Arcane Guardian ↣ Avenged Sevenfold

43 ☼ sex sells

August 25th, 2013

"I'm gonna get fucking hammered tonight." Noelle tied up her black corset over her green ripped up dress. She had, ironically enough, garnered a huge appreciation of the garments. Her, Arin and Mandy were getting ready in Mandy's bathroom for Hail To The King's release party at Matt's place—a costume party, per the bands coordinated request. They were going in a trio with Noelle as Tinker Bell, Mandy as Captain Hook, and Arin as Peter Pan.

(If you guessed that Mandy suggested this, you would've guessed correctly.)

While production had long since wrapped on the album two years ago, the label had dragged their feet until 2013, and they were just now getting to celebrate. Hail To The King was projected to be fucking massive—and Noelle and Arin got to be intensely proud of their contributions.

That didn't mean Noelle would ever be comfortable putting herself around Brian again.

Sure, sometimes they saw each other around, but after production wrapped she couldn't bring herself to purposefully contact anyone in the band. Halloween parties, Fourth Of July barbecues, New Years events—she tapped out of completely. The last time she had even saw any of them was Christmas of 2012 that Mandy had held. And it was like she was an anxiety ridden ghost. She watched everyone else around her talk and laugh; Matt flung a spoon of butter at Brian's head and a picture went into everyone's photo albums no question. But she sat and she picked at the food and she walked home early in the snow.

Mandy healed. In a lot of ways that desperately needed to happen. She got therapy but only focusing in with her therapist on the fact that her husband had died of a heart condition. She found ways to mourn while honoring his life. She adopted around four cats. Mandy was Mandy and wouldn't be broken forever.

Maybe Noelle was alone in how hollow she felt.

I mean, the guys were doing better than ever. Even if she wanted to see them it was anyones guess as to whether they were a state over or a continent. She stalked their tour photographer heavily, and everyone looked happier than ever. Even Arin who they had moved from session drumming to becoming an official member.

So Noelle had her work. Plunged deep into it. Cranking out around two to three highly selling albums with different bands a year, her work became her life. And sure she had tried to figure out who she was in small ways; she dyed her hair a few different colors, changed her style a little, but at the end of the day she was still alone. Just her in her bed. God, at least Mandy was seeing someone—some guy she had went on a few dates with. Noelle had work. And work parties, and getting extremely drunk most nights of the week.

So as they stood primping in the bathroom, Arin trying to gel his hair, and Mandy in the most ridiculously puffy Hook costume you can imagine, she was bordering an anxiety attack.

"Just don't get so drunk your boobs fall out of your dress Tink." Arin shouldered her for more space in the mirror.

"Not a problem. We taped those fuckers up like Fort Knox." Mandy poked her friends cleavage. "Nothing is getting in or out of her upper half."

The air felt like it was getting thicker as Noelle put the final sploosh of hairspray on her obnoxious donut bun. "Let's just go dumbasses." She pretended to smile.

☼

Matt's house was like the decked out haunted mansion in a rich neighborhood you only pull into to trick or treat at.

He pulled all the stops. Every, single, stop. It was definitely a party. A little less personal than the bar was when Self Titled was released. They were greeted at the door by a ghostface Matt. "Hey! So glad y'all could make it! Always nice to see you making it out of the studio Noa." Matt gave her a big Matt hug.