(This is what Zacky wears on the date)




“Zacky!” I yelled happily as I jumped into his arms. He laughed and spun me around before setting me back down. “I haven’t seen you in forever!”
“I know.” Zach answered as he pulled me into a normal hug. “I went to your apartment first and it looked like a ghost town. When was the last time you were home?”
“… A long time ago.” I answered, pursing my lips. “I guess Emma has been staying with Johnny while I’ve been with Brian. I haven’t stayed with her in a few weeks.”
“You guys are best friends that live together… and yet you both haven’t stayed in your own home for a few weeks…” Zach repeated, giving me a look. I sighed and nodded, lowering my head in shame.
“I know, we’re horrible people.” I murmured. “I’ll make plans with her for next week or something.”
“You better. I wouldn’t like to have Avenged be the reason you guys aren’t friends anymore,” Zach sighed, looking slightly sullen. I shook my head violently, which made him give me a confused look.
“You guys aren’t. We always do this; when we have boyfriends, our friends disappear to us.” I said lightly, rubbing his arm. He grinned and I returned it.
“It’s a good thing you guys don’t own animals then, or else they’d be dead.” Zach mused, laughing a little. I giggled and rolled my eyes.
“So what brings you to Haner Manor?” I asked, looking over to Brian. He was snoozing in the living room on his couch, half of his body hanging off of the edge. Zach rolled his eyes before shaking his head and looking back at me. Suddenly he got all nervous and began licking his lips.
“So, uh, I have something to ask you.” Zach began, his hand going to the back of his neck. I smirked and motioned for him to continue. “I… I want to go on a date with Jordyn.”
“Really?” I exclaimed, loudly enough that Brian woke up from his nap and fell to the floor. Zach and I laughed as he crashed to the floor and began screaming obscenities when his forearm hit the hard part of the couch.
“Yeah,” Zach mumbled, looking back at me. He gave me a shy smile and I smiled at him. “She’s just really pretty and I want to get to know her.”
“Have you talked to her since the party at my house?” I asked, giving him a hopeful look. Jordyn and Zach would be cute together, and I’m always up for helping friends get partners. It makes me feel like a match maker. Zach pursed his lips and gave me a guilty look, but before I could respond, Brian scoffed.
“C’mon dude, you haven’t talked to her in like two weeks. What makes you think she’ll be interested?” Brian snickered, smirking. Zach narrowed his eyes at Brian before letting out a sigh of defeat.
“I’m desperate.” Zach started. I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms over his chest. His eyes widened and he rubbed his face. “That sounded really bad. That’s not what I meant. I mean she’s single and beautiful and I’m a lonely rock star. Please can you help me out here?”
“Fine. What do you need help with?” I groaned. Zach smiled widely and hugged me before going back to being an awkward turtle.
“I need you to ask her if she wants to go out, and then if she says yes I need you to tell me what to do, what to wear, and where to bring her.” Zach listed. I pursed my lips to keep myself from laughing, and Zach noticed. He sighed and was about to saying something when Brian laughed loudly.
“Oh my God, Vengeance!” Brian roared, his hand going over his stomach. Zach grimaced, which just made Brian laugh more. “You are a fucking rock star! And you’re asking Kid to reteach you how to get a fucking girl!”
“Well, I’m sorry, Gates, but I unfortunately don’t have girls just coming up to me asking to be friends with benefits like you do.” Zach retorted, sending me a look. I smirked and glanced at Brian, who was still laughing with a smile of triumph on his face.
“Sure Zacky, I’ll set up everything for you.” I said, rubbing his arm. He hugged me again and I pulled my phone out, sending a text to Jordyn about a date with Zach. She answered back immediately, saying she’d love to. I looked over and smiled at Zach, who was staring anxiously at me. “She said yes.” Zach grinned widely and I smirked before letting out a breath. “Now let’s get you dressed and I’ll teach you how to talk to a girl.”
“Okay.” Zach agreed happily, bouncing like a puppy. I laughed and went over to Brian.
“Okay baby, I’ll be back in a little bit. Don’t start the house on fire.” I planted a kiss on Brian’s lips before walking back to Zach’s side and heading out to the car. I went over to the passenger’s seat and slid myself in, with Zach following my actions. He started the car and began driving to his house, staying silent. I stared at him for a while, catching how oddly quiet he was. I assumed it was because he was nervous about the date, but something about his face tells me he was thinking about something other than that. Zach soon noticed my staring and smiled a little.
“What?” He asked, raising his eyebrows a little. I tilted my head to the side slightly, concentrating on his facial features. He looked slightly concerned, but at the same time he looked amused and curious.
“Whatcha thinking ‘bout?” I asked, making my voice sounding childish. Zach laughed a little and shook his head, his gaze going back to the road.
“Just the date,” Zach replied, although his face tensed up a bit. I could tell it wasn’t the whole truth, and him licking his lips proved it. Zach licked his lips when he was concentrating or when he was really nervous about something, and even though he apparently forgot all knowledge about taking a girl on a date, he doesn’t seem extremely nervous about it.
“You’re not telling me the truth.” I stated. Zach gave me a look and I returned it. He sighed and avoided eye contact.
“I don’t know… I feel like this ‘friends with benefits’ thing is going too far,” Zach admitted, chewing on one of his snakebites. I stared at Zach with wide eyes, completely perplexed by his observation.
“…What?” I said, keeping myself from stuttering. Zach let out a breath and pulled onto his street, still not making eye contact with me.
“I mean, come on, Kid. You and Brian have been together every day since you started this whole thing. You’ve barely seen your best friend and you guys call each other pet names when no one is around.” Zach exclaimed. I stared at him in bafflement.
“Yeah, but-“
“Dude. You guys kiss and act all cute together when no one else is around. Didn’t you say you guys would only be acting together around Matt and Gayle?” Zach interrupted me. I sunk into my seat a little, realizing how right he was. He noticed and smirked a little, which made me irritated.
“I don’t like being home alone and Emma is almost always with Johnny. And even though we said it would just be an act, I’m lonely and I think Brian is too. We don’t have feelings for each other, Zach.” I said sternly. He just sent me a glance and I groaned, about to throw a bitch fit. “You know what? You’re sounding a lot like Emma and it’s pissing me off.”
“What do you-“
“When she thought me and you were together, she’d point out things that made it seem like we were. We were never together, but she didn’t believe me.” I snapped. Zach opened his mouth but I stopped him. “Now you’re pointing out things that you think are pointing to an actual relationship and-“
“Kid, I never said I thought you guys were dating.” Zach interjected, sending me a glare. I sunk into my seat and crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m just saying that I think it’s going a little too far.”
“Whatever.” I grumbled, looking away from him. Zach groaned as he turned off the car. I realized we had gotten to his house already and we were both just fighting in his driveway with his car still running. I stepped out and stalked into his house, still irritated with Zach. I had to admit, I could see how my overall behavior with Brian would make him think things are getting like that, but him of all people should know that things aren’t what they seem. I liked Brian’s company, and he liked mine. But it wasn’t because there were secret feelings, it was because we were both secretly lonely and having each other was nice. I didn’t have feelings for Brian; or, at least not any serious feelings.
I walked up to Zach’s room and went straight to his closet to pick out clothes for tonight. I heard Zach enter his room, but I didn’t look back at him as I went through his closet. Band shirt, band shirt, band shirt, band shirt, oh hey!- Band shirt.
“Do you want to dress fancy or do you want to go as yourself?” I asked, not turning towards him. Most of my anger had dissipated, but I was still slightly irritated with him. I heard him let out a breath, but I still refused to look at him.
“I don’t know.” He replied simply. I rolled my eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.
“Well, I told her you guys were gonna go downtown, so I guess we’ll just put you into your checkered button-up shirt, blue jeans, and suspenders.” I told him as I pulled out exactly what I was talking about. “She already thinks you’re adorable, why not just put you into a cute outfit.”
“Thanks,” Zach mumbled shyly. I laid the clothes out for him on his bed, in which he immediately grabbed them and went to his bathroom. I sat on his bed and talked to Jordyn about the date plans until Zach came out, dressed in what I gave him. I smiled and gave him a thumbs up, and he smiled. I patted the seat in front of me and he sat down, giving me a hopeful look.
“Okay. So I suggest taking her to some sort of café and just sitting down and learning about her,” I started, thinking of things that Zach could do. Zach nodded and I did as well. “And then if stuff goes well bring her home and bang her.”
“… You know what… I could have gotten the same answer if I went to anyone else.” Zach sighed, face palming. I laughed loudly before rubbing his shoulder.
“Just bring her and ask her questions about herself.” I restated. Zach nodded and stood up.
“Okay. Am I picking her up?” He asked.
“No. She’s gonna meet you at said café that I told you to bring her to.” I shook my head. He nodded and checked his pocket for his wallet and other things before looking back at me.
“Thanks, Kid. I’ll call and tell you how it goes later,” Zach said, waving to me. I returned the wave and watched as he went down his stairs. Awe, young love.
*Zacky’s POV*
“Hey Jordyn,” I greeted as I walked up to the café in downtown Huntington. I hadn’t been down there in forever, mostly because I didn’t feel the need to. It was cool to walk around in, but I wouldn’t say it had the best shops to look at. Jordyn stood up from her chair and I couldn’t help but check her out. She was wearing a light blue summer dress that made her eyes look brighter next to the color. She smiled and I returned it. “How strange that we ran into each other. Is there a reason you’re looking more beautiful than normal?”
“That’s really sweet, Zacky,” Jordyn blushed, looking down shyly. I grinned and she bit her lip. “I came here because I got a text from my friend that I was going on a date with Zacky fucking Vengeance.”
“Well I’m sure Zacky fucking Vengeance will think you look absolutely stunning.” I complimented, feeling slightly silly that I was talking about myself in third person. Jordyn let out a giggle and blushed again, and it was downright adorable. We stood there for about a minute, both of us just silently staring at each other. Finally, I cleared my throat and sent her a soft smile. “So how about I buy us some coffee and then we can sit out here and get to know each other?”
“That’s sounds wonderful.” Jordyn replied, smiling shyly. I extended my hand for her and she took it quickly, which made me chuckle a little. She sent me an embarrassed smile and looked down. “Sorry, it’s just that you’re the Zacky Vengeance and you wanted to go out with me.”
“I wouldn’t expect any less of you, Hun.” I said, unable to stop smiling. This girl was so cute, she reminded me of a teddy bear. I felt kind of bad though, because even though I was still nervous for going on a date for the first time in a while, it felt like there was some awkward wall between us. I didn’t know whether I was putting it up or it was just there by chance, but it made me feel like we couldn’t really connect because of it. Jordyn looked up at me and smiled before I walked up to the counter. “What would you like?”
“A white mocha frappe with whip cream and chocolate shavings.” Jordyn said smoothly. This was obviously her normal drink.
“Okay. Can I have a white mocha frappe with whip cream and chocolate shavings and… a cold caramelicious with whip cream and caramel drizzling.” I ordered to the girl behind the counter. She nodded and gave me my total and a number. I paid for Jordyn’s drink and we stepped back for a little bit as we awaited our drinks. We both avoided eye contact before I finally cleared my throat and looked at her. “So how exactly did you meet Kid?”
“You mean Jaycee?” Jordyn asked, turning her head slightly. I nodded and she returned it. “My friends Jamison, TJ and I all saw her just standing alone at the bar in Liquid. She looked nice and lonely, so we all went up to her and began talking. Later that night we all got drunk and slept over at her house.”
“Uh, Yeah, sorry about walking in on your sleepover.” I apologized, sending her a small smile. She laughed and rubbed my arm.
“It was no problem, really.” Jordyn assured me. I smiled and she laughed again, looking a little pink and she let out a small breath. “But one thing is for sure; it sure as hell was a nice surprise to wake up to Zacky Vengeance in the living room of your new friend’s house.”
“What were you thinking when you saw me?” I asked, curiosity taking over. Kid said when I was there that Jordyn was eye-fucking me. I could somewhat tell, but I was a little distracted because I was eye-fucking her. Jordyn was absolutely gorgeous, and I really hoped this date worked out. I didn’t expect to bone her today, or even in the next few dates- if there are any. Of course I was getting a little antsy, but I’m a guy and I haven’t been with a girl in a while. I couldn’t wait for touring, because girls swarm like flies during tours.
“Honestly?” She asked. I nodded and she blushed. “At first I was thinking ‘holy mother of God what is Zacky fucking Vengeance doing in my friend’s house?’ But then as we began talking I was like ‘Damn, he’s even better looking in person.’”
“Well, it’s really nice to hear that.” I commented, smiling at her. She returned the smile and I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. I stared into her wide eyes, which was almost as though I was staring into my own eyes. Jordyn had such big green eyes that they were seriously captivating; I guess I could understand what it’s like to be a fan now. She was staring back at me with equal amounts of intensity and I was about to lean in for a kiss when our coffee was called. We both jumped, obviously forgetting that we were in a coffee shop. I awkwardly stepped away from her and grabbed our coffee before returning to her and motioning for Jordyn to follow me outside. We picked a nice seat and sat down, but staying silent. After the failed attempt of kissing her, I felt really uncomfortable, and it looked like she did too. We sipped on our coffee for a little bit, being completely and utterly silent. “So do you want to play the question game?”
“Sure. How about we both answer to the question asked,” Jordyn added to my suggestion, and I nodded in agreement. She smiled and looked down at her coffee, still seeming slightly uncomfortable. “You first.”
“Okay, how about your favorite color?” I started, picking an easy question. “Mine is green.”
“Red.” Jordyn answered simply. I nodded and she scrunched her mouth up in thought. “Hmm…What’s your favorite movie? Mine is Tangled.”
“Aren’t you a little old for that movie?” I chuckled, trying to fight back a smile when I looked up at her.
“Never!” Jordyn gasped in mock horror. I laughed and she chimed in with me, which made me stop in awe. Her laugh was like bells, and if you listened closely she snorted a little. I stared at Jordyn with soft eyes, marveling at how stunning she is. She stopped laughing and smiled at me, which made me pull out of my examination of her.
“Mine is Die Hard.” I answered, smiling proudly. Man, did I love that movie. Jordyn scoffed and rolled her eyes.
“How predictable.” Jordyn mumbled. I raised my eyebrows at her and she rolled her eyes again before leaning back in her chair. “Favorite TV show.”
“Easy. Criminal minds.” I answered simply. Jordyn let out another scoff and I clicked my tongue. “Lemme guess, yours is SpongeBob?”
“No. RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Jordyn replied, looking slightly pink. I looked at her with wide eyes and she cleared her throat before scratching the back of her head uncomfortably. “So, uh, next question.”
“Okay… favorite restaurant.” I suggested, running out of things to ask her. She gave me a thoughtful look for a second before tapping her nails on the table.
“Long Horn’s Steak House.” Jordyn said. I nodded and she stared at me patiently as she awaited my answer, and I racked my brain to find one. I didn’t really have a favorite restaurant, so I told her that.
“No where really.” I explained. She gave me a curious look and I smirked. “As long as the food is good I could care less.”
“Touché.” She nodded and smiled. I returned it and we both sat in awkward silence, just staring at her. I was having fun, but now I didn’t know what to do. I was a little rusty on the whole dating thing, given that my last real relationship was sophomore year of high school with some slut who cheated on me after 7 months. It stayed silent between until her phone rang, which made us both jump. She fumbled through her purse until she pulled out her phone, swiping to answer whoever was calling. “Hello?... Demi, you’re kidding right?... But I’m on a date!... You can’t be- Okay, okay fine. I’ll be there soon.” She hung up and let out an irritated sigh before looking over at me. I stared at her innocently and she gave me a sad smile. “That’s my stupid older sister. She got kicked out of a bar—go figure. I’m sorry, I have to go.”
“That’s fine.” I said, waving it off. I was kind of sad that she had to go, but at the same time I was relieved. If we would have sat there any longer, it would have gotten more awkwardly silent and it might have ruined our date completely. Jordyn stood up and I followed after her, walking her to her car. I wanted to kiss her, but I didn’t know if she wanted to. I guess I’d have to wing it. We reached her car and she turned around to give me a small smile. I returned it and looked at her phone, which was still in her hand. “Oh hey, let me see your phone.” She handed it to me and I put in my number in it. She grinned before glancing at my lips. I sighed, wanting to kiss her so much. We stood there silently for a minute before she pursed her lips and opened her car door. She waved awkwardly goodbye to me and I returned it. As she drove away I had one thing on my mind.
“Why the fuck did I not kiss her?” I said aloud to myself.