Maya’s POV

I couldn’t even say how shocked, stunned and speechless I was when Ben stormed into the living room of Brian’s house.
I still had been laughing about the Wild Boy story from Brian, when Ben had suddenly stood before me.

I should have known, because of the time I spent with Ben during the past months that he wasn’t someone who gave up easily, his calls and messages had gotten less, but that he hadn’t given up… I should have known.

When I looked between Matt and Ben I was afraid it would escalate again, remembering their last fight at the Graduation party. I wouldn’t stand to see any of them to get hurt again not Matt and not Ben.

So many emotions were running through my body, making me feel torn, guilty, happy and confused.
Not confused about me and Matt, no never that, I knew where I belonged now, and I knew that nothing would change that, not again, not ever.
But I felt bad for Ben, he must feel betrayed and like I had led him on, even though I remembered clearly that I told him, I didn’t know how much I could give him in this relationship.

I closed my eyes shortly, while Matt and Ben began to argue, it felt weird to be in the middle of all this, being the reason for their twist. I wished it wouldn’t be like that, they used to be friends and because of me this was torn apart.

I looked from Matt to Ben and I saw the anger, the disappointed, the hurt and everything combined in the two of them, Matt because he had to face the person I had spend so many days, weeks even months with and Ben who knew Matt was the one I had gone back to, he was the one I loved, and he was the one I would stay with.

Would Ben finally understand? Or would he still try to change it, even though there was nothing to change, how could I make him see without hurting him even more. I felt bad how I had ended the relationship, over the phone, a distance call, making him feel bad and hurt and couldn’t even look him in the eye. My heart broke a little, knowing Ben had apparently invested way more into this relationship then I had.

And again everything went totally out of control, Ben had thrown the first punch, and the next thing I knew were both of them on the floor, Ben on top, hitting Matt, and then turned upside down with Matt beating on Ben.

I tried to shove the guys apart, but neither of them seemed to even register I was still there, tears filled my eyes, seeing both men that I felt so much for bleeding and getting hurt. I cried for them to stop but it went on and on, until finally Brian and James showed up and got them apart, Brian had his hands full holding an angry looking Matt back, from the corner of his mouth was dripping a little blood, while the rest of him looked pretty okay.

When I turned towards Ben, he didn’t look that okay to me, his eyebrow was bleeding, blood running down his temple, and his lip was split again, and his eye swollen, shit he looked really bad.
I had to do something, and I had to end this, but I had to end this the right way.

I walked up to Matt and I knew he wouldn’t be happy about what I would ask of him, but in the end I succeeded, so Brian pulled Matt from the room, and Ave and James left as well, leaving me alone with Ben who was looking at me with so much hope that I dreaded to tell him the truth and crush his heart, yet again.

I wiped blood of his lip, and felt guilty for him getting hurt, I could never make up for all this, and that was weighing me down.
At least I could take care of him a little, even when he tried to refuse I dragged him towards the kitchen.

“So I was nothing but a fucking play thing, is that what you’re telling me?” Ben whispered his voice was full of hurt and anger and I could understand “What about all that time we spent together…that meant nothing to you? Goddamn it, M. What has he done to you?”

“Nothing…Ben…I’m doing what I need to do.” I shook my head and put my hand on his cheek. “Our time together did mean something at the time…but-but it’s not what I want or what I need.” I tried to give him a smile, because back then it had felt right, not like it was with Matt, but it had still felt good and right at the time.

“And what exactly do you fucking need?” Ben hissed and I knew our alone time talking was running out so I had to get to the point.

“Matt…it’s always been him deep down. I’m so sorry, Ben…but I need him in my life. We are like two halves of a whole. But…I don’t want to lose you…you’re right we’re good together…but as friends.” I told him and nearly cringed at the saying, because I knew it was not what he wanted to hear, not at all, but it was all I felt, I wanted him in my life, but as a friend.

“Friends?” Ben laughed humorously and pushed himself off the stool and began to pace. “You want to be friends? Maya, I fucking love you! I can’t just stand by and watch you be in some other man’s arms.” He stopped and turned back toward me, taking my hands in his. “Please M…we were happy. What is it going to take to get you back?” Ben begged and I wished I could tell him something else, wished somehow I could ease him, because his feelings did matter to me and he did matter to me, but not the way Matt did.

I closed my eyes shortly, shaking my head, when I felt Ben’s calloused fingers brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, just a couple of weeks ago, his hands on me had roused a different feeling in me, and if Matt and I wouldn’t have come back together, maybe this really could have worked out, but that wasn’t the case and it never would.

“Hmm…hmm…” Matt stood in the door way, his eyes scanning me and Ben, his hand on my face, and I swallowed thickly hoping he didn’t get the scene wrong.
“Times up.” Was all Matt said and Ben shook his head.

“We are not done” Ben replied looking at me again, “Please M.” He asked and I shook my head.
“It’s okay, big guy.” I said and smiled at Matt, he still looked pissed off and I felt also sorry for him to go through this but this would be the end.

“Ben, please, don’t make this harder for both of us. There is no way back, I told you I want to be your friend, maybe you can’t accept that now, and I could understand that, but maybe one day, we can be friends again, and I will be there for you.” I put my hand on his cheek, one last time, and saw Matt eyeing us with narrowed eyes “But I told you when we became a couple that I didn’t know how much of myself I could give to you and the reason for that was Matt, because he was still in my heart, and he always will be. I’m sorry, if you feel betrayed and hurt, you have every right to but I never meant that to happen. If you hate me now and never want to see me again, I can understand that too.” I let my hand fall away and Ben met my eyes a final time and I think only I could hear his whispered reply “I could never hate you”

Then he turned away and walked out, he didn’t look back, James nodded a final time and then the door fell shut behind them.

I closed my eyes and felt so bad, I never meant for anyone to get hurt, not emotionally and not physically, I felt like the worst person on earth.
“Babe?” Matt voice sounded in front of me, but I didn’t open my eyes, couldn’t see the hurt and guilt in them for putting him through another of this confrontation yet again.

“I will… I better-” I didn’t know how to reply, I meant to say that I would sleep at my own house, but I didn’t even have that, I had been with Matt since we came back, and at Larry’s I didn’t even have a real room anymore, so where would I go if Matt didn’t want me around tonight.

“Babe, will you finally look at me?” Matt asked and I frowned opening my eyes, and he stood directly in front of me.
“It’s not your fault.” He said and I looked at him stunned, what did he mean?
“The fight, that was not your fault, don’t blame yourself. And it’s nothing, I’ll be okay in no time, and so will be the douche bag.” Matt said and I couldn’t suppress the small smile on my lips, he could read me so well.

“And if you thought about saying to sleep elsewhere, you can erase that thought right away, because I won’t let you out of my sight again.” Matt’s arms sneaked around my waist and pulled me into his strong chest.

“I’m sorry big guy. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. I didn’t mean for you to be confronted again. I should have talked to him before… I should have known he didn’t accept that so easily” I said and Matt shook his head “That wouldn’t have made a difference, babe. And apparently James also had a bone to pick with Gates over there.”

I lifted my eyes to see Brian having Ave pressed to his side “Yeah, he seemed to think to give me a warning of not fucking up, or he will make me see the consequences.” Brian said and I had to smile at that, even after everything that happens, James still had so many feelings for Ave that he wanted to make sure she was happy.

“I had no idea” Ave said and I smiled “None of us had” Matt added “How about we call it a night, since the double date is ruined now anyway and we will just make a new date at another day?” Matt asked and I nodded.

“Then I have to cook again?” Ave groaned making us chuckle and Brian shrugged “I can still order, told you before” Ave slapped his shoulder “You could also help me next time, instead of distracting me”

“That’s our cue to go, big guy” I told Matt and he nodded we thanked Ave again for the amazing dinner before leaving and making our way home.

At night when I lay next to Matt in his bed he stroked his fingers along my bare back and I rested my head on his chest, feeling more at home than ever before.

“Did I do it right? Should I have done something differently?” I asked into the dark and Matt sighed.
“Besides never starting something with that guy and leaving me?” Matt asked and I heard a little hurt in his voice, making me regret asking, I opened my mouth to reply how sorry I am but Matt was faster.

“Babe, I just don’t get what you saw in that guy?!” Matt sighed and I shook my head “He isn’t as bad as you and Ave are thinking, with me he wasn’t at least… but he also wasn’t you and it took me too long to realize that nothing could replace you in my life, big guy” I kissed his chest and inhaled his male scent sighing.

“I don’t think you did anything wrong, you were too nice if you ask me. I would have thrown that fucker out of the house without so much as a goodbye, while you even explained to him what happened and he still didn’t want to get it. Even though I can’t really blame him for trying, can I? I did the same, but I knew you were mine and knowing that at all times, that we belonged together” Matt’s arm sneaked firmer around me and pulled me even closer against his side.

“I love you, big guy” I told Matt and leaned up to press a kiss to his lips, he replied the kiss with a hungry one of his own, making sure I knew through the kiss his exact feelings for me as well.

---

It’s been about two weeks since the AA guys surprise visit and things had changed a little since then.
Ben hadn`t called or wrote any messages again, which seemed to me that this chapter of my life was done… almost done at least.

And that almost done was also the topic that Ave and I had been avoiding for certain reasons, reasons that were sitting across from us together with their other band members at the pool.

“We need to head to the store again tomorrow.” Ave said “Zack said he wanted to come along, and check everything out, he might have some inventory he doesn’t need any more that we could use.”

I nodded “That’s great” Finally we had found a store with the help of Larry and Zack, so Ave and I were working now every day on getting our stuff together to make a grand opening happening sooner than later, we had wasted enough time already.

In the meantime we also had designed some new clothes for Zack, he made true to his words and had offered us the jobs at his VU store again, so we could do something, earn a little money until our store would finally be ready and open.

“Do you like this one?” I held up a design I just finished and Ave smiled widely “I love it and how about this?” She held up her page and I smiled, “Wow” We found our groove again and that was good, only problem was, we had so many idea and so many things to do for VU and our store that we pushed the task at hand away from us.

“Ave?” I asked when she just put her drink up. “Yeah?” She answered before putting the straw to her mouth.
“We need to talk about getting our stuff from the UK” I said and this was the topic that we had avoided, especially when Brian and Matt were around.
She sighed loudly “I know, and we need to do it soon.”

“Should we book a flight and… I don’t know not tell Matt and Brian? I mean, we can’t take them along, that will only escalate” I said even though I didn’t like the thought of not telling Matt.
“We can’t do that, Maya.” Ave shook her head and I nodded “I know, but…”
“We need to think about another solution…” Ave thought for a moment and I sighed “I know for sure that we can’t let Matt and Ben come near again, that already escalates two times, I won’t let that happen again.”

“Okay, we can’t let Brian near James, and we can’t let Matt near Ben, so that leaves only one solution-” Ave said before suddenly Brian lifted her up and threw her into the pool before she could even finish her sentence and then before I knew what happened I felt two long arms snake around me and Jimmy’s voice in my ear.

“You want a little break? How about a wet one?” And then I landed in the water as well and quickly dived back towards the surface cursing Jimmy for throwing me with clothes into the pool “I’ll get you back for that, Sullivan!”

Brian’s POV

We granted us one week of complete freedom, no writing, no talking music, no jamming no nothing, a whole week just us.
Just being Brian, being Brian and Ave, a couple, and hanging around with friends, we did a lot of activities, went to see my sisters band, finally.

Now Ave and Mac came along great after I made sure that Mac knew she was still important to me, and that it wouldn’t make a difference if I got a girlfriend or not, she was my sister and I would always be her big brother.

Ave and I were also in sync, not even the little incident two weeks ago with James made any difference, even though she said she still felt guilty towards him and I told her just to forget about it, sadly she didn’t seem to be able to, not yet.
Something was still on her mind but I tried to distract her as best as I could, and hell I could distract her and that was fun for me as well.

After the second week, the guys and I went back to meeting more and more often, we began to throw ideas around. Jimmy even said he began to write complete lyrics, but wouldn’t be able to show us just now, he needed a few more days.

“What if we plan to make a trip to Big Bear that always resulted in great fucking songs?” Zack asked and I nodded, that was a good idea.
We haven’t been to Big Bear in forever, and we really needed to start doing something again, my fingers began to itch to play some new riffs, and I knew I had some ideas written down in my notebook, but haven’t been able to show any of this to the guys by now.

“Big Bear?” Matt frowned, his eyes moved over to Maya and Ave “Forget about it, Shads. If we are going to Big Bear we will do it like always, alone. No girls around” Zack countered while I let my eyes wander over to Ave and Maya as well.

“Why? I mean… it’s never been that we had steady girlfriends to come along, we said no fuck buddies.” Jimmy countered, he must be thinking like Matt and I, wanting to take Jess along with him.
“But then you three would only hang around the girls, we would be drinking and not doing any work”
Johnny countered and I grinned “Big Bear, that’s the point isn’t it?”

“God, you guys are so freaking pussy whipped. Can’t you leave them alone for a week or something? I mean, hell… you are like glued together lately.” Zack rolled his eyes and I frowned “We are happy, fuck off… You are just jealous, we have a lot to make up for and you know that.” I slapped the back of his head.

“What if we give you another week before going there? You can have some more couple time and then we make our way up to Big Bear, just us five, like we used to?” Zack asked and I nodded, another week just Ave and I and then parting… not my favorite thought, but she would have a lot to do with starting their store, so maybe that was indeed the right time?
“Two weeks?” Zack asked looking shocked and Matt and I chuckled “We can extend that game” He smirked “I never get enough of my girl.”

“Ah fuck you guys!” Zack threw his arms in the air “Let’s set a date now! We will be going in one and a half week from today! So let’s say next Tuesday, we are making our way towards Big Bear, a new album is waiting to be written, come on guys, don’t be such pussies, we got enough ideas separately, that we could even start some recording if you ask me…” Zack looked around and I nodded as did Jimmy and Matt and Johnny.

“Fine, next Tuesday, but that means, I now have more important things to do then sit here with you fuckers” I got up and quickly made my way over to Ave and Maya, sitting at the desk, with their backs to us, they were working on some designs, but for my taste they had been working long enough.

“…so that leaves only one solution-” Ave said, before I lifted her up in my arms and jumped together with her in my arms in the pool.
Ave had been wearing jeans shorts and a white tank top, which was see-through now to my delight at first and well to my miss taste later since she had to get out of the pool eventually.

“Are you crazy?” Ave sputtered as soon as she reappeared on the surface and I chuckled, seeing her bewildered expression.
“You had been working so hard babe, I thought you need some time to cool off, with me…” I inched her closer to the side of the pool and pressed my body to hers.

“Oh well, that’s something different” Ave smiled up to me when I was suddenly pulled away from Ave “Get away from my employee and you too Shads, I don’t pay them for dicking around with you.” Zack grinned while he pulled me away and Ave climbed out of the pool.

“Nice idea, Haner” Johnny grinned watching Ave and I licked my lips, seeing how the white tank top was plastered on her body, the black bra visible now, and her jeans shorts hugging her curves even more than before.

“Direct your eyes, elsewhere, this view is just for me” I said not once letting my eyes wander somewhere else.
“I don’t even have clothes to change with me.” Ave said and looked down on herself.
“Me neither” Maya said and I finally lifted my eyes up to see that she looked like Ave, she had been wearing a red blouse now plastered to her body and jeans shorts as well, and I saw the exact same look on Shads face as it had been on mine.

“I’ll get you some” Zack sighed and walked into his house, he always had some VU clothes lying around.
“I’ll help you then” I suggested to Ave and she shook her head “You wish, come on M” Maya and Ave followed Zack into the house leaving a wet trail behind them and I chuckled.

“So are we going to tell them on the way back? Maya and I were planning to have dinner, you wanna join? Then we could tell them together?” Matt asked and I nodded, that was a good idea actually.

Matt and I quickly got our things and before Ave and Maya were back from redressing we waited already for them on the main entrance.

An hour later we four sat together at Maya and Matt’s favorite Italian restaurant and ate silently.
“We have something we need to talk to you about.” Maya started and I was just about to nearly say the same.

“Oh really?” Matt asked frowning at Maya, who shared a look with Ave.
“Yes, you know during the next week we want to get some work done for our shop, and we need our stuff to be ready for that.” Maya added and I didn’t get it, so what?

“Yeah, and since some important documents are still in the UK, Maya and I planned to make a trip there and get the final stuff, so we can really start out, we already checked the flights and we could be going tomorrow.” Ave added and I saw Matt ball his hands to fists.
“You won’t be going there alone, Maya. I won’t even discuss this with you” He demanded his voice sounding angry and I felt the same way.

“I won’t be going alone, Ave and I-”
“No way I won’t leave Ave and James alone, no fucking way” I added, he might play like a friend, but what if he tries to jump back on the train?!

“We thought that you would say that” Ave said and looked at me and then at Matt “But we won’t let Matt get anywhere near Ben, and James not near you babe” Ave patted my cheek.
“So we thought, if you guys really insisted on going along, how about we exchange our partners for the time being. I will be going to James to get my stuff accompanied by Matt and you will do the same for Maya. This way you guys can be sure nothing happens and we won’t see the danger in everything escalating again.”

My eyes snapped up to meet Matt’s and he frowned “That’s… I don’t know. It’s not like I don’t trust you, babe… I don’t trust him, he is so far gone… thinking-”
“I won’t leave you, big guy. And Brian would be there, having a look at the situation, don’t you think that’s good enough” Maya asked and I sighed, they were right, still I didn’t like the thought of Ave seeing Cassells again, it’s just been two weeks, and I would be gladly postponing any meeting with them to forever and never, but apparently I couldn’t do that.

“Fine… But then I must have a serious talk with you before” Matt said pointing at me and I nodded “Same here.”

“So and will you tell us now, why you really invited us to dinner, we know something is going on, so… spill it” Ave lifted her eyebrow at me and I smirked “Can’t keep anything from you, can I?”

Notes

Alright another chapter for youuuu guys!
Some time is passing by, the guys and girls have some plans...
What do u think will happen now?!

And we got another little treat for ya!
If you like to read some more, my co-writer Kayla and I have another story posted for you, so why dont you check it out and let us know what you think!!

Thank you guys!! You are the best!! <3

http://www.avengedsevenfoldfanfiction.com/Story/77344/Darkness-Surrounding/