Bandom Imagines (On Haitus)

Jack knew she loved him.

Ali eventually dragged herself out of bed and got ready for work. Walking into the office with her coffee, she saw the red and pink balloons on people’s desk. She knew when she arrived at her desk that there wouldn’t be anything.

Jack had wanted to send her something, but she refused telling him that the only thing she wanted for Valentine’s Day was him. If she couldn’t have him, then she didn’t want anything.

“Good morning, Ali!” Marilyn said. Marilyn sat across the aisle from Ali. Marilyn was a blonde haired woman in her early fifties and a surrogate mother to Ali.

“Morning, Marilyn.”

“So, any big plans for tonight? Being Valentine’s Day and all?”

“Not exactly.” Ali tried not to look sad, even though she was bummed that Jack couldn’t be at home with her.

“I think Ray and I are just going to stay home and make dinner together.”

“That sounds sweet.”

Marilyn noticed the sad look in Ali’s eyes. “Oh, sweetie. He’s not here is he?”

Ali shook her head. “I knew what I was getting into dating a musician. But it’s fine. When he gets back, he’ll be home for a few months.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ali tried putting off going home as long as possible. She was dreading going home to an empty house while everyone else was heading out to dinner with their significant others.

When 5:30 hit, Marilyn logged off and grabbed her stuff. “Don’t stay too late, sweetie.”

“I’ll head home soon, I promise.”

“Tell you what…” Marilyn pulled out $20 and handed it to her. “Get yourself some good wine and some chocolate. And then maybe take a vacation day tomorrow.”

“Thank you. I hope you and Ray have a good night.”

Around 6, Ali sighed. She couldn’t put it off any longer. She grabbed her things, logged off, and hit up the liquor store on the way home. She was going to make herself some dinner and then get drunk and probably cry herself to sleep.

She probably wouldn’t even call Jack tonight. Jack was the last thing she wanted on her mind.

Ali unlocked the door and her mouth dropped open. The apartment was covered in balloons and there was the biggest bouquet of roses she’d ever seen sitting on the kitchen table.

She walked over to the roses and dropped her purse and the bag containing her bottle of wine on the table.

There was a card sitting in the roses.

Ali opened it up and read, “Turn around.” She gasped and spun around.

Jack stood there holding a pink sucker up.

Kiss Me.

Ali did what the sucker said and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Her hands threaded through his multicolored hair.

He’d changed the color of his stripe again. Now it was blue.

Her favorite color.

She pulled back, tears filling her eyes. “How are you here?” she breathed.

“Flew in this morning after you left for work.”

Ali sniffled. “How long are you here for?”

Jack sighed and stroked her cheek, swiping the tears away with the pad of his thumb. “Only for tonight. I fly out early tomorrow morning. I’m sorry.”

“I missed you,” she said.

Andy squeezed her tighter. “I missed you too, babe.”

She smiled at the old term of endearment and placed a small kiss on his neck. She pulled back and Andy looked at her beat-up truck. There was mud on the tires, so clearly she’d been mudding with her brother.

“I’ll let you guys catch up,” she said, “But you’re mine tomorrow, Biersack.”

Andy laughed and gave a small salute. “Aye aye, boss.”

She kissed him on the cheek and made her way back to her truck. She got in, but not before blowing him a kiss. She pulled away from the house and disappeared down the street.

“Well she hasn’t changed,” Andy said.

“All I know is one mention of your name and that girl lights up. I wonder why…” his mother said, giving him a small smile.

Andy shook his head.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next day, Andy parked his rental car between the Methodist Church and his old elementary school. The place they first met.

Sure enough, she was waiting for him.

He approached her and sat on the swing next to her. He took out a cigarette and lit it.

“Thought you stopped,” she said.

They sat in a comfortable silence before she stood up.

“C’mon.” She led him to her truck and they went back to her place. As soon as she shut the door, Andy was on her. “God, I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

“Show me how much.”

Her blue eyes sparkled as she led him into the bedroom.

This was their routine.

Whenever Andy came back to Cincinnati for the Christmas holiday, they’d have the weekend to pick up where they left off. Amy and Chris had come to expect to not really see their son for the entire weekend.

Afterwards, as she lay on his chest, Andy started to think. What if he didn’t leave? What if he stayed?

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked him as she traced the tattoos adorning his body.

He looked at her and she could see the thoughts on his face.

She sighed. “It has to be this way. You know that.”

“But what if it didn’t?”

“Andy, I can’t ask you stay the same way you can’t ask me to wait. Your life is in L.A., not Cincinnati.” She saw his heart break every time he left, but this was the way things had to be. She was the only one who truly knew him. She could tell which smiles were fake and which were real.

But he couldn’t ask her to leave. Cincinnati was her home and she loved it here, whereas Andy’s home was in L.A. “Come here,” he said.

She crawled up his chest and kissed him again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They slept in half the day the next day like they used to and soon it was time for Andy to leave again.

She and Andy drove in their separate cars. After turning in the rental car, she met him outside the entrance to the terminal.

Andy didn’t want to leave her. He wanted to crawl back into the warm bed with her and say fuck everything in L.A.

“Take care of yourself, okay? I don’t want to get another call from the guys saying you’ve broken your leg or something,” she said.

Andy laughed and kissed her forehead. “I’ll try.”

They said their goodbyes and Andy was so tempted to press his lips to hers, but he didn’t want to rumors to start spreading.

The media and his fans knew about her and he spoke about her fondly in interviews. To the outside world, she was simply his childhood best friend, but him she was so much more.

“Go, before you miss your flight.” And just like that, she watched him leave.

Just like the first time and all the times after that.

She could see tattoos on his fingers, but they just looked like random letters. “How did you get that wine?” she asked.

This bar didn’t serve red wine. Red wine was reserved for fancy restaurants.

“You’re very perceptive for a mortal.”

Brigid thought his phrasing was weird, but she didn’t question it.

The man wiggled his fingers and said, “Magic.”

Brigid sipped her drink.

“You haven’t answered my question. What’s a pretty girl doing sitting here all her lonesome. You should out on the dancefloor having fun.”

“I don’t like clubs,” she told him.

The man laughed. His smile would make any woman melt. “What’s wrong with clubs?”

“People just come here to get drunk and hook up.”

“You can still have fun.” He held a hand out to her as another song started. “May I have this dance?”

Brigid considered it for a moment before she placed her hand in his. She slid off the barstool and the man led them to the dancefloor.

They stopped in the middle and the man turned her away from him so her back was pressed his front.

Brigid blushed. She jumped when the man’s lips brushed her ear.

“Just let go. Let the music guide you. Focus on that.” He put his hands on her hips and pulled her flush against his body.

Brigid felt a fog enter her mind. She forgot about the people around her and focused solely on the man’s hands holding her hips.

It was like nothing else existed.

She let the music take her away and dictate how she moved. Her hands moved independently of her mind and grabbed the back of the man’s head.

The man chuckled darkly in her ear, sending a shiver down Brigid’s spine. Brigid’s whole body felt like it was on fire and it was hard to breathe. But she kept dancing.

The song ended too soon.

When the man’s hands left her body, it was like a cold bucket of water had been dumped on her. She was aware of the people around them and the sweat dripping down her back.

Had it really only been a couple minutes?

Brigid felt like she had been dancing for hours. Her limbs ached and she was parched. She wanted him to touch her again. Dancing with him felt like a drug and she needed another hit. Brigid turned to face him now, committing every curve and line of his face to memory.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Brigid.”

The man smiled and Brigid felt her heart skip a beat. “Like the ancient Celtic Goddess?”

Brigid shrugged. “I imagine my parents just like the name.”

“Then you and I are more alike than you think.” The man stepped back from her and kissed her cheek. “Farewell, fair Brigid. May we meet again.” He turned and disappeared into the sea of bodies, leaving Brigid alone on the dancefloor.

When her friends invited her out again, she’d go along. But only with the hope she’d meet her mystery man again. She needed to dance with him again.

To feel that complete freedom for just another second.