.

“Is that…what I think it is??” Johnny scrambled from his seat and widened his eyes at the plastic bag in Valary’s hand.

“Magic mushroom.”

“Woah. Where did you get those??”

Valary sneered her gaze over to Michelle. Her twin just smiled and bit her lips while her fingers mindlessly rubbing on Brian’s chest.

“It’s a secret.” She replied, started opening the bag and a foul stench instantly roamed the vehicle. It wasn’t stinky, but the sharpness of its odor attacked their nostrils and went straight into their head.

“You wanna try one?” she softly asked Matt beside her but he hesitated. He had never done drugs farther than weed before.

“It’s okay. You’ll just get high for a while.” Valary added when she saw how reluctant Matt reacted to the drug.

Matt stared at her long, a little bit of denial working through his mind; is this the same dream girl that he was chasing for months? He had reserved Valary as an angelic image eventhough she was stuck up as hell. When he saw Valary smiled so sweetly to him, he dipped his fingers into the bag and took out a piece of a normal looking mushroom, but in darker color.

“Just eat it.”

Valary then handed out the drug over to everyone to have a taste including Jimmy, the driver. He was the first to try it out as he was curious. Then followed by Brian, Michelle, Johnny and Valary herself in that order. Zacky was sound asleep, hugging his guitar so he didn’t know what was happening.

Matt plucked up the courage to finally put the mushroom in his mouth as he watched his friends already laughing by themselves and Brian was already lost in Michelle’s embrace.

“Dude…don’t drive too fast..”

He heard Johnny mumbled and Jimmy laughed at him while taking off his hands from the wheel.

“Look, ma! No hands!”

Both of them started laughing and thank God the road was pretty clear from other vehicles as it was close to 3 in the morning. Jimmy was driving recklessly.

Matt also caught the sound of Michelle moaning in the seat in front of him and he saw Brian’s hand was already cupping her down south.

He turned to face Valary.

She smiled up to him, giggling with those luscious red lips that Matt craved so much. Her blue eyes glinting in the light and her red curly hair draped effortlessly down to her full breasts. The stench was fuming about, combined with the smoke from their pots, making him dizzy but his attention didn’t steer away from her.

“Kiss me, Matt..” she breathed. He smiled almost instantly, feeling glad that she came to see him performing for the first time.

“You came to see me..” he whispered.

She bit her lips and Matt couldn’t control anymore. He crashed his lips onto hers and at the same time his hands cupped both of her breasts, his eyes only see what he wanted to see.

Ryder…he called her inside his mind. Their tongues battled and entwined as he kneaded her breasts softly, rubbing his thumb over her cloth covered nipples. When he started to roam his hand and slipped underneath her shirt, she pulled away.

“No Matt..not here..not right now..”

He opened his eyes. The red curly haired girl was gone, and now replaced with a blonde hair with hazel eyes before him. He licked his lips in confusion and dizziness.

“You will have all of me on my birthday party, mmkay?” she seduced, cupping his wide jaw and kissed him hungrily again.

Matt went along with her nonetheless, but he swore he just saw Ryder in front of him just now.

She parted again. “And when the time comes.. I want you to surprise me. I heard rumors about you being exceptionally good in bed…you are, aren’t you?”

Matt traveled his eyes deep in hers, finding a reason for him to do this again. “You heard everything right about me, Val.”

---

When Ryder got back from Ventura, she had been locking herself in her bedroom the whole day. Consecutively playing Prince of Persia on her computer and Mario on her Nintendo, sometimes purposely waited for ShadowMaster to log online but he didn’t. Still, she couldn’t wash the thought of Matt away from her mind.

“I shouldn’t be this hurt. He’s not mine! And..I’m certainly not his.” she looked up to the mirror in her closet and started talking to it. Gazing all over her pathetic feature, she wondered how Matt can call her beautiful when all she saw was an old loser girl.

“He didn’t actually say that we’re dating, did he? He just came over and fucked me. That’s it. And you’re an idiot Ryder.” She pointed to the clear mirror.

“You are an idiot for letting him into your heart. I mean, who do you think you are? He’s younger than you for fuck’s sake. You are an adult, Ryder! Get a fucking grip and get over him!”

But Ryder couldn’t lie to herself. Definitely not to the mirror. Her face fell when she recalled how brokenhearted she felt, seeing Matt kissing with another girl. That girl probably went to the same school, but Ryder didn’t give a shit about anyone else. Her group of friends graduated a long time ago, went into college and such. And she was left alone.

I should just focus on leaving town. The sooner, the better.

She glanced around in her room; empty boxes laying everywhere, waiting to be filled.

Notes

A/N: sorry it's been long. thank you for sticking up with me. you guys are amazing <3