Chapter 1: Alright?

Steph

I walked around the area, taking a tour of everything within my neighborhood. I lived in Huntington Beach, same place where Avenged Sevenfold, my favorite band, lives. I was on the beach taking a walk across the shoreline, when I see none other than Synyster Gates walking in my direction. I almost stuttered when he noticed me and waved. I waved back; hopefully I didn't look like a total dork.

I turned to look away from him, looking at the ocean, admiring its beauty, when I hear someone's voice calling me.

"Hey!" said the mysterious voice.

"Uh, hey..." I turned and almost choked on my drink. It was Synyster Gates. THE Synyster Gates was talking to me. Oh my God, I thought, I think I'll die or something. Keep calm, Steph, you don't wanna look like a douche.

"You alright? You seem pretty dazed."

"Oh, heh. I'm alright. I'm pretty starstruck, I guess."

He just laughed at me. "Oh, you know me, then?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No shit, Sherlock." I giggled. "Synyster Gates."

He looked triumphantly at me. "Ahh, I see you do know me. And where are you from?"

"The Philippines, I just moved here."

He looked at me in awe. "We have fans there? I didn't really imagine it."

"You guys have fans everywhere, it's just, not so many in the smaller countries of Asia." I laughed. "Oh, I have a question."

"Shoot," he said.

"Mind signing my shirt? I have a marker with me."

"No problem." He got my marker and signed the back. "For whom, may I ask?"

"Steph," I laughed again.

"Nice to meet you then, Steph," he winked. I almost died inside when he did that.

"STEPHANIE ELIZABETH RAMIREZ HOCKENHULL." I heard a shriek come from behind me. "GET YOUR ASS HERE RIGHT NOW."

"I gotta go, my mom's calling."

"I understand. See you 'round, Steph."

I waved and headed over to my mom, Caroline, and the car when I tripped. Someone caught my arm and helped me back up. "Thanks," I muttered. I looked to the person who caught me, who was THE Reverend Tholomew Plague. "Oh, my God."

He just laughed. "Heya. I saw you talking to Bri, so I might as well introduce myself. I'm Jimmy."

"Heeey Jimmy," I said. "I can't talk right now, though-"

"JIMMY, YOU MOTHERFUCKER, GET YOUR ASS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. I DON'T CARE ABOUT WHOM THE FUCK YOU'RE WITH. GET YOUR FAT ASS HERE. NOW!" I heard someone shout from behind.

"BE RIGHT THERE, ZACK," he yelled back. "Sorry, I can't really stay too."

"Bye." I said, waving.

He waved back and ran towards Zacky.

I ran towards my mom's car. Today can't get any worse, right? I've just met The Rev and Synyster Gates! I thought. And I thought wrong.

I arrived home after a five minute car ride to my step dad, George, shouting at me. "Where the fuck were you?"

"Walking," I said, simply. "I told you and mom that."

"NO TEXT? NO FUCKING NOTE?" he screamed, completely ignoring my answer. "WHAT THE HELL?"

"I TOLD YOU ALREADY. AND YOU STILL DON'T FUCKING LISTEN." I yelled back, losing my temper. My mother slapped me.

"How DARE you use language-"

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK, MOM. NONE OF YOU GIVE A FUCK ANYWAY."

I ran up to my room, as usual, hiding from them because of the shit they're gonna give me. I sat there for thirty minutes, when I heard the door bell ring.

"STEPH, GET THE FUCKING DOOR." I heard George shout.

I opened it and I nearly screamed when I saw who was at the door. It was Jimmy. How the hell did he know I live here?

"Hey, I'm just here to apologize about a while ago, Zacky was just-" He started when my mom came in.

"YOU LITTLE WHORE. SLEEPING WITH SOMEONE WHO IS TWICE YOUR AGE. OUT! NOW! OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"BUT, MOM!"

"I DON'T WANNA FUCKING HEAR IT," she slapped me again.

I ran out of the house, crying, and went to the park. I sat down on the bench, still sobbing. Fan-fucking-tastic. It's my first few hours here in California and it sucked. Someone placed their arm around me.

"It's alright, Steph," I heard Jimmy's consoling voice.

I buried my head into his chest. "No it's not. Where can I go?" I continued to cry. "I have no relatives here, no money, and no nothing."

"You can always come home with me," Jimmy offered. "You can stay at my place."

"No I can't... You guys are... Avenged Sevenfold... I don't wanna be a burden, and all that shit..."

"C'mon. If I'd thought you'd be a burden, I wouldn't have offered. At least stay the night. We'll sort things out in the morning. C'mon," he pressed.

I nodded my head, still crying, though not as much as I was. We headed over to Jimmy's Audi and he just rubbed my shoulder. "Everything's gonna be alright."