Avery’s POV

I just couldn’t get over how crazy this party was! What happened to the small little get together that Chelsea told us about? Because this standing room only, music blaring, people screaming party surely wasn’t it. I mean, there were people everywhere and the last time I checked, Chelsea didn’t know this many people. So either she got really popular in the semester we were gone, or this party had gotten really out of control.

“Who are all these people?” I yelled over the music as Maya and I attempted to dance. There really wasn’t room to dance with all the bodies packed in the house like sardines, but we were trying to have some fun nonetheless.

I guess in all my time with the Avenged guys and even Asking Alexandria, I had forgotten what an actually college party looked like. Maya and I had been spoiled with the VIP style parties with limited guests and a wide selection of high-end alcohol. Where as this party had a lot of people and a lot of alcohol but it was the very cheep and get you drunk fast kind. Just thinking about the differences in the parties made me miss Brian. What I would give for him to be here with me now, even if he was just standing to the side talking with Jimmy as I danced. God I missed him…. but this wasn’t the time or place for that.

“I honestly have no idea!” Maya yelled back. “I’ve only seen three people that I know.” So it wasn’t just me? The only people I had seen that I knew were Chelsea, Katelyn, her boyfriend Mark, and Zoey. All of whom we gave one of our little gift bags from the store. Publicity would make us or break us.

Maya grabbed her drink and downed the contents just as the song we were dancing to ended. “I need a drink!” she said, grabbing my elbow and motioning me to follow her. Well I certainly wouldn’t argue with that. Maybe some more alcohol would help the headache that was starting to form from the loud music.

“Me too,” I nodded and followed her through the crowd. God these people were like monkeys! They were hanging off every inch of Chelsea’s house, and I’m sure her parents wouldn’t appreciate it, especially not the guy who just swung by the chandelier. What was this guy Tarzan?

“Man this party is crazy,” I said as we entered the kitchen. It was a little less crowed and quieter here than in the other rooms. Thank goodness because I didn’t know how much more of the obnoxiously loud music and people yelling my pour eardrums could take. If possible, it was louder here than standing in front of a speaker at the Sevenfold concert and that really said something. To say that my ears were ringing right now was an understatement.

“Yeah, it’s fucking nuts,” Maya agreed, pouring us each a rum and coke. “Here’s to being done with this shit and to moving forward,” Maya toasted, clicking our red solo cups together.

“And to our amazing boyfriends coming back in two days,” I added, earning a nod and a smile from Maya.

“It can’t come soon enough!” she sighed, putting her arm around me as we turned to head back toward the party. “But enough moping around, we are here to party!” Maya threw her free hand up in the air, dancing as she moved us through the crowd.

“Yes, but I don’t ever remember college parties being this—“ I froze as soon as we turned the kitchen corner, finding myself face-to-face with a pair of dazzling green eyes that belonged to a ghost from the past.

My jaw dropped and I blinked my eyes, trying to focus my gaze to make sure I was seeing things correctly. Sure enough, right there in front of me was the handsome, tall, dark-curly-haired ex-boyfriend that I had been so smitten with a few years ago. And to his right was his surfer-looking best friend Ian, whom both Maya and I spent a lot of time with during our junior year of college. Well, that was until my dad put his nose in our business and ruined everything.

“Collin?” I gasped in shock the same time Maya said “Ian?”

I still couldn’t believe my eyes. What were my ex-boyfriend and Maya’s ex-fling doing here, and at Chelsea’s party of all places? Last thing I knew, Collin couldn’t stand her and her girly gossiping ways. Maybe things changed and they became friends? I didn’t know and it really wasn’t any of my business either.

“Damn, Ave! Is that you?” Collin’s deep voice sounded with a handsome dimpled smile spreading over his face. “You look so different, but wow… amazing! Come here!”

Before I even could even open my mouth to say anything, Collin pulled me into a tight hug and rocked me back and forth, his musky cologne fogging my senses. I remembered when I used to crave his embrace and that smell, but now it was like a hug from Zacky or Matt. It didn’t mean anything. The only thing it did was make me miss Brian and realize that Collin was holding on a little too long.

“Y-yeah, it’s me.” I shook my head, still trying to let my mind catch up with what was going on.

“Come on, let’s have a talk, it’s been so long,” Collin said as I looked over at Maya for help. I knew that I shouldn’t go alone with him, not when I was starting to feel tipsy from the drinks. I knew I would never cheat on Brian, but that didn’t mean Collin wouldn’t try to hit on me.
The next thing I knew, Collin was guiding me through the raging crowd with his hands on my hips. “Damn Ave, I am loving the blonde hair...It really suits you,” he practically purred in my ear as I turned to give him a pointed look. Just because we dated in the past did not give the right to me now, especially not when I was with Brian. I wasn’t comfortable with this.

“Collin, I-I don’t—“ I started to tell him off but he shook his head and pushed me toward the patio doors. God, I really hoped Maya was behind me somewhere because the last thing I wanted to do was have an awkward conversation with Collin. He was always very persistent with what he wanted and didn’t like to take ‘no’ for an answer. It was part of the reason he put up with so much of my dads crap, that is until my dad started showing up and hanging out every day…

“Just a minute, I can’t hear you,” he yelled back, taking my hand and guiding me out the door. I took in a deep breath and looked at the ceiling, my head starting to spin from the alcohol.

As soon as we stepped outside, a wave of cool air washed over me. It was quiet out on the patio and the only people that were around couples making out in the shadows, or small groups talking and laughing on the other side of the pool. “There that’s better,” Collin said, dragging me toward the patio sofa. “I just can’t get over that you’re here, it seems like I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“It’s definitely been a while,” I admitted, being pulled down onto the bright color colored cushions and almost spilling my drink in the process. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t the most graceful move on my part, but hey I had a nice buzz going. Though even with my buzz, the situation seemed a little awkward, considering that we broke up because my father was breathing down our throats. Hell, when we broke up, we still had feelings for each other but we never gave them a chance to play out. It was just easier at the time to go our separate ways and not have to worry about our relationship being ruled by Larry Jacobson.

I knew that I no longer had feelings for Collin, my relationship with Brian making that very clear. But the question was: did Collin still have feelings for me?

“So tell me, Ave, did you really spend your last semester at Oxford? I heard that rumor float around but I didn’t know if it was true or not,” Collin asked, his handsome green eye anxiously watching my every move.

“Yes, Maya and I went over to Oxford to study aboard,” I sighed, feeling him inch closer. I took a deep breath and moved backward, pretending to adjust my skirt to put some more space between us. The last thing I wanted to do was give him wrong idea. “She got a scholarship and I tagged along so that we could start working on our business. We will actually be opening next week,” I smiled, telling him at least half of the truth. There was no need to tell him about the whole Brian and Matt situation.

Collin smiled and let out a light laugh, looking up at the night sky. “So you girls are actually doing, huh? Finally going after that dream that you’ve been talking about for years?” His arm landed around my shoulders and he pulled me into his side, his cologne attacking my senses.

“Yep, we are going for it,” I said, politely scooting forward on the sofa so that his arm wasn’t around me. I just hoped that he would get the hint. “We are really excited about it. How about you? Are you going to be showing any of your art soon?”

“Yeah, actually I got offered an artist in residency position at the portrait shop downtown. I’m really stoked about it and Ian and I just got a new apartment. You and Maya will have to stop by for a housewarming sometime.” And there was his hand on my knee.

I closed my eyes and sighed. “Collin, look I—“

“So tell me more about the UK, what’s it like over there? I’ve always wanted to visit,” he interrupted so I went with the subtler route and stood up. I took out my pack of cigarettes and lit up, letting the relaxing wave of nicotine wash over me.

“Honestly?” I chuckled. “It’s really wet because it rains all the time. Oh, and the coffee over there is something to die for,” I mused thinking back to the few good moments I had. “But other than that, it’s just like it is over here. But the one thing I missed the most was the warm weather and the sun.”

I looked over my shoulder just in time to see Collin’s eyes trail up and down my body before he chuckled and stood up. “You know what I missed?” He asked, walking toward the edge of the pool.

“What’s that?” I replied through a cloud of smoke. Damn this was a good cigarette. I would really have to thank Brian later for introducing me to the Marlboro Golds.

I heard him scoff behind me. “You’re going to think it’s silly,” he laughed humorously.

“Try me,” I said, looking at him over my shoulder again.

Collin licked his lips and looked up the sky before he let out a long sigh. What was the big deal? It wasn’t like he was proposing to me or something, right? “It’s just that I missed seeing you around campus this last semester,” he admitted and I raised a questioning brow at him.

He missed me? Why? He was the one who broke up with me if I remembered correctly. “I know we broke up, but even just seeing your smile in passing brightened my day and when you weren’t there, I really missed it.”

What was I supposed to say to that? It wasn’t like I could tell him that I missed him too when in reality I hadn’t even thought about him once. The only person I thought about during that time was the person I was missing the most right now.

“And part of me was hoping to run into you so that we could talk…” Collin continued, breaking me from my thoughts of Brian. He looked down at me with a small smile and I sighed. I knew where he was going with this and it wasn’t going to happen.

“Collin, look I—“

“Ave? Collin? There you are! We’ve been looking everywhere!” Maya’s voice interrupted.

Thank goodness! I have never been so happy for her interruption in my entire life! Collin was a great guy but there was no way we were going to get back together, not when I was so head over heels for Brian. Hell just thinking about those dark brown orbs and charming smirk made my heart race. And I still couldn’t believe that I hadn’t heard a word from him today. I hoped everything was okay.

“We brought the party out here, man!” Ian laughed, holding up a handful of liquor bottles. “I hope you’re ready to play a rousing game of quarters!”

Collin laughed and moved over toward the table with his best friend. “Oh you are so going down! You know Ave is the queen of this game! That is if you’re up for a round.” He gave me a pleading look and I rolled my eyes.

“Fine,” I chuckled, looking over at Maya who nodded her head at me. “But only on one condition.”

Ian and Collin looked at each other and then back over at us, almost like they were waging their own bargain. “What’s that?” Ian asked, sending his flirty smile our way as he swept his long blond locks out of his face. I guess Maya hadn’t gotten the opportunity to tell Ian she was in relationship either.

I looked at Maya and nodded with a smirk. “It’s girls against guys,” Maya said and both guys threw their arms up in the air. “Fine but then it’s double shots per flip,” Collin said, pointing in my direction, knowing that I didn’t hold my alcohol well. I guess something never changed.

“Fine but I’m picking the shots,” Maya countered as she took my arm and lead me back over toward the lounge area. “Deal!” Ian said, taking out the shot glasses and patting the spot next to him.

I smirked and took a seat next to Maya. “You guys are going down,” Maya laughed and I nodded in agreement as I poured the shots. “We’ve been practicing!” I added with a smirk, feeling finally at ease all night.

“When? With those hot shot rock stars you guys have been hanging out with?” Ian challenged and I rolled my eyes.

“You could say that,” Maya chuckled as she took the quarter out of her pocket and made the first shot. “And that’s a double shot for you boys!” Oh, this was going to be good.

Twenty minutes and dozens of shots later later, I was feeling extremely dizzy and very drunk. It turned out that Collin and Ian had been practicing too and we had been in a tied game for the past four flips. And each time we tied, we added a dare to the game, making the stakes higher to win.

“Okay you’re turn, Miss Jacobson, so if you miss this shot,” Collin slurred, looking directly at me. “You and Maya have to jump in the pool.” I narrowed my eyes at him and shook my head.

“You’d like that wouldn’t you, Col? Well guess what…” I flipped the coin and it landed in effortlessly in the cub. “I’m still got it!” Okay, so maybe I was a little cocky when intoxicated but it was all in good fun. Or maybe Brian was starting to rub off on me, either way, I was having fun for the first time since the guys left.

Maya and I threw our hands up in the air and I toppled into her sideways, laughing at nothing in particular. “Yes, very funny…” Ian huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I say we go all or nothing. Whoever makes this next shot has to take a double shot of absinthe AND jump in the pool. Do we have a deal? We’ll even let you pick who flips!”

Maya turned and looked at me, and I nodded in agreement with a smirk on my face. “You better nail this Ave because the last thing I need right now is a double shot of absinthe,” Maya slurred, putting her arm around my shoulders. “You got this, Little Gnome.”

“So who’s it going to be?” Collin looked so smug as he moved down in front of the table to position himself. If he thought he was going to win this game, he had another thing coming because I was not jumping in the pool. Maya put too much work into these dresses to ruin it that way.

I drunkenly moved down next to him, stumbling the entire way. Okay so maybe this wasn’t my best idea. “I’m ready when you are,” I giggled, toppling sideways into Colin. Thankfully he was a gentleman and set me straight back up without any funny business.

“On your mark get set…go!” Maya and Ian said together as both Collin and I flipped our coins. They seemed to float through the air in slow motion toward the cup, that is until they collided and Collin’s coin flew into the cup and mine spun off the table.

“No way!” I yelled, clambering up to a standing position and shaking my head. “You planned that!” Maya added, the guys roaring with laughter. Man I felt dizzy and silly all that the same time.

“Oh, don’t be sore losers ladies!” Ian laughed. “So what’s it going to be? The absinthe or the dip in the pool first?” Fuck! I didn’t want to get in the pool.

I hung my head in defeat and slowly looked back up at Maya with an apologetic look. She had to know that this wasn’t my fault. I mean, it wasn’t like I planned for coin to collide in mid air and it was sheer luck that Collin’s went into the cup! In my opinion, it didn’t mean anything. But then again, maybe it was the alcohol making me defensive.

“I’ll make you a deal,” I slurred, walking toward the boys with a pointed finger. “I will both shots for Maya and I if no one has to jump in the pool,” I offered, trying to make it up to Maya.

“Ave no, you’ll never make it home if you take those shots,” Maya said shaking her head. “Come on, we will just do and it get it over with. We can jump in the pool and then get our shots as a warm up.” Why was she always so damn brave? She never let me take one for the team and was always looking out for me, which is what best friends were for, but still! “Here we go, on the count of three,” she said, taking my hand and leading me over toward the side of pool after kicking off our shoes.

“One….two…three!” We both jumped into the icy water, my chest instantly constricting as I submerged. Damn this was cold! When I emerged I was sputtering and my teeth suddenly started to chatter. It wouldn’t take long for my lips to turn blue either, considering I only weighted about 110lbs. Why couldn’t Chelsea have a heated pool?

Maya ran out of the pool as fast as she went in, jumping up and down as she tried to warm herself up. “Shit that’s cold!” she said, offering me a hand out of the pool.

As I drunkenly climbed out the frigid waters, I didn’t miss the whoops, hollers, and catcalls coming from the patio area. This was a stupid idea because now the cold fabric was clinging to both Maya and my bodies and we didn’t have anything dry to put on. “G-G-Give me that stupid shot,” I said through chattering teeth, the cold making me feel a lot more sober than when I jumped in.

“Drink up ladies,” Ian chuckled, passing us each a large shot filled to the brim with the dark disgusting liquid. I pinched my eyes shut and threw the shot in the back of my throat, gagging as I tried to swallow. God I hated the taste of this stuff! Black liquorish was my least favorite candy and a drink that tasted like it was even worse.

“Ugh,” I cringed. “This stuff gets worse every time I take it.” I couldn’t believe that the boys were willingly drinking this shit and liking it! Yuck! It tasted like cough medicine!

“I second that,” Maya frowned, looking at her now empty class. Just by the look on her face I could see that she was nervous about the affects of that drink and I felt the same way. The last thing we needed was to be drunk, high, and overly horny without out boyfriends home.

“What’s the matter, this stuff is awesome!” Ian slurred. He drunkenly threw an arm around Maya who immediately tried to get him off. “Gives you the best buzz…and high.”

Maya shot Ian a pointed look and stepped toward me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “We need to find something dry to wear,” she said. “I think I’ll go check out the pool house to see if there are at least some towels floating around.”

“Good idea…. I’m freezing and need to use the restroom,” I said, my teeth chattering and my bladder suddenly feeling like it was going to explode. “I-Ill be back in a few,” and with that I turned around and disappeared into the house before Maya could or the guys could stop me.

When I stepped inside, a wave of heat, sound, and noxious party fumes washed over me. The pure stench of body odor and stale liquor and beer was enough to make my stomach churn. Ugh, I really regretted taking that double shot of absinth, and if my head wasn’t spinning before, it was now. “Fuck where’s the bathroom,” I moaned, using the wall for support as I moved.

It felt like ages before I finally found the hallway off the kitchen where the bathroom was. The only problem was that there were people packed in like sardines. I really needed to get in there or else some poor soul around me was going to be sorry.

“Ave! Avery!” I heard a raspy voice call as I reached the bathroom door. Oh shit, why in the hell did Collin follow me in here? I thought my actions had made if very clear that I wasn’t interested. Either way, I didn’t have time for that and I quickly shut the bathroom door and got down to business.

After reliving my bladder, I steadied myself in front of the bathroom mirror, swaying slightly side to side. God I looked like a drowned rat. All that time and effort that I put into getting ready this even was thrown out the window, but maybe I could salvage my look. I quickly opened the bathroom vanity and found Chelsea’s brush and hair tie to throw my soaking wet hair into a high ponytail. Then I cleaned up my running makeup and grabbed one of the big towels from the cupboard and wrapped it around myself. The heat felt good around my shivering frame.

“There, that’s going to have to do,” I said to my reflection before as loud pounding ensued on the door. “I’m coming just a minute!” I yelled and stumbled toward the door. The absinthe was starting to take affect and suddenly everything was spinning with bright colors. “Whoa…” I breathed, reaching out for the dancing door handle. This was crazy!

Slowly but surely, I opened the bathroom door to find a very large, tall, muscular brute standing in front of me with a very familiar set of hazel eyes.

“Matt?” I giggled, not daring to trust my eyes.

Notes

So the guys didn't find Ave and Maya with the ex's...not yet. What do you think they will do when they find them all wet? Did Avery really run into Matt or is she in a drunken haze?