Under the Circumstances

Livi's POV:

I’m so glad Zacky liked his present; I spent an eternity searching for it. He even thanked me with a peck on the cheek which lingered and tingled on my skin.

It was 1am and everyone was in the bus, off their face, and playing poker. Jimmy all of a sudden jumped up and suggested a game of dares. We gathered around in what was meant to be a circle and started the game. Jimmy stared at the people participating in the ring and individually stared everyone down as he picked his first dare victim. He pointed at Brian and dared him to strip down to his boxers and stick his head and hair in the toilet water. Brian accepted the dare much to my disgust.

Brian emerged from the toilet with a grin of pride plastered across his smug face as everyone sniggered at the water dripping down his face. He sat back down in his original place in the circle. He looked around and caught my eye and had a sneaky look in his own. “LIVI! I’ve got a good one for you. Seeing as you and Zacky are the only sad, single ones here at the moment, I dare you to full on make out with him for a minute” he giggled. I sighed, laughing at the immaturity of his dare. Then it hit me.

I was going to kiss Zacky. My heart started beating so fast I thought my ribs were going to crack from the pressure. Zacky looked at me apprehensively. “Okay, I accept.” I said boldly. I stood up in the middle of the ring of people and pointed my finger at Zacky, inviting him to join me.

Zacky stood opposite me, minimising the space between us. Suddenly, he held one hand up to my cheek and leaned in towards me. My head started spinning as his closed lips slowly brushed against mine. He pulled away, looking into my eyes, beckoning for permission to carry on. I wrapped my arms round his neck and leaned in to kiss him again. This time I tried to portray all my feelings for him into that kiss. Our lips started moving together rhythmically as his hand slid from my face and starting moving down my waist as he placed his other hand at the bottom of my back and I started melting into his kiss.

His lips slowly started to part and he grazed his tongue across my bottom lip, causing me to grip his black hair in my hands excitedly. Our tongues started to entwine with one another’s and I started feeling weak at the knees. I pulled away to gasp for air but he didn’t stop. He started softly kissing down my neck until I once again pulled his face to mine where he roughly but passionately kissed my lips until he pulled away again. He gently pecked my lips three times before stroking my hair and resuming his seat in the circle. I just stood there, in complete awe until I was tugged down back into place by Johnny. For the rest of the night the dares continued but I didn’t take part anymore; I couldn’t get my mind off of Zacky.

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Zacky’s POV:

I awoke the next morning with a throbbing head and a throat that felt like sandpaper. As I scrambled out of my bunk, I walked past an unconscious Livi who was passed out on the sofa. I smiled faintly to myself as I remembered our kiss from the night before. Remembering the feeling her soft lips against mine brought back a rush of energy and instantly my body filled with happiness.

I walked to the tap and poured myself a much needed glass of water as I heard a mumbled groan from the living area. I turned round and grinned as a pale faced Livi emerged from under her cave of blankets and jumpers. “Hey, how are you feeling?” I asked softly. “Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck… I feel like my brain is going through labour” she winced and I laughed at her choice of words. “Messy night last night eh?” she grinned at me cheekily. “Ha, yeah I guess you could say that” as my cheeks reddened at the events of last night.

“D-did we… kiss?” she stammered quietly whilst looking up at me nervously. I simply shrugged my shoulders and acted nonchalant “Yeah, Brian dared us too last night – it was no biggy.” I regretted my words as I witnessed her face fall as she mumbled something incoherent and wondered off to her bunk. I kicked myself for being so stupid, girls don’t like it when guys play hard to get.

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Livi's POV:

It was the afternoon after the party, my heart still ached from Zacky acting completely casual about our kiss, evidently, it didn’t mean nearly as much to him as it did to me. But… I was so sure he felt the same. The way he held me and kissed me, that was not just a jokey kiss as part of a dare, it felt so much more.

Jimmy, Brian and Zacky wondered off the bus for a smoke and I sunk down on the sofa, sandwiched between Matt and Johnny. Without warning, I was overwhelmed with tears of frustration and Matt rested his muscular arm around my shoulders as Johnny gripped my hand sympathetically. “Zacky?” Matt suggested, concerned. I just nodded in response. “He really likes you Liv, but the guy’s being a total douche at the moment, just wait for him to come to you.” Johnny advised gently. Matt nodded in agreement. With that, Brian, Jimmy and Zacky climbed back onto the bus, looking worried as they noticed my puffy cheeks and tear-stained eyes. I couldn’t face Zacky whilst I was like this so I rose from the couch and starting making my way towards my bunk but Zacky blocked my path and bit his lip, looking uneasy.

“What’s up Livi?” he asked an intense amount of worry behind his beautiful emerald eyes. “Nothing much… Just really hung-over and feeling like shit… Ha.” I croaked. Zacky could see right through me, he knew there was something up, and part of me knew that he suspected it was to do with him. Oh well, he can feel guilty all he wants, I really couldn’t care less. Still standing in front of me, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug and sighed as he rested his head on top of mine. I buried my head into his chest and we just stayed like that for a few moments. His familiar and comforting scent lingered on his t-shirt and I loved it.
He pulled away, kissed me on the forehead, his cold, metal snakebites stung like electricity as they touched my skin. He then walked back down the other end of the bus and joined the guys in the dining area as I slugged my way back to the comfort of my own bunk.

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Zacky’s POV – 1 WEEK LATER.

We were just setting up the bus for yet another after party. Out the bus window I laughed at Jimmy’s lanky body as he attempted to pick up huge kegs of beer.
The party was rolling by 9pm and everyone was starting to get pretty tipsy, especially Johnny; he was drowning his sorrows in a bottle of Jack Daniels after his girlfriend had dumped him. I felt sorry for him but I knew he didn’t want to be bothered at the moment.

The time was nearing 2am when a drunken Livi strolled up to me and prodded my chest. “Heeeeeeeeeey Zack! Do we have any more liquor?” She slurred. The mention of alcohol reminded me of my surroundings as my drunken mind continued spinning. I grinned at her patronisingly “Honey, aren’t you a tad young to be drinking?” She looked at me, unimpressed. “Yeah well… In England I can drink so fuck you Vengeance!” she exclaimed and then hiccupped drunkenly. She walked away, only to return a minute later, tripping over flat surfaces. “I’m sorry man! I didn’t mean to tell you to fuck off. That was not very polite of me.” She giggled and I laughed at her apology. As I stared into her pleading eyes, they slowly started moving closer to mine and I realised she was moving in to kiss me.

I beat her to it and leaned in and kissed her on the lips. I pulled away from her, gently biting her lip in the process. However, she determined that the kiss wasn’t over until she decided so. She massaged her fingers through my hair and dropped one of her hands to my neck where she slowly started tracing my slightly exposed chest delicately with her fingertips. I was ecstatic at her touch and slowly slid my tongue into her mouth, she did not resist. After kissing for few more minutes, I moved away once again and softly kissed her cheek and walked away; she simply stood there looking triumphant.