Groundhog Day

Mei groaned when she woke up. Her head hurt, her mouth was dry and she was pretty sure that if she would open her eyes, they would burn out because of the intolerance of light. She never should have gotten drunk last night, but there was no other way to forget what was happening at midnight. She just wanted the time to stop 5 minutes to 12, before the clock would strike and bring her into her terrible thirties. She remembered thinking it. Hoping the time would stop.

But here she was, clearly the time had passed, bringing that terrible headache with it. Meaning she did turn 30 last night.
“Ugh, I’m not old enough to be 30” she sighed as she turned on her back and opened her eyes. For a moment she was confused about the scenery. Then she remembered her best friend talking her into getting a room at a hotel for her new year’s eve, her new year’s eve on the verge of being 30.

Mei had insisted on them both getting their own room in an attempt to be able to go through this hell that she called her birthday by herself, but she knew that wasn’t going to take long. She knew it would be a matter of time before Kim would break through the door that was connecting their rooms.

Lucky for Mei she was an early bird and Kim was more of a sleep the whole day kinda girl. A glance at the time told Mei she had at least a few hours to herself before the party would commence (her best friend’s words, not hers). She leaned back in the fluffy pillows and enjoyed the comfortable bed. Okay. This had been a great idea. It was definitely better than waking up in her own small apartment.

She grabbed her phone from the nightstand. As expected she had received a lot of messages, people congratulating her for her birthday. It made her feel a little better. She even had to stifle a laugh when she noticed the joke Kim had pulled on her.

Message from Brian
Congratulations with your birthday! That hot ass of yours isn’t looking a day over 21! Don’t sweat it, I’m pretty sure the ageing beautiful doesn’t only apply to handsome men like me! Love you! X!

Message from Matt
Hey don’t be a b**** about turning 30 :P You look as good as ever! Don’t complain, enjoy life. Have a great day! XOXO

Message from Jimmy
Crazy girl! Happy birthday to you! I swear, if you let anyone sing for you before I did I’m not taking you on the great birthday adventure I planned out. Let me know when you are awake, and let me sing to you. Love youuuuuuuu!!!!

Message from Zack
Goodmorning beautiful. I wish you the best of birthdays. I hope you will enjoy it immensely. I’m gonna spoil you later on. 30 is special! <3

Mei shook her head slightly when she read the messages. How drunk did her best friend think she was for her to believe that these guys would actually send her birthday messages. It did instantly lift her mood though. So when she heard the door in the other room open, she called out.
“I MIGHT BE OLD, BUT I’M NOT CRAZY KIM! AND BY THE WAY! YOU FORGOT JOHNNY!”

“Who forgot me?”
Mei didn’t really recognize the sound that came out of her mouth when the door opened and revealed exactly the person that she thought was forgotten. It was between a scream, a snort and a laugh. She must be dreaming. She must have drank so much that she was hallucinating. Johnny Christ couldn’t be in her room. What the hell was Johnny Fucking Christ doing in her room?

So that was what came out of her mouth when she finally found her words again. The man entering looked at her as if she was crazy though, before he plopped down next to her on the bed.
“What are you talking about? Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you’re not dreaming. I mean, I would be totally flattered if you dream about me, but I know your taste in men…. And I’m definitely not it.” He chuckled as he looked at her with a big smile, then he bend over and kissed her cheek. “Happy 30th, gorgeous”. He leaned down in the pillows and looked at her curiously.

“What is going on? I thought you were kidding with the whole I’m sure I will be going crazy the day I turn 30 , you sure act crazy now”
Mei stared at the man that acted like it was the most normal thing in the world that he was there, in her room, with a girl he didn’t even know. Suddenly Mei realized how small her sleeping top was, and she clung to the comforter to wrap herself in it.

“What the hell? Is this a joke? Did Kim call you?” she jumped up from the bed, securing the comforter around her body.

This was too weird. It was too weird to be real. She was dreaming. There was no other way. She was dreaming. She let out a smile as she looked at the man on her bed “If she wanted to surprise me she should have called for Matt, or Brian, or Jimmy, or Zack… anyone but you actually” she snickered.

Johnny’s face actually clouded by that remark “Okay. I’m going to forgive you because it’s your birthday, but you hurt me. Just so you know”
“But this isn’t real!!!” Mei raised her voice, getting frustrated by the fact that she couldn’t bring her point across and that somehow she wasn’t able to wake up.

“Of course this is real! I even bought you a present, but I wanted to give it to you later. Jeez. Did the alcohol kill your brain or something?” Johnny seemed to get irritated and Mei felt bad for it. She liked Johnny, he always made her laugh when she watched videos of her favorite band.

“But…” She started, not really knowing how she should start.
“But what? Maybe you should tell me what the hell you think is going on and then we can leave this bullshit behind us.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest before he muttered “Fucking hell. I’m never surprising my best friend again.”

Mei couldn’t help but look at him amazed. Best friend? Her? She shook her head, trying to get those crazy thoughts straightened out. She was so damn confused.
“I’m Meike. I live in Germany. My best friend, Kim and I were out drinking last night to celebrate, or forget, the fact that I was turning 30. You are Johnny Christ. Bassplayer of my favorite band in the world. I saw you guys live 3 times, I never did a meet and greet, I never came closer to you than behind the barriers when you were on stage. You don’t know me, but I know all about you. Even though I wasn’t aware that you would be in Europe around my birthday” she whispered the last part of the sentence.

Johnny stared at her wide-eyed for a moment before he started laughing loudly. “Oh my god. You really did lose your marbles, turning 30” he sat there, laughing his ass off, while Mei felt worse and worse. This was turning into a nightmare. She didn’t want to be laughed at as if she was the first stupid girl.
“I’m happy this is entertaining you, but I’m just going to head in the bathroom now and pinch myself so hard that I have no other choice but waking up”

She turned around, tears brimming her eyes. She didn’t even want this birthday and now her mind was playing tricks on her by giving her this weird, crazy and offending dream? Fuck today. Fuck it all. When she woke up she would lock herself in her room and not see anybody. She was already done with this day before it even started.

When she almost reached the door to the bathroom she felt a hand on her arm, pulling her back slightly. When she turned around she found herself in a hug. A big, strong hug that was strangely completely comforting her.
“Come on, let’s sit down for a bit. I will prove to you that this is real. We will get you out of this weird alternate universe in which you think you are not who you are. Okay?”
Mei could only nod. She better listen to the man, she wasn’t waking up either.

Johnny fetched his phone out of his pocket and showed her the start screen. It was a picture of them together, pulling crazy faces. “See. You are my best friend. We made this picture yesterday and I love it. So I made it my screensaver, especially for your birthday” he opened his albums and scrolled down to old pictures.

She recognized old Johnny from pictures, but there she was. Young Mei. Surrounded by the guys. In the studio, on the beach, in a bar. She couldn´t believe her eyes, but there she was. At least 15 years of her life, in company of the men. The guys she had followed for years, who´s music she loved. She couldn´t believe it, but there is was. As Johnny promised. Proof.

“I don’t understand”
“I guess you don’t, I guess some weird birthday bug fucked up your brain. But this is your life. You moved to the US when you were 13, in the house next to yours, was me” he winked at her “we have been best friends ever since”

He stood up calmly and walked over to the window “And to prove your own assessment was completely off base. We are not in Europe.” He opened the curtains, showing a sandy beach, and a blue see, palm trees standing everywhere. “We are in LA, sweetie. And we are pretty late”

Mei was slowly starting to believe that everything she thought was true, wasn’t true at all. She only needed to believe the truth. The proof that Johnny had provided. There was so much kindness in his eyes that he really couldn’t be lying. He just couldn’t. She slowly got up and walked over to the window too.

“Late for what?”
“Soundcheck, pre show preparations, concert, the whole shabam!”

Johnny got the gift bags he brought into the room with him. Mei hadn’t even noticed them before. “You insisted we play on your birthday, so you can’t be mad about that. And everyone got you a present you can use tonight. Come on. Let’s unwrap these gifts so that we can get this day started”

The giftbags varied in size, but they were all unique. She opened the first one Johnny handed to her, it was medium sized and inside was a box. When she opened the box it contained the most beautiful lace underwear, wrapped in tissuepaper. She instantly felt her cheeks redden. “It’s Brian’s. You should have know. He always does that to you.” Johnny seemed a little annoyed by the gift, but patiently waited for her to take a good look at it.

Then he handed her the largest bag. It was heavy. “This is Zack’s. He needed to go all out again. If we hadn’t told him to stop he would have bought fucking everything” The bag contained a complete VU outfit. The design on the shirt had her name in it and different things that were her favorite “he designed it especially for you, but don’t tell him I told you that… I think he wanted to tell you himself”

“Eh… where are… like.. the others?” she hesitated to ask, but she needed to know. All these presents and the men that bought them for her not even here. If this was real, she wanted to have time with the others too. She had some catching up to do.

“They are already at the venue. I fought them to be the one picking you up. I am your best friend afterall” he winked at her when he gave her the next bag. The bag contained a bag. A black leather small backpack. One of the compartments contained the signature sunglasses from the one that gave her this gift. “Matt was sick of you borrowing his all the time”

She felt a giggle escape herself. She was part of this group of friends. She really was.

“One more before I can finally give you mine. Come on, hurry, we are running out of time” The bag was a larger one again and when she found out what was inside she let out a little squeal. The black leather jacket was beautiful and had her initials on the back, incorporated in a deathbat design. There was a text around the design, saying FoREVer young. “Jimmy” she let out as she let her hand go over the design. “Yes. Jimmy. All of us wanted to do the jacket, but he just got it made, only informing us when it was long done. You know he always finds a way to get what he wants.”
“Yeah” she smiled.

“Go on, get dressed. I will give you my gift after you are done. Chop. Chop. This craziness is over now. You need to get ready.”

During her shower it was as if her brain finally accepted this new truth. And with every present she put on as her clothing she was believing it more and more. She was Mei. Best friend of Johnny Christ. Friend of all the other avenged men. She was part of a group of friends that gave her the best presents ever. She admired herself in the mirror. She looked fucking good!

All ready she met Johnny at the door. He was carrying a small box. “This is mine, I love you Mei, you are the best friend a guy can wish for. You deserve the world” He kissed her cheek and handed her the present. His smile was facewide and he seemed even more excited than she was. In the box was a silver necklace, a deathbat dangling from it. It was beautiful and expensive. Those sparkles couldn’t be real… could they? She didn’t dare ask. She thanked him and then accepted the hug he gave her.

“Happy 30th, Mei.”

Notes

This is a story especially for my great friend Mei! It is her 30th today... And even though she wasn't dreading it like the Mei in the story... A story makes it all better anyway ;-)

Happy birthday babe, I wish you an amazing day!! <3