We Can Shine Like the Sun

It was ten o'clock on a Monday morning and Avara rolled awake in her bunk. She groaned, grumbled and eventually rolled out of her bunk and stumbled sleepily into the bus's kitchen, grabbing some pop tarts and popping then into the toaster. She turned around and jumped violently when she saw Holly watching her creepily from the table.

"Mornin' Vara," she smiled.

"Morning Hols," Avara said back before disappearing and then returning as her pop tarts popped, fully clothed and ready for the day. She pulled the pop tarts out of the toaster and turned to Holly.

"Last few days of Warped Tour," Holly said grimly. Avara took a bite of her first pop tart and nodded sadly.

"I'm going to see Jonathan," Avara said. She didn't want to talk about leaving America. "Shall I send Kyle over?" Holly grinned and nodded. "I'll be back in a few hours to pick you up for our set, kay." Holly nodded again and Avara left the bus. On the way to FTSK's bus, she almost literally ran into Kyle.

"Holly in?" He asked her.

"I think the whole point of 'Bus Arrest' is that she can't leave the bus," Avara said, "I was just coming to tell you to go keep her company."

"Is that the only reason you left the bus this morning?" Kyle asked, raising his eyebrows. Avara playfully glared at him, "He's been hanging out to see you for days. The boy can't stand to go even an hour without seeing you, let alone three days." Avara smiled, knowing Kyle was talking about Jonathan. It was true; she hadn't seen him in days. Avara had been busy sorting out the whole Holly/ Bus arrest thing and other such things. She waved goodbye to Kyle and skipped the rest of the way to his bus.

She let herself in and bumped into Kent. "Jonathan's still asleep," he told her.

"Don't I get a hello around here anymore?" She asked. Kent smiled.

"Hello Avara." Avara rolled her eyes and walked toward the bunks, knocking on the wood border of Jonathan's before sliding open the curtain and crawling in next to him. Like Kent had said, he was still asleep. Avara giggled and held his nose, causing him to snort and spring awake.

"Waking Waking Mr Cook," she giggled. Jonathan rolled over and closed his eyes again. "Fine," Avara pouted, "If you're too busy sleeping, I'll leave." Jonathan flung his arm out and grabbed Avara around the waist.

"Varaaaa," he mumbled into his pillow, "Missed you."

"I missed you too," she giggled, kissing him on the cheek. Jonathan smiled, still not opening his eyes, and put his other arm around Avara's waist, hugging her tightly.

After a few minutes, Jonathan opened his eyes. "I don't want you to leave," he said. Avara snuggled in closer to him and nestled her face in the crook of his neck. Jonathan pushed hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. Then, he kissed her lips.

Meanwhile, back on Kill Barbie's bus, Holly was laying on the floor in the back lounge. Her feet were up the wall, and she had a guitar hero guitar in her hands, her fingers moved swiftly across the buttons as she held her tongue out in concentration.

"Holly," She heard Harlee yell from somewhere else on the bus.

"What?" She yelled back, "I'm whipping ass at Guitar Hero." She heard loud clunking footsteps, and then the door burst open and Harlee was peering in at her. "What?" She asked again.

"Do you know where Avara keeps her pop tarts?" She asked. Holly rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"I'm pretty sure she keeps them in their box in her underwear draw so we won't look for them, try there." Harlee nodded seriously, and went towards the bunks whistling the mission impossible tune. "Don't disturb her belongings, or she'll know someone was there!"

"Okay," Harlee yelled back. Holly went back to winning at Guitar Hero, until Harlee once again yelled her name. "Holly."

"What?"

"Kyle's here, shall I send him through?"

"Yes, I think I'd like to see him this morning," she yelled back with a laugh. Next thing she knew, Kyle was sitting on her feet blocking her view of the television. "Well howdy doo," she giggled. Kyle grinned and leaned forward to place a kiss onto her lips.

“Wanna do something?” He asked her. Holly frowned at him and rolled over before she heaved herself up into a standing position. Kyle then gaped, realising what he’d just said. “I’m sorry Holly, I forgot!” He exclaimed. Holly shrugged and patted his head before she left the room. “Where are you going?” He called.

“Out,” she called back. Kyle leapt to his feet and loped after her.

“Your on bus arrest, you’ll get into trouble!” Holly laughed and pushed the bus door open.

“Harlee, I’m going out.” Harlee nodded without looking up from her book about Vampires. “I’ll be back before soundcheck, tell Vara to call me.”

“Holly, you’ll get into trouble!”

“Oh hush Kyle,” she chuckled, “I’m just going to Paramore’s bus, I want to see Hayley.” Kyle sighed and walked beside her. They saw a few people they knew along the way, and none of them seemed surprised or mad that Holly was breaking the rules.

“Hey Holly, you sly dog you!” Gabe Saporta from Cobra Starship hooted, patting her on the back as he ran past, “Don’t go that way, the head dudes down there. Where are you going, I’ll help you find a shortcut!”

“Paramore’s bus,” she told him.

“Righto,” he said, “go through catering, and out the other way, and then you should be in the clear.”

“Thanks man,” she waved goodbye, and she and Kyle kept moving on.

“Hol-Ay,” Travis Clarke yelled when he saw her, “you bad, bad girl you!” Holly laughed and kept walking. Kyle was looking around anxiously for security, but every security guard they walked past grinned and covered their eyes, pretending they didn’t see her.

Eventually, Kyle and Holly reached Paramore’s bus. Neither of them knocked, they just walked straight on in. Hayley was doing what Holly had done earlier while she played Guitar Hero, Holly laughed and high fived her.

“Breaking some rules eh Holly,” Hayley stated, flipping her Guitar to bring on the star power. “I believe you’re a punk.” Holly laughed and fell onto the couch behind Hayley, pulling Kyle down with her.

“When are you playing today?” Holly asked her. Hayley selected her own song; Misery Business, and sang along while she played.

“I have soundcheck in like ten minutes, wanna come along?” She asked. Holly shook her head.

“Can’t,” She sighed, “I have soundcheck in fifteen.”

“Then we should go,” Kyle said, pulling Holly up.

“Kyle,” Holly whined.



“No!” Avara yelled abruptly as she sat up in Jonathan’s bunk. “You can’t do that!” Jonathan looked alarmed, upset and embarrassed all at the same time.

“I-I’m sorry,” he stuttered, “I-” Avara cut him off.

“You can’t remind me that I’m leaving in two weeks, and then tell me you’ll miss me, and then FREAKING KISS ME!” she yelled. Jonathan opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say. “Stop it,” Avara giggled, “You look like a fish.” Deciding he was off the hook for kissing her, Jonathan pulled Avara back down next to him, and she nestled back into his side.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” he whispered to her. Avara groaned.

“Stop reminding me that I’m leaving.” Jonathan laughed and kissed her again, but this time she didn’t object, until she had to go to her sound check. Jonathan told her to wait while he got dressed so he could walk her, so she waited in the back lounge where Austin and Caleb were playing Xbox. When she entered, they both stared at her.

“What?” She asked.

“So he kissed you huh?” Austin beamed. Avara smiled and looked at Caleb, who turned his attention back to the game as if she wasn’t there. “We heard you yelling.”



“So, how are y’all going today?!” Holly yelled out into the audience. The screaming fans jumped, hooted and whistled back at her. “Wow,” she said, “y’all want a song?”

“Holly, stop teasing them!” Avara laughed. Holly shrugged and started playing her bass guitar.

“Sing with me!” She yelled and broke into song.

Holly smiled down at the fans before Kill Barbies last song, and then she turned and smiled at her band members. The four girls started playing and half way through the song, Holly noticed a girl on the barrier holding a camera. She was trying to take a photo, but couldnt because the band members were too far away from each other. Holly smiled at the girl and stopped singing.

“Hey Mexican Walking Fishes 2, 3 and 4, PHOTO,” she yelled at her band mates. Avara stopped playing her guitar and stared at Holly.

“Who’s Mexican Walking Fish number 1?” She asked.

“Me, obviously,” Holly rolled her eyes.

“Why can’t I be number one?” Avara asked.

“We can’t both be number one Avara, people would get confused.” Avara nodded her head and walked toward the middle of the stage where Holly, and now Harlee, was standing. Tadem came up behind them. They posed for a photo for the girl, who grinned and gave them a thumbs up in a thank you gesture and the girls separated and went back to their respective parts of the stage, continuing the song from exactly where they stopped, like nothing had happened.

“We’re having a signing in an hour at our merch tent,” Avara said into her microphone while she handed her guitar over to Travis. The fans a cheered happily. “Also, Holly won’t be there, she’s still on bus arrest.” Holly scowled at Avara from back stage before sighing and heading back to the bus.



Avara sighed and ran her hand through her hand as she waited for the next person in line to get something signed. A blonde girl walked up to the table wearing a Forever the Sickest Kids t shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. She looked about fourteen, and was holding a piece of paper in her hands.

“Hi hun, what’s your name?” Avara asked her.

“Mel,” the girl said, “Where’s Holl’s?”

“You mean Holly?” Avara asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Mel nodded. Avara didn’t like her. She reminded her too much of Molly. Or Miley. Or Candy. She couldn’t remember Caleb’s ex girlfriends name.

“She’s on bus arrest,” Avara told Mel. She obviously didn’t go to their set. “Which means she’s not aloud to leave the bus except for shows and sound checks.”

"You Kiwi girls sound like rebels," Mel said, winking at Avara with a big, blue, fake eyelashed eye.

"Were Australian," Avara said, "Kiwis are from New Zealand."

"Whatever," Mel smirked, "It's not like it matters. You're going back in a few days right? Back to being nobodody, like, riding around in Kangaroos pouches."

"We do have cars..." Harlee said, annoyed that this girl had her head so far up her ass she didn't know of a world outside America.

"Uh huh," the girl said, looking at Harlee like she was slow. At that point, Tadem jumped up and pointed at Mel.

"SHARP TOOTH!" She yelled. The girl who was currently getting a poster signed by Tadem looked at Mel venomously, causing her to take off running. Tadem winked at the girl infront of her, who tore off after Mel.

"That girl is so cool," She told Avara and Harlee, "She's flying out to Australia to see us in December." Avara's and Harlee's mouths both dropped open. Harlee shut hers and opened it again to speak.

"She knows about our December tour?" She asked. Tadem nodded excitedly, "In Australia?" Tadem continued nodding like a bobble head. "That, is so awesome." Harlee grinned.