Sucker For Pain

Chapter 1

Matt's POV

I can explain. Really. I can.

Val had gotten sick after entirely too much tequila and I had just walked her out to Michelle's car.

"Are you sure you're cool with leaving?" I had asked the sober twin.

Michelle nodded as she watched me buckle her sister's seat belt. "Yeah of course...Look at her. She's out of it." Val snored lightly as if to punctuate the statement. "You guys have worked hard, you deserve a celebration."

"As long as your cool with it," I said before leaning over to give Val a kiss on her forehead. She stirred slightly but didn't open her eyes. I couldn't help but chuckle at her. It had been a while since she'd gone on a drinking spree. I pulled myself upright and said "Thanks Chelle...I'll be home to relieve you soon." And with that I closed the car door and made my way back to into the bar.

I should have known I was in for it the minute I saw Jessie nursing her beer at the edge of the bar as Brian chatted her up. I knew she was tipsy and could tell she was feeling really good. Her cheeks always turn red when she was drinking and made her adorably cute.

"Hey...I thought you'd left," Brian called out and everyone turned.

"Nah...you're girlfriend decided to be a champ and take her sister home."

Brian shook his head as Jessie smirked. "EX girlfriend."

"You know she'll do anything to get back with you," I replied as I turned to the bartender. "Can I get a Crown and coke?"

The tiny blonde winked at me and began to mix my drink.

"What did I miss?" I asked

"Other than poor Jessie having to go barefoot cause Val threw up on her shoes, not too much," Zacky cracked and everyone else laughed.

"Man, I'm sorry Jess...I promise I'll replace them."

She waved me off before tossing her chestnut brown hair. "They are salvageable."

"Aww Jess," Gena chimed in "You just passed up an opportunity to get some majorly expensive shoes at Matt's expense."

"Tempting," Jessie laughed before pulling a sip of her beer.

"Where are Johnny and Lacey?" I asked looking around for the tiny gnome of a man and his girlfriend.

Zacky's perfect eyebrows furrowed "Something about early morning brunch with Lacey's parents."

Brian took a look audible breath. "The perks of being single....am I right, Jess? Not having to spend time with families."

"Speak for yourself," Jessie swatted Brian gently and he gave her a dashing smile.

I felt a pang of jealousy I didn't understand in my chest. Brian and Jessie had been friends as long as I had been friends with her so realistically I knew that her playful swat wasn't flirting. Still she was touching him with familiarity that irked me. Were they hooking up?

"You mean you've got someone you've been hiding?" Gena asked excitedly.

Jessie gave a noncommittal look and Brian called bullshit.

"I don't tell you everything I do, Brian," Jessie insisted she said slapping him again.

Why the hell was she touching him so much? It really irritated me. I changed the subject to try to get it to stop. "Did Leana take Jimmy home?"

"Yeah," Zacky nodded. "He was out of it. I think added some extra prescription ingredients to tonight's festivity of alcohol consumption."

A look of panic passed over Brian's expression but it disappeared quickly. I knew he was worried about Jimmy's addictions but he didn't really have a way to stop it.

"We need some more music," Jessie said downing her beer and searching for quarters in her clutch. "Give me a few dollars." she asked out loud to everyone. Zacky was the quickest and handed her a five.

"I'll come with you," I said putting my drink on the bar next to Gena. "I know you'll just play some lame shit if I don't watch you."

She rolled her eyes as she waited for me to catch up. I watched her bounce up and down on her toes as she watched the jukebox flip through the records. She straightened Zacky's five and insert it into the jukebox and pushed the code for Stone Temple Pilots' "Plush."

"That's one of my favorite," I replied with a grin, hitting her with the dimples.

"I know," she announced proudly "I remembered." She bumped me slightly from the side and I was unusually happy at the contact. So happy that I kept making up reasons for me to touch her for the rest of the night. Dancing. Handing her a drink. Helping her put her sweater on as we all called it a night and made our way out of the bar.

"You need a ride home?" I asked as the warm California air hit as we walked out.

"Yeah," she nodded "since my ride took Val home. She's going to be so pissed when she finds out you partied without her."

"True," I laughed in agreement. Valary would be more than unhappy to find out that I didn't take her home and nurse her back to sobriety myself. "But she'll get over it," I added as I opened the car door for her.

The drive started out innocently enough. 20 blocks of chit chat about any subject that popped into my mind. It's great to be able to just have conversation and not have to be M Shadows every damn second of the day. When Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" came on the radio, she started singing and I managed to remember the words enough to do backing vocals. We are still laughing our asses off at our impromptu duet when I pulled into her condo parking space.

We sat silently for a bit after the laughter tapers off...almost not expecting or knowing what to do next. And then suddenly out of nowhere, I kissed her. Or maybe she kissed me. Somehow we were just making out. I could taste the Stella Artois Apple Cider she'd been drinking all night and it was overly pleasant.

We separated only for a minute or two in order to exit the car but as soon as we're able we started up again. We kissed on the walkway. We kissed in the entry way of her front door as she fumbled with her keys. We kissed inside her foyer and in her living room.

I kissed her with my eyes open as I laid her down on the couch and she placed a hand on my cheek before asking. "Are you drunk?"

"No," I replied roughly. Because you always say no when your drunk and even though I was. I have a clear moment where I realize I'm about to cheat on Val. But for some reason that's not important. Only what is happening right here, right now is. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

And then I had sex with my girlfriends best friend.