Welcome to the Family

“So who the hell do you think you are to judge me by my weight, huh?” We stared at each other in pure hatred. That was the last thing I said. I had yelled at him for minutes, speaking the entire truth about me recovering from anorexia, but still struggling to gain weight due to my slowed down metabolism. He swallowed thickly and looked around the room to avoid eye contact, obviously not knowing what to say.

Zacky, Johnny and Brian stood behind me. They, too, were looking extremely uncomfortable. “Well, how am I supposed to fucking know? Don’t you dare yell at me like that, because I’m in a terrible state, and I have the fucking right to be,” Matt shouted, obviously angry that I had the nerve to talk back to him. Oh, this was too great. I suddenly felt like I was in class again. I tried to steady my voice. “Matt, I know you’re mad because your friend died, and things don’t look that great with your wife, but let me tell you something. I am not responsible for what’s happening to you, yet I’m the only one you seem to hate. I know you’re looking for someone to blame, and I’m perfectly fine with that because that’s the most human thing to do, but you need to move on. Can’t you just be reasonable? What do I have to do with the fact that your friend Jimmy died? Or how am I responsible for your wife and you having an argument?”

Just by looking into his hazel eyes, I knew I’d made him even angrier. He jumped to his feet and screamed at me: “YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IT FUCKING FEELS LIKE TO LOSE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE! AND DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE START THAT CRAZY SHRINK PSYCH STUFF ON ME, IT WON’T WORK!” I heard the blood rush in my ears. That man had such a loud voice. Now I understood why he was a metal singer.

I swallowed, counted to ten and then replied with a calm voice, just like they taught me in class. “Alright, you know what, Matthew? You’re not the only one losing people. I definitely do know what it feels like, and I’d tell you, if you were ready to talk. But you’re obviously not. Now excuse us, while we go out and start getting over something you’ll still be chewing on in ten years.” I smiled at him, then turned around, leaving him behind speechless.

I had a great night with the three remaining guys at a Korean restaurant, where I told them what changes they would be facing in their diets, how we would keep track of what they burned with their exercises and which foods they were not to eat. I also advised them not to drink too much alcohol. “So, we’re not fat or something, so … What are you pursuing with the diet change?” Zacky asked.

“Alright so my philosophy is that, if you have a healthy body, your mind is going to recover way faster. And although all of you look muscular and well-trained, I bet your bodies will be rather intoxicated with alcohol, drugs, acid and so on. In my opinion, a heartbreak, that’s what it is when someone close to you dies, heals best when the body’s really healthy and well nourished. Mens sana in corpore sano, that’s what you call this philosophy,” I explained. “So, in the end, you’re a shrink, but you’re addressing our minds through our body, kinda…” – “If you want to express it that way, then yes. But I bet you’re glad you won’t have to cook for a while,” I chuckled, and they all laughed.

It was shortly after midnight that we returned home. Just when my head touched the pillow in the tiny apartment right next to the Avenged mansion, I received a text from Larry, who’d had to leave shortly after the introduction round with the guys: “Tomorrow doctor’s appointments for blood and urine samples, 2pm: Baker, 2.30pm: Haner, 3.00pm: Seward, 3.30pm: Sanders. Drive them. Directions are programed in the navigation system. Hope everything’s going well. Good night.” I was too tired to even reply. I put my phone on the nightstand and immediately drifted into a deep sleep of bizarre dreams in which hazel eyes haunted me through a labyrinth of demons and angels.

My alarm went off at 6.30am. After yawning twice, I immediately jumped out of bed. I really needed the time in the morning to prepare myself for the day. I needed to take a couple of measures from the guys, so that I could work on their diet plans. The morning was for weighing them, calculating their Body Mass Indexes, their resting metabolic rate, activity metabolic rate and mere caloric goals, while the afternoon was dedicated to finding out what vitamins they needed.

I wanted to wake them at half past eight, so I would have plenty of time to weigh and measure them before I made lunch. I put on my running gear and went outside, trying to find myself somewhere to go through the muddy woods. It was very cold, but it hadn't snowed again, so the soil was rather dry. I knew I could have used the gym in the guys' mansion, but I had always preferred some fresh air and real landscape.
The boys’ house still lay in darkness, so I was sure everyone was still sleeping soundly. When I returned, I took a nice hot shower and then let myself into their house, finding the kitchen in the dark. I switched on the light and almost screamed.

A dark hooded figure was sitting there at the table, scaring the living hell out of me. After hearing me breathe heavily, he just looked up at me with an evil smile and I knew he’d expected me. It was Matt. Although I knew I should have been angry at him for trying to make me jump, but all I could think about was that now, for the first time, I was alone with this hot guy who had those dimples to die for. I only felt shocked when I realized that I didn’t even have any make up on.

“Hi, Freckles,” he slurred, grinning still. Was he drunk? I quickly decided that I would play nice. I mean, I was a forgiving person, after all. “Hey Matt, want to help me prepare breakfast?” I smiled at him. He still didn’t more. “Did I scare you?” he asked. It was pretty obvious now that he was drunk. I didn’t answer. He stood up and shoved himself right in front of me, coming dangerously close. He was smelling like spearmint mixed with cheap vodka and an aftershave I definitely knew, but couldn’t quite remember the name of.
Matt asked me again, this time pronouncing every single word, getting closer and closer with every syllable. “DID. I. SCARE. YOU?” By then, my back was pressed against the fridge door, one side against a wall, and he had put his arm right next to my head on the other side. I was trapped!

But then again, I wasn’t scared at all, I just felt tiny waves of excitement in my stomach, realizing how close he was. “Yes, Matt, you scared the living hell out of me,” I giggled. What was up with me today? “Good,” he grinned and my stomach cringed at the near sight of his dimples. Suddenly, his eyes locked themselves at my lips. Oh no! I knew what was coming. I had to escape. This was not good.

“Matt, can… Can I continue making breakfast now?” I asked, trying my best to look innocent. I then attempted to duck, so I could leave his embrace by diving under his arm. Of course, Matt noticed, and let his arm slide deeper. When it touched my side, it was like tiny fireworks exploded on my arm, causing goosebumps all over my body. “I don’t know. Can you?” he chuckled, leaning in.

I stared at him in a mixture of anticipation and exasperation until I noticed that he was now only inches away from me, and I could feel his hot breath on my lips, causing me to shiver. Somehow, the rational voice in my head was now barely audible as it knew my body would give in to the temptation anyway. I fluttered my eyes closed and felt him breathe against my lips heavily.

I suddenly heard a noise. “Guys? Anyone up?” it was Zacky. Thank God! I quickly pushed Matt away, which was surprisingly easy now, and he left the kitchen, while I remained pressed to the fridge door for another good minute, trying to get into my head what happened, and slowly regaining my breath.

About half an hour later I was sitting on the breakfast table with Zacky and Syn. They seemed to enjoy my tomato-spinach-omelet which I had topped with fresh low fat soy cheese and a dash of chili powder. While I was making another one for Johnny, who was just showering, I also prepared a second dish for the two guitarists, containing strawberries, bananas, muesli, low fat yoghurt and a tablespoon of honey.
“I could totally get used to that!” Syn screamed in delight and hit his stomach. Hearing him and his honest opinion really made me happy. But I couldn’t help but wonder about Matt and his stupid behavior earlier. His boys had just chuckled at the sight of him and advised him to go to bed, where he was right now.

After breakfast, I quickly washed up and got fully dressed. Then I took all the measures I needed from the three guys, and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t hot seeing them all in their underwear and then just HAVING to touch them to get my measures. But Matt was still asleep, and my stomach got crazy just thinking about measuring the sexy singer with the raspy voice.
After lunch, it was almost a quarter to two, and I knew I had to get ready for the doctor’s appointment, but Matt was still in his room and there was no answer to our knocks.

“Why don’t I drive the three of us to the doc while you wait until stinky asshat Shadows decides to finally wake up?” Johnny offered. Not knowing what else to do, I accepted his offer. “You okay with being alone with that dick?” Brian asked. “Sure, I can handle that,” I replied, almost as if to convince myself.

Because, in fact, I was not so sure.

Notes

What do you think about their first "real" encounter? They're all by themselves now... What do you think is going to happen?

Comments please!