I Love Your Bubblegum Smile

Harley sighed, the side of her face flattened against the cool glass of the van’s window as they pulled into a club.

There was no fucking way that she could go in that club.

Travis and the rest of the band had parked their bus at a hotel, apparently one of the best in Scranton, Pennsylvania, which just happened to be near the place where their venue would be the next day.

After Travis and the band went up to change, and Harley stayed in the lobby, they made their way to a smaller van, which they had rented for the night. Apparently, the boys liked to party.

So, Harley had clambered into the van and spent the twenty minute ride huddled into Travis’ side.

While he looked absolutely stunning in a white button down with the top three buttons undone and dark blue jeans, Harley looked like a teenager going to the beach in her tank top and shorts.

Sweat matted the shorter strands of her hair down onto her forehead, while her lips were cracked from dehydration. She must have looked like a mess. All she had on her was a slowly-dying cellphone and a pack of gum, neither of which could help her appearance-wise.

Harley decided to voice her opinion, letting Travis know that he should just go without him.

“Please,” he laughed, tugging on her hand to lead her out of the van, “you look beautiful.” She felt her cheeks heat up at the compliment, but only looked down at the floor in silence.

They walked to the entrance, and Harley took note of the short line. The bouncer eyed them skeptically about to ask for their identification and draw black X’s on their hands, but once he spotted Harley, he put his black marker away and let them inside.

Slightly confused and apprehensive, Harley followed silently behind Travis into the club.

A sea of bodies gyrated together on the dance floor, lit up by multicoloured strobe lights that flashed constantly. A large bar seemed to take up half of the space, and was crowded by many men strung drunkenly on the bar stools.

Scantily-clad women flounced around with classy margarita glasses tucked in their hands, while dancing suggestively. There was a familiarity to it all, though Harley couldn’t place what it was that caused it.

It was only when Travis went to get her a drink, that she caught sight of the balloons that rose to the ceiling, and the streamers that hung loosely next to them and realization dawned on her.

Travis came back, holding a margarita glass, which Harley took gratefully.

“A party?” She questioned, though he stared at her blankly. She repeated herself, louder this time, and he nodded.

“It is your birthday after all. You didn’t think we would forget about you, did you?”

Harley smiled appreciatively, before wrapping her arms around Travis and kissing him forcefully. He happily obliged, his mouth hot on hers.

She pulled away after someone called her name, and found herself face-to-face with Kara, who smiled shyly. After the incident with Rian and the coffeeshop, Kara and Harley hadn’t really spoken.

“Jack and Rian are looking for you,” Kara shouted, pointing to the direction of the VIP lounge, which was a small cushioned area with tables elevated away from the dance floor.

Harley nodded, kissing Travis once again and promising to catch up with him, before shoving her way through the crowd in order to get to the lounge. After stumbling towards Jack and Rian, who were sprawled on the plush white seating, she was immediately wrapped in a hug.

Rian released her, wishing her a happy birthday, before Jack repeated the gesture and shoved a plastic bag at her.

“What’s this?”

“Your clothes,” Jack noticed her bewildered expression, “we figured you wouldn’t want to be stuck in your clothes from earlier.”

Harley could have kissed Jack then, feeling entirely grateful that someone finally understood her. She settled for another hug instead, before taking the small bag from his hands.

He pointed out a bathroom, which was sketchily placed behind the bar, before suggesting that he go with her to make sure that she get there okay. Touched by his thoughtfulness, they entered the unisex bathroom area.

Harley entered the stall, which was littered with toilet paper and had a broken toilet seat, while Jack waited outside.

She opened the plastic bag, and as she pawned though the neatly folded pile—looking for something familiar, something that she could comfortably wear—it came to her attention that there was awful lot of sheer lace and skimpy satin in her hands.

Lingerie.

The same lingerie that she had bought from Victoria’s Secret.

God damnit, motherfucking bitch.

Ignoring the lingerie, she tried on the outfit that had been picked out for her—an extremely low cut red top with an awfully short wrap skirt paired with thin heels—and realized almost immediately that she couldn’t wear it without flashing someone a large chunk of her bra, which remained awkwardly displayed to the public.

Cursing under her breath, Harley tried on the lingerie with the outfit, and realized that nothing was exposed, except an unusually large amount of cleavage. Lisa must have planned this.

Harley attempted to tug down the skirt, so it would appear longer and cover more than her ass (as it barely skimmed it now), but it only caused it to sag off of her hips, leaving hardly anything to the imagination.

“Hey Jack?” She called, after a moment of awkward silence.

“Yeah?” He asked his voice echoing in the tiled room. Harley could see his feet shifting awkwardly from side-to-side.

“Did Lisa pick out my outfit, by any chance?”

“Yeah,” Jack paused, remembering, “why?” Harley sighed, before pushing the door open and gracelessly waddling forward. Jack’s jaw tightened in surprise, and his eyebrows raised so high that they disappeared into his bangs. “Damn.”

“That’s why.”

“Harley...” Jack inhaled sharply, “if Rian wouldn’t beat the shit out of me, I would say that you look fuckable. But since he would, I’m keeping my mouth shut.”

Harley found herself laughing at his attempt to be subtle, and together, they walked out of the bathroom. Jack lead them back to the lounge, where she was met with complete silence.

Lisa, Kara, Rian, Zack, Alex, John and Stephen Gomez from the Summer Set and Kyle Burns from Forever the Sickest Kids were seated in a large circle, staring at the pair, or rather Harley, intensely.

“You look...good.” Zack nodded rapidly, looking down at the table shyly. Lisa sent her a superior smirk.

Harley wanted to killthat motherfucking bitch her. Kara sent her a small smile.

“Holy...fuck.” Alex stared at her, eyes wide eyed and jaw slack. She smiled softly, feeling her skin burst into flames in embarrassment while Lisa attempted to distract her boyfriend.

“Dude,” Rian stared at her, looking stunned, confused and disturbed all at the same time. “What the fuck happened?”

“Uh, Lisa...picked my outfit?”

“Thank fucking you.” Zack said loudly, earning a laugh from everyone except Harley, who chuckled nervously.

She had been introduced to the twins from The Summer Set and Kyle had wished her happy birthday, before everyone began to disperse to the dance floor. The club appeared to be full now, and Harley found herself itching to get to the bar.

She had somehow ended up next to Alex, who was the only one besides Harley who remained without a drink in his hand.

“You’re...not drinking?” Harley questioned, feeling tongue-tied as Alex smirked at her.

He looked breathtaking in skinny jeans and a simple t-shirt, something that shouldn’t have worked in a club but did. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, though she blamed it on her tight bra and underwear that suffocated her from underneath her top.

“No,” he chuckled lowly to himself, “I got appointed designated driver. I always draw the shortest fucking straw.”

This caused Harley to laugh, much to her dismay. Alex wasn't supposed to make her laugh. She searched the floor for Lisa or Travis, confused why neither was near the group.

Knowing Lisa, she would have her paws all over Alex by now, probably after insulting Harley first. Finding her search unsuccessful, Harley went back to the conversation with Alex.

The tension radiated between them intensely, and Harley searched her thoughts to figure out a way to leave him. She could not spend the whole night next to Alex, because she knew something would go horribly wrong if she did.

Alex had something about him that always did that to her. For some reason, she felt the urge not to leave him, and decided to make a compromise.

“Can you buy me a drink, Alex?” She shouted, over the deafening music.

“What?” he shouted back, and once repeating herself, he nodded slowly. “Why?”

“I’m underage,” she explained, realizing that even though she didn’t have a black X on her hand to indicate that she had gone ‘straight edge’, they would probably ask for her ID anyway.

“Sure,” Alex finally agreed, grabbing her hand and weaving his way to the bar, dragging her behind him.

He ordered her some mixed drink with vodka, and soon, she found herself sipping carefully on the drink, feeling the cool liquid burn her throat. Alex smiled in that irresistibly cocky way of his, which made Harley want to jump him right then and there.

She had a feeling this would be a long night, so she downed the rest of her drink.

____________________________________________

“Alex?!” Kara called out, catching his attention. “Have you seen Travis...or Rian?”

“No,” Alex shrugged, doing a double take at Kara who seemed frantic. “Why?”

She didn’t respond, but instead briskly walked away, causing Alex to stop dancing with Lisa and follow her. Once she was within arm’s distance, Alex reached out and grabbed her forearm.

“Why?” He repeated, more forcefully, turning her around to face him. He ignored Lisa’s calls to return to the dance floor, and instead focused on Kara as her eyes widened as though she was afraid of what he would do if she told him.

Finally, she let out a quiet sigh, before pointing to the bar. Alex turned his gaze towards the bar, not expecting to see Harley Dawson suggestively dancing on the countertop.

“Is she drunk?” Kara nodded slowly. “How?!” Alex sighed incredulously, “I only bought her one drink!”

“The sleazy bartended gave her a bunch of drinks on the house because he thought she was hot.” Kara shrugged, searching the area for Rian. “I’ve got to go.”

Alex turned his attention back to the bar. The bartender continue to do what he pleased, serving drinks as Harley swayed her hips back and forth, while men around her (many of which were band members on tour, considering the fact that All Time Low had rented out the club) hooted and hollered, cheering appreciatively.

Perhaps it was her long mahogany hair that made her appealing, or her sultry brown eyes that glazed over from the alcohol, her thin frame that boasted not only a large chest but legs that ran for miles, or even the crooked grin that graced her mouth.

Not that Alex found any of those things appealing. At all.Yeah, right.

Not bothering to locate Travis or Rian, who would most likely be able to handle Harley better, Alex charged forward, pushing through the dancing bodies. After receiving a few grunts of disapproval, he made it to the bar.

“Harley Dawson!” He shouted, channelling the parental strength in him (and attempting to act like Rian). “Get your ass of off that counter right now!”

“Alex!” She slurred happily, dipping low to smile at him, while still rotating her hips causing Alex’s gaze to waver. “What are you doing here?”

Alex had always thought that there were two types of drunks in the world; people who got drunk that talked shit and people who got drunk that did shit. Apparently, Harley was both.

“Harley, you need to get down from there!” He shouted over the music, causing a few men to grunt out words of disapproval.

Alex searched the area for Travis, or Rian, or somebody who could put Harley in her place, but found none. Alex just wasn’t right for the job. After all, if she was going to dance like that, he definitely didn’t have enough will power to coax her down.

“How about you come join me?” She grinned coyly, gesturing the table as she swayed her hips.

“Harley,” Alex sighed, wishing that he wasn’t designated driver so he could drink his ass off, sleep with her and not remember any of it in the morning. “You seriously need to—”

Alex could not finish his sentence, as his mouth proceeded to drop open. Not long after he had looked up, Harley had managed to pull her shirt off her body, swinging it in the air before tossing it onto the counter.

A man reached for it savagely, before it disappeared in the crowd, a red blur passing through dirty hands.

Harley grinned, flashing an amazingly bright set of teeth, before letting out a cheer of happiness. She was either extremely lightweight, or she drank a shitload. Either way, she was smashed.

“Take it off,” the crowd seemed to chant in excitement, as Harley rotated her hips like a stripper on pay day.

Now Alex was mesmerized, and it took all he had in him to look away. His eyes focused on his Nikes, as his eyes attempted not to drift towards Harley, who stood in a miniskirt and a bra, her thin heels clicking against the table.

It was only when Rian arrived mere seconds later that Alex let out a sigh of relief.

“What the hell is going on?” Rian shouted over the cheers, which seemed to mix in with the loud beats of the music. Before Alex could explain, Rian was clambering up to bar just as Harley began to unzip her skirt. “No you don’t!” He growled, causing Harley to freeze.

Slowly, she looked up, and—surprisingly enough—smiled. Even Rian was taken aback, as she threw her arms around him. He attempted to pry her half-naked body away from him, but it appeared ineffective as she hugged him tighter.

“Oh Rian,” she giggled like a school girl, twirling their bodies in her tight grip. “I love you so much! You’re such an amazing fucker, mother brother!”

When she finally let go, Rian grabbed her by the shoulders before attempting to lower her from the table. God, she was so drunk.

“Alex?” He called, earning a confused glance from Alex. “Grab her when she comes down. She’s so shit-faced right now, she’ll probably fall and break something.”

Alex nodded solemnly as Harley was lowered slowly to the floor. She continued to giggle as Alex awkwardly held her waist as her feet touched the ground.

“Take her over there, will you?” Rian pointed to a quieter place, and Alex obeyed, grabbing Harley’s arm carefully and dragging her towards that area.

She giggled quietly, swaying slightly in his grasp.

“God Alex,” she laughed, and Alex cringed as the smell of vodka and gin wafted in the air. “You always have to ruin my fucking fun.”

Alex’s brows furrowed, as usually, he was the life of the party. He let her comments slide, and instead placed her on a chair by the VIP lounge, hoping she would be less hostile when seated.

Sadly this was untrue, as she stood up quickly, advancing towards him. The little hairs on Alex’s arms stood on end as she approached, as he started feeling nervous and slightly exhilarated.

Harley giggled again, sending Alex’s body into a frenzy. She was still topless, and Alex eyed the milky patch of skin between her breasts hungrily. He attempted to appear in control, and began smirking at her, in that alluring way of his, before taking a seat in the booth.

She smiled before bending down so her face appeared eye level with his. He found himself looking straight into her deep brown eyes, as she leaned in.

“Why do you always have to ruin my fun, Alex?” She breathed, and even though her breath smelled of liquor and she probably wouldn’t remember this in the morning, Alex couldn’t help but want her even more.

“I...” He trailed off, realizing that he had no answer to her question.

“Is it because you like seeing me squirm?” She asked again, moving even closer to his face.

“I don’t...” He remembered to continuously breathe, and focused on his breathing patterns instead.

In, out. In, out.

“Is it because you like seeing me angry?” She whispered, placing a warm finger on his cheek, fixing his face in place as she gazed into his eyes.

In, out. In, out.

“Is it because you like me?”

The last question caused Alex to forget about breathing completely, and as she bit her lip slowly, raising her eyebrows suggestively, Alex felt every string inside him snap.

In front of him stood a perfectly amazing topless girl, wanting to hook up with him. He was going to go to hell for this.

“Fuck,” he muttered, and before either of them knew what he was doing, his lips were on hers.

His lips were hot and warm, as there was no time for talking about feelings or being gentle. There was no worrying about the consequences, no thinking about their relationships, there was only now. And now, Alex was positive that he wanted her.

His calloused fingers cupped her face as her tongue slithered into his mouth. He laid her down on the booth, careful not to crush her from above as he traced her breasts with his free hand.

Their mouths continued to work in sync as they moved together, her hips grinding into his. He let out a moan of pleasure, and she smirked into the kiss, knowing that he liked it. His lips found her neck as he kissed and sucked, causing Harley to hold in a groan.

It was only when Alex’s hand reached for the zipper on the side of her skirt that a male voice interrupted them.

“Uh...guys?”

Immediately, Alex flew off of Harley, who remained confused, half-naked and sprawled out on the booth. She didn’t seem the least bit worried, but it appeared she had no idea what was happening.

Alex let out a slightly relieved sigh as he realized it was only Zack, and not Travis or Rian.

“Hey, Zack...” Alex trailed off, attempting to appear casual and not like he had just been making out with his bandmate’s younger sister. “What’s up?”

“I could ask you the same question,” Zack gestured to Harley, who had sat up now and was looking at Zack confused.

“We were just, uh, hanging out,” Alex attempted to put on a casual smirk, but it fell flat as it became clear that Zack knew what was happening.

“Zack,” Harley whined from her spot a few feet away, “stop being such a fucking cock blocker! I just want to fucking get laid!”

Zack raised his eyebrows at Alex, who smiled sheepishly.

“If you’re taking advantage of her dude...” Zack trailed off, eyeing Harley’s drunken state.

“I’m not, I swear.” Alex said, quickly. “Dude, promise you won’t tell anyone about this.” Zack sighed, before looking between Alex and Harley.

“Man, you know I can’t lie.” Alex furrowed his eyebrows, knowing that he was in deep shit now. “But if someone asks, I won’t exactly tell the truth either.” Alex let out a sigh of relief, as he gave Zack a quick hug.

“You’re the best dude!”

“Where are you guys, uh, going?” Zack eyed them once again.

“We’ll be around.” Alex shrugged, watching as Zack gave him a final glance before disappearing into the crowd.

Alex sat beside Harley know, rubbing his forehead as he thought about his actions. Technically, he was taking advantage of her, in a public place no less, which made him as good as one of those dudes who raped girls after putting drugs in their drinks.

The only difference was that she had gotten drunk herself. And that she wanted this as much as him. Or at least, her drunken persona did.

“Come on Alex,” she giggled, sliding her fingers above his shirt and running her hands up his chest. “Let’s get back to where we were.” She winked, pulling him down with her.

“No Harley,” he frowned, pushing himself back up and removing her hands. “We can’t do this.”

There were others watching. And though most of them were probably drunk as well, this was too dangerous. Both Alex and Harley were in relationships. Harley was drunk. This was wrong.

“Alex,” she grinned, biting his earlobe. Alex sighed, feeling his head begin to buzz.

“Are you sure you don’t want to hang out?” Harley breathed in his ear.

He shrugged, feeling her lips press against his collarbone. He looked down confused, before her lips were back on his. Her lips tasted like alcohol, but so did his, and soon they were both tangled in one another.

His rational thoughts were immediately thrown out the window as Harley moaned out his name. Alex found himself getting up, before grabbing Harley’s hand and dragging them towards the exit.

“Where are we going?” She slurred, feeling slightly dizzy as he pulled her along with his fast pace.

“Fuck this,” he breathed, “we’re getting a cab.”

And so, their night finally began.