Don't You Dare

“Jesus, look how tacky that dress is,” Jessica spat with utter superiority.

Aubrey glared at the back of her head as she walked behind the gossip queen through the mall.

“It’s seriously hideous,” Tiffany agreed, walking next to Jessica.

Aubrey moved her glare from the back of Jessica’s head to the back of Tiffany’s, trying to figure out how to telepathically summon a lightning strike on both of her “friends.”

“Jeez,” Lauren muttered under her breath beside Aubrey.

Aubrey glanced at her, catching her actual friend rolling her eyes at the gossip queens. She was seriously questioning how she even ended up hanging out with the two toxic girls again. Because it felt like a huge step backwards. But then she remembered her agreement with Lauren...

If Aubrey got out of the house and did something social for a full hour, Lauren promised to get off of her back about staying home alone and sulking 24/7.

She had no idea why she had chosen one hour with the horrid valley girls, but pretty soon, she’d be able to go home, put her pajamas back on, and dig back into her big tub of chocolate ice cream without Lauren giving her any shit for it.

As they passed a Hot Topic, a girl wearing all black with dark eye make-up stepped out of the store.

“Watch out for that freak,” Tiffany warned Jessica, who moved out of the way like the girl was diseased.

Aubrey’s reaction was to roll her eyes then check her watch to see how much longer until her forced hour was up.

“Holy shit,” Lauren whispered as she halted dead in her tracks.

Jessica and Tiffany, unaware of everything behind them, obliviously continued walking. But Aubrey stopped to see what had Lauren frozen in shock.

“Look,” Lauren motioned ahead of her.

Aubrey followed Lauren’s gaze to the window of the Hot Topic that displayed an Avenged Sevenfold t-shirt with a picture of the band on it. Her jaw dropped.

“They’re on a fucking t-shirt!” Lauren whispered excitedly to Aubrey. “Look, your guys are on a t-shirt in the window of a store at the freaking mall!”

“Whoa,” Aubrey gaped as a huge smile spread across her face. She knew the guys’ fame was growing each and every day but this was huge and unexpected on her end. “I wonder if they know they’re in a window display.”

“I don’t know but Zack is looking mighty fine on that shirt,” Lauren gushed.

Aubrey chuckled. “Have you heard from him much lately?”

“He’s texted me a few times, but that’s it,” Lauren said with a shrug, downplaying just how much she and Zack had been talking.

When he was in Phoenix, they spent hours talking at the bar and even exchanged phone numbers. She didn’t expect to hear from him much, but surprisingly, they had been talking quite a bit. She actually enjoyed his conversations and he seemed to like talking to her too, even though they were mostly just keeping each other informed about how Aubrey and Brian were doing and scheming to get them back on good terms.

Because the two of them haven’t spoken in two months. Not a single word since Brian walked out of Aubrey’s door at 4 o’clock in the morning and never looked back.

“Hurry, take a picture,” Lauren said as she nudged Aubrey in the arm, looking behind her to see if Jessica or Tiffany had noticed their absence. The last thing she wanted was for those two to start asking Aubrey questions about the band or giving her shit about them.

Aubrey quickly whipped out her phone and took a picture of the shirt. “I have to send this to the guys later.”

“Oh god, it would be so funny if you went in and tried the shirt on and sent them a picture of you wearing it,” Lauren suggested with a laugh.

Aubrey chuckled at the thought but then her smile faded when she remembered that her relationship with each of the guys was currently up in the air. Until she and Brian worked things out one way or another, she was kind of keeping her distance so she didn’t put anyone in a difficult position. While she felt confident that they all considered her their friend, they were Brian’s friends first. And she understood if they put her on the backburner to support Brian.

But an hour later, as she finally walked away from the mall and to her car, her phone buzzed. When she retrieved it from her bag, she saw a message from Jimmy.

Holy shit!!!!!!! Look at what just happened!!!!!!!!!!

The picture attached was a selfie of Valary and Jimmy, both making ridiculously excited faces, with Valary holding up her left hand.

“Oh my god!” Aubrey shouted out loud to no one, realizing what was on Valary’s ring finger. A huge shiny engagement ring.

She figured if Jimmy felt comfortable enough to text her about the good news, and if Val felt comfortable enough to pose in a picture to send to her, then it would probably be fine to contact either one of them, at the very least. So as soon as she got in her car, she called Val.

"Aubrey, hey!" Valary answered happily, which immediately eased Aubrey’s worries.

“Holy shit, Val! Congratulations!” Aubrey screeched.

“Thank you so much! Oh, I wish you were here to celebrate with us!” Valary replied.

“I wish I was too! Your ring is beautiful!” Aubrey continued.

“Isn’t it gorgeous? He picked out an amazing ring!” Valary swooned.

“He did! Tell me everything - how did he propose?” Aubrey wondered.

Valary went into great detail about their intimate proposal on the private stretch of beach next to their house and how Matt had the guys secretly round up all of their friends to be waiting at their house when they returned for a surprise engagement party that only ended about an hour ago.

“Oh, that’s so romantic and amazing! I could not be happier for you guys,” Aubrey cooed.

“Thanks, girl,” Val replied. “You’ll have to come out to California for some wedding festivities.”

“I can’t wait,” Aubrey confirmed, even though she wasn’t sure if that would be a good idea.

When the call ended, Aubrey couldn’t help but daydream about being in Huntington Beach. It had been on her mind a lot lately. Not only did her stubbornness cause her to lose Brian, but it would ultimately cause her to lose the newest (and by far the greatest) friends in her life.

If she hadn’t been so stubborn, she and Brian would be on speaking terms, probably better. If she hadn’t been so pigheaded, she would be in Huntington Beach, and she would’ve been able to go to the engagement party. If she hadn’t insisted on being so self-sufficient, she wouldn’t be crying herself to sleep, alone, every night. Her independence was important to her, but at what cost?

Yeah, she knew she had fucked up. Because she loved Brian, but she loved all of his/their friends too, and she craved to be with them as well. She had basically lost all of the greatest things in her life, all because of her inability to let go and just be happy.

She was so spaced out, so deep into her daydream and her self-loathing, that she didn’t even notice the headlights that were suddenly in her lane, growing closer and closer, until it was too late and everything went black.

Ø

“I can’t believe you assholes put me on cleaning duty,” Johnny spat from the porch of Matt and Val’s big back yard as he tossed empty beer bottles into a trash bag.

“Told you that would happen if you were late,” Matt retorted simply as he walked up to his outdoor kitchen and grabbed two beers out of the fridge.

“There’s no way I was the only one who was late,” Johnny argued, putting a hand on his hip and looking out at the rest of his friends who were lounging around the pool. “So why am I cleaning up alone?”

The usual crew was still there after the engagement party - the band and Val - plus Val’s sister Michelle, and Jason’s girlfriend Kelsey. The girls were sitting at the outdoor table, huddled around a laptop, looking at potential wedding dates. Matt, Zack, Brian, and Jimmy were spread out in lounge chairs next to the girls, drinking beers and adding to the pile of empty beer cans and bottles that Johnny was trying to clean up.

“Shut up, shitface! We’re trying to planning a wedding!” Jimmy yelled at him from over by the pool, clearly not a part of the actual wedding planning. “Get back to work!”

Kelsey turned around and playfully smacked Jimmy’s arm.

“Ow!” Jimmy shrieked, grabbing his arm as if she actually had hurt him, which she hadn’t.

“Be nice!” Kelsey warned, narrowing her eyes. “This is a happy time, so don’t ruin it by being a dick to Johnny.”

“Mooom,” Jimmy whined as he looked around her and towards Val. “Kelsey hit me!”

“Jimmy, stop fighting with everyone or I won’t let you be in the wedding!” Val replied without looking up from her computer.

Jimmy stuck his tongue out at Kelsey but immediately shut his mouth. She laughed and rolled her eyes then turned back around to the computer. The girls were looking at the band’s hectic calendar, trying to help Valary decide when the best time to get married was, while working around their insane upcoming schedule.

“I guess the first question is - when do you guys want to get married?” Kelsey asked. “In the spring? In the summer?”

“There’s no way we could do it in the spring,” Valary replied, looking at the spring months of their calendar. “Maybe late in the summer.”

It was proving difficult to find a window to fit the wedding into.

Currently, the guys were recording their newest album. Which was time consuming and stressful. Then there would be photoshoot after photoshoot after interview after interview to promote the new album. Which involved traveling to make appearances and spending hours with journalists, stylists, photographers, etc. Then there would be the big tour, the world tour, the biggest tour they will have ever been on. Which meant they’d be gone for months at a time.

So there really wasn’t a whole lot of room for this wedding, or even planning it, in their schedule. And Brian couldn’t help but think that he didn’t ever want to put Aubrey through that. Because instead of planning the wedding that they wanted, when they wanted it, and how they wanted it, his friends had to plan their wedding around the band’s schedule. And that sucked. He loved his friends, his band, and his career. But sometimes it sucked the life out of him. Mostly in the form of his relationship with Aubrey, who he hadn’t spoken to since he left Phoenix two months ago.

In those two months, he’d actually been able to clear his head a lot. And he’s come to the realization that he’s glad that she refused to uproot her life for him at his request. Because even though they’re not currently on tour, Brian still wouldn’t even be home with her. He’s been paying attention to how much he’s been home the last couple months, and it hasn’t been a lot. Maybe if she was there, he’d be home a little more, but a few hours late at night would not be enough time together, and he was tired of thinking about the what ifs.

He still loved her, and he missed her so much that it hurt. He felt alone without her. But he still didn’t know what he wanted to do about their relationship, if there was anything even left to salvage.

It’s been unbearable not talking to her, but it’s made him see things much more clearly instead of masked behind constant intense emotions. And surprisingly, he was just as torn up and conflicted about their relationship as he had been before he left her. His nights still felt restless and his heart still constantly ached, just as it had before he left her in Phoenix. But at least he knew she still loved him back then. Now? He wasn’t so sure.

“If we weren’t in the middle of recording, I’d say let’s just get married next week,” Matt suggested, already seeing how stressful wedding planning will be.

“You can’t plan a whole wedding in a week,” Valary refused.

“Sure you can,” Matt continued.

“Not a DiBenedetto wedding,” Michelle, Valary’s sister, chimed in.

Matt rolled his eyes but laughed. “Good point.”

“Maybe the gap in October could work,” Valary suggested, pointing to something on the computer.

“But we’re gonna be gone for a while after that,” Matt reminded her. “I don’t want you to have to plan a huge wedding and a world tour at the same time.”

“She won’t be planning the wedding by herself,” Michelle reminded her future brother-in-law. “But I don’t think I’d be much help with the tour part.”

“I’ll figure it out,” Valary shrugged.

"Okay, I'm done and I’m going home,” Johnny announced, reappearing by his friends. “I’ve cleaned up all the trash from the party, so anything else is on you guys.”

Val laughed and reached her arms out for a hug. “Thank you, Jonathan.”

Johnny walked over and leaned into her for a hug. “Love you.”

“Love you,” Val replied.

“Hold up, Johnny. I’ll walk out with you,” Michelle called as she stood. “I need to get going too, sis. I have to get up so early tomorrow so I can hit the gym before work.”

“Aw,” Valary pouted. “I guess we can do some more planning tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry,” Michelle said with a smile as she leaned down and hugged her sister. “We’ll get it all figured out.”

After Michelle and Johnny said their goodbyes to the rest of the guys and left, Matt took the empty seat next to Val to help his future wife plan their wedding around his band’s schedule.

Brian’s phone suddenly rang beside him. He glanced down at it to see an unsaved number flash on the screen. Instinctively, he went to mute the call until he recognized the Phoenix area code.

He froze.

“What’s wrong?” Zack wondered, noticing his friend’s change in demeanor.

“It’s a Phoenix number,” Brian stated.

“Answer it, dude,” Matt suggested, glancing over his shoulder toward his bandmate and friend. “It’s probably Aubrey.”

Zack and Jimmy discreetly exchanged side glances. They were the only ones who knew what really went down when they were in Phoenix. Brian wasn’t ready to tell everyone else that he had basically left Aubrey in the middle of the night, leaving their relationship up in the air. Everyone was suspicious due to how little he talked about her all of a sudden, and how little they all heard from her all of a sudden, but they were clueless as to what had happened.

Brian hesitated for a moment but finally answered.

“Hello?”

“Hi, my name is Amanda. I’m a nurse in the Emergency Room at Banner Hospital in Phoenix. Is this Brian Haner?”

Brian swallowed hard, feeling a lump already forming in his throat as he sat up straight. “Yes,” he answered simply, not wanting to ask questions, not wanting to set himself up for bad news.

“I’m calling on behalf of Aubrey Ford. Are you a friend or relative?”

Brian could feel his heart practically stop in his chest, but he managed to reply, “I am. What happened? Is she okay?”

At those words, everyone zoned in on Brian’s conversation.

“She was admitted to the emergency room tonight after being involved in a pretty severe car accident,” the nurse spoke with sympathy. “She’s in surgery right now. But it would be best if you could get down here as soon as possible.”

Brian stood, looking frantic. “I’m-I’m not anywhere near Phoenix,” he sputtered. “But I’ll be there as soon as I can. Is she going to be okay?”

“I got an update from the doctor before I called. They’re trying to stop some internal bleeding right now and she has a severe concussion as well as four broken ribs,” the nurse explained. “They’re a little concerned about her lungs collapsing, but I believe she’s stable.”

“Did... Did she ask you to call me?” He wondered, feeling his limbs going numb.

“She was in shock and hardly coherent when she came into the hospital, but when I asked who we could call for her, she just kept repeating your name, saying she needed you. I was able to get into her phone and find your contact information.”

Again, Brian swallowed the lump in his throat, though it now felt fifty times bigger, then nodded even though the nurse couldn’t see him. Aubrey needed him. Out of everyone she knew, she wanted them to call him.

“I’m going to catch the next flight out; I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Brian stated, not even caring what it took to get to Aubrey. “There’s a contact in her phone, Lauren-” Brian turned to Zack. “What’s Lauren’s last name?”

Zack’s brow furrowed. “Dane, I think.”

Brian went back to the phone call. “Lauren Dane. That’s her best friend in Phoenix. Call her please. She can be there a lot sooner than I can.”

“I sure will,” the nurse said.

Brian thanked her and quickly got off the phone then scanned his group of friends, looking into their sad, concerned, and scared eyes. They were all watching him closely.

“I have to go to Phoenix,” Brian stated. “Aubrey was in a car accident.”

"What?!" Val shrieked. "I just talked to her like an hour ago!"

“You talked to her earlier?” Brian asked, his worried expression immediately shifting to a confused and almost betrayed look.

“She called to congratulate us,” Valary answered somewhat sheepishly and apologetically. “We talked for a little while.” She instantly felt guilty for not telling him sooner, but it was obvious something was going on between them and she didn’t want to stick her nose where it didn’t belong.

“Is she okay?” Jimmy asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

“I don’t know,” Brian answered. “She’s in surgery. She has internal bleeding and broken ribs and a concussion.”

“Oh shit,” Matt gaped with wide eyes.

“What can we do, Brian?” Val asked.

“Can someone call Jason and have him call her brother? I don’t know if the hospital will know to call him.” Brian said. “And I need a ride to the airport. I’ll buy a plane ticket on the way there.”

"I can bring you," Zack offered.

“And I’ll call Jason,” Kelsey extended.

“Do you need to stop and get some clothes?” Val suggested, knowing Brian was frantic and probably not thinking about everything he might need.

Brian looked down at himself, almost as if he was trying to determine if he could re-wear the clothes he had on his body in order to just go straight to the airport and not delay getting to Aubrey.

Brian threw his hands up, knowing he couldn’t wear the same thing every day, not knowing how long he would have to be in Phoenix. “I guess I should. I don’t know how long I’ll be there and I’m sure these clothes already smell like shit after being in the studio all day.”

It was right then that he remembered they were in the midst of recording their album. His face fell and his eyes widened as he looked over at Matt.

Knowing his friend, Matt could read his expression, and he swatted the air. “Don’t worry about the studio. We’ll figure something out. Just go.”

“Come on,” Zack moved quickly to grab his keys. “We’ll swing by your place and get some clothes and I’ll drop you off at the airport.”

Brian nodded, feeling like he was moving in slow motion, trudging through mud. Thank God he had amazing friends who sprang into action for him.

The whole way to the airport, Brian’s knee bounced furiously. He clutched his phone and tried to steady his breathing but he was losing his shit. So much could happen in the amount of time that it took for him to get to Phoenix, and if something happened to Aubrey before he could get there, before he could see her, he would never forgive himself.

Everything that had happened between him and Aubrey flew out the window the second the nurse called. His pride, his stance on her stubbornness, his frustration with her - all dissipated. Aubrey was hurt and she needed him and that’s all that mattered.

Notes

This chapter is also pretty intense so I hope you guys enjoyed reading! Xoxoxo &*