Brian’s POV
After Amy agreed on calling her parents after the press conference, I tried to take the opportunity that appeared by Larry leaving the room. I needed to talk to her, and I thought this was a good a time as any. But there was no getting through to her, she just kept repeating everything that Larry had told her, like it was some kind of mantra. She never gave me any room to tell her anything else, than the words she was trying to learn by heart. I could see the worry in her eyes and with the speed and amount of words she was spilling…. I knew she had to be super nervous. I just wished she would let me comfort her.

The moment she finally gave me room to say something, was also the moment she decided it was time to go down to the others. Not wanting to miss anything that was discussed as excuse. Was she avoiding me now? I really didn’t know how to act the happy couple if she wouldn’t even let me close. I groaned in frustration, there was no way I could play the part like this. There had to be a way to get her to listen to me. But for now… there was no other way for me than to follow her downstairs, hoping I would get another chance.

When I joined the others in the living room, I watched Amy being completely uncomfortable in this group of friends she, and Sara too, had been fitting in so naturally. She kept glancing over to Sara, as if it was her only friend in here.

I had to keep myself from cursing out loud. I hated this! I knew that once the press would come into the picture shit would get ugly, but I never thought it would be this bad. I always had the idea Amy and I would get through easily. We had been so good together, fake or not, we had been amazing. Pretending to be with her had been effortless, maybe because it never really had been pretend?

Ah fuck… this was all so screwed up! I couldn’t help but let my gaze wonder over to her every time and I felt so bad she was being so uneasy, she even seemed weird in her own skin. Damn, how could I have been this fucking stupid. Everything was so much worse now that Amy and I were weird, all because of me and my stupid pride.

I was so busy with my own thoughts that I didn’t even notice everyone was leaving, not until I saw only Amy standing in my living room. Finally! This was my chance!

“Amy, we need to talk”

She snapped her head at me as if she had totally forgotten that I was there.
“What? We can’t talk now” she sounded distant and took a deep breath, before she looked me straight in my eyes “I promise to behave, Brian. I will play the loving wife, I will be the most perfect wife you can even imagine. I will be the best wife you ever had. So no worries there.”

I looked at her with open mouth, did she really think I needed to discuss that with her? If this whole thing would go wrong it wouldn’t be her fault, but mine. How could she think that?

I got surprised again when she took a few steps forward. For a split second I assumed she was going to kiss me, I was already feeling her lips on mine, already relaxing, knowing it would all be okay if would reconnect, but she just put her hand on my cheek and looked me straight in the eye “To be that perfect wife, I need to get ready. I will need all the time I can get, now Sara isn’t there to help me” Her tone was hard to understand, but it felt like she was explaining something to a little kid, and the little pat she gave my cheek, right before she walked away, confirmed that feeling. What. The. Hell.

Amy really walked away from me, gaining on confidence as it seemed, with every step she took. She disappeared into her room, and only came out 45 minutes later.

I was already dressed. All black, like always, and was impatiently waiting for Amy at the bottom of the stairs. When I finally heard footsteps on the top, I couldn’t suppress the butterflies flying in my stomach. I felt like the high school boy again, waiting for his date to arrive. But the second Amy appeared to my eye, I knew I was definitely not a schoolboy anymore. She looked too grown up for that, sinfully hot, and, as I quickly thought, totally mine!

As soon as she reached the last steps I wrapped my arms around her, immediately aiming for her mouth, but she stopped me with a wide smile “No. You can’t. Not now. You are not ruining my make up before I showed it to the persons that want to take pictures of me, of us.” She winked and tried to get out of my grip, but I wasn’t ready to let her go yet.

“You look amazing. I knew I had a hot wife, but you are taking it to another level” I sighed, full of adoration as I pulled her closer again, pushing her hair away from one side of her neck and immediately placing little kisses below Amy’s ear. For a second she melted into me, but then she put her hand on my chest and gently pushed me away.
“Come on, stop it, save that for the cameras and gossip writing pens. We should get going”

She headed for the door with large steps.
“Amy, I really think we should talk before we go”
“No, we don’t” the smile she had plastered on her face ever since she had come down was gone for just a brief moment as she looked at me seriously “I’m finally doing what I should have been doing from the beginning. Play your wife. A wife that fits you and your lifestyle, and not plain old, uncertain Amy. She will convince no one” and with that, she made clear the topic was done and she headed to my car.

What did she mean with that remark? I didn’t understand and it made me anxious, what if she changed her mind about the plan? What if she outed us at the press conference? I really didn’t care about my image, but I did care about everything that would happen if she was planning on telling the press about us. I was scared to hell she would tell the press, because that would mean… she would be able leave me.

All the way over to the venue I was lost in thoughts. I had been thinking so much about talking, that the thought of actually doing it was making me sick by now. This whole plan was heading for disaster and I was just standing there, looking at it.

Zack was already there and Amy hugged him, the jealousy monster was growling loudly inside of me and I had a very hard time containing it. The others were arriving also, one by one, quickly. Before I knew it, we were told to get ready. Our time backstage had been short, and the only thing that kept me from going crazy, was the fact that Amy apparently had decided we should start being a couple, and she let me touch her, hold her, kiss her once in a while. I knew it did nothing to calm her nerves, but it sure calmed mine.

When Larry asked us to come on stage I notice my friends had formed a wall around Amy, giving her a protective shield from everything she was about to face. We walked past a worried looking Sara and Matt quickly kissed her one last time, before we finally had to go on stage. Amy and I sat down in the middle, me holding her hand, obvious for everyone to see, cameras clicking frantically. Zack took the chair next to Amy and Johnny sat next to him. Matt took his place next to me, and Arin next to him. There we were. Let the games begin.

People were already calling out questions to us, to me, to Amy, but Larry cut them short.
“I would like to give Brian the mic to give a statement, we will have time for questions afterwards” He gave me a small nod and I shot Amy a look, expecting a nervous glance back, but she had a big smile on her face and winked at me.
“You want me to do it? I know you are not much for words” she whispered, just loud enough for the crowd to hear and by the way she turned her head to them after it, I would almost think she planned it like that.

“No, I’ll do it” I kissed her cheek briefly, amazed again by the change she showed and turned towards the mic “We called this press conference to inform you that a few weeks ago, I married this amazing woman sitting next to me. Not that it is actually any of your business, but she is, and will be, the only mrs. Haner from now on. Now butt out of my personal life!” I groaned the last part, not able to keep my annoyance to myself anymore.
“Oh come on honey, don’t be like that…. It’s OUR personal life now” Amy added sweetly, before she finally kissed me with that amazing mouth of hers, not wasting a moment to deepen. And for just that second, I forgot the whole world around us, it was just her and me.

“Guys…. Guys! Cut it out” Matt’s amused voice broke our kiss and I looked at Amy breathless, I didn’t even realize how I missed her until that. While I was still staring at her, Matt joked “They have been like that ever since they met. He has been an asshole in the time that they have been apart before the wedding” He chuckled as if he told the funniest story ever.

“Brian, the rumor goes you and Amy met each other and got married the same day. It seems like a probable story, seeing we never even heard of her before” There she was again, the bitch, should have known she would push forward on the first opportunity. I already opened my mouth to answer, but Matt was quicker with a laugh.

“We would have like that, huh guys?” He looked around me to Zack and Johnny, and then to Arin, who all let out a laugh of their own, before Matt continued “That would definitely have been better. Now we had a pouting Brian on the bus, because he met her, right before we went on the yearlong tour we did. He was terrible, you should all pity us. Really”

“So you married her right after you met her, and not seeing her for months? Little quick, don’t you think?” Another reporter smirked, as if he finally found his breaking story. Yeah Matt, how will you explain that one? But I should have known better than Matt not knowing what to say.
“Well, I think we can ask, or maybe even beg, to buy our next album in great numbers, because Brian sure can use the money. He let Amy fly in at every possibility he could and flew back himself every time we had more than 3 days off.” Matt leaned back in his chair, completely satisfied with his answer.

And for a bit he really shut the press up and I allowed a little smile myself too, while I was playing with Amy’s hand in one of mine, and her hair in my other. But then the bitch stepped forward again.

“We published a video of Brian attacking one of our cameramen in a supermarket, Mrs. Haner, aren’t you scared of that aggressive side of his?” She pointed her question directly at Amy and I was grateful Matt jumped on it right away “I think we can all agree-“

“Matt, I know you would like to be Mrs. Haner too, but I was first” Laughter came from the room, and I snapped my head to where Amy’s voice was coming from “Thank you, but I think I can answer myself” She smiled at Matt, who was gaping at her, just like the rest of us. He motioned with his head as if he wanted to say ‘be my guest’, but I could see the worry in his eyes. I had heard him promise Sara he would take care of Amy, if the press would prey on Amy after this, Matt would have a fight on his hands. But there was no need to worry, Amy’s answer amazed all of us.

“Well… Heavenly” Oh boy, Amy remembered her name. I noticed everyone looking at her in anticipation, as she spoke the name in high disbelief “Your parents sure didn’t expect you to find a job as Satan’s assistant, huh?” she giggled, as if she was stating something very obvious and a suppressed chuckle went through the room, but Johnny started to laugh out loud, claiming how amazing Amy was and who was I to disagree? However, Amy wasn’t done yet. “Where was I?.. Oh yes…. Heavenly… I don’t know about you… But I would have been more scared if Brian wouldn’t have done what he did. I mean… how much does your man care for you if he lets women with totally unfitting names tell utter lies about you?” She turned to me again and kissed me briefly “Thank you for defending me, baby”

Heavenly was shooting daggers at Amy and her face was almost purple in anger, but she didn’t have enough. She already had her mouth open to go for it again, but Larry stopped it, by giving another report the chance to ask a question.

Next question was one about the wedding an Amy sat up straight to answer it, giving them the complete story, without the whole drunk part. Then a question about the honeymoon followed and also that question was answered by Amy. She was funny and witty, the reporters were all laughing, they were pushing each other aside to be able to answer the next question. The guys were leaning back now, at first nervous about how Amy would handle all of it, but confident now that this press conference would be brought to a great ending. The confidence within me grew too….

I looked at Amy, giving one sassy answer after another and I couldn’t stop my grin from getting wider and wider. That woman was wearing my ring, she introduced herself with my name, she was fucking mine! How had I been able to deny all of this? How was I even questioning the strong feeling that was welling up inside of me. There was no going around, it was too damn big.

“Amy, Mrs. Haner, Are you going to be travelling together with the band from now on? Just like your predecessors did?” Why… Whyyyy did they have to start about the exes now?! We had fun! There was no need at all to bring them into the picture.

Amy stiffened next to me. No, no, no, she was doing so well, I didn’t want her to feel bad now, taken back by the reporters starting on Michelle. Amy opened her mouth to say something, but closed again. Those assholes! No she would be doubting herself again, I didn’t want that!

Luckily Matt felt the change in energy too, picking up the question immediately. “Oh come on, who wants to talk about exes when there is this lovely woman sitting at the table? The ex has nothing or her, you guys met both of them, you have to agree with me? Right?” I heard some confirming noises from the room. I put my hand around Amy’s and gave it a little squeeze, hoping it would give her enough courage to finish the press conference without feeling to uncomfortable.

But apparently my worries were unnecessary… Amy seemed to have found her voice again, now she had been assisted by Matt. “I… I.. I don’t want to depend on Brian. I have a job, I hate Brian paying for my stuff. We had our first marital fight because he wanted to pay for our whole honeymoon” she shook her head as if she couldn’t believe I did that and the reporter was looking at her in adoration. He was eating out of the palm of her hand and shot me a look in approval

“I am my own woman, and I can take care of myself….” She dropped a silence before she joked “…. But sometimes a woman gotta let her man take care of her” she wiggled her eyebrows “There are a few countries I still want to see, so I better save up my vacation days” I chuckled. She was fucking amazing. I fell for her, and hard.

Oh my god, I love you so much I thought…

At least… that’s what I thought…

Suddenly I saw the reporters look at Amy and me in awe, but the thing that made me realize I said it out loud, were the five faces at the table snapped at me, my friends… staring at me as if I was a stranger, Amy staring at me in disbelieve, her mouth hanging open wide.

“You what?!” She could barely let out.

It was now or never, I already said it, now I had to pull through. I didn’t care that the world would see, me telling her how I felt was long overdue. I grabbed her face between my hands and kissed her softly “I love you so much, Amy”

I was staring in her eyes, expecting to see everything I felt, reflected in her eyes. I was finally making this right, I would finally be able to be with her like I wanted. Out in the open, no more pretending. But the more and more I looked into Amy’s eyes, I noticed that wasn’t at all what I got back from her. She was questioning me with her eyes, uncertainty overflooding, skeptical gaze included.

Then she gave me a little peck back, and turned towards the reporters again, picking up the questions as if nothing had happened.

She was not responding, not giving me anything back on my big reveal. Why did she act like it was all part of the plan? It wasn’t. This was real. Didn’t she see this was real? She had to believe me. Why didn’t she believe me?

Notes

Did Brian just tell her he loves her? :o