As Bottles Call My Name

Chapter 21

So Brian didn's reply to my smiley face, which was fine, but it meant that my only choice of activity was to listen to music.

I pulled my ipod out of my pocket and put it on a random song, and it turned out to be "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden.

I was happy with it, so I sat there listening do it with my head in my hand. I glanced over at Charlotte across the isle, who was giggling with Vicki and Kenzie. It was my instinct to roll my eyes, but I supressed it and just sighed.

The flight attendants went around handing everyone water, pretzels, peanuts, and cookies. I thanked the man and slowly ate my peanuts.

Through the noise of my earphone I could hear Michelle and Brian whisper fighting.

I don't want to have to deal with them fighting all the time. If Brian was right- that she "changes" sometimes, then I guess it was an inevitability that they would fight a lot.

I'm not good with that. Even when my mom fought with her boyfriends; I got anxiety and stress and I really have no clue as to why.

I was intruiged, however, to hear what Brian and Michelle were saying.

It still felt weird to be sitting next to like, my idols, but I was gonna have to deal with it and it probably wasn't a good idea to call Brian "Syn" or "Synyster Gates."

So, I turned the music off but left the headphones in, so that they wouldn't fear me hearing them.

"I swear, Brian, I thought you were improving and getting better, but this! I would never expect this out of you!" Michelle whisper-yelled.

Brian sighed a loud sigh and reciprocated. "Who the fuck are you to call me out on this kind of shit?! It's my own, personal business. You should be like 'Oh, it's normal to be this way after you suffer the loss of your best friend' , but no! Why can't you just fucking understand and get on with your life!"

"It's not fucking normal though, Brian! Everybody goes through losses but they don't go to this extent of depression! And if they do, it doesn't last this long!"

I had no idea how this started but I was curious. But I certainly couldn't look at them, so I had to rely on what they said.

"Do you see this, Brian? This is not good!" Michelle said.

Suddenly she gasped and put her hands over her face. "Th-there's more?" She whispered very quietly. I could hear her fumbling with the seatbelt, then she pushed passed me and ran down the isleway sobbing, going into the bathroom.

Brian sighed audibly, and I pretended to turn off the music and get involved.

"Brian, what happened?" I asked with a concerned tone.

He stared straight forward. "I lost my best friend."

It was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I know, he was my dad..."

"You didn't know him though! You didn't fucking know him! It's not the same, Megan, so please, don't compare yourself." He snapped.

"I wasn't... I-"

"Save it! I don't need to talk to anyone right now." He said, and turned to look out the window. He rested his head on his hand with his elbow on the armrest, and that's when I saw it, and realized that living with Michelle and Brian was going to be difficult, even though they were my heroes and it's like a dream to be living with the Avenged family.

I had to stifle my tears, when  I saw Brian's wrist. There was cuts on his wrist. And not cuts like I had done many years before, or cuts like any teenager would just do.

These cuts were serious. There were new ones, old ones, scars, scabs, everything... and it just made me want to cry. I once again realized what an absolute state he was in and couldn't believe that the death of Jimmy was doing this to him.

"Can I get you anything, miss?" The flight attendant that had handed me food earlier asked.

"I'll pay for it." Brian said, wiping his eyes to prevent the tears that were definitlely coming. "Here,"

He pulled out some cash out of his pocket and put it on the little pull-out table in front of me. I smiled at him and politely thanked him.

"I'll have a sprite please."

"And I'll have a Jack." Brian said.

"Would you like just the bottle, or with another cup and drink sir?" he asked.

"Nah, I'll just have the bottle." Brian said. He handed the guy a ten dollar bill and the flight attendant gave him his change of fifty cents.

"So..." Brian said.

Okay, snap at me and then just try to make conversation with me, that's fine.

"So..." I said back. I figured, I might as well talk to him before he gets drunk off of Jack, because people change when they're drunk.

"I'm sorry about this. About all of this. You shouldn't have to deal with this. Hell, you should have fucking been with us way before he died."

I nodded and sent him a small smile.

"Come here, sit here." He said, pulling up the armrests separating us. He patted the spot that Michelle was sat before. I scooted over and sat next to him. It was awkward because the armrest was up and we were just sitting right next to eachother in silence. He put his arm around me and pulled me next to him and tried to fall back asleep.

I guess it was sort of normal..... but not really.

I mean, I, of course, was enjoying myself, and I had that annoying nervous stomach ache and my hands were a little bit sweaty.

I liked that he was being so warm and open, because it was helping a great deal with my shyness. I realized that even if it was weird that me and my father figure were sleeping in eachother's arms and stuff, it was Synyster Gates. So, ya know, who cares?

I nuzzled my face into his chest and closed my eyes. I heard the flight attendant place our drinks in front of us.

Brian opened one eye and reached up for his tiny bottle of JD, and downed about half of it in a couple of gulps. He held it up to me and said, "Want some?"

I was shocked that he just asked me if I wanted alcohol, being underaged, but I didn't really care. I took a sip and passed it back to him.

I took off my sweatshirt and spread it over me and Brian, then layed down, trying my best to fall asleep and hopefully stay asleep for the rest of the 6 hour plane ride.

I hoped Michelle wouldn't say anything about me and Brian being so close already.

If Brian was right in that she can be weird sometimes, then it was inevitable she's think something was up and she'd be upset. But, he also said he didn't think she loved him.

I don't know.