Matt’s POV

“So what exactly is this thing, Larry?” I asked with a yawn as I leaned back in my chair, my arms behind my head. I bored out of my mind and from the looks on my band mates’ faces they felt just as restless as I did.

We had just come back to California after finishing the last leg of our European tour and instead of spending our last night on tour parting it up, we were stuck at this stuffy black-tie event. It was tradition to spend the last night of our tour at Johnny’s Saloon but apparently our manager didn’t care about that. He was just worried about our public image after the bad press we received in Europe before we left.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t the best thing to have your drummer get arrested and maced before a show, or have your whole band get thrown in jail after a massive fistfight in a bar. But what did Larry expect? It wasn’t like any of us were going to back down if some douche stepped out of line. That’s just who we were! We were five best friends who stood up for one another and had the time of our lives! In my opinion it wasn’t such a big deal if we got in trouble every once and a while and our fans certainly wouldn’t think any less of us.

“Yeah, when can we leave?” Johnny asked, his eyes glazed over from the amount of alcohol he had consumed today.

I watched as Christ clumsily poured himself another glass of wine. What I wouldn’t give for a pitcher of beer and a bottle of Jack Daniels. Unfortunately the only beverages available at this uptight event were champagne and wine.

“You guys aren’t going anywhere,” Larry said sternly as he took the bottle away from Johnny with a chastising look. “And it’s a benefit gala for local charities.”

“Yeah, charities we’ve already given too…” Gates muttered under his breath as he swirled the wine around his glass. I could tell from the look on his face that he wasn’t too pleased with the quality. Well, I wasn’t pleased with any of this shit.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to get out of this suit and tie and drink the night away with my best friends. I was beyond restless from sitting most of the day and these clothes were only making things worse. I swear, as soon as we got the clear to leave we were heading to Johnny’s to end our touring cycle the right way—drunk, high, and surrounded by beautiful women! I couldn’t fucking wait!

“Yes, you’ve already given to these charity but after all the negative press you’ve had lately, I thought it would be good for you to make an appearance,” Larry explained, but my eyes were the silent Jimmy. He was nervously bouncing his leg next to me as he looked up at the ceiling. He had been sitting way too quite for way too long and we all knew it was only a matter of time before he finally burst. “So just sit back, relax, enjoy the music, will ya? It’s your last night of tour and I cant think of a better way for you all to unwind.

“I could,” Zack chuckled, nudging me in the side as Jimmy’s chest started to rise and fall rapidly. Oh he was like a ticking time bomb and I couldn’t wait for him to burst. The Rev was our golden ticket out of this hell hole…

Larry shot Zack a warning look as the next orchestra moved to set up on the stage. “Please don’t start any of your shit tonight,” he begged. “All eyes are already on you and last things the media needs is to find out that you were kicked out of this gala for bad behavior. So no crazy outburst and arrests, please,” he whispered across the table, causing all of us to laugh. That was a joke, right?

“We can’t promise anything, Larry,” Zacky chuckled after taking a swig of his drink. “We’ve kept Rev cooped up for more than twelve hours and he is about ready to explode. You should have seen him on the car ride over.”

“Yeah, he’s had that crazy look in his eye,” Gates added, waving his hand in front of unblinking, Jimmy. That was his scheming look and we all knew we only had minutes before Jimmy’s restlessness took over. “I don’t know how much restraint the guy has left.”

Jimmy loudly sucked in a breath to my left and I smirked, seeing the insanity building in his eyes. I leaned over to Zack and whispered. “I’ll give him three….two….one…”

“AHHH!” Jimmy’s scream erupted through the air as he rocked wildly back and forth in his chair. The surrounding tables instantly turned to look at us and I had to cover my mouth with my hand to contain my laughter. Oh this was going to be good!

“I can’t fucking take it anymore!” Jimmy burst, slamming his fists on the table and l leaning across the table with wild eyes. “I’m having spontaneous internal combustion from boredom,” Jimmy yelled, making the couple at the table next to ours turn and look in our direction. There expressions were fucking priceless! “Massive internal failure…from lack of alcohol consumption at the end of tour…” He paused and made a face. “…my internal organs are slowly slipping into madness…there’s no turning back…YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!”

“Jimmy please—” Larry said, the volume at our table slowly rising and gaining more and more attention from the surrounding crowd.

“Well at least he’s not trying to kill us with noxious fumes like Shads over here,” Johnny coughed, waving his hand in front of his face. “We told you not to eat that fucking airport food.”

“Hey, I was hungry,” I shrugged, looking across the ballroom with a smirk. Okay, maybe I had let one rip just get a reaction from someone. This place was way too fucking boring if you asked me and silent but deadly fumes always livened things up. “Besides it wasn’t really my fault! If we had left on time and someone wasn’t offloaded then I wouldn’t have eaten that shit!” I said, causing the table to burst into laughter again. Oh yeah, we were causing a ruckus now!

“I was just enjoying the fine quality liquor in New Amsterdam,” Johnny shot back, though he still looked fucking drunk to me. His eyes were slightly glazed over and the drink in his hand wasn’t helping matters.

“Offload me now, motherfucker!” Jimmy yelled, grabbing the bottle of wine from the table and taking three huge gulps. When he swallowed he swung the bottle around, pointing it at a couple who were leaving the table next to us. They were just fucking jealous they weren’t having as much fun as we were!

“Jimmy will you—” Larry started but there was no getting the Rev off his soapbox now. Oh, this was the moment I had been waiting for…Jimbo was going to lead us all to freedom!

“And when I come back,” he continued, pouring more wine in his mouth, not caring who was watching him. “Then I’ll be fucking drunker then before…and you’ll never keep me here! I’ll be the fucking knife master!” He proclaimed, now standing and holding his pointer finger up in the air. “I am invincible!” he screamed. “TRY AND BRING ME DOWN MOTHERFUCKERS!!”

“Can we please not talk about the knife master at the benefit gala?” Larry begged as the rest of us laughed loudly. He quickly pulled Jimmy back down to the table as a big wig in a suit making his way toward our table, looking rather pissed off by the ruckus we were causing. “Please just keep it down…” he said before he stood up and met the man just a few tables away.

“You’ve locked me up now pay the consequences, muahaha,” Jimmy yelled after him and I couldn’t help but join in and take a drink with him. I guess if we were going to be stuck here, we might as well have a good time, right? In my opinion there was nothing wrong with a little Avenged Sevenfold style fun! We could definitely liven this party up a bit!

“We’re in trouble now,” Gates chuckled, looking over the rim of his glass at the man that was now hurriedly talking with Larry. “How much you wanna bet we get kicked out of here?” he smirked, reading my mind.

“I don’t think we need to bet anything…because we’re going to Johnny’s!” I announced, watching Larry’s head fall down in defeat before he headed back toward our table. He looked pissed but we all knew he really couldn’t blame us. We weren’t exactly the type you could dress up and take out.

“Let’s get the hell out of here before he comes and gives us one of his lectures,” Zack said, the rest of us nodding in agreement.

Without another word, we all stood up and made a bee-line toward the door, totally ignoring our manager shouting after us. Look who was making a scene now! “So are we heading to Johnny’s?” I asked once we stepped outside. God I fucking missed the smell of the ocean and the warm heat.

“Is there any other place?” Gates asked, pulling out a smoke.

“Yeah, it’s tradition,” Jimmy added. He was running circles around the four of us as we walked to my car. The guy was just a ball of energy and I couldn’t blame him.

“Yeah, and because Gates is still trying to get the redhead to go home with him,” Zack chuckled, earning a shove from Gates. “Fuck off Vengeance. You’re just jealous the little brunette is more interested in Jimbo than you!” Gates countered and I threw my head back with a laugh. Of course they would fight over the bartenders—its what they always did.

An hour later, the five of us pulled up outside of Johnny’s free of our stuffy suits and ready to party.

“Look what the cat dragged in!” Johnny, the own of the bar yelled as soon as we walked through the door. “Long time no see, fellas,” the older gentleman patted my shoulder and lead us toward the back room. Though it seemed that Gates and Jimmy were already making a detour at the bar.

“Hey, Johnny, nice to see you too, man,” I said, pulling him in for a hug. This guy had really helped out our band of misfits over the years and I swear we owed some of our success to that man. It was part of the reason we always came back here time-after-time. “How’s life been treating you?”

“Ahh, same old same old. We’ve got a new girl though cause Beth quit,” he said motioning toward the bar. My eyes instantly locked on the little blonde that was flying around the other two bartenders, who of course were talking to Gates and Jimbo.

I smirked as I watched the stunning girl move in front of me, placing drink after drink down on the counter. She really was gorgeous with those perfect curves, long legs, a nice ass, and lets not forget those hauntingly beautiful blue eyes I could see all the way from here. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

“So what you think? She gonna cut it?” Johnny asked, elbowing me in the side as her laugh carried across the bar.

“I think you’ve picked a fine employee,” I nodded just as Zack moved up behind us. “How was Europe?”

“It was great—”

“Yo Shadz, what the hell are you doing over here? The party is getting started in the back room!” Zack said, holding up a bottle of Jack to me. “Did you see the new chick? Hot? Am I right?” he asked, pointing at the new girl.

I felt a dimpled smile pull over my face as I moved to get a better look. She looked even hotter from this angle and I had to swallow thickly to keep my thoughts from turning dirty. “You can fucking say that again,” I muttered, catching her eye for a split second before she turned to another customer. “Better tell Gates to stays away from her…” I joked, though I was halfway serious.

“Tell me what?” Speak of the devil himself. Gates had come straight from the back room with an empty tray of drinks. Fuck was I really that behind all ready? And when did he, Jimbo, and the two other bartenders sneak past me?

I followed Gates back up to the bar just in time for Mei, to jump back behind the bar. She quickly poured us a tray of shots and I could tell by the smirk on Gates’ face that he was planning his next move. The redhead always played hard to get, but knowing Gates, he wouldn’t back down now that he had a challenge. He would try anything and everything in the book to get that girl to his bed. For her sake, I hoped she knew how to hold her liquor.

“Just too keep your hands to yourself tonight,” I said, playfully elbowing him in the side as Mei helped us take the shots into the back room.

He laughed and looked back at Zack and I. “Well, I cant promise anything but I will be good if I can close the deal with that little number.” The look in Gates eyes reminded me of an animal that was on a hunt, ready to take down his pray at any cost.

“How’s that going, for ya?” A smirk spread over to my face as I motioned toward the girl that Johnny was now sitting next to.

“Honestly?” Gates leaned forward and put his elbows on the island, his long hair failing forward. “She’s piece of work but I can tell she wants it. I just have to break the shell, and what better way to do that then with some liquid courage?” he laughed, wagging his eye-brows again.

“Well, looks like Short Shit is trying to break that shell too,” Zack laughed. Brian whipped around and threw his arms up in the air, rushing into the back room. “I love fucking with him,” Zack joked, though my attention was solely on the blonde in the front of the bar again. Damn she was a hot little number. I wondered what her name was? I didn’t know why I felt so drawn to the young woman. I just knew that I wanted to get to know her. What the hell was that about?

“Thank god, you’ve been gone for an eternity!” Out of nowhere Jimmy was in my face and pushing a shot down my throat. Ugh, tequila. I grimaced in disgust not having even time to regain from the shitty taste, before he pressed another shot glass against my mouth. Absinthe? Did they serve anything good around this place?

“Fuck, Jimmy...” I gasped for air, pushing him aside, “That tastes like ass.”

“Its about time you showed up, dimples,” the redhead Kay teased, pouring another line of shots at the table as Gates watched her with a smirk.

“Yes! Welcome back!” Mei chimed in. “It’s been way too long and time to get this party started!”

“Yeah, and what do you ladies have in mind?” I chuckled, watching them work. I knew it was late and that Johnny’s would be closing soon, but Kay and Mei always hooked us up. I just hoped they could talk the hot little blonde into joining us too.

Kay smirked and leaned back against the table. “I was thinking about a good old fashioned game of roll the dice,” she said, shooting a wink at her dark-haired friend.

“Five guys and two chicks?” Zack asked, seeming taken aback.

“Oh, it’s not two girls,” Mei giggled, looking between us with a mischievous smirk. “It’s three,” she and Kay said at the same time and immediately perked my attention.

“Oh yeah? Whose the third girl?” Johnny asked. Damn his eyes were fully glazed over. Someone give him a glass of water before he pukes his brains out and ruins the game.

Mei and Kay looked at each other with a mischievous smirk. “That would be our new girl, Kimmie. I think you boys will love her…will you give her a good old fashioned Avenged welcome?”

“You bet your ass we will!” Jimmy screamed, flying around the room again. The rest of us nodded in agreement before the two girls disappeared to the now quiet main room of the bar.

I few minutes later, the girls returned dragging the very timid looking blonde behind him. What did Mei say her name was? Kimmie? I smiled at the thought as I watched as she hid behind a curtain of her hair, looking shyly around at our motely crew. Did she know who we were?

“Kimmie, we would like to introduce you to the most awesome group of guys that you will ever meet!” Mei gushed as Jimmy instantly fell on the ground at the new girl’s feet. “This is Avenged Sevenfold!”

“And I’m Jimmy! Welcome to the best fucking bar in the whole world,” Jimmy yelled, hugging her feet and making her look nervously around.

“Nice-nice too meet you Jimmy,” she said, her voice shaking with was that laughter?

“And this shorty over his Johnny, followed by the green-eyed Mr. Vengeance—”

“Or you can call me Zacky,” he interrupted only for Kay to push on. “Then this asshole behind me is Brian or Gates and last but not least, Mr. Dimples over there is Matt.” Kimmie looked up and her eyes instantly met mine, causing me to swallow thickly. Damn her blue eyes were even more powerful up close. She was gorgeous and down right adorable.

“Nice to meet you all,” she said only to be cut off by Jimmy yelling.

“Get that tequila ready, ladies!” Jimmy jumped up and down like a child on Christmas morning before opening his presents.

“What is ‘roll the dice?” Kimmie asked only for Mei to lean over and explained the rules to her.

“Just relax, you’re going to love it.” Kay told her before assigning each of us a number. “But before we start…lets have a round of shots.”

I quickly passed a shot to Kimmie, watching her out of the corner of my eye. I wasn’t sure what the night was going to bring but I was excited to find out. Let the games begin.

“To being back in Huntington Beach at the best fucking bar in town!”

“Here here!” We all cheered, clinking our glasses together. We quickly shot gunned our drinks, ready to party the night away.

Notes

Here is your second installment, Kimmie! So the boys got kicked out of benefit gala...and Matty seems to have an eye for the new girl ;) hehe...hope you like it!