Ray of Sunshine

The crowd roared for Ray of Sunshine, but one encore was all they were allowed. Whoever made that rule? That was the question on the minds of all five band members as they exited the stage. They had all met in junior college, had drifted apart somewhat over the years, but reunited to form the rockband they had always dreamed of whilst in school.
26-year old James Eldridge, stage name Sunshine, was lead vocalist and occasionally played guitar. He stood 6'4" with blonde hair, and being ex-military, he kept himself in shape. He also had the personality of a puppy. That is to say, he was very outgoing, tried to remain positive, and always looked out for his friends. He kept his heart guarded, however, because he knew most girls only adored him for his looks and would most likely never appreciate him for who he really was; this had been the case twice before. But he was enjoying life as a rockstar now, and he loved and looked out for his fellow band mates as if they were the only real family he had.
Nikki Patterson, stage name Rae, was the band's lead drummer. The 26 year old blond beauty was nothing short of amazing. She was 5'8" and had long curly hair that, even after the two hour concert the band just performed, was still as stunning as the moment she walked onstage. Nikki was currently dating the lead drummer of Hollywood Undead, Matty. They had met on Twitter almost a year ago and hit it off. The couple had recently celebrated six months together, and seemed very serious and very happy. Their fellow band mates couldn't be happier for them. Nikki was strong and upbeat, just like her boyfriend, which is why she was more or less the "mom" of the group. Any obstacle that came their way, she was right there forming a plan on how to overcome it, and encouraging her friends every step of the way.
Harley Taylor, stage name Monk, was the "class clown" of the group, as well as bass guitarist. He looked for the humor in life, and loved being a goofball. He stood six foot tall exactly, had jet black hair, and a short beard and mustache, which is what set him apart from his two fellow male band mates. Harley was currently single. The rest of the band had a bet as to how long it would be before he finally met his match. Between his bubbly personality and his sarcastic wit, she had her work cut out for her. Harley was also the decisive one of the group. When the subject of food came up, the age old "I don't care" comments would fly from the other four, and he would step in and offer two choices the group would then vote on. This definitely came in handy many times.
Lauren Davis, stage name Mia, was lead guitarist and harmonizing vocalist. She was the youngest and shortest member of the group, at 24 years old (for another month anyway) she stood 5'7" and had long sandy blonde hair. What she lacked in height and age, however, she made up for with her huge heart. Four months before the band formed, she had finally begun to recover from nine years of depression and suicidal tendencies. Her celebrity status helped earn her the connections to form the organization she named HOPE. It was a nonprofit support center for those who couldn't afford therapy and medication to regulate their depression, as well as a treatment center for drug or alcohol abuse as a result of depression. She and Nikki kept close tabs on the organization, and chose their friend Beth to oversee things in their absence while they were touring. Lauren was down to earth and loved the simple things in life. She was currently single as well, and had no intention of changing that until she knew she was mentally ready for such a commitment.
The fifth member of the band was the keyboardist, Sam Cochran. Introverted gamer and nerd, you name the fandom, he was part of it. Although he rarely got to attend conventions, he still stayed in close contact with the friends he'd made over the years through fandoms and online gaming. He was quiet, kept to himself, and had kind of a dark personality, earning him the stage name Vader, which he thought was "far out." Nikki and Lauren were determined to find him a girlfriend, even though he was secure in his single lifestyle.

"Man, what a CROWD!" James exclaimed as the group stepped into the guys' bus. He immediately collapsed onto the couch dramatically.
"Right?!" agreed Nikki, settling into a chair opposite him. "I still can't believe this show was sold out! This is, after all, the one Mindy was worried about," she added, referring to their manager and dear friend.
Sam bid the group good night, and made his way to the guys' bedroom in the back to play World of Warcraft before going to bed. Harley went to the kitchen for a snack, milk and cookies, and sat at the table to eat.
Lauren sat opposite him and said, "Well, I'm just glad we were wrong. That was so much fun!"
"Indeed it was," James replied, nodding and sitting upright. "So what now?"
Nikki was the first to speak up. "I'm going to our bus to Skype with Matty."
"Yeah where are they performing tomorrow?" Lauren asked.
"Cincinnati," Nikki responded with a deep sigh before wondering aloud, "Why is Texas so far from Ohio?"
"That's one you should take up with the founding fathers in the next life," James joked, earning a scowl from Nikki.
"You know," she said matter-of-factly, "Matty says the guys want to meet all of us when we're all back in Cali. Their tour ends the week after ours does, and we've only got about two weeks left."
"Really?" This got Lauren's attention. The two bands had never actually met, save the Matty-Nikki relationship. Hollywood Undead was her favorite modern day rock band, and this news pleased her.
Nikki sent her a knowing look. "Yes, really. Matty also says that Johnny is looking forward to meeting you and that amazing voice of yours, as Johnny puts it."
James smirked when Lauren blushed. "Looks like he's not the only one looking forward to it." He winked at her, and she glared at him.
"Oh shut it," she scoffed. "I'm a fan, ok? Am I not allowed to be a fan of Hollywood Undead without you guys turning it into something it's not?"
Nikki and James snickered, but it was Harley who answered. "What'd you expect? This is their favorite hobby: picking on you." Lauren laughed at this.
"I get that, loud and clear," she resolved.
Harley stood and returned to the kitchen to put his empty plate and glass in the dishwasher. "I'm out guys," he said, and started walking to the back.
"Night, Harley," they said in unison as he closed the door behind him.
"So you going back to the girl bus with Nikki, or you wanna hang with me?" James asked Lauren. "I was thinking of going for ice cream and maybe a walk."
"Sounds good to me," Lauren told him. "That way Nikki and Matty can have some privacy and I won't have to hear 'aww' five thousand times tonight," she added, winking at her best friend.
Nikki laughed. "Yall have fun with that!" she called as she stood and left the bus.
James stood and looked at Lauren. "Shall we?"
Lauren laughed and followed her friend off the bus and into the cool breeze that awaited them on that beautiful September night in Dallas.