American Candy

“London!” Lark yelled into her microphone as they finished up one of their songs. “You have got to be one of the loudest fucking crowds we’ve had.”

“You sexy mother fuckers!” Nirvana yelled into her mic as X gave a bit of bass guitar and Maize crashed.

“We have been incredibly honored to open up of The 1975! Give them a shout!” Lark yelled. The crowd went wild, and it caused her to laugh. “So this is one of my favorite songs off of our second album that we released a couple of months ago. Sing along if you know the words. It’s called Call Me Up.”
Lark and Nirvana started to play their guitars rather hard. They guys were standing side stage for the first time to watch the band that they were touring with play.

I think you’re lovely enough to put up with it all.
But, baby, let’s don’t call this love
See I’m not trying to fall
So sweet that you make me sick
Honey, honey I’m on to your tricks
I know just what’s going down
When you come around

Lark moved back a little bit with her guitar to jam before going into the chorus.

You call me up when you’re feeling uninspired
Call me out just to get a little higher
I’m not yours, baby, you’re not mine
Call your bluff, not this time

Nirvana smirked, looking at the crowd and how they were reacting. Of course they would, they weren’t the ugliest girls in the world, and their music rocked. Plus, every Brit loves a loud-mouth, sassy girl.

“Yeah!” X yelled into her microphone before Lark continued to sing.

You take her out on those dates
Then you come back to my place
You’re saying now she’s not your type
Then you’re back out that night.

You call me up when you’re feeling uninspired
Call me out just to get a little higher
I’m not yours, baby, you’re not mine
Call your bluff, not this time

Call me up when you’re feeling uninspired
Call me out just to get a little higher
I’m not yours, baby, you’re not mine
Call your bluff, not this time

“This next part I want you to scream it as loud as you can, okay ladies?!” Lark yelled, taking her red electric guitar off of her body. Matty was tempted to walk out there and grab it himself instead of the tech, but he figured that would cause a scene. So that’s exactly what he did. The crowd roared the second the front-man stepped out onto the stage. Lark looked a little confused until he was out there, gripping the guitar from her hands. With his other, he gripped the microphone like only a rock star could.

“Give it up for Weekend Misery!” He yelled before handing it back to the girl and walking off stage. “Here you go, mate.” He said as he handed the guitar to her tech. He looked annoyed but moved out of the way anyway.

“This is how it goes okay?! Yell ‘Keep your hands off me, I’m not your beauty queen!’ GO!” She yelled and they crowd did as she told. Lark repeated them and instructed for them to continue. “Fucking perfect! Let’s GO!” She yelled as she jumped back into the song.

Keep your hands off me
I’m not your beauty queen
I know you like ‘em long and lean
and on the edge of seventeen

She danced around the stage until she walked toward the very edge.

Just forget my name
And all your stupid games
I know you like to drive my car and
Drive me far, straight to insane

Lark bent down so that she was crouching on the edge, singing right to the fans.

Call me up when you’re feeling uninspired
Call me out just to get a little higher
I’m not yours, baby, you’re not mine
Call your bluff, not this time

Call me up when you’re feeling uninspired
Call me out just to get a little higher
I’m not yours, baby, you’re not mine
Call your bluff, not this time

Call me up when you’re feeling uninspired
Call me out just to get a little higher
I’m not yours, baby, you’re not mine

Call me up, not this time

When the song ended, the crowd went crazy. The song had quickly became a crowd favorite, and the guys could see why. Ross didn’t know why the girls haven’t chosen it as a new single. It was easily one of the best that they had played that night. Matty was right about the band though, he thought. Ross just wasn’t too sure about their personalities anymore. He was hurt because of X. He was sure that the girl didn’t mean to, though. That simple fact made it hurt worse. She didn’t know she was hurting him until it was a little too late. Now they were left in some weird cross-fire where they avoided each other. It shouldn’t have been like this but it was. He didn’t feel like standing there any longer, so he left.

George was too busy staring at Nirvana to notice that Ross had left. He was mesmerized by how the female played the guitar. He watched as her fingers expertly guided along the neck, and the way her body moved with it. He didn’t even notice Matty going back out on the stage to give Lark her guitar. He did more than give it to her, he put it on her and pulled her hair from underneath the strap. He was sure he was dreaming, but he thought he saw Matty place a quick kiss on the back of her neck before letting her hair down. George was sure he was wrong. Matty wouldn't do that in front of Maize, literally.

Adam loved Weekend Misery. He didn't think he would but he was loving almost everything about their set. They were entertaining and talented. They didn't use too much banter to entertain the crowd. That was nice to see in a girl-band, well any band in general. He felt odd that Ross left. Obviously he had either talked to X or realized something happened with her and George. In fact, the tall drummer was still messing around with the pink-haired girl. That was strange, Adam thought. He was sure that G was caught up in Nirvana. He seemed to have been proven wrong. Adam wasn't wrong very often.

"I fuckin love them," Matty said to his friends. "I love it,"

George rolled his eyes.

"Matt, chill,"

"Can't really mate," he laughed, a playful grin on his lips. "Could you distract Maize for me, Hann?"

"Or you could actually spend time with her?" George posed. "I thought you liked the bird."

"He does, but he wants some time with Lark." Adam supplied. He was oh so tired of everyone going into circles. It was making him dizzy.

"I doubt she wants to do anything after a show,” George stated.

Matty didn't feel he deserved a response. He just shrugged his shoulders.
"Who said that I wanted to?"

Adam wished that Matty didn't just shrug. He wanted Matty to say something to George about it. Adam wanted George to stand up and tell Matty that this was wrong. Matty needed a wake up call, however the drummer just turned back toward the stage. Adam sighed as he accepted that he, indeed, would be the one to distract Maize for the evening. He didn't mind the girl; he minded why Matty needed him to spend time with the girl. He cared too much about everyone surviving. He didn't want them all to crash and burn.

When Weekend Misery walked off the stage, Matty’s arm went right around Lark’s shoulders as if it were completely normal. Though, no one had seen it happen. George linked his arm with X’s instead of going straight to Nirvana. No one noticed, but the girl glared at the two as they walked in front of her. She would have to devise a way to get George alone, really. It wouldn’t be easy, she admitted. Before Maize could get away, Adam lightly gripped the girl’s wrist. She turned around, confused, until she saw Adam.

“Oh, hey,” She smiled. “What are you doing?”

Adam furrowed his brows. He hadn’t thought about that.

“I just wanted to know if you wanted to go get ice-cream,” He said. “You like ice-cream, don’t you?”
Maize slowly nodded.

“Can I change?”

“You can wear some of my clothes,” Adam cut in quickly. He knew that Matty wouldn’t be stupid enough to go back to the bus. That was too much of a risk. No, he assumed that the pair would be around the venue, getting into trouble. He didn’t peg Lark for the type though, and that confused him. He just figured that the girl was awkward. He didn’t think she’d give into Matty, but the boy tried. He tried very hard.

“Okay…” Maize trialed off. “To the bus then?”

“Of course,” Adam smiled, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder before guiding her. Maize was happy, he assumed. She was smiling and talking his ear off. He didn’t know what it was about Amercian girls and English boys, but they couldn’t stop. Not that he minded, he quite enjoyed her company. He lead the two onto the bus and back toward his bunk. He reached in and quickly grabbed a pair of his favourite gym shorts, joggers, and two t-shirts.

“Where’s the bathroom?” She laughed.

“It’s kinda gross, honestly.” Adam stated. “We haven’t cleaned it in like a week.”

“Oh please, I live with three girls,” She rolled her eyes. “It can’t be that bad.”

“Okay…” Adam trailed off, laughing.

They got to the bathroom and quickly pushed the door open only to see George and X tangled around each other on the bathroom sink.

“Fuck!” George yelled. “Get out, Hann!”

Adam’s eyes grew wider.

“Sorry!” He yelled, shutting the door. Maize stood beside him with her eyes wide open from shock. She didn’t know that her bandmate was involved with any of the lads. X was always just around Ross. “I...uh…”

“Its okay…” Maize trailed off. “I just...X isn’t like that.”

“Apparently she is,” Adam rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
Maize knew that X was a virgin, so it didn’t sit well with her that she saw the pink-haired girl like that. She was just so confused. X didn’t sleep with people. X didn’t do anything with anyone, yet there she was in all her naked glory with George. Maize’s brain was going haywire. It just didn’t make sense.

“Where can we change?” She asked instead.

“In the back lounge,” He sighed, walking through the doorway and into the empty lound. As soon as they both were inside, they changed their clothes. Adam tried to look away, but Maize wasn’t ugly. She was gorgeous and he might have taken a peak. The girl was beside him and putting on his clothes, so he figured it was okay. It made him feel like a creep, honestly. “There...now are we ready?”

Maize smiled at Adam.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

“You look cute,” He chuckled before moving her hair from underneath the collar of his white v-neck. It hung off of her in such a way that her collarbones were exposed and he could see her black bra through the thin material. “Let’s get outta here,”

“Deal,” She smiled. “We’ve only got an hour before you guys go on, right?”

“Right,” He laughed.

“Why did you change?”

Adam sighed, not having thought about that either.

“I just got uncomfortable,” He lied. “Let’s go,”

“Okay,” The girl nodded in agreement, not questioning his response in the slightest.



“You’re fantastic,” Ross sighed, looking at X as she finished a song that she was playing on an acoustic guitar. “Where did you learn?”

“My second grade teacher,” She shrugged. “Thank you,”

“No problem,” He laughed.

Ross would be lying if he said that the last few weeks hadn’t been awkward. X knew that something had changed, she wasn’t dumb. Ross just felt bad that he had reacted the way that he did after their closet incident, and when the drummer of his band had kissed her. Now he noticed that George would hang off of the girl, and that really got on his nerves. He wanted to be the only one that close to her.

“Ross?”

“Yeah?” He sighed, blinking before really looking at her.

“You’re staring into space again,” She retorted, placing the guitar down beside of her.

Ross just shrugged, taking in her features. He missed being this close to the girl.

“Is that a problem?”

“Guess not…” She trailed off. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” He replied, pressing his lips into a tight line. “Just thinking too much.”

“You’re going to hurt yourself,” She laughed.

It took him a moment, but he was slowly noticing a darkened mark on the bottom side of her neck, very close to her shoulder. He stared at it for a little too long, as X slowly brought her hand up to cover it up.

“It was George, wasn’t it?” He questioned, looking into her eyes. “You’ve been messing about, yeah?”

X stiffened.

“So what if we have been?”

“That’s all you’re going to say?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Unbelievable,”

The pink haired girl shook her head.

“No, you’re the one being unbelievable. You’re actually upset because I’m hooking up with George… when you’re the one hooking up with random groupies?” She shot back. “How is that fair?”

“Why is it fair that George is getting your attention?!”

“Because he didn’t fucking freak out and stop talking to me,” X spat, standing up. “Grow some balls, MacDonald,”

Ross rolled his eyes, and let the girl walk out of the band’s back lounge and off of the bus. He wished that he never noticed the mark at all. He wished that the girl was still sitting beside him, playing music and messing about. He liked her as a friend as well as finding her attractive. That’s what confused him as well. He wasn’t sure he liked her, liked her. Ross was just bloody confused, and yeah, maybe a bit jealous as well.

He shouldn’t have just sat there either. X was basically telling him to get his crap together and things would be good, but no, Ross just sat there. He sat and stared toward the front of the bus, and where the girl had disappeared to. He assumed that she was off looking for George, but he hadn’t seen the male in a while. He might have been preoccupied else-where. The thought made Ross’ stomach churn. Surely X didn’t know that George was hooking up with other girls, and was okay with it.

As if he had heard him, George walked into the back lounge. He sat down opposite of Ross and offered his friend a joint. Ross rolled his eyes but took one anyway. He didn’t want to think at all right now. He breathed deep and let it all go. With the smoke, he let all of the frustration out with it. George was silent, and that kinda bugged him. Well, everything about the tall drummer was bugging him.

“So am I going to have to beat your ass now or later?” He spoke. “Because there’s quite the upset girl out there, and I hate seeing her cry.”

Ross rolled his eyes.

“Go comfort your girlfriend and leave me, then,”

George just laughed at him.

“X isn’t my girlfriend, Ross.” He stated. “Stop getting your knickers in a bloody twist. She’s mental about you. Dunno why, as you’re being a royal prat.”

“Shut up,” Ross rolled his eyes. “Why are you messing around with her, then?”

“I’m fond,” he shrugged. “Get your shit together, mate.”

And that was the last thing George said before he got up and left the bus and Ross behind. That was the second time in a fifteen minute period that someone told Ross to get it together. Unfortunately, he was never great at following directions.

George walked off of the bus and wrapped his arms around X. She squeezed him tighter than normal and it made the male chuckle. She had stopped crying, and that made him smile. He wasn’t lying, he was fond of her. He just wasn’t into her like Ross was. She knew that and was okay with it. She didn’t mind, and from their conversations, she felt the same. They were forming quite the bond.

“He’s a dick.” X stated. “I’m so pissed off,”

“He’ll figure it out eventually. Ross is daft.” George encouraged. “He will come around.”

“Are you sure?” She questioned, pulling away and looking up at him.

“No, but I can hope,” He replied. “Do you wanna go do something?”

X slowly shook her head no.

“I’m going to go back to my own bus and draw.” She stated. “Have fun though,”

The tall male kind of shrugged.

“We’ll see if she’s up for anything,” He stated before he opened the girl’s bus door for her. “Be good, kido.”

“You too,” X rolled her eyes and walked onto the bus without another word, leaving George to go off and find Nirvana.

Nirvana was sitting inside of the venue of the night, attempting to take a nap. She didn’t have anything better to do at the moment. Matty was off with Maize, and George had taken off with X. Lark was somewhere doing something, so that pretty much left her alone. The raven-haired girl was frustrated that she was all alone. She was upset that her options were with her friends. So why not nap it away? She was starting to think she should have grabbed a blanket because she was wearing a dress. It was cold in the room.

She was almost asleep when someone lifted her legs and plopped down on the couch. Her legs were sat down on a lap, and she wanted to scream. Slowly, her eyes opened to see George smiling over at her. She rolled her eyes at the boy, but was secretly grateful he came into the room. He didn’t say anything, but tapped his finger along her bare shins. She watched him as he slowly got more comfortable.

“What are you doing?”

“Sitting here,” He smiled and his eye crinkled. “Is that a crime?”

“Depends,” She shrugged. “Where’s X?”

He laughed in returned and shrugged his shoulders.

“Why would I know?”

“It seems like you both are pretty cozy,” Nirvana tried to pretend she was aloof. She never was the best at that. “I mean..she is a virgin though. She might get too attached to you,”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” George winked. Nirvana tried quickly to put the pieces together, but George’s hand was slowly moving up her leg.

“What do you think you’re doing, mister?” she asked him.
The tall male just shrugged his shoulders. His boyish grin turned into a smirk as his hand reached her thigh. Nirvana bit on her bottom lip and watched his hand slowly, painfully slow, move toward her inner thigh.

“I think you know,” He said in a whisper. The environment of the room changed very quickly, and Nirvana’s thoughts were racing. George’s hand inched further, under her dress. He reached her underwear before slowly moving the fabric. The raven-haired girl moved so he could have easier access. George smirked, moving so he was hovering over the girl. It didn’t take her long to lose her control over the situation. George loved the soft noises coming from the girl under him.

“More,” She demanded, not even ashamed that the door was unlocked. Anyone could walk in at any moment.

Adam Hann had no idea what he was in for when I walked into the room. He didn’t know that he’d be seeing George in yet another sexual act with a different girl. The fact that Nirvana allowed it surprised him. Suddenly, he wanted to be anywhere else other than there. He didn’t fancy seeing his best friend get lucky when he’d pretty much been deprived. Adam left the room as quickly as he walked inside of it.
It was his own fault that he hadn’t gotten laid. He could easily with all of the groupies just waiting around for them at any given moment. He could have scored with any of them, yet he chose not to. He didn’t want to make things awkward if anyone else had seen.

“Lark! Wait up!” Adam called, jogging toward the silver-haired girl. She looked as if she just got off of the phone, and looked spacy. He wasn’t sure why the girl went through days like that, and it worried him a little bit. “What’s going on?”

“Just walking,” She laughed. “What’s going on with you? You look a little panicked,”

“Just saw George and Nirvana,” He stated.

“Okay?”

“They were...you know…”

“No, I don’t.” She replied simply. “But I don’t care,”

Adam nodded slowly.

“Right.”

“What did you want?”

“Do you want to hang out?” He asked her. “I don’t really know you,”

“I know,” She sighed. “It seems that’s the line that everyone is giving me nowadays. What do you want to do?”

“Can we just go chill?” He questioned. “There’s another green room,”

“Because ours is occupied?” She questioned, stopping to look at him.

“Yes,” He confirmed. “Lets go chill,”

Lark rolled her eyes.

“You already said that,”

“Oh...right,” He chuckled before pushing the door open. To his relief, the room was empty. The pair walked toward a couch and sat down. Adam reached into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette. It wasn’t what he wanted, but it would do. He looked over at Lark as he took the cigarette between his lips.

“Want one?”

“No thanks,” She shook her head, pulling out a bag of weed instead. “Want one?”

Hann laughed.

“What the fuck,” He stated. “Lark, you’re full of surprises.”

“You have no idea,” She retorted, shaking her head. “Do you, or do you not? Because I’m pretty sure that I could find someone else to share this with…”

“Pass it here,” He laughed, gripping the bag from her hands.

The two sat in silence, smoking and just chilling out. Lark was pretty cool, Adam agreed. He must have not given her a chance. To be fair, the girl didn’t really talk to him either. They just didn’t interact a ton. It was nice enough. The two sat and smoked until it was getting close to show time. Lark stood up and went to the bathroom to change. Apparently she brought her stuff in their room for some reason. Adam wasn’t going to ask why. In the time that she went to change, Matty and Maize showed up. Hann rolled his eyes as it was obvious that the two had been physical.

“What the hell, Hann!” He laughed. “Smoking without me?”

Adam rolled his eyes lazily.

“I was smoking with Lark,”

“Lark?” Maize’s eyebrows flew up before she started laughing. “Lark doesn’t touch the stuff,”
Matty snickered beside the girl, knowing otherwise.

“Where’s she at then?”

“Changing in there,” Adam stated, pointing toward the room. “She should be out any minute.”

“Let’s go, Matt.” Maize said, tugging lightly on his arm.

“No,” He sighed, pushing the girl’s hands off of him. “I’m going to stay with Hann.”

Maize rolled her eyes.

“Fine. I guess I’ll stay.” She said, tugging on her hair.

Adam could feel the awkward tension, and he wasn’t okay with it. He knew that the second Lark walked out of the bathroom that things were going to get a bit more difficult. He was grateful that Maize at least brushed and styled her hair. Matty’s hair was a different story. He pulled it off tough, and it almost always looked like it did currently.

“Oh...hi,” Lark said, walking out of the room. She girl was wearing rather tight black jeans, a black top that looked like it was almost a crop top, and a plaid shirt tied around her waist. She had Doc Martin’s on her feet. She looked good, but she also looked rather insecure.

“Lark!” Maize laughed. “Come join us,”

“I was going too…” The singer trialed off. She walked toward them, flopping down beside Adam. He looked over at her, letting his eyes roam for a moment before looking back at Matty and Maize. Maize was picking at her nails now, but Matty was staring at Lark. His gaze was intense, and Adam felt like he was intruding when he stole a glance at Lark’s face. She was smirking back at him, and Adam felt the sexual tension between the two for the first time.

“I’m bored already,” Maize stated.

“Then find something to do,” Matty stated, looking at her. “If you’re fucking bored then do something,”

Maize looked taken back.

“Fine, ass,” She stated, standing up. “Adam?”

“Huh?” The male asked. He wasn’t really paying attention to the girl.

“Do you want to go do something with me until show time?”

“It’s fucking pointless,” Lark sighed. “Show starts in twenty.”

“Whatever,” Maize rolled her eyes.

Lark wasn’t so sure why the drummer was being a brat. She was sure that she did nothing to her, yet here she was being a bitch. Matty laughed a little as Maize just stomped off and out of the room. It was comical, Lark supposed.

“Light another one, Hann,” Lark stated

Adam looked at her with wide eyes.

“Did you just call me by my last name?”

“Yes I did,” She stated, pulling a small wink toward the male.

All he could do was laugh.

The trio smoked until it was time for Lark to go on. Matty got up and followed the silver-haired girl like a lost puppy. How Maize didn’t know really confused Adam. Maybe the girl was finally catching on and that’s why she got so upset about Matty staying. Adam didn’t know. George and Nirvana eventually turned up, looking happy as ever. Though Nirvana would deny it, George made her feel differently than other males ever could have. It was nice, but she was going to keep that to herself. George was just glad to get alone with the girl. He really missed her company. X looked kind of better when it was show time. She changed, and looked fresh with makeup on. Maize still looked annoyed at Lark, and Lark just smirked. She didn’t have an issue with Maize at all. This was the girl’s problem.

The bands were simply buzzed after the shows, and even cracked a few bottles of alcohol open despite their strict rule. TJ, their tour manager, hadn’t really been on top of it as he hadn’t joined the tour yet. He had to stay back in Seattle for a bit to take care of things. He put X in charge, and the girl was totally okay with drinking. Matty had downed an entire bottle of wine whilst on stage and was feeling fantastic.

When everyone else was distracted, he pulled Lark aside. She didn’t retreat from him like normal, but willingly went along. They were in public, but everyone was too pre-occupied to care.
Matty presses his lips to the girl’s messily, and she moved along with his. She didn’t pull away or suggest that they went somewhere with more privacy. Ross had caught on and brought Maize to dance with him, X, Nirvana and George. Adam just sat down on the couch, smoking weed yet again. No one noticed Matty making out with Lark openly. They didn’t care. He had her pressed to him tightly, tongues tangled together effortlessly. Slowly, Lark’s hand moved from Matty’s shoulder down to his hip. She brought her hand to the back of his jeans, reaching into the back pocket. Matty laughed into her mouth, kissing her harder.

Much like the first night, Lark brought out two chalky pills from the small bag. She put the bag back into his pocket before slowly pulling away from him. Matty’s eyes were filled with excitement as she looked at him with that look on her face.

“Open up,” She whispered; mocking him like the first time. Matty did what she said and she dropped the purple, rainbow stamped pill onto his tongue. He closed his mouth, swallowing the pill. Lark handed over the other pill, and Matty knew exactly what to do with it.

“Your turn, love,” He smirked and she opened her mouth, even tilting her head back a little bit. He dropped the pill in, elated when she swallowed her own green pill with a heart stamped on it. “What do you want, Larkin?”

“Fuck me,” She shrugged, wrapping her arms around Matty because no one was looking. No one saw the exchange, and no one saw that they were grinding to the music that was playing in the room. Everyone was oblivious to the two singer in the corner who swapped some pills.

Well, almost everyone.

Adam really wished he wasn’t there to witness it.