Ruby's POV

"You ready?" Demi asked, shrugging on her leather jacket.
"Yeah." I frowned, eyeing the jacket enviously.
"What?" She asked, noticing my expression.
"I want one of those." I giggled.
Demi laughed. "Well, we'll have to find you one today then, won't we?"
I heard the purr of an engine outside. "That's probably Kiki." I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
"Probably." Demi agreed, picking up her own bag.

I followed her downstairs, where Jimmy was waiting in the foyer. He hugged Demi and drew her in for a kiss. I looked away, still not entirely comfortable with witnessing public displays of affection. A knock came at the door, and Jimmy drew away to open it.

"Oh jeez." He sighed. "What're you doing here?"
"Just let me see her." I heard Brian in the doorway.
"You can wait until later." Jimmy said, his tone stern. "She's going out with the girls for the day."
"She can take a raincheck." Brian growled.
"She, can speak for herself, thanks." I snapped, descending the staircase and approaching the door.
"Ruby, can we talk?" He asked.
"Are you done being an asshole?" I pouted, folding my arms.
"Yes." He rolled his eyes. "I know I was a dick last night." He frowned. "Just let me make it up to you."
"I'm busy today." I shrugged. "It can wait."
"No, they can wait." He snapped.
"Brian, Kiki is going to be here any minute." Demi cut in.
"And you can tell her that Ruby and I needed to chat." Brian retorted.
"Oh for fucks sake." I huffed. "Look, Dem, we'll do this another day."
"Ruby, you don't have to go with him." Jimmy said.
"I know, but I'd rather just get this over with, I've gotta live with him, so may as well have this godforsaken chat." I grumbled.
"Ruby." Demi protested.
"No, really, Dem, just leave it." I sighed, walking into the lounge to grab my duffel bag. "Let's go." I huffed, walking out the door.
"Keep it civil." Jimmy said after us.
"Brian!" Demi called.
He turned.
"You stress her out again, I'll piss on you, and then set you on fire." She smirked. "And don't think I won't, I'm not afraid of Synyster Gates, Motherfucker."
"Yeah okay, that'll do." Jimmy chuckled, herding her back into the house. "Take it easy!"
"And if it's easy, take it home." Brian smirked, waving goodbye as they closed the door. He turned to me, holding a black helmet. "I hope you don't mind, I came here on my bike." He smiled, handing it to me.
I grumbled and slipped it on, and it fit surprisingly well.
Brian climbed onto the huge, black motorbike, and I hoisted myself up behind him. "You're such a Midget." He chuckled, seeing the extra effort I had to make just to climb onto the damn thing.
"Fuck you." I grumbled.
"You can say that as many times as you want, Darlin, it's not gonna happen." He teased, drawing my arms around his waist.
I grumbled again.
"Oh stop it, Cuntbag." He groaned. "You wanna fucking slide off the back and die?"
"No thank you."
"Then stop grumbling and carrying on like a baby." He said, his voice taking on a serious tone.
"Whatever, Shithead." I teased.
I didn't even have to see his face to know he had that shit-eating smirk plastered across his lips again. "Hold on tight, Ruby." He purred, twisting the handle.

The bike roared to life, gutsy and monstrous. I tightened my arms around him as we took off, leaning into his neck. I wasn't used to travelling at high speeds, much less on the back of a Motorbike. The wind whipped through my hair, ruffling my clothes as we sped down the highway.

"Not scared are we?" Brian teased.
"Nah." I giggled.
"Your grip says otherwise."
"What did you say before about me sliding off the back and dying if I didn't hold on tight?" I reminded him.
"Whatever, Cuntbag, I know you just love groping me."
"You're so fucking full of it." I chuckled, shaking my head.
"Keep telling yourself it's just that, Ruby." He laughed. "One day you'll confess your undying love for me."
"Oh of course." I giggled. "How could I resist Synyster Gates?" I teased. "I just have dreams about you every single night, dreams of you making sweet, sweet love to me." I said, my tone laced with sarcasm.
"Oh, I know." He laughed. "I know you fantasize about my body and touch yourself at night."
"Cuz you would know." I rolled my eyes. "You sleep in my bed every night, like I'd have any privacy to do so."
"So you have been fantasizing about me?" He teased.
"No!" I snapped.
"Alright, don't get so defensive." He chuckled. "Almost seems like you're trying to cover it up."
"Brian, if I wanted your dick, I'd have already jumped your bones by now." I sighed, shaking my head.
"Oh yeah, how could I forget? You're a little Nympho."
I rolled my eyes. "Just shut up and drive, Shithead."
"No worries, Cuntbag."

***

We dropped into Brian's house briefly to drop off my overnight bag before taking off for the Promenade. Brian stopped the bike and kicked out the stand outside of a little candy store and pulled off his helmet. He got up off the bike and after removing my own helmet, I couldn't help but stare.

He was dressed today in his black leather motorcycle jacket, steel capped boots, black V-neck and torn black jeans. I couldn't deny it to myself that he really looked good in leather. But there was no way in hell I was gonna tell him that; he didn't need his Ego fluffed anymore than it already was.

"Why are we outside of a candy store?" I questioned.
"I said I was gonna make it up to you." He answered, helping me down from the bike. "Bitches love chocolate." He smirked.
"That's your big apologetic gesture?" I raised an eyebrow. "Chocolate?"
"It's a start." He retorted, rolling his eyes and pushing open the door of the candy shop.

Instinct took over as soon as the door was opened, and the fact that I was still mentally about Sixteen showed through as I bolted into the store. I wouldn't deny that I hadn't fully matured, in mind and body maybe, but the young teen in me still lingered. I hadn't changed much over the years, I still had the demeanour of a child.

"Knew it." Brian chuckled, following me to the corner of the store. "You always go for the Hershey's bars."
"Shut up." I scowled, snatching up a Cookies and Cream bar. "You said it yourself; Bitches love Chocolate."
"You're so cute." He smirked, ruffling my hair. "Midget."
I pouted up at him.

Due to my being incredibly short for my age, my 4ft 8 stature was tiny in comparison to Brian's 5ft 9, my head barely reached his chest. The guys had always taken the piss out of me for it, and frequently made jokes that I made even Johnny Christ look tall.

"Suck a fuck, Gates." I smirked, blowing a raspberry at him before walking over to the counter and slapping the Hershey's bar down.
"I could swear you're still Sixteen." He teased, pulling his wallet out of his pocket and passing the money over to the store clerk.
"This your Sister?" The store clerk asked.
"Nope, my best friend." He informed her, giving her his ever-so-infamous smirk.
"My apologies!" She laughed, giving Brian his change. "Forgive me!" She gasped. "How old are you, my dear?" She asked.
"Nineteen." I smiled.
"Wow." She blinked. "You look much, much younger than Nineteen."
"So I've been told." I rolled my eyes, taking the candy bar off the counter.
"You're very youthful." She smiled. "And looking younger than your age is a very, very good thing."
"Well thank you." I giggled, pushing open the door and heading back outside.

I jumped up on Brian's bike, only to find myself hanging there with my stomach over the seat while I kicked my legs trying to get myself the rest of the way onto the bike. I heard Brian chuckle from behind me, then his strong hands were on my waist as he swivelled me around and helped me onto the seat. I turned to face him, ripping open the wrapper of my chocolate bar.

"So, where to next?" I asked, taking a bite.
He just stood there, a cheeky grin on his face.
"What?"
"You're so small."
"You've mentioned this." I grumbled. "Where to next?" I repeated.
He kept staring at me, the ever-so-common smirk across his lips.
"Brian!" I snapped.
"Shift your butt." He chuckled, shuffling me over on the bike.

He got on and made me put my helmet back on, drawing my arms around his waist again. I clung tightly to him as he twisted the handle once more, bringing the bike back to life. We sped off down the street, and it took a few moments for me to recognize the area. It clicked when stopped the bike outside of a very familiar building.

"Chain Reaction!" I smiled, pulling my helmet off.
"I have a surprise for you." He grinned, getting off the bike.
"What?" I asked as he helped me down.
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." He said.
The door opened, and a familiar girl with Liliac hair poked her head out. "Ruby!"
"Hey Mac!" I smiled, opening my arms as she ran towards me, closing them around her in a hug.
"I'm so glad you could make it." She smiled as she pulled away.
"Well, that's thanks to your brother, here." I smirked, lightly punching Brian's arm.
"Watch it, Cuntbag." He teased, biting his lip as he punched me back.
I rolled my eyes. "So what exactly are we doing here?"
"Come see!" McKenna said, tugging on my arm.

I let her drag me inside. The venue wasn't overly packed, just a small flock of high-school aged students filled the venue. McKenna led me through the crowd to the stage, Brian trailing close behind. The good thing about local venues and local bands? No security. You could get close enough to just lean against the stage.

"Okay, I have a confession to make." McKenna giggled.
"What?"
"I helped Brian plan this little surprise for you today."
"Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow, turning to Brian.
"I needed a way to make things up to you." He smiled. "And I know how much you love live music so-"
"So I told him that Cherri Bomb, U D Vided and Confide were playing today, and since you need to hear the girls, and Arin play, I thought why not?"
"It has been a fair while since I was last at a gig." I stopped for a moment, trying to recall what the last gig I'd been to was. "I haven't been to one since..." I trailed off, realizing it was Warped Tour, where the incident had occurred that had made Jack leave me.
"Warped?" Brian seemed to read my mind.
I nodded, a sad frown spreading across my features.
Brian gave me a look of sympathy and hugged me. "Don't think about it, just enjoy today." He whispered into my ear.
"Everything okay?" McKenna asked.
"Yeah." I sighed, pulling away from Brian.

The screech of an electric guitar filled the air, and the ground began to rumble beneath our feet as the stage lights darkened as the show started. The stage lights flickered as a guitar riff filled the air, and I noticed Julia, Miranda and Rena onstage; McKenna's friends. Nia was at the back behind a bright red drum kit, lit up with red LED lights, with CHERRI BOMB written in a scratchy font across the bass drum.

"You never see my way, pissing on my flame, I’ll be the one left standing, with everything I do, it never pleases you, but I’ll be the last one laughing." Julia sang, strumming away on her guitar.
The other girls joined in; "Listen, you’re always missing, blind to my vision, no, I just won’t let it go, just can’t let it go, just won’t let it go, no matter what, it’s in my blood, I just won’t let it go, just can’t let it go, just won’t let it go, it won’t die, this dream’s alive, and I won’t let it go."

"Wow." I whispered.
"Told you they were good." McKenna smiled.
"That you did." I nodded.

They finished the song, which they informed us was called "Let It Go" and Julia spoke into the Microphone; "Hey, we're Cherri Bomb, and this next song is about having a relationship with someone that you thought you knew, and then you wake up and realize that you never knew them at all, it's called Too Many Faces."

She began strumming away on her guitar, Miranda and Rena singing a Chorus of "Whoah." and then stepped up to sing; "Do you care about me? Do you think I don’t bleed? Are you trying to hide behind a stupid lie, when the truth is in your eyes, do you think I don’t see, what you’re pushing on me? In your mind you think it’s only you against the world, is it you against the world?"
The others joined in; "You say you’ll never go that far, but you’re not who you say you are, you’ve got too many, too many faces, your time is up in too many places, you say you’ll never push that hard, but you’re not who you say you are, you’ve got your heart in too many places, you’ve got too many, too many faces."

My breath hitched in my throat and I swallowed hard, the song was triggering my closed off feelings about Jack. He'd been so into drugs and even despite promising me he'd never let it get out of hand, he had progressively gotten worse and worse, and was borderline Addict before he left me.

Then there was the way he'd seemed so perfect at first; everything I had ever wished and hoped for. He'd told me he loved me more than anything in the world and that it would kill him to lose me. I guess all of that was a lie, he'd never meant a word of it. Well... maybe he'd meant it at the time... but feelings change, people fall in and out of love all the time.

Did he fall out of love with me? What was it that made me so unlovable? Did I do something wrong? Was I not good enough? If that was the case, why wouldn't he just tell me instead of hiding behind that stupid lie about what had happened at Warped? Or maybe there was someone else? Why did I not deserve to know the truth?

I sniffled and ducked my head to hide the tears that had started rolling down my face. Of all times, why now? Why in public?

"Stop crying." I muttered to myself, taking deep breaths.
Brian wrapped his arms around me from behind. "You okay?" He more or less yelled into my ear over the music.
I shook my head No, and he grabbed my hand and led me back the way we'd come.
McKenna looked over with an expression as if to say "What's wrong?" and Brian just waved her off, signalling for her to keep watching the girls play.

He led me outside and let me go, and I slumped back against the wall of the venue, sliding to the floor. He exhaled and sat down beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. He rubbed my shoulder comfortingly as I cried onto his chest.

"Shh, Ruby." He cooed. "Relax."
"I should've seen it coming." I croaked.
"What?"
"Jack leaving me." I sniffled. "You were right, Brian; He didn't want me anymore, I see that now."
"Ruby." He sighed. "What I said yesterday-"
"No." I cut him off. "You were right, I was just too blind to see it; I wasn't his first priority, hell, I wasn't of any importance to him by the end." I took a deep breath. "He was just looking for an excuse to get rid of me." I exhaled. "Can't say I'm surprised..." I trailed off, leaning back slightly, wiping my eyes.
"Why's that?" Brian asked.
"Look at me, Brian." I muttered. "I'm a Plain Jane, with a mis-matched, shitty dye job of red hair."
"Looks aren't everything, Ruby."
"I know that." I sighed. "But what else do I have to offer? I don't have a job, I dropped out of High School." I looked down at my hands. "I have nothing going for me." I shook my head. "I'm just a worthless piece of shit."
Brian grabbed my jaw and turned my head towards his. "You're not worthless, not in the fucking slightest, and quite frankly; I'm disgusted that you've let this bullshit with Jack make you sink to that level of self worth." He snarled. "I've known you far longer than Jack did, I know you, the real you, and this; this isn't her." He growled, his eyes darkening, his jaw clenched. "The Ruby I knew was strong and confident, and I swear, if it's the last thing I do; I'm gonna help you become that person again."
I bit my lip as his eyes pierced mine, unable to find words.
He tugged me into his arms, wrapping them around me tightly as he stroked my hair. "You're anything but worthless, Ruby." He whispered into my ear. "Come on, I think I know what you need." He stood up, pulling me up and the two of us walked back over to his Motorcycle.

After ensuring I had my Helmet on, he helped me onto the bike and climbed on in front of me, twisting the handle to start it up. We sped off across the highway, the beautiful view of the ocean visible in the distance; the seagulls flying high overhead and the sun sparkling down upon the surface.

"Let go." Brian called over the roar of the engine.
"What?"
"Let go, and spread your arms."
"Won't I fly off?" I asked.
"No, just trust me." He called back. "Let go, and take your Helmet off."

I did as he said, unwrapping my arms from around his waist, removing the Helmet, and spread my arms open wide. The wind whipped through my hair, blowing it about and ruffling my clothes. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep, listening to the wind rushing in my ears. A sort of calm washed over me. I felt free, like everything was alright, even if only for now. Then; A feeling of being invincible, like I was capable of anything.

"How do you feel, Ruby?" He called out.
I parted my lips and howled like a Wolf, laughing hysterically.

Brian drove on, prolonging the feeling of freedom, enabling me to just let go and lose myself...

Notes