Don't Change the Way You Think of Me

**Dani’s POV**

“Thank-you guys for giving us this opportunity. It really means a lot to us,” I started off, not meeting Brian’s piercing gaze.

“Not a problem, especiallybecause you guys think I’m the best drummer in the entire world,” Jimmy enthusiastically replied using his hands to talk.

I couldn’t help but chuckle along with the rest of the guys, “That you are Rev.” I commended him. “So what was the concept of Nightmare? How did it come to be?”


“Well, it was actually stemmed from a nightmare that Gates had one night, he wasn’t able to wake up from the dream until it played out,” Zacky smiled warmly at me then nodded over at Brian.


“What was the dream?” I asked curiously, taking notes.


Brian looked a little uncomfortable with the question but responded, “I had a friend die, one of my best friends, and I dreamt of finding out the news of their death and feeling all the emotions that would hit me had this really happened.”


I couldn’t help butmeet his eyes, hurt pulsing through them until he slid a wall up. “I’m glad it was only a dream,” I gave him a small smile which he returned.


“One of the things fans are looking forward to most is the album cover, any spoilers about that?” I asked once again returning to the pad of paper in my lap.


“All we can do is tell the kids to keep their eye on our social media accounts and that it will be revealed within the next month or so,” Matt winked at me. “Although, for you, we could probably show you a preview. Off the record of course.”


“That’d be awesome,” I met Matt’s eyes and nodded.


I noticed a little tension from the rest of the guys and decided to move on, “Johnny, from what I’ve heard in the single Nightmare is that you’re killing it on bass, tell me part of your process in creating the bottom half of the notes.”


Johnny leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, “Well it all depends on how well these losers do their job.” He joked looking over at Zacky and Brian. “But, basically I just feel out what’s right for the song. I usually play around with different rifts and if I have a good one I want to incorporate, I’ll use it. As long as it fits with the rest of the music, I use it. Buried Alive has probably one of my better bass solo rifts towards the climax of the song.”


I smiled at him as I wrote that all down, paraphrasing of course but quoting the final sentence. “Rev, I heard a rumor that you wrote a song for the previous album, your self-titled album. It was Almost Easy, correct?” He nodded, “How did you come up with the guitar parts,” I heard a collective groan from Gates and Vengeance, “and how receptive were your guitarists to the music?”


Rev let out a maniacal laugh, “Well, it was during one of the nights that I wasn’t able to sleep really, so I started messing around with a guitar…”


“That he doesn’t know how to play,” Brian interjected, teasing his friend.


“I know a few chords,” Jimmy defended himself and shoved Brian’s arm. “Anyways, I put those chords together and then added in the drum parts. By the time, these assholes came back to the studio, I was getting ready to work on Johnny’s bass part.”


“Thank God we came back when we did,” Johnny joked. All the guys kind of laughed but Jimmy.


“It wasn’t that bad!” Jimmy defended and started swatting all of them.


“Jimmy,” Larry scolded obviously a little embarrassed by their antics.


“What? She’s not phased, she’s been laughing along with everything,” He pouted at Larry who just shook his head.


“Please continue,” Larry offered me smiling slyly at the guys.


About an hour and a half later, we had avoided all the personal questions and gotten all the music related ones that I’d come up with. It was almost 2, Lily and Roxie would be in town around 3:30 for a quick shopping date and Lily’s birthday lunch/supper.


“Any comments about things I didn’t ask?” I asked them, knowing that I had done everything that Lucy had wanted.


“Off the record or on the record?” Zacky asked curiously.


“Either one, just gotta let me know which one first,” I replied as I set the pen down on the paper.


“Off the record, have you received any text messages lately from people you didn’t know?” Jimmy asked curiously which of course left everyone looking at him completely confused. Everyone but Brian.


I laughed, “I have.”


“Just asking,” he shrugged and the others shook their head racking it up to be a random question that he sometimes asked.


I saw Brian release a breath, thinking I would bust him. “Off the record, why didn’t you ask any personal questions?” Johnny asked curiously.



“I didn’t figure that it was anyone’s business about your personal lives,” I shrugged it was the truth in my opinion.


Matt nodded, “We appreciate it. We like to keep most things private unless it’s something big that we won’t be able to hide forever.”


I smiled and nodded, “Understandable.”



“Are you coming to the show tonight?” Brian asked out of no-where.



“Yeah, it’s my daughters 4th birthday, and you guys are her favorite band. So, while I do my job with photography, she’ll be with my sister watching from the stands,” I smiled warmly, placing the paper and pen on the table, knowing the on-the-record stuff was over.



“What’s your daughters name?” Matt asked, his dimples showing.


“Lily,” I smiled warmly.


“What’s her favorite song?” Brian asked, still watching me cautiously, wondering if I was going to start fan-girling.


“It changes every week, but she’s said she loves Seize the Day, A Little Piece of Heaven, Dear God, Unholy Confessions, Trashed and Scattered, and of course Nightmare.


Zacky laughed, “Your kid is probably one of the coolest kids ever. Although almost all of those have cursing in them.” He tilted his head curiously.


I chuckled and shrugged, “As long as she doesn’t say them, I’m okay with it. She knows right from wrong and knows that they’re adult words.”


“That’s seriously bad-ass,” Matt said thoughtfully. “I don’t know about you fuckers, but I wanna meet this kid.”


I smiled widely, “Then it’s a good thing we have VIP passes then, eh?”


“I wanna meet her too!!!” Jimmy bounced in his seat.


“Can we sing happy-birthday to her?” Zacky suggested to the guys.



“Yeah, can we?” Jimmy asked excitedly.


Everyone looked at Larry curiously and I couldn’t help but feel a connection to these guys. “Yeah, I mean we definitely can, but when are you going to fit it in and how are you wanting to do this?”


“We will figure it out during sound check,” Matt waved Larry off.


I couldn’t help but giggle at their enthusiasm. “Would it be possible to get a few photos for the article?”



“Oh shoot, I totally forgot about that,” Larry said and looked at his watch. “It’ll be close, but I think we have time for a few photos.”


“Awesome,” I smiled widely.


“I’ll make you a deal, we’ll do the photos now, just us. Tonight, we get more with Lily for the article and you put a note in that we wished your daughter happy birthday,” Brian bargained with me.


I stuck my hand out, “You have a deal Mr. Gates.”


“Brian, please,” he looked me in the eye and shook my head.


“Brian,” I smiled warmly at him. “There’s a game room down in the basement next to the dressing room, my editor was hoping we could get a few pics done in there.”



“Deal, boys load it up and let’s head down there,” Larry corralled all the guys except for Brian who stayed behind to help me grab my stuff.


We picked up everything, turned off the coffee pot, and poured the excess coffee down the drain. “So…” Brian said as he picked up my camera bag.


“Yeah?” I looked over at him curiously as I picked up my purse and slid the paper and pen in it.


“I’m sorry about last night,” he rubbed the back of his neck obviously a little embarrassed.


I chuckled and shoved my phone in my pocket, “Brian it’s really alright, you were drunk.”


He flashed me a grateful smile as we walked out of the room towards the elevator, the others already descending to the basement. “So tell me more about you?” he requested nonchalantly.


“What do you wanna know?” I asked as he pressed the call button.


“Where’s your husband?” he asked directly.


“I don’t have a husband, I’m single,” I dodged the question I knew he was getting at.


“Lily’s father?” Brian asked curiously.


“He died about 9 months ago in a car wreck,” I replied not meeting his eyes.


“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath, “I’m sorry Dani.”


I nodded as the elevator doors opened and we stepped in. “It’s okay,” I attempted to not let it get to me.


He obviously read my body language and engulfed me in a hug. When the elevator dinged to acknowledge we were in the basement we stepped apart from each other. This is gonna be a long day.

Notes