The Devil In The Mirror

V

My alarm blares at three am sharp. I strip from my pajamas and put on clothes I'd laid out before. After slipping on my black skinnie jeans, I place a maroon/gray beanie over my hair and shove my glasses on. My phone buzzes with a call. Who in the fuck calls me at three in the morning?
"Hello?" I answer grouchily.
"Someone's happy. Anyway, I'll pick you up from your apartment." Andy says.
"Shut up, and fine. See you in a few."
I shove my phone in my pocket and snatch my suitcase before heading outside and waiting for Andy. I slip my leather jacket over my shoulders, feeling the cold wind slice through my clothing. I plug in my headphones and play some Green Day, seeing the moon crisp in the sky. Headlights slice through the darkness, giving the raven road a yellow tint. I watch as it comes closer before stopping in front of me.
"Need a ride, lil lady?" Andy attempts a southern accent.
"Well yes sir, I believe I do?" I smirk, tipping my beanie like a hat. He rolls his eyes and gets out, taking my bag and opening the trunk.
"You realise I can do that too, right?"
"I need to be somewhat of a gentleman!" He says, slamming it shut and opening my car door. I roll my eys and mutter my thanks as we speed off to the airport.
~
"My band and I are meeting at Starbucks. Care to bring your band and join us?" I ask as we get out of security.
"Sure...if I can find the guys. See ya, Ara."
"Bye Andy."
And with that, I walk to the Starbucks we were meeting at. I see the girls there but order a coffee and bagel before joining them.
"Hey guys. Mind if another band joins us?"
"Who?" They ask.
"You'll see." Only within five minutes does Andy and his band join us. The girls, for the exception of Alyssa and myself, stare in awe.
"You're friends with Black Veil Brides?!" Reiko gasps.
"Really only Andy. I haven't met the rest of the guys." I admit. I stand up and go to a man with two full sleeves and long dark hair.
"Hi, I'm Ara." I smile. He merely glares.
"Ashley." He grunts, barely shaking my hand. I then go to a man with inky hair a little longer than shoulder length and one sleeve.
"Hi Ara, I'm Christian." He says, shaking my hand with a bright smile.
I then move onto the next guy, with shoppy black hair and bright eyes.
"Hello, I'm-
"I know who you are. I'm Jake." He snaps, glaring at me. The quiet, but taller man next to him gives me a sympathetic smile.
"Hello Ara, my name is Jeremy. Jinxx, if you perfer. The guys all call me Jinxx." He says shyly, glancing at me. I smile back. I like this Jinxx.
Everyone could feel the tension in the air. The girls stand up and introduce themselves, with Jake and Ashley giving them warm smiles. I tell the girls I'll be right back, grabbing my bag, before walking to our gate and sitting down on my phone, waiting for the flight to be called.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is? Ara, I believe? You little slut." I hear the snarky voice above me say. I lock my phone and look up. It's Jake. I roll my eyes at him.
"What do you want?" I snip, glaring at him. He sits next to me.
"I want you to stay away from Andy." He commands.
"There is nothing going on between us."
"Not yet anyways. Knowing him, I think he's already falling for you." I'm taken aback by his words.
"He doesn't, believe me. He wouldn't betray Juliet. He loves her too much. On top of that, I-
"So what're you guys talking about, huh?" I hear Andy ask harshly, glaring down Jake. I could see Jake flinch, but he stands up and looks Andy directly in the eye.
"Nothing." He says shortly before going out of sight. After Jake leaves, Andy sits down next to me with a frown.
"Are you okay?" He asks, wiping up my cheek. I see it's a single tear. I look away from him with a nod, plastering on a face I hadn't used since high school.
"I'm fine." I lie, giving him a reassuring smile.
"What did Jake-
"Now boarding flight E4377 from Los Angeles to Boston."
~
We arrive at Logan International Aiport around three in the afternoon. The bands have bonded well. Jinxx and I especially. I ignored Andy the entire plane ride and focused on getting to know the all myseterious Jinxx. He was a shy being, but he opened up fairly well. Soft spoken but wise, and extremely talented. I instantly felt connected and intruiged by him and he was a very nice and intelligent human being, always full of facts like myself. He talks of his wife Sammi with elegance and priscion, you can see the fire burn bright in his beautiful blue eyes. Sammi and himself have an undying love that I envy, but don't want. Love is a horrible thing. Love is a dangerous thing. Love, is simply put, a bitch. She is a bitch with no regard or empathy, in which a poison drains into your soul. That is why I live alone, and refuse love. That is also why, I feel nothing more than brotherly and friendly love for Jinxx and Andy.
"Ara, can I talk to you?" Andy asks, interrupting Jinxx and I's heated debate on Napoleon Bonepart.
"Um, sure." I say, standing up and following him to the Panera. We sit down and he looks at me with both anger and sadness.
"What did Jake say to you?" He asks. I shake my head.
"Nothing." He slams his fist on the table, startling me.
"It sure as hell wasn't fucking nothing. You were crying for god's sake!" He says through clenched teeth.
"He thinks obscure and false things about you and I. That's all. But it's fine, really." I say quickly.
"What else did he say?" He asks. I'm silent, terrified if I should say anymore. I've already told too much.
"Damn it, Ara. I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened." Pain lingers in his eyes. Why does he care so much?
"My problems are none of your concern, Andy. Let it be." I snap, aggrivated at him. He folds his arms.
"Fucking hell, why won't you let me help you?"
"Because I don't shove my problems on others. It's selfish and stressful." I say, standing up and walking out. He follows me and grasps onto my arm.
"Let go of me Andy."
"You don't trust me, do you?" He asks, letting go.
"No, I don't."
"Why? What do I have to prove to make you trust me?"
"Well here's the million dollar question, Andy; do you trust me?" He freezes at my question and shakes his head.
"I guess you're right..."
"I can't trust you unless you trust me."
He mumbles something I don't hear.
"What?"
"I said I trust you. And I'm willing to tell you everything." He says bravely.
"What's the catch?" I ask as we head back to the gate. He breathes in.
"You tell me things too." I laugh a little.
"Deal. Although, not everything. I will in due time." He nods and gives me a smile as I plop back down with Jinxx and delve right back into our previous conversation.
~
I sit down on the window seat with my neck pillow and set my bag down as Andy's lanky form slides next to me in the middle seat.
"Switch only if I get to lie on you?" I ask him. He chuckles and kindly accepts. I move into the middle seat and rest my head back, closing my eyes and letting the stale airplane air settle into my lungs.
"How much are you willing to tell me?" I hear him ask. I open my eyes and I'm immediately terrified of the look on his face. Fear and...excitement. No. My tale is in a dark, hidden, and locked away for a reason. A dark, terrifying tale.
"As much as you need." I almost regret my words.
"I'll go first, I suppose. I'm going to the start from the begininng," he buckles his seat belt and turns back to me, "I am twenty one right now. I started this band originally where I used to live, which is roughly near Cincinnati, Ohio. I was sixteen. I then moved around to Los Angeles, where I restarted the band, had some changes, and we had the original members we have now aside from CC, or Christian as you know him,"
"I was then still at the time together with Scout Taylor-Compton. Or only as you know her, Scout. Scout and I did horrible things to one another. A pissing contest, if you will. Until finally, she shattered my heart so much, that I was done. Fed up. So I left her. During the summer of last year, I met Juliet. I fell head over heels in love with that woman, and she helped mend my broken, aching heart."
"I forgot to mention between the breakup, our then drummer left and she was replaced by CC, or Christian. We finished up our last record and we started writing recently for our new upcoming record. And that's where we are today. Mixed with years of hardship from the music business. But we kept pushing and we've gone farther than ever before I feel." He finishes, running a hand through his short mess. I let out a breath and watch as Boston disappears behind us.
"You went through early hell. But you're here now. With your successful band and amazing brothers and girlfriend." I comment, playing with my hands.
"Now you," He says watching me curiously.
"What do you want to know?" I ask, taking in a deep breath.
"Anything and everything. You're a puzzle; a riddle I want to solve." He smiles a little.
"Well, I'll start off by telling you what Jake said earlier, since I feel its rightly deserved. He called me a slut and told me to stay away from you, saying that you'd betray Juliet with me. When I know you would never in a million years do so."
"You're right. I'd never. But he has no right to call you a slut. We're just friends and it's sticking that way." He says, clenching his jaw.
"I agree." I nod. He eyes me before gesturing me to continue.
"I also understand why your band members do not like me. They're threatened by me. They think I'm going to one-up them, in a sense. And they also think you're cheating with me. Jinxx seems to be the only smart one to know that niether is true." I say, frowning. He lifts my head up and hugs me.
"I know. Jinxx explained this to me a little bit." He purs into my hair. I nod and let go.
"I moved out to Los Angeles with my band to escape a disasterous and dangerous abusive relationship that caused a lot of mental scarring, that over lots of therapy, I've recovered from. We haven't become too big but we're mostly a cover band with a few originals in the mix of it. Most of which, I've written. That's where we're at today." I say, leaving out many details. But the look on Andy's face is one of anger and empathy.
"You know, none of us will ever hurt you. Ever. You're the best friend I've never really had. I have trust issues myself, but with you I feel like opening the dusty book and telling you them all."
"I know." I say. A yawn escapes from my lips and Andy pulls me onto him.
"Sleep." He commands. I plug in my headphones and play Calling All Skeletons, slipping away into neverland.