Amy’s POV
I had no idea what to think anymore, I was angry at Brian before we went to bed. Okay, maybe not really angry, I was disappointed… Disappointed because he didn’t tell me what was wrong with him, he didn’t confide in me.

I just wanted him to tell me what his actual problem was, show me just a little, that the whole thing we were acting out, maybe wasn’t all just an act, maybe that some part of it was even true, but what did Brian do?

Denying, he was just acting grumpy and not talking to me, so he got his own medicine and had to sleep in his bed, and when I woke up from the banging on the door the next morning, what did I see? What did I feel?

Brian held me in his arms and had cuddled up to me, and I had no idea when that happened or how I should feel about it?!
Why was he here? When did he sneak into my room and what did he want here?
Had he hoped to get some from me?
But he didn’t even wake me he just lay there, god why was this man so fucking confusing!

And then everything went faster than I thought, Matt and Sara stormed into Brian’s house, Sara dragged me back to my room and demanded answers about something I didn’t even know myself, but if I was honest, I did know. I just didn’t want to admit, still… She was my best friend so I finally told her what my feelings for Brian really were about.

I admitted openly that I had fallen for my fake husband, for the guy that I married on a drunken night, yes I fell in love with him and I knew I would only get out of all this with a broken heart, there was just no other way.

I had to harden myself from now on, I shouldn’t do this back and forth that Brian and I were doing all the time. No, I will only act the loving wife when we were out in the open, I would only be with him when I needed to be, and everything else was from now on forbidden. Or my heart would only suffer more…

When Sara handed me the article in the newspaper I was hurt and shocked, even though I tried not to let it show, it did something with me… It just made me more and more aware that Brian and I didn’t belong together. That he was used to all this attention, all the press… and I?
I just wasn’t…

And didn’t really want to, I just wanted to have a happy life and right now nothing was happy when I was concerned, even though yesterday at the party, I would have said something completely different, weird how fast the emotions could change and situation looked completely different than before.

When we walked downstairs and I saw how everyone was gathered in Brian’s living room, I had no idea how to behave anymore. I saw Brian walking over to me but still keeping some distance, he looked at Matt and I did the same with Sara, but they were quietly talking to each other.

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t think-” Brian started and was about to lay his arm around me, but I quickly moved away, I didn’t have to act here with him, we were with his friends and they all knew about the fact that we weren’t a real couple, no matter what Zack seemed to think, and no matter that Brian liked the fact that I was always available for him, I had liked it too, problem was my heart was on the line, and Brian’s probably not.

Larry suddenly stormed into the house and was shouting comments, looking at everyone for obeisance and I hoped I didn’t hear what he just really said.

“I already planned a press conference in 2 hours. You are going there with the five of you, Amy and Brian in the middle. Brian will make a statement on the marriage and Matt will answer most of the questions. I want everyone on their best behavior” Larry made a pointed look around the room.

“Amy, Brian, come with me, I will need to brief you. Or at least Amy. Dealing with the press isn’t easy”

Now I was sure, I didn’t hear him correctly, I couldn’t deal with the press, I couldn’t do a freaking press conference. I didn’t really want to talk with anyone about the situation, it had cost me a lot to even talk to my best friend and now talking to the sharks of the press, oh hell no!

“I-I c-can’t” I shook my head and felt a hand on my waist “Come on, babe. Larry knows what he is doing” He tried to push me forward but I sidestepped “No, this is not working… I can’t talk to the press… I just can’t” I hadn’t even talked to my parents about the fact that I was married, how could I do a freaking press conference?

Oh my god, I was getting sick… I felt my knees getting weak… and suddenly I felt a different pair of hands around my body lifting me and holding me up “Amy… hey, calm down… It’s gonna be fine” Zack’s voice sounded in my ear and on my other side Sara was touching my hand, patting lightly “I will be with you all the time, okay?” She said and I nodded, I tried to breathe deeply in and out and felt embarrassed for myself, everybody was staring at me, I really wasn’t meant to be here.

“Don’t even think about that” I heard Brian murmur not really sure of he was talking to me or Zack while he replaced him at my side. He pulled me into his body and before I knew it we were in one of his guest rooms together with Larry. He paced before us while Brian sat beside me on the bed, he had his arm securely around my body, and leaned me into him.

“Dealing with the press is never easy Amy, don’t think that it is. The guys just got used to it, and they never really cared what other people thought about them, so that was a benefit in their favor, and honestly… Normally we don’t even interfere with the press… because it doesn’t really bother us, we just have to if it gets too much, which is the case now, or if it would interfere with the music side, then we had to do something as well.” Larry stopped finally and looked at Brian and me, he seemed to study us for a moment.

“I watched the video they referred to on the side, and it’s not too bad, we can turn that into our favor… It just shows how Brian marches forward, wanting to… we will say, shield his beloved wife. You just need to keep the charade going, act in love, show them there is nothing they can do to bring you apart, be disgustingly in love and boring.” Larry said and smiled then, but I would call it a smirk, because the way he looked at us meant something, but I wasn’t too familiar with him to pinpoint what it really was about.

“So the plan is for us to go on stage and I should say something about Amy and me?” Brian asked while he rubbed soothingly my back, who he soothed more with it I didn’t know.
“Yes, you give a short statement about your and Amy’s status, you never been too big with the words, so keep it short, but say enough to give them something to write… I want Matt to do the questions, he likes to talk and I think he as your best friend can say something about the situation as well, as insider if you so will, that will give another look inside the story, I will let Matt know what I want him to say and what not.”

“Amy, you will be there, but I want you to just be by Brian’s side, act supporting, but we won’t let you talk alone, I don’t want them to rip into you for any reason.” Larry said and smiled gently and I nodded, relieved that I wasn’t meant to say anything.

“I honestly don’t feel comfortable with.. I mean… I-” I sighed loudly “Is there any way of me not having to be at press conference?” I asked and both Brian and Larry began shaking their heads.
“No, that would show the press that you back down. We want a strong woman beside Brian… we want them to think that Brian shows off his wife. You, Brian… think about your words, I want them to come right out.” Brian nodded as if he understood but I looked down on my hands, until I felt a finger underneath my chin and then I stared into brown eyes looking confused and stormy, I wished I could read him better.

“What else is bothering you about this, beside the main fact of doing it I mean?” Brian asked softly and I cringed, shit he knew there was more to it… dang it!
“I.. I haven’t even talked to my parents, and now I’m supposed to attend a press conference for everyone to know that I am your wife… what if my parents see… I can’t-” Brian’s eyes widened and I heard the door close, Larry must have left us alone, and I closed my eyes quickly.

“I haven’t even thought about that… We need to do this press conference, but what if… what if afterwards we call your parents, you and I, and tell them about us? Would that make you feel a little better?” He asked and I sighed, I didn’t really have a choice and after doing a press conference calling my parents and telling them I secretly married, this day couldn’t get any worse… could it?!

Matt’s POV

I watched how Brian, Larry and Amy vanished into one of Brian’s guest rooms and I felt really bad for Amy. She never dealt with these kinda things before and now everything was coming down on her at once.

When we started out with Avenged, no one gave a shit about us, and it became more and more over the years… that way we were more eased into the whole press topic, doing interviews, placing pictures, leaking music, that was all part of the plan, but we didn’t become famous and big from one day to the other, and that was happening with Amy right now, she was thrown into the cold water without knowing how to swim.

I looked down onto Sara’s head, I saw how she was twisting her fingers, how she was biting her bottom lip, she wanted to help her friend, wanted to go out there for her, but I knew I couldn’t allow that, Amy had to do it herself together with Brian and us.

Amy was part of the family now, no matter how Brian thought about the situation, which seemed like he was slowly getting the fact that he was as hopelessly fallen for the little brunette like I had fallen for the little blonde beside me.

I would help them as best as I could “I wish I could do this for her…” Sara said beside me and I pulled her even firmer into my body “We will take care of it”
“Sara, don’t worry… We won’t let anything happen to Amy, we will be there and get between any dumb or harassing questions” Zack confirmed and I nodded.

“This will give them a final statement of the situation, so this will hopefully be the last official thing we gotta do… from then on I bet the press interest and attention for Brian and Amy will subside” I told Sara and looked deeply into her eyes, nearly losing myself in them.

“Matt, give me a second” Larry’s voice sounded behind me and only barely I could look away from Sara, but I knew this tone of his meant business so I gave Sara a reassuring smile and left her with Johnny, Arin and Zack.

“What do I need to know?” I asked Larry cutting right to the case. Larry sighed “It’s really hard for her, and Brian doesn’t seem as stable as he normally is in situation like these. I don’t exactly know why, but something is behind all this, sadly we don’t have time to solve it all.” Larry turned around to face me.

“I want you to give the press an insider look. Don’t tell too much, just speak as the best friend. Give them a little input to satisfy their hunger for information, but don’t give anything away that they shouldn’t know. I want you to stand behind Brian and his decision. I told him to give a little statement, afterwards you take over and I don’t want Amy to be thrown into it by talking to the press herself.”

“Don’t worry Larry, I got this, we will manage.” I patted his shoulder he really looked concerned and normally press conferences like this were a piece of cake for him or he wouldn’t even be there to take place, but this was something he was taking serious, and we all should, because not only we as a group were into it, but two outstanding people were now thrown into the mix as well, and I didn’t want Amy or Sara to get hurt in any case.

He nodded and we went back to the others seeing Brian and Amy came also back from their hiding.
“We will meet in 1 hour at the destination, don’t be too nervous.” Larry gave Amy a soothing look and then went out of the door just as quickly as he came.

“I need to get ready” Amy said quietly and I saw how Sara took a step forward, but I held her back.
“Don’t… We need to get ready as well” I said and Sara looked at me with sad eyes but she finally nodded, and that way everyone was leaving the Haner’s house, even though we didn’t really were happy about the fact of leaving them alone.

Sara and I arrived at the venue for the conference early, but as I could see we weren’t the only ones. Brian’s car was already parked in the back and when we walked in I saw them together with Zack standing by the small built up stage.

The places where we were supposed to sit were already prepared and I sighed heavily, normally I didn’t feel nervous about this, but today was different.
“You should go to the backstage area and get ready, the press will be let in at every moment” Larry said from beside us and I saw how Brian protectively tugged Amy into his side.

“Where is Sara supposed to sit?” I asked Larry and he glanced around “She can wait backstage with me” He motioned for us to follow him and we waited until we heard noise filling the room, they were here and probably out for blood, and stories full of lies, god sometimes I hated this business, why were they so interested in our private life?
Shouldn’t this be about our music? But I guess with fame and music, came also the interest in private matter, that was the price to pay.

“Matt?” I felt Sara’s hand resting on my chest and I smiled at her to ease her nervousness, because I knew Sara was feeling with her friend, and even though Amy looked fabulous and had a smile plastered onto her face, if you just knew her a little, you could see through her, but those people out there didn’t know her, didn’t even gave a damn about Sara or Amy, they just wanted stories to sell, so I hoped they were just seeing the outta shell and that Amy would be able to hold it up until the conference was finished and then Brian better talk to her, and really talk to her about his feelings, or I might kick his ass myself, or let Sara do it.

“Yeah, don’t worry-” I started but she rolled her eyes “If you tell me one more time don’t worry, I’m gonna sleep in the guest room” Sara shot back her eyes narrowed and I winced “Don’t say shit like that, babe. You know you can’t stay away from me”

“Shut up, you big jerk” She grinned while saying that and placed her lips softly on mine “Please take care of my friend, I trust you to make this easy on her, can I? Trust you?” Sara’s eyes begged me and I wanted to hand over the world to her, and even without her saying this I would have done it anyway, but now knowing that she was confiding in me to take care of her best friend, it kinda made me feel even more aware of the fact that I had some responsibility here, even if it was just for my friend.

“You can trust me, babe” I leaned down and captured her lips with mine “Do you wanna start another press conference? Get your ass over here and keep that hands and lips off the woman for now, goddamn it” Johnny’s voice sounded annoyed behind me and I flipped him off while I pecked Sara’s lips again.

“I’ll take care of her, I promise” I whispered a final time against her lips before I really had to leave her standing off to the side.
Larry was already on the stage announcing us and I knew it was about show time. I quickly took my place at Brian side, who seemed to have a death grip on Amy.

Was he afraid she would be ripped from him, or that she would go running after or even during the press conference?

I looked at Brian and he seemed not in the best mood, I hoped he would cheer up because they now had to play the happy married couple, and at the moment it didn’t look like it at all, and the way Brian was staring at Amy from the side, something was happening between them, but we didn’t have time to figure it out now.

“Guys, come on up on stage” Larry’s voice sounded and I breathed in and out then marched forward, hoping the rest of the band was following me and did as they were told.

Notes

There you go! A new chapter....
How do you guys think the press conference will go?