We Can Shine Like the Sun

“What do ya reckon they’re goin’ to do?” Harlee asked once the door slammed shut behind Caleb and Avara.

“Dunno... “Holly replied, her right eyebrow slightly raised in the air. She was actually giggling inside, thinking how awkward Avara probably was, because she had a crush on Caleb. Holly stood up and stretched her arms over her head. “Well dear children, I am off, to rest myself... You know, hectic day tomorrow...”

“You only just got here,” Travis argued.

“So it would seem, but it has actually already been, four hours...” Holly told them all.

“No it hasn’t!” Austin protested.

“Hasn’t it Austin... Hasn’t it?”

“No, it really hasn’t... It’s been like, four minutes.” Holly stared at Austin and smiled.

“I think you should rest child, it’s late...” And with that, she flitted out of the bus, and headed towards the Kill Barbie bus.

“Is she high?” Marc asked, looking almost as confused as the other boys did. Harlee and Tadem laughed at them for a while, before stopping and explaining.

“No, she’s just Holly.”



The next day, Holly woke up early and crawled out of her bunk. She grabbed some jeans and a GK shirt, before making her way to the bathroom to change. After changing and adding some eye make-up, she slid her phone into her pocket, pushed her sunglasses up her nose and slipped her feet into her dunks. Holly left the bus and headed for catering. It was still relatively early, so there weren’t any fans around yet or the gates hadn’t been opened. Flashing her pass to a security guard, Holly ambled over to the only open food van.

“Hey Holly, what can I get you?” A girl Holly had never seen in her entire life asked her. Holly smiled and picked up a menu/ paper and checked it.

“Coffee and a piece of buttered toast please,” she asked, fighting back a yawn.

Paralyzed by the same old antics. Back and forth like some walking spastic. How could a fistfight be romantic? Thinking back now will you ever feel the same?

Holly pulled her phone from her pocket and checked the I.D, even though it was only a text message. It was from Harlee, asking what the bus code was, because she’d forgotten and slept on We The Kings’ bus the night before.

Holly, what’s the bus code. Slept on WTK’s bus with Tadem last night, call you later, Harlee.

Holly grabbed the coffee and plastic plate with a piece of toast on top and went over to a table so she could reply to Harlee, and not keep her waiting.

777 563 9928. Come for breakfast at catering.

Holly set her phone down on the table, and picked up her toast and bit into it. Ten minutes later, a shadow fell across the table, looking up, she found herself staring at Jack Barakat. Instinctively, she pulled her toast closer, as well as her coffee.

“... Yes?” She asked. Jack smiled creepily down at her and dropped into the seat before her.

“I am Jack, from All Time Low, and we have decided to play a prank against your band, we’re stealing the lead singer.” Holly’s eyes widened, as a spare of the moment thing, she pointed in the opposite direction, and yelled.

“Alex knows you stole his cookie, Avara told him, and he’s coming to get you!” Jack ducked lower into his seat, while Holly grabbed her phone, jumped up, and ran through catering, out the side, and off towards the closest tour bus.

“Jonathan!” She yelled, banging on the side of the bus, “Jonathan, Austin, Someone, let me in!” She heard someone unlocking the door, and just as it opened enough for her to jump in, she did. “Thank... You... Kent... Jack... All Time Low... Prank... Steal me!”

Kent stared down at her with a confused, tired look on his face.

“They what?”

“They want to steal me!” She yelled in his face. Kent furrowed his eyebrows and nodded his head.

“If you insist,” he said, turning around and heading back towards his bunk. Holly sighed, and peered out the bus window. She saw Alex and Jack walk in the opposite side of the venue from her bands bus, so she opened the door and crept off to her bus.



Avara woke up and stumbled into the bus lounge, but froze in the doorway when she saw Tadem staring at her.

“You got home late last night, missy,” she said. Avara raised an eyebrow.

”It was six o’clock,” she said.

“Exactly,” Tadem hissed playfully, “That was two hours after you left with Caleb.”

“What’s your point?” Avara asked.

“What did you do in those two, long hours?” Tadem asked, eyeing Avara.

Avara laughed and plopped down on the couch. “We had sex four hundred and sixt eight point six times,” she told Tadem.

“Wow! In two hours? He mustn’t last long,” Tadem laughed, “I bet that point six sucked.” Avara laughed.

“How did you know when I got home anyway? You weren’t even here.”

“Im magic,” Tadem said in all seriousness. “But seriously, what did you two do?” Avara shrugged.

“I kicked his ass on guitar hero.” Tadem squealed and jumped up.

“We must celebrate,” she yelled, pointing to the front of the bus.

“I can’t,” Avara said.

“Oh, me neither,” Tadem agreed, sinking back down on the couch. “Why cant we celebrate?” She asked.

“Because we have a show to play later,” Avara said. Tadem nodded.



An hour later, Avara and Holly were skipping toward the Hurley stage for their soundcheck when they were stopped by Alex Gaskarth.

“Holly,” he called, sounding out of breath.

“Yessum?” She replied awkwardly. Avara got the sense that she didn’t want to talk to him.

“I was wondering if you’d get a coffee with me later,” he asked nervously.

“I can’t,” Holly said immediately, “I, uh, have a friend over,” she said, dragging Avara closer to her. Alex gave them both questioning looks before speaking again.

“She can come too...?” he said unsurely.

“She can’t,” Holly said, “She has a friend over too.”

“Oh,” he said, apparently really confused, “Some other time?” Holly heard Avara stifle a giggle.

“Yeah, later, maybe when you’re band doesn’t wanna steal me,” Holly said awkwardly, taking a few steps backwards. The two girls watched as Alex opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say.

“Will you at least come and watch our se-“Alex started, getting cut off by Avara’s excited squeals.

“Oh my god, a clicky top!” Holly spun her head around to stare at Avara playing with the clicky-topped pen.

“I wanna clicky top pen!”

“No, it’s mine!” Avara replied, hiding the clicky pen behind her back and frowning at her friend and fellow band member.

“But you don’t even like clicky tops, you like twisty bottoms!” During their argument, the two didn’t see the odd look’s that Alex threw at them or even when he started to backed away slowly.

“Hey Avara, hey Holly,” said a voice behind them. They girls broke off in their argument and turned to smile at Caleb. “What are you guys doi- OH MY GOD IS THAT A CLICKY PEN!”

“You too?” Alex asked. No one paid attention to him so he sighed in frustration and walked away.

The three stopped and saw Alex entering a nearby stage, Holly shrugged her shoulders, and the three continued debating about which pen was better; the clicky tops, or the twisty bottoms.



The four girls entered their stage to their fans screaming.

“How is everybody?” Holly screamed into her microphone, answered by another scream from the crowd. Holly smiled, and then turned to Avara. “Wanna tell them about the poll?” She asked. Avara shook the hair from her face and stepped up to her microphone.

“Indeed. We want every single one of you to head on over to our merch tent after our set, we have a poll we want you all to sign, Harlee, what’s the poll about?”Tadem, Avara, Holly and the crowd all turned to look at Harlee. Harlee blushed and stepped up to her microphone.

“Which are better; Clicky topped pens or Twisty bottom pens. Which do you prefer?” The crowd went nuts, making the collective smile out at them.

“Chika to the left is Avara, she’s all for the twisty bottoms. Bubblegum at the back is Tadem, also twisty bottom lover. To the right, is Harlee Ellen, fellow clicky top. And I’m Holly, we’re ’Kill Barbie’ and we ain’t got no limit!” the crowd erupted into cheers, causing the four band girls to grin. “This song’s called ‘Josey’, sing it with me!”

Holly waited for Harlee and Avara to start with their guitars, and then Tadem started on her drums, she came in next with her bass guitar and brought in her vocals.

” The drinks are flowing, just like the river. Then she keeps going, the whole night ends with a blur. She's got no limit, she thinks she's so tough, can't walk a straight line, at the end of the night. She's rough. Her dress whispers reckless. That night starts now as she slips on her necklace...

Josey, don't you worry, it’s just a phase you're going through. Some day you'll know just what to do,
Josey, it's alright. Slap the hand that just keeps pouring. It doesn't matter, just do something.”

Holly smiled as she noticed quite a few people singing along to each and every word.

” She's ready to roll, tonight is different. She'll start it off slow to keep herself in check, oh no, oh no: it's two for one. She starts the show, and now from this moment on, she's done. Her dress whispers reckless. That night starts now as she slips on her necklace.

Josey, don't you worry, It's just a phase you're going through. Some day you'll know just what to do, Josey, it's alright. Slap the hand that just keeps pouring. It doesn't matter, just do something.”

“Put up your hands!” Avara told the crowd, she stopped playing, and raised her hands up into the air, waving them from side to side.

” The party is tonight and she thinks they're playing her song, the party is tonight and it's playing all night long.

Josey, don't you worry, It's just a phase you're going through. Some day you'll know just what to do, Josey, it's alright. Slap the hand that just keeps pouring. It doesn't matter, just do something.”

They did five more songs and then Holly pulled the microphone out of its holder and cleared her throat into it.

“How many of you here today know about the Blood water: mission?” Holly asked, she was rewarded by a million screams. “Okay, so if you know about it, are any of you going to donate?” Again, a million screams reached her ears.

“Go find Austin Bello like, now!” Avara grinned. The crowd rewarded her just as much. “If you donate, Harlee will smell your feet, thanks for coming out.” Holly nodded her head.

“We’ll see you next time we’re in the US Chicago, now scream for us, we love you!” And with that, the four left the stage, set there guitars down in the ’Kill Barbie’, each of them grabbed a bottle of clean water, and carried on to catering for some lunch.