First Love | James Hetfield

Overdue Reunions

1983

Fortunately and very surprisingly, Annie had gotten over her assault pretty quick. She was still grossed out by any man- well, besides Cliff, Kirk, and yes, even Lars. She'd always be disgusted by James.

She was thankful that everybody stopped babying her and giving her pitiful glances from across the room. Now that she wasn't so shaken up about the whole thing, she and the others were excited that she could enjoy their vacation like she originally planned to.

Beatrice's parents were in fact hosting a small gathering with some of Bea's extended family and family friends. They also said they had a few fireworks left over from the Fourth that the boys would probably be interested in lighting.

Or so they said it was small. When Bea led them through the front gate of the beachside mansion, there were already about five or six people in the front lawn. That's how Annie knew it definitely wasn't gonna be small. They also made a huge understatement when they said a 'few fireworks'. Annie thought they'd maybe have a few fountains and firecrackers, but no. There were two teenage boys with an older boy shooting roman candles into the sky, despite the sun being out.

She offered a friendly wave to everybody who smiled at her even though she wasn't too fond of the dirty looks they gave the boys.

She was about to step on the cement stairs to the porch before stopping abruptly at the feeling of her shoe being peeled off her heel. She looked back and shot James a death glare to which he only shrugged with an innocent smile. As they continued walking, he could feel the dirty looks burn into his back. He didn't care. If they could understand the unusual relationship he and Annie had, maybe they wouldn't look down at him.

He didn't care in general, really. Sure, like everyone, he was insecure as a teenager, but the older he got he realized that it didn't really matter. That didn't stop people from hating on him and his lifestyle at all though. He almost liked it- knowing that he bothered people so much just from breathing near them. Of course he would be stereotyped with his long hair.. edgy music taste... his once white sneakers that were covered in dirt and being held together by duct tape...

That's one of the things Beatrice admired about him. When Lars introduced them back in November 1981, just by the way he curtly but politely introduced himself, the way he carried himself with his shoulders and head high, she thought he was indestructible.

Of course, that wasn't true, but Beatrice was convinced it was after Lars told her what he'd gone through as a child. How his parents divorced when he was thirteen, and later his mother strongly disapproved of medicine or any medical treatment for her cancer, and passed away when he just was sixteen. Beatrice also came from an entirely different home. She grew as an only child with both of her parents, who never really seemed to fight and definitely never even considered divorce, so whenever seventeen year old Lars blurted James' entire life story to her, she'd profusely apologize to him any time she'd bring up the general topic of parents and family.

James thought it was annoying.

"Where are the drinks?" James immediately asked when he saw almost everyone with a drink in their hand. To him, a drink was pretty much an accessory that he just had to have at any public event. Well, any that allowed underage drinking, which pretty much anything that had to do with Metallica did.

"Shhh!" Bea pressed a finger to her lips and hushed him as she saw her parents approach. Annie was tapping her foot on the floor while she eyed the crowd in the enormous house. "Anneliese Buckley, is that you?" A sweet voice pulled her out of her daze. "It's me." She pressed her lips in a thin line in a smiling matter as her second mother enveloped her in a warm hug. Annie instantly remembered where Bea got that trait.

"James." Her father greeted the boy, eyeing him up and down. "Douglas." He responded, nodding his head. He began feeling awkward and rocked back and forth on his heels with his hands shoved deep in his pockets as Douglas just stood and stared at him.

"Your jeans are ripped." The older man pointed out. "I noticed." James deadpanned, not even giving his bare knees a glance as he held his hard gaze.

Annie had been watching the interaction and tugged on a blond lock when James got an attitude. It wasn't enough to actually pull his head back, but he surely felt it and glared sideways at her. This made Douglas notice her and break out into a smile. "Leise!" He pulled her into his arms, lifting her feet off the floor.

He put her down a moment later and scanned the girl. "Criminy, have you grown.." he gushed. James scoffed when Douglas spotted the rips on her jeans and didn't even mention them.

Douglas was well aware of James' background, but he still always had a weird feeling about him. Not bad, but surely not good.

After everyone was done with their overdue reunions, Bea waved them over to the kitchen so she could sneak alcohol for everyone. James huffed. This was going to be a long night.

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