Wanna Live It Up Just Because

The sun beat down on the band members of RxN without mercy. Sweat dripped down their faces; their clothes stuck to their skin. They had been out on the stage for about an hour already. The heat was unbearable, sure, but they wanted to get the practice in. They also had to figure out their set list. The best way to pick the songs was to run through their more popular ones and choose the ones they performed the best.

It was difficult however. Not only was the heat acting against them but Arpeggio couldn't perform full out. Like she suspected, the tour nurse and doctor were seated on either side of her drum set. They wouldn't allow her exert any "unnecessary" energy.

Arpeggio thought it was very necessary to head bang while playing; the doctor didn't share the same view.

Armand's drum set was serving Arpeggio well, though she was playing half-heartedly. She didn't want to break it. Not that she was allowed to get that into the music.

She couldn't figure out why they didn't bring her practice set if they were planning on practicing. After all that was its purpose. Her band mates didn't make sense sometimes.

"Alright guys," Neon spoke into the microphone, "One more song. How about Alone?"

Neon glanced around the stage for confirmation. Lestat and Dante nodded. Dorian waited expectantly for the start of the song. Jazz muttered a "sure" into the microphone connected to her keyboard.

Alone was written for Armand. Sure, the song didn't have the most original title or original overall theme. But it was personal to the band as a whole. They each had a hand in the lyrics; that was normally Neon and Lestat's territory. It was their longest song, bordering on eight minutes. It would most likely be in the definite set list for the benefit concert.

"Okay, Arpeggio, take it away," Neon smiled at her sister.

Because the song was dedicated to Armand, the intro was strictly drumming. There was also drum solo as opposed to guitar solo. It only seemed right to the band to have it that way.

Arpeggio tapped her ride cymbal in the desired beat three times to prepare the band for the tempo before jumping right into the fast-paced introduction. The song may have had a sentimental meaning but that didn't mean it had to be slow.

Armand loved fast songs.

The rest of the band joined in at their appointed times. As Neon belted the lyrics, she let her eyes wander the field in front of her. That field would be filled with screaming fans soon, each one yelling the lyrics to their songs. Neon couldn't wait.

Her eyes landed on a group of males approaching the stage. As they got closer, she could clearly make out the boys of All Time Low. Why were they coming to watch? Jack was obviously coming to see Arpeggio. Neon would have to remember to talk with him about the possibility of dating her younger sibling. There were responsibilities that came with the role of Arpeggio's boyfriend.

But why were the rest of them there?

Neon didn't allow her thoughts to fluster her actions. She continued to sing with all her heart and jump around the stage.

Arpeggio noticed Neon's attention momentarily distract from the song. Whoever had just approached had taken her by mild surprise. However, Arpeggio couldn't see much from the back of the stage. She didn't dwell on thoughts of who it could be. The drum solo was coming up.

The solo wasn't fully Arpeggio's own creation. It was a mix of one of Armand's solos with Arpeggio's random drum beats from late childhood. Armand may not have liked structure in his solos but it was necessary for the song to be that much more significant to the band. He would understand.

Arpeggio wasn't planning on holding back though. Even if they were only at practice, it was necessary for her to get into the solo. The doctor would have to deal with it.

Arpeggio watched as Neon moved out of the imaginary crowds' line of vision to her. The band members' playing died down to low hums. Arpeggio took her cue and immersed herself in the solo that fans had grown to love. She shut her eyes, letting her hands and arms do the movements they memorized after years of practice. Her hair flailed around wildly.

Neon smiled, microphone well away from her lips. Moments like these made her believer her sister was truly happy and forget she suffered from any medical problems. Neon laughed when the doctor stood from his seat to subdue her younger sibling only to be hit by Arpeggio's drum stick.

No one could come between Arpeggio and her drumming.

Except maybe Jack. He would probably send Arpeggio into, what Neon was sure the young girl thought was, a hypoglycemia attack.

The drum solo came to a close, ending the song as a whole. Arpeggio's breathes were shallow. She hadn't exerted much energy during practice but that solo wore her out. That was probably due to her blood sugar.

"Ms. Lowry, I thought I told you to take it easy for the entirety of practice," the doctor stood next to her set, clutching an ice pack to his arm.

Did he get hit at some point? Arpeggio couldn't remember him having an ice pack an hour ago when practice started.

"You did, sir," Arpeggio said.

The doctor strained to hear her. He wasn't her normal doctor so he wasn't used to her naturally quiet voice. In general, he wasn't used to her actions. She wasn't exactly a normal seventeen year old.

"You could have done serious damage to your body. Young lady, you don't want to end up in the hospital. I don't know if you're aware of what could happen but I'll inform you now, it's not pretty."

Of course Arpeggio knew what could happen. She had been to the hospital more times than she had fingers. None of the times were because she overexerted herself at practice.

"I'll take it from here. Thanks doc," Neon stood in front of Arpeggio's drum set.

The doctor nodded, bid his farewell and left the stage with the nurse in tow.

"Well you gave him a good hit. He even needed ice," Neon commented.

"I hit him?" Arpeggio asked.

Neon nodded, smiling down at her sister. Worry crossed Arpeggio's features. She hadn't meant to hit him.

"He got up to put an end to your fun with your drum set; don't feel bad," Neon stated, patting the young girl on the shoulder.

Arpeggio's face relaxed. He had brought the wound upon himself then.

"Someone's here to see you," Neon motioned to the front of the stage.

Neon may not have liked Jack but she thought he and her sister made a cute couple. Even if they weren't dating yet. Neon wanted to see how Arpeggio reacted to Jack standing at the foot of the stage.

Arpeggio stood, confused as to who would be waiting for her. She guessed the person was the reason for Neon's distraction earlier in the last song. Arpeggio leaned against Neon as they walked to the front of the stage and down the stairs. Her body was still weak from the episode earlier and she had a feeling her blood sugar had dropped again.

Arpeggio caught sight of the blonde and black haired male leaning against the stage, an excited smile breaking out on her face.