Mei’s POV

“Yes, Sir,” I said excitedly into the receiver of my phone. I was jumping up and down with joy, barely able to maintain my profession composure on the phone. “You wont regret this decision. Thank you so much for the opportunity!” I gushed before hanging up the phone.

Oh I couldn’t believe it! I had finally landed the job of my dreams! I had been working at Revolver magazine for years, climbing my way through the corporate ladder to the top and I finally made it! I was the chief editor of the whole magazine, not just one of the little peon writers writing monotonous drabble. I was finally reaching my dream!

“I can’t believe it!” I squealed, looking down at my phone in disbelief. Wow, the chief editor of Revolver Magazine for NewBay Media! I was so excited I had to tell someone!

Without a second thought, I raced back into the studio as fast as my little legs would carry me. “Whoa, Mei where are you off to in such a hurry?” Johnny asked as I padded my way down the hall to the recording studio.

“She’s a gnome on a mission, leave her alone,” Zack chuckled, though he wasn’t far behind me. The guys knew I had been working on getting this job for years now and that I was up for promotion. Some days I thought they were more excited about the opportunity then I was. Sure I always got to attend the best concerts with my press pass but now I could attend any show I wanted. Hell, Revolver was how I met the Avenged guys in the first place! It was like my life was coming full circle.

Who would have guessed that I would end up befriending the crazy group of Avenged guys after I interviewed them two years ago? Certainly not me, but lets just say Jimmy had me hooked on their little misfit gang from his first screamed hello. I remembered being doubled over with laughter the whole interview from Jimmy’s antics. He was like a kid in a grown man's body but that’s what drew me toward him. He was like no other person I had ever met before and we quickly became fast friends. Jimmy played hard, loved unconditionally, was the world's greatest friend, and was the funniest person I had ever met.

As neared the studio, I could hear Jimmy’s voice resonating through the door. Oh, good old Jimbo. He really was the best friend a girl could ask for. Honestly, if it weren’t for him, Matt and I would have never gotten together. I guess I really should thank him for ‘accidentally’ locking us in Brian’s wine cellar one night during a party. It was there that Matt and I spent the whole night talking over a couple bottles of wine, our connection undeniable from the moment we met. I still remembered our first kiss and the sparks that ignited inside of me, making me feel alive for the first time in my life.

“Must have stabbed him fifty fucking times! I can’t believe it. Ripped her heart out right before her eyeeees, eyes over easy. Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!” Jimmy’s voice screamed through the speakers as soon as I opened the door. Oh, shoot, I didn’t mean to interrupt their recording. I bit down on my bottom lip and took a step backwards, hoping I didn’t ruin the take.

“Oh my fucking god!” Brian roared, he and Matt rolling on the couch with laughter. “That is fucking perfect!”

“It’s exactly what we needed…but what if we add some more voices on the ‘eat it’ part? Like a demonic chorus?” Matt he laughed, pushing the speaker button to the sound booth. Man that was the most musical sound I had ever heard.

“Mei! Did you hear that?! Did you hear it?! DID YOU HEAR IT?!?!” Jimmy bellowed from the sound booth as soon as he saw me. He was jumping up and down and pounding on the glass, looking like a caged ape and I couldn’t help but laugh. “IT WAS SHEER BRILLIANCE!”

“Keep your pants on, Rev, of course she heard it. Everyone fucking heard it,” Zacky chuckled as he appeared behind me with Johnny and a case of beer.

“Yes, It was amazing,” I nodded, Matt’s eyes meeting mine with a dimpled smile.

“Did you hear anything? Was that Revolver on the phone?” He asked, crossing the room and pulling into his loving embrace. I smiled and looked up into those excited hazel eyes, my heart beating wildly in my chest. There was just something about Matt that drove me insane and made me feel alive.

“Yes, they did call,” I said slyly, pulling away as all the guys got up and surrounded me. They all looked so anxious and I couldn’t wait to tell them the good news.

“Well? What did they say?” Matt asked, his fingertips still lingering on my hips. “Did you get the job?”

I turned around and bit down on my lip, pretending to look upset. “I-I…” I started, twisting my hands in front of me as the guys stared, drinking in my every word and motion. “I got the job!”

The room exploded with cheers and I felt my body be lifted off the floor into a rib-crushing hug! “Little Mei Mei got the job! She is going to be a big famous writer and rule the world next to the knife master! Muah ha ha!” Jimmy bellowed in my ear.

“She was already a famous writer, Rev,” Zack corrected. “Remember she interviewed us two years ago for the magazine? You spilled your beer on her blouse? Does any of that ring any bells?”

“The knife master did no such thing!” Jimmy yelled, pointing a finger at all of us. “No one saw anything….NOTHING!” He quickly pulled Johnny into a headlock and dragged him back to the sound booth, closing the door behind him with a loud bang.

Matt shook his head with a chuckled before he turned and pulled me into his embrace. “I’m so proud of you, babe. I can’t believe you got it,” he said, gently kissing my lips. Just from the look on his face I could see the sincerity and happiness he felt. He was just as excited about this as I was.

“I know. It’s really surreal,” I said, shaking my head.

“Yeah, congrats, short stuff,” Brian added, playfully poking me in the side. “Do you know when you start the new gig?”

“My boss said he would email me the details shortly but he made it sound like I would be working within the next week.” God I was so excited that I could barely contain myself.

“I say this calls for a celebration,” Matt announced. “We will go to Johnny’s tonight in honor of Mei’s new promotion and all of you assholes better be there. That means you too short shit. No running off with Lacy to see fucking Harry Potter! This is a once in a life time party!” Matt finished as Johnny flipped him off from the booth.

“And you little Mei better head home and find something sexy to wear because you and I will have our own private party later,” Matt’s low voice rumbled in my ear, sending goose bumps down my spine. If he was going to keep that up, I wasn’t going to make it to our private party later. I bit down on my bottom lip and looked up at him, my dark brown eyes meeting his hazels. “Do you like the sounds of that?” His hands moved through my long dark hair, causing me to take a sharp breath as electric sparks shot through my body. How was it that after a year he still had that effect on me?

Unable to find my voice, I breathlessly nodded my head. God why were his hands moving like that over my hips? Did he have any idea what that did to me? “Well you better hurry cause we are almost done with today’s recording,” and with that he gave me a quick kiss, spanked my ass, and headed into the sound booth, leaving me in a state of pent up sexual frustration.

Without another word, I quickly grabbed my bag and my laptop and headed out the door. Two hours later I was standing in front of my bathroom mirror looking at my made-up reflection. I was wearing a short black dress, a cropped denim jacket, and matching pair of black bootie heels. My long dark hair was curled down my back and there was a natural layer of makeup on my skin, accentuated by some red lipstick. This was a new beginning for me and I couldn’t wait to share with all the people I loved.

“That’s going to have to do,” I said to my reflection after putting on some dangling silver earrings. I knew Matt was going to be here any minute and I didn’t want to keep him or the guys waiting, especially since they were throwing this impromptu party for me tonight.

I ran my fingers through my curls one last time as my phone sounded next to me on the counter, indicating an email. “Maybe this is the information about my job,” I said excitedly to myself and quickly opened the email. Only the information in the document was not something I was prepared to read.

Your assignment for Chief Editor of Revolver Magazine through the NewBay Media Company begins tomorrow morning at 10 AM with a staff meeting. Please report to the NewBay Media Company on 142 St., New York City, your new assistant Cindy will show you your office and new living accommodations, as per contract agreement. Congratulations and see you tomorrow morning.

I gapped down at my phone. What the hell did they mean that I was supposed to be in New York at 10 AM? I lived in California! That would mean I would have to take a flight out tonight to get there on time.

“Fuck!” I hissed, sitting down on the bed. This was not at all how this was supposed to go! I was finally happy with my life here in Huntington Beach and they wanted me to uproot everything on the spot for this job. When I applied, I was under the impression that I could work from the California branch like I was doing now, not moving to New York City.

“What am I going to do?” I cried, putting my head in my hands. How was I going to tell Matt that I was leaving tonight to move to New York? He surely wasn’t going to take it well. Hell, I wasn’t taking it well!

But could I give up the job of my dreams just because it was in New York? No, I had worked too hard for this promotion and I wasn’t going to throw it away over a scene change. Matt would understand me following my dreams. He was good like that—always wanting the best for me. It wasn’t like we couldn’t have a long distance relationship. I could see him on vacations and tour weekends in New York…it wouldn’t be so bad, right?

Without another thought, I quickly booked my ticket to New York and started throwing my clothes and other belongings into suitcases. If I wanted to make it to the party I would have to hurry because my flight left at eleven. It was going to suck saying goodbye to everyone but I knew they would understand that I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

“Hey babe, are you almost ready to go? The guys are already there,” Matt called up the stairs and my breath hitched in my chest. I didn’t know how to tell him that I was leaving…

“Yeah, be down in a minute,” I said, putting the last few things in the suitcase. I checked my reflection and took a deep breath before I headed down the stairs.

“Wow Mei…you look…wow,” Matt said in a husky tone as his eyes traveled over my body. He licked his lips and pulled me into him. “I don’t know if I can share you with my friends looking like that, babe.”

“Well you don’t look too bad yourself,” I teased. I loved when Matt dressed in a button down shirt and dark jean. He looked so handsome and the smell of his mouth-watering cologne just about set me over the edge. “But there is something I need to tell you…” I said, not wanting to wait too long to break the news.

“How bout you tell me on the way there? Haner is blowing up my phone asking where we are. He said something about needing a buffer from his ex,” Matt chuckled as he took my hand and lead me out the door. “He’s always dodging some chick. He should really just find one he likes and stick with her.”

“You can say that again,” I laughed, knowing that Brian was the notorious ladies man that the media portrayed him as. Maybe I could hook him up with one of my friends from Revolver? “So how was the rest of your recording session?”

“Oh it was fucking awesome! Jimmy’s really onto something with that song we’re working on,” Matt said, looking like a little kid in the candy shop as he talked about their music. “We added the demonic chorus and damn, Mei, you should hear this song. It’s not like anything that we’ve done before but it’s absolutely perfect for the album. You’re going to love it,” Matt practically gushed as we got out of the car. “I’ll play it for you tomorrow.”

“I wish I could hear it now,” I said with a frown, knowing that I wouldn’t be here tomorrow to hear the preview that he had been talking about. God, how was I going to tell him? He was going to be upset and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. “Matt wait, I need to—” I started just as he opened the door and pulled me inside.

As soon as we walked into the bar, the room exploded with cheers and congratulations. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected to see the room full of my friends and co-workers from the California Revolver office. It was a bit overwhelming to say the least, so much so that I instantly turned around and went back out the door. I couldn’t face all these people to say goodbye. It was too hard….

“Mei wait!” Matt called after me but I didn’t stop. I walked back to the car and tried to push away the tears that were starting to rise in my eyes. I couldn’t do this! I couldn’t tell everyone I loved that I was leaving in two hours for New York. “Mei! Slow down will you? What’s wrong?”

“I just need a minute,” I said over my shoulder. I just needed to collect myself and make a game plan before I faced all my friends. My heart was already breaking but I couldn’t just let my dreams fall to the wayside.

“Babe, what the hell was that? All those people came to celebrate with you.” Matt stopped in front of me and carefully cupped my face in his hands. His hazel eyes seemed to stare directly into my soul while his touch instantly calmed me.

“You know how I hate surprises,” I half-lied. I had never been one for surprises. It was like the lead up was a let down compared to the actual surprise, which is exactly how I felt about this evening. The lead up to the job was more exciting than the let down of the actual promotion.

“Oh come on, you knew we were having a party,” and there was that dimpled smile I loved so much. “You really didn’t expect it just to be the five of us did you?”

I shrugged my shoulders and looked over at the ocean. Tonight would the last night I saw this sight too…

“Come on, Mei, you know they wouldn’t have come if they weren’t excited and if they didn’t love you,” Matt said, his voice inflection changing slightly on the word love. Did he just say what I thought he did? No, I had to tell him the truth before he got hurt. I couldn’t hurt him.

“Matt I-I—”

“I guess what I meant to say is…” Matt sighed with a dimpled smile. “I’ve meaning to tell you for a while now but I wanted to wait until for a special moment and well this seems as good a time as ever,” he said, his thumbs gently running over my cheeks. “Mei I love you.”

My breath hitched in my throat as I looked at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He loved me? He really loved me? My heart swelled with excitement as I pulled him in for deep kiss. Our tongues battled for dominance as fireworks exploded inside, my kiss telling him exactly how I felt about him. God I love this man… But what about my new job? No, I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t tell him I love him and then leave. It wasn’t fair to him and it wasn’t fair to me… I had to end this now before we both were crushed. Matt would be better off without while I was in New York….god why was this so hard?!

I carefully pulled away and looked up into those loving hazel eyes. “I’m leaving tonight,” I whispered, shaking my head as the tears started to form.

“What?” Matt asked, bewildered. “What do you mean your leaving tonight?”

“I have to report to New York in the morning for my new job…” I continued, looking anywhere but at Matt as the tears fell from my eyes. My heart was breaking into a million pieced but it was better this way. If I didn’t tell him how I felt, it would make my leaving easier for him, but god it hurt to not tell him the truth. “I’m sorry Matt. My flight leaves in two hours.”

“No, you’re not going. I wont let you!” Matt said, shaking his head as he tried to pull me back into his embrace.

“No, Matt I’m going…I-I cant keep canceling my dreams,” I said, whipping a tear from my eye. “I have to go…and you have to accept that.”

“You can’t just leave and pretend that we don’t have something special here, Mei. You felt the same thing I did in that kiss! I know you did!” he said following after me as I moved over toward a waiting cab. “Mei please, don’t go.”

“I have to, Matt,” I cried, shaking my head. “It’s better this way.”

"What the hell do you mean ‘it’s better this way’? Nothing is better when we are apart! You know that! Why won’t you just fucking admit how you feel? Admit that you love me! Admit that you don’t want to go! Stay with me!" Matt demanded, staring back into my eyes. Was that sorrow and fear I saw? My breath caught in my throat at the thought. I really didn’t want to hurt him…

I swallowed thickly as I tried to move away from him but Matt just put his arms up and took a step forward, caging me against the cab. I could feel our bodies responding to our close proximity, each passing second with his body touching mine turned me on. I needed him in so many ways but I knew I couldn’t. I had to go before he changed my mind. I wanted to stay with him but I couldn’t have my dream job and the man I loved. I had to choose one. I just hoped I was making the right decision.

“Matt I—”

Matt’s lips suddenly crashed into mine. He kissed me hard, his hands snaking up my sides and pulling me toward him by my hair. I gasped in surprise from the shock of electricity that I felt and Matt took the opportunity to let our tongues dance together. God he tasted so good. For a moment our tongues battled for dominance in sheer bliss. When I pulled away we were both breathless and I knew he knew my true feelings from that single moment.

“Tell me that you didn’t feel that!” Matt raged. “I dare you to say you don’t love me!”

I took in a shaky breath as I tried to regain myself. “I’m sorry, Matt…” I lied. “I can’t,” I cried before climbing into the cab and driving away, leaving my heart right there in Huntington Beach.

With a gasp I sat straight up in my seat, my heart thundering in my chest. For weeks I had been reliving the night I left Matt and Huntington Beach behind, and each dream made my heart ache more and more. I should have never left him for New York City considering that I ended up hating it there. It was just too crowded and smoggy. Not to mention that I was beyond homesick and desperately missing my friend and family. I was miserable in New York.

For the past year I wanted nothing more than to return to the sandy beaches of California with my friends and just forget all the mistakes I made. So many times I had picked up the phone to call Matt and apologize for leaving him the way that I did, but I didn’t want to reopen the wound I had worked so hard to close. Did he still love me after all this time? After the way I left him? I know it wasn’t fair or right, but at the time it seemed like the easiest way to say goodbye. In my mind, if he hated me then he wouldn’t miss me. Though the worst part was that I did love him, even after our two years apart.

Whenever Matt popped up in the media or an article came up in my magazine, my heart constricted painfully in my chest. God I was such an idiot. I left the best thing that ever happened to me and from what Jimmy said, he didn’t take it well. Hell, I cried the whole flight to New York and the subsequent weeks after. I just wished I could take it all back and make things right with Matt. But would he take me back?

“Miss are you okay?” the flight attendant asked, appearing to my right. My chest was still heaving up and down after my dream, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

“Yes, I just need some water,” I sighed, running my hands over my face.

“Sure thing, Ma’am,” she said before the captain came over the speaker saying, “Welcome to New York City. We will be landing in JRK Airport in the next fifteen minutes.”

I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat. New York City was the last place that I wanted to be, especially since most of the rock scene was happening on the west coast. I belonged on the sunny beaches of California with my friends and family, not in this rock-les smoggy city.

So I had made my decision, I would be moving my office back to the California branch of Revolver Magazine and that was final. It had taken a lot convincing before I left for this assignment, but my boss finally saw reason. We would move headquarters back to center of the rock and metal scene. So as soon as I was back in my apartment, I would pack my things and head back to Huntington Beach to start the new face of Revolver. I just hoped the move to California would help fix the issues with the magazine and my personal life. It was time to start righting the wrongs I had caused—I just hoped I wasn’t too late.

Once we landed, I quickly pulled out my phone and sent Jimmy the message he had been waiting years to receive.

I’m coming home. <3 Mei

Notes

Happy Birthday Week, Mei! I hope you liked the first part of the little story I wrote for you. I know, I know, not the happiest way to start a story but you just wait! ;-) I have lots of tricks up my sleeves!