"Lakyn!" Alexa screams at me, from the passenger seat.

I try to move, but I'm too late. The bus hits us, sending us into the traffic.

I'm trying so hard to drive out of the oncoming traffic, but it's no use, the car is already coming towards us.

It hits the car on my side.

"Nooo!" I wake up screaming.

Where the fuck am I? In the bar still? Where's Zach?

I sit up and look around, but he's not in the room with me. I pull on my clothes, and walk to the bathroom. I fix up my appearance a little, using the mirror, then walk back out to look for Zach.

I check downstairs, and in the bathroom down there, but I can't find him anywhere. I'm alone... in this strange bar that I've not been to up until last night... and he left me here. I feel a little hurt that he'd just leave like that.

I realize that I don't know how to get home from here. What am I going to do now?

I pull my phone from the pocket of my shorts, and dial Alexa's number, the first person I can think of to help me in a situation like this. Unfortunately, she doesn't answer, so against better judgement, I find myself dialing Zach's number. He doesn't answer, either. I'm left with no other option than to call Matt. I debate on just hanging up... he probably won't answer anyway... but he answers before I have the chance.

"Hello?" He sounds a little irritated, probably since he doesn't want anything to do with me, and now I'm calling him up.

"Matt, can you please come get me? I don't know how to get home." I'm starting to panic, since there seems to be some sort of sound coming from the back of the building, suddenly, like someone's trying to get in. "Please, Matt. I wouldn't be calling if it wasn't important."

"Where are you?" He sounds less irritated now. I tell him the address, and he tells me he'll be here soon, before hanging up.

"How did you get in here?" A voice sounds from behind me. I jump, and turn around, confronted by an older man staring me down.

"I-I'm sorry, sir. I was here last night with my friend, and fell asleep upstairs."

"Upstairs? Who's your friend?"

"Zach Baker." I manage to stammer out.

"Oh!" He says, as he realizes who I'm talking about. "Vengeance, huh?" He looks sad, all of a sudden. "He left here around 1 am with some chick on his arm. I assumed it was the same girl he took upstairs... I'm sorry, umm..."

"Lakyn."

"I'm sorry, Lakyn. Can I maybe get you a drink?"

"You know, I don't usually drink in the mornings, but that sounds really good right about now."

We walk over to the bar, and I take a seat as he gets me a drink. I down it in no time, as he just looks at me, bewildered.

While I wait for Matt to get to the bar, I sit and talk with Mick, the owner. He tells me about how his club came to be, and how he met Avenged Sevenfold. In turn, I tell him about moving here not that long ago, and how it hasn't exactly worked out for the best, so far.

There's knocking coming from the front door of the bar, and Mick goes to answer it.

"Matt!" Mick says, opening the door for him to come in. "Starting extra early today, aren't we?" He laughs.

"I'm not here to drink, Mick. I'm here for my friend." Matt looks over to me. So I'm still his friend, huh?

I get up and walk over to them. "Thanks for coming to get me." I say, sincerely.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on her, until I could get here, Mick. I appreciate it." Matt says to Mick, ignoring my comment.

"It's no problem, anything for you and the guys. How's Brian? I saw Jimmy, Johnny, and Zach last night. I was surprised you and Brian weren't tagging along, too."

"He's doing good. I'll tell him you asked. He'll have to come in and say hi soon. We better get going, though. Thanks again, Mick."

"Umm... what do I owe you for the drink?" I ask Mick.

"It's on the house, hon." Mick smiles at me.

"Thanks." I smile. "Sorry, again, I didn't mean to..."

"Don't mention it." Mick stops me, winking. I mentally thank him for not making me say it aloud. Though, I'm sure Matt will find out sooner, rather than later, what happened last night.
Mick waves bye to us, as we leave the club, and get in Matt's car.

"You smell like whiskey." Matt comments, as we pull away.

"Sorry."

"Is there anything that you'd like to talk about?"

"I'm sure you're wondering why I was at the club this early in the morning..."

"I'm interested to hear the story as to how you ended up there this morning, yes."

"I was there last night with Jimmy, Johnny, and Zach."

"You didn't leave with them?"

"No."

"Why?" He interrogates. I know I should just be honest with him.

"Johnny left pretty early in the evening. Jimmy left later on, with some girl. Zach and I stuck around a bit longer."

"So if Zach was with you, where is he now?"

"I don't know."

"Something doesn't add up in this story. He's with you one minute, and then he's just gone?" Matt sounds disbelieving. I decide to just tell him the truth straight up. If he doesn't want to be with me, anyway, it shouldn't bother him that Zach and I slept together.

Shit. Zach and I slept together. The realization hits me hard, and I feel nauseous, suddenly.

"Can you pull over, please? I'm going to be sick."

"Oh, no." Matt says, pulling the car over.

I quickly jump out, and fall to my knees in the grass. All of the alcohol from last night rushes up at once. I feel my hair being pulled back. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Matt leaning down next to me. I feel his hand on my back, rubbing.

"Better now?" He asks.

"Yes. Thanks." I say, getting up, and wiping my mouth on my sleeve. I feel gross... I'm wearing the same outfit from yesterday, and I haven't showered yet, so I reek of alcohol, and, now, vomit.

Matt helps me back in the car, and we are on the road again.

"Matt, I need to tell you something. I need to get this off my chest. I hope you won't be too upset with me." He doesn't look over, just stares at the road, as he drives, but I do register him tensing up a bit.

"Go ahead." He says.

"I slept with Zach."

He lets out a long breath. "Of course." His grip tightens on the steering wheel.

"I wasn't planning on it, but it happened. We had a lot to drink, and we got caught up."

"It's okay, Lakyn. You don't have to explain anything to me. You can do whatever you want. Or whoever you want."

"Matt, I just wanted to tell you, so you..."

"It's okay. Can we not talk about it?"

"Yeah." I say.

The rest of the drive is silent, until we arrive back at my place.

"Thank you so much for coming to get me, Matt."

"Why didn't you call Zach?" He asks, staring at me.

"I... uhh... I did."

"He didn't answer." He scoffs. "He sleeps with you, leaves you at an unknown bar, and then doesn't answer your call. How nice of him."

"I'm sure he has a good reason..." I say, but I don't sound sure at all.

"I'm sure." Matt looks away. "I've gotta go, Lakyn."

"Yeah, of course. Thanks again, Matt. See you later."

"See ya." He says, and I close the door.

I watch him drive away, and run into my house to compose myself.

What was I thinking? Matt's completely right.. Zach slept with me, then disappeared, and won't answer my calls now. I can't believe I was so stupid to sleep with him. I just fucked up big time.

There goes any chance I had of being with Matt...

Notes