Avery’s POV

“Avery?”

I closed the lid of my suitcase and looked out my bedroom door to see my best friend, Maya leaning against the frame. She had her tattooed arms crossed as she watched me with an amused smirk. There was always a hint of mystery and adventure in her dark eyes, and the look she was giving me was no exception. Maya looked like she had a secret that she wasn’t letting on, telling me that I was about to freak out over what she was going to tell me.

“Yeah?” I asked, meeting her eyes as she stood up to her full height.

Maya was a good head taller than me with elbow length dark brown hair and equally dark brown eyes. In my opinion she was drop dead gorgeous and it was no wonder why guys flocked to her when we went out. Not to mention that she was the life of the party and didn’t give a damn about what other people thought. I didn’t have the courage to do half of the shit she did and I envied her for that.

“What time is your dad supposed to be here?”

I sighed and looked down at my phone to check the time. Maya had already asked me that question at least three times this morning. That told me she was either trying to figure out if she had time to smoke a Mary Jane or that she hadn’t finished packing yet. Either was a viable option when it came to the spitfire but I was betting on the prior. You see, in all the years I have known Maya, she has always struggled with time management. Thank goodness it was one of my strong suits. I would bet money that if she hadn’t had me as a roommate freshman year that she would have flunked out.

“Dad should be here anytime now. He said he’d be here at noon and its 11:58, but knowing him and his schedule, it will be more like one. Just make sure you’re ready to go when he gets here,” I said, looking around my bare walls.

It always felt weird to pack up your entire life at the end of the school year and move back home. The apartment didn’t feel the same without all our décor or pictures, but I could still vividly recall the memories Maya and I had made over the last few years. I still couldn’t believe that we were going to be seniors in the fall—Oh my god we are graduating in a year! Where had the time gone?

Maya chuckled and shook her head. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, I’ll be ready when daddy-dearest gets here. I always am, aren’t I?”

Now it was my turn to laugh. I didn’t believe for a second that she was ready to go. I knew her too well; I mean we had been friends since middle school. I was pretty sure that I knew her better than she knew herself. For example, I know that as soon as she turns around she is going to sprint back into her room and just start throwing shit into boxes. It’s the same thing she’s done every time we’ve moved.

“What? Don’t give me that look Ave, I’m already packed.” I snorted and shot her a skeptical look. I didn’t believe that for a second. “I’m serious, come check.”

“You’re pulling my leg aren’t you?” I walked toward her bedroom and my jaw dropped to see everything very neatly packed and labeled. “Okay, who are you and what have you done with Maya Brandon? Are you sick?” I asked with mock concern as I put my hand to her forehead. She had to have a fever to do this. Well, unless she was scheming something. That’s when I caught those mischievous dark orbs again. “What are you planning?”

Maya moved over to her bed and pulled her UCLA hoodie over her head. “Nothing. Can’t a girl just organize and be ready to get out of this shit hole for once in her life?”

“I guess…” I wasn’t buying it. Something was up and it was all hiding in her eyes. I just had to decode it but just at that minute there was a firm knock on the door. “That must be dad, but don’t think this is over, Miss Brandon! I will find out what you’re scheming,” I warned as I walked over to answer the door, hearing her laugh evilly behind me.

“There’s my baby girl!” My dad cried as I opened the door to my apartment. He pulled me into a rib-cracking hug and kissed my cheek, knocking off my beanie in the process. He was always so happy to see me. I just didn’t understand why he always acted like he hadn’t seen me in three years. I mean I was home last weekend for dinner. Well, as much as you could call me eating alone while dad was on the phone dinner. I guess he was trying to clean up yet another Avenged mess. He was always doing something for them or his company World Audience.

So why was dad cleaning up after Avenged Sevenfold? Well, he’s their manager and has been for five or six years now. That’s so cool, right? Except not. Those guys put my dad through the ringer with their crazy requests, tour scheduling, babysitting their drunk asses, and don’t forget their stupid stunts. For example, I guess one of them got arrested when they were in Europe last month for killing a pigeon. Can you believe that? They killed an innocent animal. The thought made me sick. Anyway, dad had to fly out to fix that mess instead of being on vacation. Don’t get me wrong, I love their music, but I had met them a few times over the years and I hadn’t been impressed. Granted, they were too drunk at the parties to even remember who I was. And the worst part was that I didn’t even remember what they looked like. I only knew their names and that they were two or three years older than us.

“Hey dad,” I smiled, happy to see him. “You’re on time. I’m impressed,” I teased. “I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

“Hey now, I can be on time when need be.” He looked all defensive and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, miss-perfect are you and Maya ready to go?”

“Yeah, just let me—“

“Hey, Mr. Jacobson,” Maya said coming out of her room with her luggage and hugging my dad. We had basically adopted her into our family because she didn’t really have anyone. Hell, she even had her own room at our house and I was happy to have a sister. “You’re lookin’ good.”

“Thanks, Maya. It’s good to see you too. It’ll be nice to have you both home again,” he replied with a genuine smile on his face. I knew he must get lonely in that big house by himself, specially since mom died a few years ago.

“Who are you kidding Mr. J, you just don’t want to have to cook,” Maya laughed, and my dad simply shrugged. “See I knew there was a reason you let me live with you. It’s my special ability to make the world’s best Ramen or Kraft macaroni and cheese.”

Dad laughed and threw his hands up in the air. “You caught my, Maya. Guilty as charged,” he played along. “Let’s get moving. I’ve got a phone conference at three and golf with Matt after that.”

I rolled my eyes as dad grabbed a hand full of Maya’s and my luggage and headed for the car. This wouldn’t take long if we each took a load out considering that half of the stuff was staying here over the summer. I was looking forward to having a relaxing summer vacation in Huntington Beach and maybe even looking for a job to earn some extra cash. I couldn’t wait to just sit by the pool and read and sunbath with Maya all day. Damn, it was going to be a great summer, especially if we had the house all to ourselves. Which was very likely because dad usually went on tour with the booze brothers.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked Maya as we walked toward the car, only to see my dad on his cell phone. Of course he couldn’t go a few hours without a problem and considering that dad was pinching the bridge of his nose, it must be a good one.

Maya threw her stuff in the trunk and shrugged. “What plan? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Oh, so now she was going to play dumb. She knew I hated it when I was out the loop so what was she playing at today?

“Come on, you always have a plan for the first night of summer vacation. And don’t you dare say a ‘nice relaxing evening at home’ because I know that’s a crock of shit!” I hissed in playful manner.

“Listen Matt, I’m picking up my daughter from UCLA, I’ll be back in about two hours,” Dad sighed into the phone as his hand rubbed up and down on his neck. Of course it was Matt. It was always him or Zacky calling dad with a problem. “I know we leave in a couple of days for tour…yes. I understand that. I will make sure we have someone to man the booth and please tell Brian not screw the employees. Then we wont have this problem.”

“Sounds like there is trouble in paradise,” Maya whispered in my ear, inching closer to my dad to eavesdrop. I swear it was her favorite pastime. “Sounds like Mr. Playboy Gates has left the band fucked again. Not that I wouldn’t fuck him.”

I raised my eyebrow at her as she gave me a wicked smile. She was always so carefree when it came to sex and ‘fun’ as she called it. I guess I was a little bit more reserved. No, I’m not a prude or a virgin. I just was careful whom I slept with—my rule was no sex before a relationship. But don’t tell my dad that I’m not a virgin, I’m sure he’d me mortified.

“Matt, I will find a new person to work the merch table, don’t worry. This is my job, remember? It’s why you guys hired me. I’ll get someone ASAP. I’ll see you at the phone conference this evening. Yep. Bye.” Dad said before hanging up and turning to look at us. “Sorry about that.”

“So you’re looking for someone to work the merchandise table on tour?” Maya so boldly asked as we pulled away from the apartment. I had to give her credit because I didn’t have the balls to ask what I was thinking. “What happened?”

Dad chuckled and looked at us through the rearview mirror. “Oh, just the usual. They guys fucked around with employees and they quit. No worries though, I’ve got three days to find a replacement to go on the road for three months or more.” He just shrugged like it was no big deal at all. Wasn’t he stressed about that? I totally would be. “So how’s that job search been going?”

I scoffed and looked back up at him. Did he actually think I started that already? I was going to enjoy a week of freedom without work before I even looked into that. “Not yet, but we will soon.”

“Where were you thinking of applying? Maybe I can help before I go on the road.”

“I’m not actually too sure just something easy that will be fun and make lots of money—“ I started before Maya started talking a mile a minute.

“Wait, I’ve got the most brilliant idea and you’ll both want to kiss me, I swear!” Maya interrupted, practically bouncing up and down with excitement as she looked between us. “What if you’ve just found your two new merch girls? Huh? What do you say Mr. J?”

My dad’s eyebrows furred before he shook his head. “Yeah, I don’t think so. Thanks for the offer though.” That’s what he said, but the expression on his face told me that he was actually considering it as an option. “The roadie bus on a tour is no place for two wholesome girls.” Maya had to bite her knuckle to stop from laughing. If only dad knew how many guys had stumbled out of her bedroom in the middle of the night. Oh, he would lock her up and me for being around her. But not me, I was good girl if you will. I guess I could be consider wholesome…or at least a daddy’s girl. I did everything he asked without even giving it a second thought.

“Aww, come on, Mr. J,” Maya pleaded, shooting her puppy-dog eyes into my father’s mirror. “You know that you don’t want to spend the whole summer without seeing us. You know you’ll miss your precious little girl and what a better place for her to be is with you so you can keep an eye on her?” I gapped at how bold Maya was. Was I really that concerned about pleasing my father? Okay, so maybe I was, but he and Maya were all I had. I just wanted to make sure that they were happy.

Dad sighed as we turned onto the interstate. “I’ll think about it. It’s not my favorite option but its not a bad one either.”

“I promise you wont regret it if you hire me,” Maya promised and we all laughed. We all knew that hiring Maya would entail a lot of work, patience, and a really good alarm clock.

The rest of the ride home was uneventful and rather boring. I was pretty sure that I passed out on Maya’s shoulder halfway through the ride and didn’t wake up until we pulled in our driveway.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, sleeping beauty,” Maya teased, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. “You were humming in your sleep again. Sounded like a good tune.” I blushed lightly, hating that embarrassing little habit of mine. Why couldn’t I just snore like a normal person? Nope I had to freaking hum and be a weirdo. Like being a short little gnome wasn’t bad enough, lets add a sleeping nightmare to the mix.

“Well I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I muttered, getting out of the car and grabbing my bags. I hightailed it into the house and up to my bedroom, crashing down on my bed as soon as I got in the door. “Ahh…bed I missed you,” I moaned, feeling the plush mattress underneath me. Damn this bed was comfortable. I rolled over on my back and looked up at the ceiling, my eyelids still feeling heavy.

“Oh, don’t you even dare think about going to sleep, Ave,” Maya said, appearing in my door a couple of minutes late. “We’ve got plans.” She looked down at her phone with a mischievous smirk on her lips.

“Yeah what are these plans?” I asked her, my eyes still closed. “Last I knew, you weren’t planning anything.”

“I didn’t plan this,” she simply stated. “I was just invited. No, we were just invited to a party tonight. So put your shit away, pick out your hottest little dress, get dolled up because we are going to high end party.

I sat up in my bed and looked at her with a dropped jaw. “How did we get invited to high end party?” I gapped, still not believing her. This had to be some kind of joke.

“I have my sources. Now get moving because I know you take forever putting stuff away and getting ready. By the time you’re pleased with your look, it will be eight and time to go.” And with that, Maya turned on her heel and left my room. “Come on, I want to get both you and I laid tonight.” Yeah, like that was going to happen.

I looked down at my phone to see that it was almost four in the afternoon. Maya was right, by the time I got my stuff put away, picked out an outfit, showered, styled, and applied makeup, it would be time to go. I just hope that she wasn’t leading me into a pack of wolves.

By the time eight o’clock rolled around, I was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, looking at my reflection. I was wearing a short black cutout dress, with thin straps and a low cut back. I dressed it up with a pair of black studded stilettos to make me a little taller; the diamond earrings dad gave me for Christmas; and some red lipstick. I had straightened my elbow length brown hair and flipped part of it over my head.

“Damn, girl you look good. Are you ready?” Maya said, appearing at the doorway. She looked breathtaking in her black dress that hugged her every curve and showed off her tattoos. She always looked freaking amazing.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I sighed, hoping Maya wouldn’t get us into too much trouble. “Do you think my dad would be mad if he saw me like this?”

“Who the fuck cares? He’s out with that Matt guy for dinner right now anyway. I guess they went golfing today, or at least that’s what he said while you were in the bathroom for five hours,” Maya explained as we got in my car and headed to the ritzy part of town. “Besides you’re twenty-two years old. It’s time for you to stop caring so much about what he thinks.”

I chewed my bottom lip at her words, still feeling uneasy about all this. I had always followed the rules and went with the flow. I didn’t think I was quite ready or willing to go outside of my comfort zone. I would just stay in the safe zone for now.

“And here we are!” Maya squeaked as I parked my car at the end of the street. It was the closest parking place to the mansion with loud music blaring.

“Jesus…how did you manage us this party?” I gapped as we walked up to the house. I was in awe of how big this house.

“Don’t worry about it and just shut up and enjoy,” she said and rang the doorbell. Seconds later a man with heavily tattooed arms, spiked hair, and gorgeous brown eyes opened the door with a cigarette hang out of his mouth. He was laughing at something someone behind him was saying before he turned to us with a smile, his eyes lingering on me for a moment.

“What’s the code word, ladies?” Oh, damn, even his voice sounded sexy.

“City of Evil.” Maya smirked, looking at me with an amused look. What? Did she know something I didn’t? Why did that sound so familiar?

“Come on in, make yourselves at home.”

Notes

Well, we hoped you enjoyed the introduction to Riptide! It's going to be a fun journey so sick around! Thanks for reading! :)