Default Title - Write Your Own

five

Just a few minutes later as the laughter ended, Brian came back in with Valary following who now had a backpack slung over her shoulder. Matt, Jimmy, Johnny and I all exchanged glances then looked back at Brian and burst of laughing. Brian had his arms folded and looked completely confused at us before he realised why we were laughing.

"You told her?!" He exclaimed chucking his arms up in the air and sighing.

"Told her what?" Valary intercepted.

"The tree thing." Johnny put simply and Valary started laughing to.

"Oh I remember when Bri and Ana..." Valary started but Brian quickly stopped her.

"Okay, okay! That's enough!" He raised his voice. "Val got your clothes." He informed me then leant against the wall with his hand shoved in his pockets.

"I brought lots in case they don't fit you or you don't like them." Val admitted then swung the backpack into my lap and opened it.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." I smiled and then started to get up. I stood on the side of the bed next to Matt and Jimmy but quickly came to the realisation that my legs were still weak and almost immediately fell to the ground. Luckily though, Jimmy managed to stretch out his long arms and catch me before I could hit the floor with Matt swiftly joining in as well to help me keep my balance.

"You alright there?" Matt asked and he and Jimmy slowly sat me back down.

I swallowed hard and waited out the dizziness before responding. "Yeah I'll be fine..." I whispered as that was all I could manage before feeling like I was going to throw up.

"You sure you're gonna be able to change yourself?" Brian spoke up in a genuinely concerned tone.

"Brian she's in hospital and you're already tryna undress her geez man!" Johnny said half sarcastically, making everyone shake their heads and laugh.

"No! I didn't mean that!" Brian quickly protested. "I meant Valary or else if she falls down, hits her head, she might be in here longer!"

"He's got a point." Jimmy agreed.

"That okay with you An?" Valary questioned.

"Yeah fine." I nodded, finally lifting my head and taking in deep breaths. Val and I then both looked up and round to each of the guys who all looked at us blankly.

"Well are you gonna leave or not?" Val snapped, surprising me with her change of tone. Matt held up his hands in surrender and then left with everyone following. Brian was last who smiled at me sort of sympathetically before shutting the door behind him. Valary immediately emptied out the bag of clothes in front of me onto the bed and a few items of make-up fell out to. Most of the clothes were dark colours which I guess I didn't mind. "Yeah sorry about the rainbow selection..." She retorted sarcastically.

I smirked, "its fine, fits my style if I'm completely honest." I ended up picked out a pair of ripped, black jeans that looked like they'd fit me and then as I was looking through the various tops, most of which were band tees, I came across one I didn't know if I recognised.

"Avenged Sevenfold?" I asked, holding up a shirt which read 'Avenged Sevenfold' at the top with then what seemed to be a picture of a skeleton with a sword riding a horse out from a city and at the bottom it read 'City of Evil'.

"Oh shit you don't know do you?" Valary gasped, confusing me.

"What are you on about?" I asked, looking over the shirt again.

"Wait what year did you leave?" She paused and I went to respond but she answered for me. "1998 wasn't it?" I nodded in agreement. "Shit no you don't know."

"Don't know what? I just asked about a band I thought I knew!" I raised my voice, getting agitated.

Valary took a deep breath in then continued in a hushed voice. "Just don't freak out okay?" I nodded. "Right you know so how Brian mentioned earlier that we 'record' at Matt's? Well that's because Matt, Brian, Zacky. Jimmy and Johnny are Avenged Sevenfold, it's where they practice and record!"

And that's when it all clicked in my head. I had a faint feeling in the back of my head, even more so when I remembered the calloused tips of Brian's fingers on my neck checking for a pulse, that they had something to do with music but I couldn't pin point it. Now I vaguely remembered, how Jimmy used to carry drumsticks around, sticking out his back pocket everywhere he went and how I think Brian and Zacky used to have petty arguments over who was a better guitarist but that was about it.

"Uh, Ana? Still with me?" Val questioned, waving her hand in front of me face. It seemed that I had zoned out again in my thoughts.

"Yeah sorry just... thinking... I think I remember they were all into music and whatever else..." I half mumbled trying to recall where I'd them last. Then, I got it! It was on the radio on the way down here from Aberdeen, something about their new album. "Do they have a new album or something?"

"Yeah, that's it actually: City of Evil." She gestured to the shirt I was still gripping close to my chest. "It was released just last month and they're gonna be going on tour soon I think..." Her voice hushed as she realised she probably shouldn't have told me.

"That's ok, I just won't mention it." I assured her and put down the Avenged Sevenfold, picking up a new one. It was a simple, sleeveless top that was black with a picture of a skeleton hand doing the 'rock and roll' hand sign. I started to get up but then realised the reason the Val was in here was so I don't fall and hit my head.

"Need some help?" She smiled sympathetically and got up to help me.

"Please," I nodded and stood with her support. Luckily, I didn't feel as dizzy this time. Val undid the string at the back of the hospital gown that was keeping it up and it fell to the floor, leaving me in my underwear but I didn't mind, rather her than one of the guys. I lifted my arms as she swiftly helped me put the t-shirt over my head then I sat on the edge of the bed to slip into the jeans which hugged my legs and hips nicely. The top was too big and reached about the middle of my thighs but I didn't mind. I then spotted a leather jacket on the bed and slipped then on before untucking my dark hair from it.

"Want a brush?" Val asked, holding one out to me. I nodded and took it, slowly walking into the small bathroom coming off my room that had a mirror with Val following closely behind. It's fortunate she was as when I looked into the mirror, I almost fell in shock. I looked to different.

My eyes had always been bright green with only specks of grey, but now they looked sunken as dark circles surrounded them and the grey had become more prominent than the green. The darkness at my eyes completely contrasting how pale my skin look, making my usually faint freckles that were sprinkled across my nose and cheeks look more noticeable than ever before.

I had also gotten freakishly thin compared to my usual, mostly athletic build. My cheekbones were now visible and cast a slight shadow on my lower cheek. My jaw also looked a lot bonier than usual along with my collarbones which were on show due to the low cut top.

"Are you ok?" Valary asked as she probably noticed how my eyes began to puff up and go red; I hated seeing myself like this.

"Yeah I just... I look so... unnatural, I don't look like me!" I choked on a lump forming in my throat but held back any tears.

"Don't worry honey, you just need sometime and you'll be back to you. I promise." Val said, giving my shoulders a reassuring squeeze. I pressed my lips together and nodded before brushing my hair that just went past my shoulders, out of my face before parting it where I used to. It'd have to do, I looked a little more like me now and I was too tired to do any make-up so I guess I was finished.