Danger Line

„Why exactly are we here, guys?” My eyes traveled from Johnny to Vengeance. „I mean I appreciate the scenery dudes, but you know I’m pretty much broke, right?” My eyes fixed on the champagne colored table clothes, the crimson candles and the very expensive orange juice in a champagne glass in front of me. It was some expensive place in the coast of Seattle. The napkins stated we were at the Le Pichet, which I considered a too expensive place for simple breakfast. We’d played three shows, before we stopped in Seattle. Matt said we’d be staying here for a couple of days, and guess where we stayed? The most expensive of them all – Hotel 1000. I really appreciated the Sevenfold guys doing this for us, but I wouldn’t have minded something cheaper for our band. It wasn’t like we got any kind of money from their shows.

„Chillax, Meg,” Zacky raised a glass of Chardonnay to his lips. As the usual classy Zacky Vengeance, „We just wanted to spend some time with you.”

„We’re paying, so choose whatever,” Johnny scanned the menu.

„Uh-ha,” I raised my eyebrow, „Listen guys, I’m the chick who goes to Ralph’s after some cheep midnight piss to get hammered with, I don’t do... well... this...” I gestured to our booth and the waiter refilling Johnny’s glass. Like he couldn’t have done it himself.

„What’s your point?” Johnny cut in, throwing a piece of his medium rare stake in his mouth. Stake in the morning, gee that’s really fucking healthy, dude.

„What’s my point? No guys, what’s your point?”

„Miss, are you ready to order?” The same waiter came to check if I had decided what I’ll be eating. I looked at him confusedly. He was all dressed up in a suit or smoking, I really didn’t know what he was wearing, but he was looking very much classy as fuck. It would’ve been more appropriate if I would’ve served him, cause I looked like the servant here, wearing the good old ripped jeans, and a t-shirt, which had slid down my shoulder. For the first time in my life I wished I was wearing a dress.

„Can I have just some... salad?” I quickly checked over the menu. It was in french, for Christ sake, I didn’t speak french.

„What kind of salad? We have the Salade Verte, which is absolutely stunning, but then again if you prefer something with tarragon, we can offer Salade D’endives Aux Noix Et Au Roquefort,” He said in perfect french and to be completely honest, I understood completely nothing, leaving me with a deep wrinkle between my eyebrows as I looked over the menu trying to find at least a comment in english on what’s in those things. „And finally our chef makes the most tasteful Friture De Calamar et Sa Vinaigrette Aux Lentilles et Aux Câpres”

I looked up at him expectantly. The waiter was smiling widely, while I was frowning deeply. I sighed, „Can you make me some Cesar Salad, por favor?”

„Certainly, miss,” He chuckled and soon after left.

„You know ‘por favor’ is not in french, right?” Johnny chuckled, leaving me even more embarrassed.

„I really don’t care, Johnny...” I sighed, taking a mouthful of the orange juice, „What I care about is why did you drag me here?” Right then a tall and handsome male appeared beside our table.

„I’m sorry, I’m late. The traffic is just unholy.” He excused himself and took a seat next to me.

„That’s okay man, no need to hurry,” Zacky raised his eyes from the phone, putting it on the table. „Meg, we wanted for you to meet someone...” If this was some sort of a blind date, I was going to murder that motherfucking Vengeance, „This is Ian. He’s a producer of Warner Music Group.” My eyes went wide. He wasn’t serious, he was joking, right?

„Hello Megan,” This Ian guy smiled widely, flashing me his pearly whites. Obviously Hollywood, „I’m here to talk about your band the Beautiful Wasteland.”

„Hi?” I said in a sudden high pitched voice, making Zacky raise an eyebrow on me. Pull it back together, Meg, „I’m sorry, if I would’ve known this was going to be something related to job, I would’ve—„

„That’s okay. Don’t sweat it.” He took a sip of his water, „I heard you don’t have an album yet, so I’m here to help you out. Your shows are just... mindblowing, even if it’s just four or five songs, it really leaves the audience on the edge. I’m here to offer you a contract for one album, more precisely twelve songs.”

„Okay?” I watched him, suspiciously. I knew guys like him, I knew producers, there had to be a catch, „But see, Ian? Was it Ian?”

„Yes. It’s Ian. Ian Christoph.” He smiled.

„Ian... Look... I’m a teacher, this touring... This thing what I’m doing now is just a type of vocation from the madness I experience at the Institute—„

„You’re a teacher?” Ian puckered his eyebrows, „What do you teach?”

„She teaches lead guitar in the Musician Institute,” Zacky cut in with a know-it-all smirk on his face. Ian’s eyebrows shot up. He looked genuinely surprised.

„Wow...” He exclaimed, „Even better. Now I definitely know I want to work with you. You already know it all.”

„Okay, listen, producer person, I’m not the creative musician who can come up with a fully new America. I can just improvise with old ideas.”

„That’s still called making music. Listen, I tell you what... The offer’s still up, decide if you want to co-operate and just give me a call,” He left his card on the table, „Sorry, but I must go now. I have a few other meetings, but Meg, if you change your mind, you can call me whenever. Okay?” I just nodded, completely mindblown. He left.

„Meg, what are you doing?” Zacky scolded me.

„This is your big chance. Ian is willing to make you shine, why are you refusing?”

„Guys you don’t understand... I’m not sure I can do this.” The attention, the fame, the drinking. It may be just a little too much for good old Meg. I didn’t wish to go from the regular slightly alcoholic Californian to a mad chimpanzee injecting herself with drugs and not being able to go a single day without a drop of booze.

„What? You’re perfect for this.” My eyes fixed on Zacky. I really didn’t believe I was. Megan Hills was the person to push her students towards the life of a rockstar, not jump in the scene herself. I couldn’t decide if I was the person for the job. I could honestly admit, I had my doubts about all of this. My hand went for the juice glass, swirling the contents in it.

„Meg think about your band,” Johnny started, „Do it for them. They won’t find another Meg and you won’t find another Beautiful Wasteland.”

„Who are you?” A laugh escaped me. Johnny actually was smart, believe it or not. Syn had been shit talking about him with no absolute reason.

„Why... Just the marvelous Johnny Christ.” He flashed me a beautiful smile, before the waiter brought my salad. I thanked him with a nod of my head.

„A.k.a. Short-shit.” Zacky added, before my eyes landed on something else. Or rather someone. Dark hair, chocolate brown eyes, tanned skin and tattoos all over. Synyster Gates. And then this plus one- a stunningly beautiful girl with the mentality of a homicidal psycho. I couldn’t believe I didn’t press charges for almost murder.

„Out of all places he had to come here...” I mumbled, resting my head in my palm.

„Who on earth are you talking about?” Zacky questioned, looking around, finally noticing what had been the cause of my sudden mood swing. „Is it Syn?”

„No, it’s the motherfucking pope...” I hissed, stabbing the chicken in my salad. I pretended for it to be Haner’s face. Why was I so angry with him yet again? Oh right, cause he choose that psycho maniac over his best friend. Was I jealous? No, I was fucking hurt.

„Where?” I raised my eyebrows on Johnny seeing how he really searched the perimeter for the pope.

„Are you serious, Johnny?” I watched him in pure disbelief. Fine. I take it back about him being smart.

„Is he with Kathy?” So he was just playing dumb...

„He’s always with her... He even travels on the roadie bus now...” I whined. Actually I longed for our time together, for our talks, for our insults. Man, I missed the guy. It’s been two weeks since the incident and we haven’t talked ever since.

„You both had a fight?” Zacky asked as Syn and his mistress sat down in a booth just a couple tables from us.

„Not that I can remember...”

„Then why aren’t you talking? You both were in-separable.” Were. Exactly. Past tense.

„We did have a fight... I just don’t remember it.” I explained, raising my eyes to them just to see Syn laughing about something Kathy had said.

„Was it after the first show? When you smashed Kathy’s head against the counter?” Johnny asked excitedly. I did... What? Suddenly I lost all my appetite. I leaned back in my seat.

„I remember no such thing, Johnny...” My eyebrows puckered together as I watched him frown.

„You were in fact pretty smashed.” He explained.

„Aren’t you confusing me with Bails? I’m not aggressive when I’m drunk...” Quite honestly? Just the opposite. I usually hug and say I love everyone.

„Oh right, I remember,” Zacky exclaimed with a satisfied smile on his physiognomy, „She was shit talking both about you and Michelle and I think you had had it, but as far as I remember you didn’t start the fight. She did.”

„Okay... Matt didn’t tell me this. I thought I got in a fight with her... like verbally.”

„Sure, Twinks. Verbally...” Zacky rolled his eyes, laughing tasty. „Kathy is anything but verbal, more than oral.” I raised my eyebrow, with an amused smirk on my face, before he explained, „She’s the roadie slut.”

„What?” This was my time to explode in laughter. I knew she was a slut- Syn’s slut- but that she was a slut in general- that was something new.

„Yep, she blowed Jason just this morning.” Okay, that’s something I don’t need to know.

„Then why haven’t you told him?”

„Cause he never listens when it comes to that chick.”

„He thinks she’s a saint or something,” Johnny added, while taking a mouthful of wine.

„Shit... Enough with her. Just talking about her gives me headache,” Zacky rubbed his temple, „Better let’s talk about tonight’s show.”

„What about it?” I put a piece of salad in my mouth.

„Halloween’s not far... Matt had this idea of dressing up for the show,”

„But it’s just an Avenged thing, if you don’t want to—„ Johnny explained. Hmm... Halloween, the perfect chance to dress as slutty as it’s possible, with no judgment from others.

„No, no...” I fixed my eyes on the table just a short distance from us. Syn noticed me and for a second our eyes met, but he turned away rather quickly, laughing at something his future fiancé told him, „It’s cool.” I smirked, „I have just the idea what I want to be...”

I divided people in to types- friends or enemies. If Synyster Gates didn’t want to be my friend anymore, he has only one choice left.

______

„The bride of Frankenstein?” Chris looked at me with an amused smirk as I did my hair. These colored hairsprays really were the deal. It looked like I had genuinely gray hair, starting from my roots and going all the way up. I didn’t want to go with the casual look so obviously I made my hair to look like I was the survivor of the electric chair, which made me go almost completely gray.

„More like the tramp of Frankenstein,” Bailey added, not even gracing me with a glance, but just throwing a chip in her mouth as she surfed through the channels on the tv.

„That’s the point...” I finished curling the last strand before I walked a few steps back to see my full reflection. Pale face and extra dark eyes? Check. Lustful red lips? Cheeck. The infamous Frankenstein bride’s hair. Double check! Trashy short black dress? Triple check! Teared up stockings? Quadruple check! „This dress nearly cost me a liver, so it better do the trick.” I turned around, checking my behind. The dress barely covered my ass, but thank god a transparent lace fabric went all over it, all the way to my feet. It wasn’t much, but at least it was something. Still looked like a skank, but I guess that was Meg’s rockstar image, just like Brian was Synyster Gates- the eternal stud- on stage, I was this... tramp.

„What trick?” Chris flunked down on my bed, „Don’t tell me some poor bastard hurt you... Meg, let me break his neck, it will be less painful than... this...” He pointed out to my look. I smirked.

„It’s the point dumbass.” Bailey commented, emptying her beer. „Don’t you remember how she was when you just met her? She knows how to make your kind suffer.”

„My kind?”

„Yeah. Morons.”

„Gee thanks.”

„Tell me Meg... Who’s the unlucky fellow...”

„It’s Gates.” Bailey said.

„Gates?” Chris exclaimed as I walked over to my suitcase and pulled out a my rockstar dancing boots. I was mental enough to wear a full length dress, but I was not mental enough to go out on stage and risk with a broken neck just because I’d wore stripper heals. „I thought you were pals, Meg. Why are you doing this?”

„We were pals. Until he decided to play the diva and pretend to be extremely hurt when I said him what I thought about his stupid obsession with that psycho.” I sighed, fixing my dress, „Enough with that. Better tell me what are you going to be.”

„Why Jack the Ripper of course...” he grinned.

„Wise choice. And you Bails?”

„Me. I’m scary enough. I don’t need to dress up.” She shrugged. No Halloween spirit, huh? Cool.

„Do you know what Frank’s gonna be?”

„I think he was running around in a Werewolf costume.” I chuckled. After all he was the goofiest and the most kind hearted rockstar I knew.

_______

„Excuse me? And who are you supposed to be?” Syn hissed seeing me. Okay? I hoped our first talk after weeks of mutual silence would be slightly different, so you have to understand my surprise when his look murdered me in twenty different ways. Oh, and don’t forget the anger.

„Are you blind? It looks like I’m your fucking bride,” If only he wasn’t Frankenstein, but it clearly looked like it was exactly who he wished to be. It’s just my luck.

„My bride is talking to Zacky right now.” He said proudly, making me search for Vengeance just to see him unwillingly having a small talk with Kathy. Who looked nothing like the bride of Frankenstein. More like a ghost, who’s hair had gone on a wild rampage.

„I don’t believe polygamy is allowed in this state.” Yes, I was a wise know-it-all. A proud smirk engulfed on my face.

„If you’re not here to apologize, just...” he sighed heavily, „Turn around and leave.”

„Excuse me?” He was the one who fucking ran into me!

„I don’t believe I will, Hills.”

„Oh so now we’re addressing each other with surnames?”

„Meg, are you coming?” Frank questioned moving his way to up on the stage.

„Just a second,” I replied, never moving my eyes away from Syn’s powdered face.

„You need to go, so just fucking go.” He hissed and I noticed his clenched fists.

„Watch it Gates,” I pointed my finger to him, being just a moment from taking this palm and smacking him hard straight across that beautiful face of his, „No one talks to me like this. Not even you.”

„Then know your place, Hills. Remember who got you here.” He stepped closer, his eyes turning black with anger pulsating in them, „You are nothing without me, just a mere teacher from Huntington Beach.” I clenched my teeth, listening. And it seemed he won’t stop anytime soon, „I should’ve left you there to rot, if I would’ve known you’d be this ungrateful.”

Fine, I had had it. I slapped him hard, making him jerk his face to the side. The sound echoed throughout the backstage, making both his band mates and the technicians to look at us. Slowly, almost hesitantly he turned his head back to look at me, „I owe you nothing, you stupid piece of shit! You didn’t make me, you don’t own me! I am not your brainless groupie who catches your every word like it’s my very last breath of air. And what goes to the insults- I never considered apologizing to you. Just to set things straight- I never will! You’re not even worth my time. I should’ve followed Michelle and ditched your ass, but I guess she was smarter and decided to divorce you sooner!”

His anger dropped and now he was staring at me completely blank, „Michelle... is divorcing... she’s divorcing me?”

Shit. I didn’t want to go there. And that was the exact same moment when I decided to catch the first plane to LA.

Notes