Just Look at the World Around You

The girls, Rian, Travis and Jake took an early flight to Perth the next day. Avara and Harlee were going home to spend time with their families while Holly was staying at the hotel with the guys for the first night and then going home after the after party the next night.

When the flight landed and the six of them got off of the plane, they were surprised to find Tadem waiting on a bench typing away on her phone. Probably to Travis Clark.

"Tademon?" Holly called, still unsure if it was her. Tadem looked up and smiled. "What are you dong here? Are you okay?" Tadem got to her feet and smiled.

"I'm okay," she assured them all. "I had a big talk with Paul last night and-"

"Paul?" Avara and Holly said at the same time. Tadem laughed but nodded her head.

"Yes, Paul. He told me that just because Sarah is gone, I shouldn't hold off. He said I'd had a couple of days to grieve and that now it's time to get back into it," she said. "I was going to just let Rian finish of the tour for me and then start back up for Warped Tour, but I think I'd like to get back... Is that okay Ri?" She asked.

"Of course!" He laughed and stepped forward to hug her. "I'll stick around and watch some bands and head home with Mayday and We The Kings on Wednesday."

Jake clapped his hands together happily while Harlee, Avara and Holly hugged at their best friend/ band mate, squealing away like banshees.

"I knew you'd be okay," Avara said, "Knew it." Tadem laughed and patted her on the head.



Harlee and Avara decided to leave their things in Holly, Jake and Travis's hotel room so a bunch of them could all do touristy things, with Harlee, Avara, Tadem, Holly and Travis being their tour guides. They ended up being too exhausted to do anything, so they ended up just laying on the beach down from the hotel.

Holly, Tadem, Harlee, John, Travis and Travis were all playing in the waves which left Avara and Jake lying sprawled out next to each other on the sand.

"I think that becoming your manager was the best damn thing I ever did," he said as he tried to swipe some sand off his towel.

"Really?" Avara asked, surprised.

"I really want to move to this country," he said, giving up on the sand and and turning his face back to the sun. "Being your manager means I get to come here a lot, which is as close as I can get with my profession."

"Oh," Avara frowned, "I thought you were going to say something nice like 'you guys are really talented' or 'Avara, you look like a rainicorn'."

"Those are all valid arguments," Jake nodded. Avara giggled and they fell silent for a while.

Avara rolled over onto her stomach and Jake turned to look at her.

"So, are you really okay about the whole Jonathan thing?" He asked her.

"Yeah," she sighed in reply.

"Because I know you were pretty upset last time."

"At least he actually took the liberty to break up with me this time, rather than just ignoring me for months."

"What are we talking about?" Travis Cooper had come out of nowhere and decided to make Avara's back his new chair.

"Get off me you fat lump!" Avara yelled at him whilst wiggling around to make him fall off of her.

"Never," he said with an evil laugh. Avara managed to roll back over, making him lose his balance and fall off, but he proceeded to tackle her to the ground.

"Love me!" He yelled.

"No!" she yelled back. "Fuck off Coop!" She smacked him over the head and he pouted at her, pretending to be insulted, but climbed off of her and tried to push her over.

"I want some towel," he said.

"Get your own towel," Avara said, but moved over to make room for him to sit next to her.

"So what were you talking about before I rudely interrupted?" Travis asked, looking from Avara to Jake.

"Jonathan," Jake said.

"Oooo," Travis replied, really dragging out the 'o' sound. "You're okay right?" he asked Avara.

"Fine," she replied. Travis smiled at her before putting an arm around her shoulder and kissing her on the cheek.

"Good."

At that moment, the other girls and other Travis had managed to clamber up the sand and collapse around Jake, Travis and Avara.

"Back. Dead. Waves. Killed," Holly panted as she collapsed across the laps of Tadem and John.

"What?" John laughed down at her.

"Those waves killed my back."

"Murderers," Avara muttered, causing everyone to laugh.

"I want ice cream," Holly said randomly, batting her eyelashes up at John, "Buy me ice cream?"

"Sure," he smiled, and he somehow managed to stand up and pull Holly up with him and drag her off to find ice cream.

"Buy me a mango one!" Avara yelled after them. Holly stuck her arm up to show Avara that she'd heard her. As they walked, Holly grabbed Johns hand and entwined their fingers as they went up the steps and headed back towards the hotel.

"Ow..." Holly had forgotten to put her shoes back on and the heat of the pavement was now burning her feet. "Bugger." John laughed and came to a stop before bending down. Holly climbed onto his back and clung on. "Thanks John."

"Anytime," he laughed.

There was a huge line at the ice cream shop, so Holly took her phone and placed it in front of them.

"Smile," she told John. "Do not make a silly face..." He laughed at her warning, but smiled at the camera part of her iPhone. "Now." A click sounded so Holly turned the phone around so that they could both see the screen.

"You look pretty," John smiled. Holly blushed and hid her face in his neck. "Don't hide."

"How long have you been dating?" An old woman asked from behind them. Holly looked up and smiled.

"A couple of months now," she told her.

"You both look very much in love," she beamed. "That's not something you see everyday." Holly and John both grinned happily. They did like each other, very much, so it was nice when other people acknowledged it. "Where did you meet?" She asked.

"I met first met Holly at her house," John laughed, remembering the predicament Avara had left them in when they'd first met. The woman looked perplexed so John explained further. "I play in a band," he said. "Well... We both do. At the time, Holly was having a bit of trouble with her friend who then tried to make her feel better by getting her me." Holly laughed and face-palmed.

"He's not making it sound right," she laughed again. "We met at my house and then we've been friends since then and John asked me out a couple of weeks ago. We're on a tour together now which is nice, so we're spending as much time as we can together."

The woman smiled politely.

"Is it hard to keep a relationship going?" She asked. "When you're both in a band?"

"Oh, we're not in the same band," Holly laughed. His band, The Maine is from Phoenix, Arizona and my band, Kill Barbie is from right here in Perth."

"Yes and no," John replied, ignoring Holly. "Communication is key."

Holly and John spoke to the woman right up until it was time for them to order their ice creams. John ordered one mango ice cream cup for Avara, one lemon cheesecake in a cup for Holly and a vanilla milkshake for himself. The two said goodbye to the old woman and made their way back towards the beach.

"Can I have a sip of your milkshake?"

"Sure." John lifted his hand that was holding the milkshake up so that Holly, who was still perched on his back, could take a huge sip.



"Where are we going for dinner?" Harlee yelled. She was buried under a bunch of blankets, pillows and clothes on the couch in Holly, Travis and Jake's room. "And when?" Avara, who was also buried under all those things on the very same couch nodded.

"I just nodded and realised no one can see me..."

"We're going to a place called... Sizzler?" Jake yelled from his room. "Is it Sizzlers Holly?" Holly was in the shower in the bathroom yelled back something that sounded like a yes. "Holly says we're going to Sizzlers and we're going when she gets her butt out of the shower and get's dressed."

"And make-up ready," Avara laughed.

"And hair ready," Harlee added.

"Well that could take hours," Tadem sighed, sitting on one of the arms of the chair and resting her cheek on her hand, her elbow propped up on her knees. Everyone laughed except Holly, who had somehow heard her and yelled something incoherent from the shower. She soon emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed, and was immediately pounced on by Harlee, Avara and Tadem, who respectively brushed her hair, teeth and put make up on her. When they were finished and stepped away, Holly blinked and smiled.

"Thanks, fellas."

A little while later, the group arrived at Sizzler's and Harlee, Holly and Avara bounded inside, closely followed by Tadem, who was in high spirits at being in a restaurant in which the girls had shared so many good memories.

The four boys followed behind the girls and the stood around the counter, the four girls and Travis Cooper looking at Jake expectantly. Jake rolled his eyes and stepped forward.

"Can we please have a table for eight?" He asked the girl at the counter.

"Of course," she smiled, "Will you be paying together or separately?"

"Separately," the eight of them said together. The girl was a little taken aback by their suddenness, but smiled at Jake again.

"What can I get for you?"

"Uh.." he 'uhh'd, gazing at the menu board behind the girl. Holly rolled her yes and stepped forward, shoving Jake out of the way.

"We'll have eight salad bars with drinks please, paying separately." The girl was startled again, but nodded.

"That will be $28.95 each," she said while another girl, who had appeared behind the first, gathered eight plates, cutlery sets, and plastic cups.

"What's a salad bar?" John whispered to Holly while everyone forked out money.

"You will see, young grasshopper," she smiled, reaching up to pat his cheek affectionately, "you will see."

The two girls took their plates, cups and cutlery and led to group to a table, setting everything down and wishing them a nice meal.

"Oh, and your free cheese bread will be out shortly," one added over her shoulder before disappearing back out to the counter. At the mention of cheesey-bread, Avara gripped Travis Cooper's forearm tightly in her excitement. John noticed and raised his eyebrows at Holly questioningly as they all sat down.

"Cheesey-bread is like an orgasm in your face," Holly explained.

"Potato balls," Harlee mumbled.

"Let's get food in shifts," Tadem suggested, "Travis - my Travis -, Holly, John and I will go first." At that, she stood up with her plate and cup and nodded to the other three to do the same. Harlee pouted, crossed her arms in a huff, and slid down in her chair.

"I want potato balls."

"What are potato balls?" asked Jake, who was sitting at one end of the table, with Harlee to his left.

"Balls of potato," Avara answered from Jake's right. He looked at her and watched as she gazed down at her plate longingly and muttered, "Ceasar salad."

"Spaghetti," Travis Cooper added cheerfully from next to Avara.

"Green jelly squares!" Holly yelled, finally getting up and walking away towards the salad bar with John trailing along helplessly behind her. Avara laughed and rolled her eyes.

"She always get that excited about green jelly?" Cooper asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know how you sleep at night not knowing that Holly loves green jelly squares,
" Avara told him seriously. "She get's like a million cups of it every time we come here."

Sure enough, when Tadem, Travis, John and Holly came back, Holly had a plate full of normal food, like bread roles, potato bake, salad and wedges, but she was also carrying a mug filled to the top with large green jelly squares.

"Told ya," Avara laughed, getting to her feet.

"I'm going to stick some of my salad into my buttered bread roll," Holly told John as she sat down. "And then, I'll eat my wedges and then my salad and then John," She said seriously, "and then I'll eat my green jelly squares." John nodded and stabbed a bit of lettuce with his fork.

"Sounds like a plan Holly," he replied, chewing on the lettuce thoughtfully.

By the time Avara, Harlee Cooper and Jake had come back to the table, they found John and Travis debating on how to keep their voices in tip-top condition.

"You use steam cause it opens up your vocal cords," Travis Clark told John. He did some kind of hand movement in an attempt to make John understand.

"Yeah, but that isn't the only thing you should do though..." John replied.

"Then what do you do?" Travis asked.

"I think it differs for every person... I find that making short, rushed noises helps..." Holly watched them bicker back and forth before she rolled her eyes while Jake nodded his head, listening to both John and Travis.

"I think when we go on Warped Tour, I'll have Vanesse make you up a plan so that you can keep you voice going good." Everyone stared at Jake, most with nonchalant faces while Holly stared at him in horror.

"Holly's gonna kill you Jakey," Avara laughed.

"What's wrong with you?" Jake asked Holly, ignoring Avara. Holly pointed her fork at him.

"Are you proposing that Vanesse put me on vocal rest and makes me eat weird food and give up cheese and milo and that I'll have to do even crazier voice exercises than I already do?" She asked him.

"Well, I don't know if she'd do all of that Holly, but something along those lines, yes," he replied. "It'll be good for you and it'll make you sound better." Holly's mouth dropped open.

"Are you saying I sound horrible Jake Reynolds?" She exclaimed.

"No," he rolled his eyes. "But I'm doing it whether you like it or not." Holly glared at him as she stabbed another wedge with her fork.

"I hate you."

"No you don't," Jake chuckled.

"I do. Tell him Avara," Holly said to Avara, still waving her fork around. Avara didn't look up from her plate, where she was trying to assemble some sort of pizza-roll thing.

"She hates you, Jake." Jake frowned.

"I love you Jakey," Harlee grinned.

"Me too," agreed Cooper



Two hours, three food fights,, a Jake hissy-fit later and some goodbyes later, Tadem was driving herself, Harlee and Avara home. Avara's phone suddenly went off mid-conversation about butterflies with Harlee, and she stopped mid-sentence to pull it out of her pocket.

"Rude," Harlee huffed.

"Shush," Avara replied, opening the picture message that Holly had sent her of Travis and Jake spooning.

Avara typed out an 'aw that's so cute, they're spooning', and shortly got a reply from Holly saying 'IN MY BED. THAT WAS MY BED. I BAGGSED IT AS SOON AS WE WALKED IN. YOU WERE THERE, YOU HEARD ME. THEY'RE BOTH BED STEALERS. I WANT MY BED BACK.'

Before Avara could reply, Holly called her. When she hit the answer button and put the phone to her ear, she heard Jake howling in pain and Travis yelling "You got me in the butt Holly!"

"I think it's in our best interests to have a physically healthy manager and merch guy, Holly."

"Not when they're interrupting my sleep!"

"That's it! I'm putting you on a diet!" Jake yelled in the background.

"ARE YOU CALLING FAT?" Holly yelled back.

"Did you call me for a reason?" Avara asked.

"Yeah, John texted me goodnight, and I though it was really sweet, so I wanted to tell you."

"Way to rub in my singlenss," Avara retorted.

"Oh, Avara, I'm sorry. We'll find you a new boyfriend."

"It's okay Holly, you enjoy your boyfriend."

"I will. And now that Jake and Travis are asleep in their own beds - is that pee? I think Travis wet the bed. Nope, it's just water - I'm going to bed! Night." Before Avara could say anything, Holly hung up.

Just over forty minutes later, Tadem pulled up in Avara's driveway and Avara jumped of the car.

"So I'll pick you up at like 6," Tadem said, ignoring Avara's groan, "and we'll get Harlee and then we'll go and meet Holly and stuff, cool?"

"Yuh," Avara nodded, still not thrilled at having to get up really early. She shut the door and waved as Tadem pulled out of the driveway before going inside and collapsing on her bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

Tomorrow was the last day of Soundwave, she thought, and then she could sleep forever.