by R. M. Lynn
“Relax, man,” I tell him. “We’re going to be fine. Like you said, it’s our time now.”
“I’m sorry for yelling,” he mumbles and sits down on the bed next to me. “I know we’re close, and I just don’t want it to be ruined.”
“I won’t let that happen,” I assure him and give his shoulder a squeeze.
He gives me a curt nod and stands again. Without another word, he leaves my room, closing the door behind him. I sigh and scrub my hands down my face. Just as I’m about to lay down on the bed, Noah barges into my room.
“For fuck’s sake,” I snap. “Does anyone knock around here?”
“What the fuck is wrong with Dylan?” Noah asks instead of acknowledging my words.
“I don’t know,” I answer and release a breath. “What did he say to you?”
Noah shrugs and says, “He just went off on me about not being committed to the band, saying I’m not putting in the effort I should be.”
I shake my head and rub my eyes, muttering, “I have no fucking clue what his problem is. He just came to yell at me about Livy being a distraction.”
“Is he on something?” Noah asks lowly. “Be honest, I know you guys do shit and think you’re keeping it a secret.”
“I only smoke with him once in a while,” I argue. “If he’s on anything else, he isn’t doing it with me.”
“He’s so fucking hyped up, and he’s been acting weird for the last couple of days, even back home,” Noah states.
I shake my head. “He isn’t doing anything like you’re thinking, Noah. We know him. He’s just stressed, okay? He’s probably freaking out about us graduating in a couple months and is worried about the future of the band.”
“I hope you’re right,” he replies quietly.
“I am right,” I insist and stand up, beginning to get angry. “Look, you guys are fucking stressing me out. Just let it go. I’m going over to Liv’s. I’m not going to listen to both you bitch.”
“If he keeps acting like this, Kyler, he’ll be the only one risking the band's future,” Noah argues as I throw on hoodie. “You have to tell him that. He won’t listen to me.”
“I’m not getting involved,” I snap and run a hand through my hair. “He’s stressed out, Noah, okay? That’s it. We’re not bad people because we came from shitty situations. Not everything we do involves drugs. I’m so fucking sorry we can’t be perfect like you.”
“What are you talking about?” Noah retorts, his voice raising. “I never said anything about where you grew up.”
“But that’s what it’s about, right? Because we’re not like you, so you think the worst of us every time.”
“Fuck you, Kyler. That’s so fucking low.”
“Whatever, Noah, he’s not on anything other than weed, I promise you,” I tell him pointedly. “Just let it go.”
I shove past him and hurry through the living room. I lock the apartment door behind me and stalk over to Alivia’s apartment. I wait a minute or two after knocking, and finally, Mackenzie answers.
“Hey, neighbor,” she greets with a smile. “Miss her already?”
“I had to get out of the apartment,” I mumble as she lets me in. “Liv here?”
She nods and points to her bedroom down the hall. I can hear the piano playing even before I near the door. I enter the bedroom slowly and try hard not to make the door creak as I close it behind me. Alivia doesn’t hear me over the piano, her hands moving over the keys effortlessly. I know the song is Clocks by Coldplay even though she doesn’t sing along to the music she’s playing. She must notice me through the reflection of the glass window in front of her because she suddenly stops and turns to face me.
“What happened?” she asks softly taking in my miserable expression.
I shrug as she gets up and walks to me, her arms going around my middle. “The guys are fucking driving me nuts. I had to get out of there before I punched my brother in the face.”
“Is everything okay?”
We sit down on her bed as I mutter, “I think so. We just need time to cool off. Dylan is being a fucking maniac, and Noah is being judgmental about the whole thing. It’s whatever. I just needed to get out of there.”
Her lips press to my jaw, and I tighten my arm around her. I go to kiss her lips just as my phone vibrates in my pocket. I sigh as I take in Oliver’s name.
“Hold on,” I say to Alivia before answering the phone. “Yeah?”
“Kyler, what the fuck, man?” is his immediate response.
“Don’t fucking start, Oli,” I retort. “What, did Noah tattle on me?”
“He didn’t tattle, ass,” he states. “We cannot be falling apart right now over some stupid shit.”
“My thoughts exactly,” I mumble. “Noah is being a bitch, and Dylan is freaking out over nothing.”
“Just go say fucking sorry,” Oliver snaps at me. “This is bullshit.”
I roll my eyes and respond, “I’m hanging up now. Don’t call me again. Any of you.”
I hang up the phone as Alivia moves behind me and rubs her hands over my biceps and shoulders. My head goes back against her as her lips descend down onto mine. Her tongue flicks over my bottom lip, and when she pulls away, I groan at the loss.
“Kyler,” she whispers as our eyes lock. “You can’t let drama get in the way of the band. I know it stresses you out, but talking it out resolves the problem a lot faster than just ignoring it for a while.”
“I know you’re right, but when we’re all heated about it, it’s just a bad idea,” I explain. “Noah thinks Dylan’s on something harder than weed, and I may have taken Dylan’s side and told Noah he’s entitled.”
“Kyler,” she chastises.
“I know,” I mumble and sit straight to rub my eyes in frustration. “First, it’s not my fault that Noah’s so fucking sensitive. And second, it’s not that I lied. Dylan came from trash, worse than what I had, but even when we were growing up in high school and shit, Noah acted better than us. He just automatically assumes the worse with us. So, I called him out, and he didn’t like it.”
“He’s your brother,” she murmurs. “He doesn’t mean it.”
I shrug. “I think we’re all just realizing that classes start tomorrow for our last semester in college. And none of us have a backup plan if we don’t make it big. It’s stressing everyone out.”
“Just try not to focus too hard on the what ifs, okay?” Her fingers run through the hair at the back of my head. “I promise it will be figured out all on its own.”
I kiss her before moving back to lean against her pillows. I nudge her thigh with my foot and grin at her.
“Play me a song,” I pester. “But this time, you have to actually sing the words.”
“You’re so annoying,” she laughs out and moves from her bed to her piano.
She begins to play a song, but I’m not familiar with it. When she begins to sing, I wonder if it’s an original. She’s shown me lyrics in the past, and she’s honestly really good at creating songs. I watch her hands move over the keyboard, her mouth singing the words softly, and I smile to myself. She’s right. Everything will work out on its own. It has to, for the sake of Violet Lane.
◆◆◆
Chapter Eleven
Alivia
Three Months Later…
Kyler sings to me from his place in front of the microphone while I sing back to him on my keyboard. Ayden is at the drums while Oliver has his bass next to Dylan with his guitar. We play the notes and melodies for Sad Song by We The Kings while Kyler and I sing lead. It’s not the first time we’ve done it, but it’s nerve-racking every time. I had my first performance with them in March, when Kyler called me up onto stage unexpectedly. Now, every other week or so, I join them for a set or two during their gigs.
The crowd cheers when the song ends, and the guys drop their instruments to escape to the back of Taps with bouncers leading the way. Kyler pulls me into his arms as soon as we’re away from the loud, bustling c
rowd inside. Dylan immediately pulls out a baggie of already rolled joints and a lighter.
“Who wants one?” he asks and dangles it in front of everyone.
“Dude, put that away,” Noah snaps. “Police come right through this alley.”
“Oh, don’t be a bitch,” Dylan scoffs at him.
Ayden, Oliver, and Kyler each get handed a joint. Kyler gives me a look, making sure it’s okay with me to smoke it. I give him a smile because I’m not the type to mind. Dylan lights it up for him and the others, and they all, except for Noah, take a puff. When Kyler offers me his, I take it but only take a small hit from it. He takes the joint back and holds it at his side as his other arm comes around me.
He ducks his head so his lips are at my ear and whispers, “You killed it out there. Turns me on, the way you sing.”
“Later,” I murmur and smirk into his chest.
We had been dating since we got back from winter break, and I can confidently say I’ve never been happier. Kyler is an amazing boyfriend, and still, he’s my best friend. We do everything together, but we still give each other enough space to be ourselves separately. Being with him is nothing like any other relationship I’d had.
His lips go to my temple and he whispers, “My Jeep’s here. Nobody will bother us. The bouncers are packing all the equipment in Ayden’s car. It’ll be quick.”
I feel his words between my legs and look up at him when his hand goes to my butt. He raises a questioning brow, waiting for my response.
“Quickly,” I whisper. “I mean it.”
He gives my butt a playful smack and takes a hit of his joint. Ayden decides it’s safe to go inside after finishing his joint, and tossing it to the ground. Noah follows him in. Oliver goes in a minute later. When it’s just Kyler, Dylan, and I, I keep glancing over at our friend as he chats and smokes with Kyler, wishing he’d just go inside already.
“Dylan, man,” Kyler finally says. “Head inside.”
“Why? I have maybe one more hit on this thing,” he says and lifts up his joint.
“Then take the hit and move your ass,” Kyler returns.
“What the fuck for?” When we’re both silent, Dylan grins and adds, “Oh. I see. You want to fuck?”
“Get inside, man,” Kyler snaps, but he can’t hold in his laughter while I blush at his words.
Dylan drops his joint and heads for the door. “Fine, fine. I’m going.” His eyes meet mine, and he grins. “Wish it were me, sweetheart.”
“Go on before I punch your teeth in,” Kyler growls and shoves his friend through the door as Dylan laughs at him.
As soon as the door closes, Kyler has my hand in his, and he leads me down the dark alley to his Jeep. He digs his keys out of his pocket, unlocks the doors, and climbs into the backseat with me. I have my shirt off before he even gets the door closed. My bra drops to the floor of the car as I straddle him, and my fingers find the zipper of his jeans. Our lips meet in a ravenous kiss, and he shifts up to pull his shirt over his head. His hands go to my waist while mine run over his chest and shoulders, all the while our lips stay glued together. His mouth goes to a nipple, and I moan instantaneously. I free his cock from his boxers and jeans as he lifts the jean skirt I’m wearing up to my hips.
“I love these,” he whispers and runs his fingers over my red panties. “Fucking sexy.”
“I wore them for you,” I moan out when he shifts them and dips two fingers into me, his thumb circling my clit in a way he knows drives me crazy.
“I’ll buy you a new pair,” he tells me just before I hear the ripping of the lace material.
I gasp, my head going back, as he pushes me down and fills me in one thrust. I brace my hands on his shoulders as my hips grind against him. He has a hand in my hair, keeping my mouth against his, and the other is gripping my hip. I pant harder against his mouth when he presses his thumb to my clit. A moan escapes me, and he runs his lips and tongue along my neck. Kyler gives my ass a smack, making my hips move harder against him. He kisses me deeply, swallowing several moans from me.
“Don’t fucking stop,” he growls.
My clit throbs, my legs shake, and I throw my head back as the orgasm takes over my body. His mouth goes to my chest as I come hard, and when he falls over the edge a moment later, he buries his face in my neck while gripping my ass in his hands.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had sex in a car before,” I whisper once we’ve come down and our bodies are like Jell-O.
He chuckles softly, runs a hand up my bare back, and murmurs, “Glad I could be your first."
I kiss him then, glad that I’ll have many firsts with him, and after, he gives my hip a squeeze.
“Hop up, baby,” he orders softly.
I slide off of him and collapse into the leather seat next to him. I pull my shirt over my head as he zips up and buttons his jeans. Before he pulls his own shirt on, I press a kiss to his bare chest. We climb out of the Jeep a minute later fully dressed, minus my panties, and Kyler lifts his hands to help fix my hair.
“Is it bad?” I ask self-consciously.
He smirks and says, “No, you look smoking. It just looks like you’ve been thoroughly fucked, that’s all.”
I swat his chest with an eye roll as he laughs. He grabs my hand and leads me to the backdoor of the bar. We’re met with Dylan who hands us both a shot, does one himself, and heads back to the bar where he chats up a tall blonde. Kyler clinks his shot glass to mine before downing it in one swallow, and I follow suit. We head to the table where Ayden and Oliver stand. Mackenzie and Alice are somewhere around here, and I look around for them as Kyler slips an arm around my shoulders.
“Liv!” I hear even over the noise of the bar and turn my head to see Mackenzie and Alice, and all their blondeness, approaching the table. “You were awesome up there!”
“Thanks, guys,” I reply with a smile as I pull from Kyler to hug them.
“Kyler, we’re going to steal her for a bit,” Alice says pulling on my hand. “Come dance with us, Liv.”
“Go ahead,” Kyler chuckles out.
I let them drag me onto the dance floor. I toss a wave up at Noah who works the DJ stand, and he gives me a grin in return. Mackenzie twirls me around, and we dance in a small circle. When I feel someone press against my back, I automatically think it’s Kyler. However, when I turn my head, I realize it isn’t. I shove at his chest gently and politely decline his advances. When he reaches for me again, I know he’s in trouble before he does. He can’t see Kyler coming up behind him.
“Kyler, it’s okay,” I call to him as he nears and grabs the guy by the back of his collar.
“I watched her clearly say no to you,” Kyler growls at the guy. “Want to explain why you’re touching her?”
“S-sorry, man,” the guy stutters out. “I didn’t know she was yours.”
Kyler shoves him away and claims me by pulling me to his side. I look up at him while he watches the guy escape into the crowd.
“Kyler,” I scold and pull on his shirt so he’ll look at me. “That was a bit unnecessary.”
“Fine,” he replies. “It was unnecessary in your opinion, but in mine? Completely fucking necessary.”
He gives my mouth a chaste kiss before heading back to the table. I can’t really be mad at him being that he turns me on even when gets all possessive. My friends circle around me once more, and we dance. This time, nobody tries to approach that shouldn’t.
◆◆◆
I’m wrapped up in Kyler’s comforter, his arms around me, when a knock on his door startles me awake. The sun is peaking through his dark curtains, a ray of light stretching across his ceiling. We’ve spent basically every night together, switching off between my place and his. However, since last night Mackenzie brought a guy home from the bar, I stayed at his place for the second night in a row.
The knock comes again, this time harder, and I hear Dylan call for Kyler. I sit up and push on his chest gently.
“Kyler, wake up,” I murm
ur.
He stirs, his eyes opening slowly, and he stretches his arms over his head. “What’s wrong?”
Before I can answer, Dylan calls through the door, “I’m coming in, so you both better be fucking decent.”
Thankfully, Kyler has a pair of sweatpants on under the covers, and I had thrown on a clean t-shirt of his when we got back from the bar. Dylan pushes the door open and stares at Kyler, his eyes looking wild.
“What’s your problem?” Kyler asks him, his voice still husky with sleep. “You look like you’re fucking wigging out.”
“That’s because I am,” Dylan snaps back and runs his hands through his hair. “Kyler, man, I got a call today. This morning. Somebody tagged our show from last night online, and they saw it. They went back and watched all the shows I posted online.”
“Slow down,” Kyler demands and sits up in bed. “Tell me what happened.”
“Okay, so you know I’m not a morning person, so it’s a miracle that I even had my ringer on. Not to mention, that I actually woke up to answer the phone,” Dylan explains while Kyler stares at him like he wants to punch him. “Anyway, I pick up the call, and it’s this guy. He says his name is Charles Staffer, and he represents The Lost Boys. You know them?”
“You know I do,” Kyler replies. “Get on with it.”
The Lost Boys are at the peak of their music career right now. They’re an alternative band, just like Violet Lane, but they’re popular amongst all types of music genres. They’ve won multiple awards and are constantly touring.
“Anyway, this Charles guy says the band saw one of our videos when someone tagged them in a comment. I guess they looked us up and found the others I posted,” Dylan explains further. “He said they fucking love us, man. He wants us to send them a demo they can give to their label, and then, he wants to sit down about opening for The Lost Boys on tour.”
Kyler suddenly moves to the edge of his bed, his hands running back through his hair. “Are you serious? You better not be fucking with me, Dylan, I swear to God.”
“I’m not fucking with you!” Dylan insists. “Literally, the day after graduation, if the demo goes well, they want us on a tour bus. Kyler, we fucking did it.”