A/N: I don't really like this chapter that much.

It's definitely happier than the last one, though. XD
Constructive criticism is appreciated! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves and their music.


Welcome to the Family

Brian stared glumly out of his window. His gaze examined the unfamiliar neighborhood. He hated moving. Period. The fact that he had to make new friends, go to a new school, and learn his way around a whole new city just didn't sit well with him. They'd only been in Huntington Beach for two days. His room was already unpacked and arranged to his liking. That was one thing he didn't mind about moving. He enjoyed being able to move his room around how he wanted it.

Sighing, Brian moved to sit on his bed. He felt more than slightly stressed. He really wished he could be back in New York. Back home. That wasn't going to happen, though, and he knew it. Impulsively, he grabbed for his guitar. The thing was his most prized possession. His father had given it to him and taught him to play when he was younger, and now he was writing his own songs.

Without thinking, he started fiddling with a piece he had written long ago. It was one of the first, as well as one of the best. He smiled as the soft melody calmed his senses. When it came to a slow end, he set the instrument back on its stand and headed downstairs. The rest of his family was out at the grocery store, so he had the house to himself. Using this to his advantage, he sat himself at the piano. His long, nimble fingers slid across a few keys, and he knew what he wanted to play. He had recently started making a new song. So far he had only a few lines, but it was progress.

He dug through the papers underneath the seat cover and pulled out the draft music sheet and the lyrics. He set them in front of him and began to play, his voice melodic in the otherwise silent room.

"There comes a day when we all find out for ourselves, that once we have the words to say there's no one left to tell. I know why you're running away."

The song came to an almost awkward end. It was a good start, but it sounded just as incomplete as it was. He would definitely have to work on it some more.

Unfortunately, Brian got bored quite easily. Especially in the summer. He sighed and made his way outside. It was a warm day. There were no clouds, so the sun shone freely on everything. A light breeze kept the heat from becoming uncomfortable. Brian reached for a basketball and dribbled it a bit before tossing it at the hoop. A clean swish sounded and he smirked at the perfect shot.

Suddenly, Brian heard a loud bellow. He frowned in confusion and watched as a group of boys came charging around the block. They were all laughing and shouting, and seemed to be chasing the one in front. He was racing ahead of the others, carrying what looked like a football in his lanky arms.

Brian's eyes widened when the boy targeted him and changed his course. At the last second, he stepped to the side and shrieked as the boy slowed down and hid behind him.

The other boys were not far behind. They were soon all crowded around Brian, reaching for the first boy.

"Come on, Jimmy! You took the ball way out of bounds!"

The first boy, Jimmy, cackled manically, holding the ball far above their heads. "That doesn't mean I'll accept defeat!"

Brian was still trapped in their small huddle, highly amused by their argument. After a few minutes, the two shorter boys gave up and flopped onto the grass. Their arms were simply just not long enough.

They grinned up at Brian, though, before introducing themselves. "I'm Zacky," the taller one announced, "This is Johnny."

The shorter one waved energetically and Brian laughed.

"I'm Brian," he replied.

Suddenly, an arm was wrapped around his shoulders and a voice spoke. "I'm Jimmy. The fun one in the group."

The last boy chortled, "I'm Matt. Don't listen to him. He's just smug that he won."

Brian nodded, "Sounds like a character."

The whole group erupted into laughter; the quick observation was spot-on.

xxx

After a few hours, Brian was already fast friends with the others. They were just like him. They even shared his passion for music. All four of them. They had all told Brian about their own abilities, and they had agreed to play together sometime.

Soon enough, Brian's parents arrived home, and they got ready to leave.

"It was awesome to meet you, man," Zacky patted his shoulder.

"Yeah, I can't wait to hear you shred!" Johnny struck a rocker pose and they all laughed.

"I'm excited, too," he admitted, "You guys sound like you're really good."

"Oh, we are," Zacky winked.

"In your dreams," Jimmy ruffled Zack's hair and glanced up when Brian's mom called him, "We'd better get going. See you soon."

Brian nodded with a small smile. Jimmy suddenly spun around before they got too far, though.

"Oh! Welcome to the family, brother!"

"The…the family?"

Matt chuckled, "You're a part of the family now. There's no getting out of it."

Brian chortled, "I think I can live with that."

After that, the other four departed. Brian couldn't help but explain proudly to his parents that he had already made four friends. He couldn't wait for their "practice" either. For some reason, the idea of playing with them seemed exhilarating. He was a part of their family now, and because of this, he couldn't help but smile like an idiot.


EDIT: All I did was change a few spelling/grammatical errors. :P