Even If You Don't

Calum’s POV; Two weeks later

“I think they’re listening to the song,” Luke mentioned as we approached the girls’ dressing room, hearing Girls Talk Boys blasting through whoever’s phone they were using.

“This is probably a Snapchat moment,” Michael said, “Do we really want to interrupt it?” We all looked at each other for a moment and then he spun around. “Of course we do!” he exclaimed, grabbing the door handle and opening it suddenly.

The girls were all jumping around and singing along, laughing when they realized we were there but continuing to sing anyway. As expected, Kenzie and Vanessa were recording the whole thing, pointing their phones at us as the second verse started.

“When you’re talking to your girls, do you talk about me?” we instantly started singing along, coming into the room. As soon as I reached Mari, she grabbed my cheeks and dramatically sang the next line with the straightest face she could.

“Do you tell them I’m your lover? I’m all that you need?” she kissed my nose, making me laugh loudly. I put my hands on her sides and tickled her, causing her to squeal loudly and let go of me. Since the next line was almost over, I just sang along to the last line in the verse.

“Do you tell them that you love me the way that I’ve been loving you?” I grinned at the sound of Mari’s laugh, stopping tickling her so I could kiss her cheek. I felt her smile before pulling away, keeping my arms around her waist and pulling her back against my chest.

“You guys!” Kenzie beamed as Kaylynn paused the song on her phone, “The new song is so good!”

“Thank you,” Ashton chuckled, “We’re really glad you like it so much.”

“How do you guys even know the words already anyway?” Michael asked, “It’s only been out for a couple hours.”

“It’s like you don’t know us, Clifford,” Kaylynn scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Just because you guys forget your lyrics all the time doesn’t mean other people do too,” Mari sassed – which probably wasn’t the best choice considering my arms were still wrapped around her.

I immediately started tickling her again, making her squeal even louder than the first time I did it. She tried to force my hands away from her – and although she was putting up quite an impressive fight, I was still a lot stronger than her, so she just resorted to begging.

“C-C-Cal, s-sto-stop!” she giggled breathlessly, making me smile.

“You know what you have to do to stop it,” I teased. Silently admitting defeat, Mari turned her head and pressed her lips to mine. I chuckled softly, finally ceasing the attack so she could catch her breath.

“You’re insufferable,” she tried to tell me without grinning but she still couldn’t hide it.

“I know,” I smiled, kissing her forehead and bringing her back to me for a hug.

~

Mari’s POV; Later that night

“Madison Square Garden!” Kenzie beamed at the crowd, “How are you guys doing tonight?!” The crowd screamed in response as she went on, “We are so lucky to be here with you all!”

“And lucky that you all know our songs as well,” Kaylynn shook her head, “It would be really embarrassing if you didn’t.”

“I mean, everyone knows who they really came to see tonight,” I added.

“Yeah,” Vanessa giggled, “5 Seconds of Summer who? We all know they’re just closing for us.” We all laughed as the audience seemingly cheered in agreement.

“For real though – how many of you know all of our songs?” Kenzie asked, earning even louder screams than before. “Well, we feel like enough of you do, so what do you guys say we get a little weird for this next one?” They cheered again and she raised her hands up. “We need you all to clap your hands, okay?” She started clapping and they mimicked her, the entire stadium filling with the echoes of their claps. “Good!” she smiled, “Now keep that going and don’t be afraid to get weird with us!”

[Kenzie]

When I was just a little kid, I was sitting on the garden wall
Well, I must've bumped my head 'cause I don't dance the same no more

[Mari]

And now I step out of the crowd and I party on the other side
And ain’t no uptight sucker gonna tell me how to live my life

[Kenzie, Kaylynn, Vanessa]

We’re gonna get weird all night
I said, “Now, let’s get weird all night”

Weird people on the dance floor
We’re just doing what we came to do
‘Cause we’re all weird people and we love it
Don't let them other suckers hate on you
‘Cause we’re all weird people and we’re shaking
From the basement to the roof

You know the people on the bus and the people on the street
People like you and the people like me
Weird people

[Vanessa]

Let’s get weird

[Kaylynn]

I see a slick city boy with his fellas hanging by the bar
He got the money and the Benz, but it don’t mean a thing at all

[Kenzie]

Well, mister, let me tell you this: you can get a little weird for free
‘Cause it don’t matter who you are, you can be who you wanna be

[Kenzie, Kaylynn, Vanessa]

We’re gonna get weird all night
I said, “Now, let’s get weird all night”

Weird people on the dance floor
We’re just doing what we came to do
‘Cause we’re all weird people and we love it
Don’t let them other suckers hate on you
‘Cause we’re all weird people and we’re shaking
From the basement to the roof

You know the people on the bus and the people on the street
People like you and the people like me

[Kenzie, Vanessa]

Well, there’s something ‘bout that boy
There’s something ‘bout that boy

[All]

I ain’t doing nothing wrong, baby; I’m just feeling myself
I’m just gonna twerk it out like I ain’t afraid for my health

[Kenzie, Kaylynn, Vanessa]

We’re gonna get weird all night
I said, “Now, let’s get weird all night”
We’re gonna get weird all night
I said, “Now, let’s get weird all night”

Weird people on the dance floor
We’re just doing what we came to do
‘Cause we’re all weird people and we love it
Don’t let them other suckers hate on you
‘Cause we’re all weird people and we’re shaking
From the basement to the roof

[All]

You know the people on the bus and the people on the street
People like you and the people like me
Weird people!

~

A little while later, right before we did our cover for that night, we went into our talking bit.

“So, we know this isn’t technically a 5SOS song, but we really wanted to cover it anyway,” Kenzie announced, “And since we’re here at a sold out MSG show, we figured this would be the perfect time for it!”

“We’re mostly just covering it because Mari has a crush on the ONE OK ROCK boys,” Vanessa giggled. The crowd screamed loudly, realizing what song we were leading into.

“Can you blame me?” I scoffed, making everyone laugh.

“Why don’t we ask Calum what he thinks about that?” Kaylynn snickered.

“Calum knows how I feel about them,” I reminded her.

“Yeah, he has to deal with listening to their music all day,” Kenzie said, “Everyone knows that if at least one of their songs can’t be heard on Mari’s Snapchat story, you’re not actually watching Mari’s Snapchat story.”

“You’re all just mad because I won the rock, paper, scissors thing for Ashton’s solos,” I said.

“Because they’re the best parts of the song!” Kaylynn argued.

“I would argue that all of the parts are the best parts of the song,” I shook my head.

“Yeah, because you got his solos!” Vanessa giggled.

“Well, how about you just win rock, paper, scissors next time then?” I replied, sticking my tongue out at her – a gesture she happily returned.

“When we have to start recycling covers, we’ll switch up the solos,” Kenzie shook her head with a laugh.

“I vote we just move on to another band,” Kaylynn suggested, “A better one than 5SOS, even.”

“Well, that narrows it down,” I scoffed, “Every band is better than 5SOS.”

I looked over at the boys and found Michael flipping me off, making me lean away from my mic so I could laugh loudly. I blew him a kiss and he jokingly caught it, smacking Calum’s cheek lightly as if he were giving it to him. Calum shoved his best friend playfully while I rolled my eyes with a smile, turning back to the crowd.

“Anyway,” Kenzie giggled, “You guys are gonna sing with us, right?” The crowd obviously screamed in response and I started hitting the pedal under my foot to begin the song.

[Vanessa]

Take what you want
Take what you want and go
Take what you want
Take what you want and go
Take what you want
Take what you want and go

[Kenzie]

Come and gone, the perfect storm
On and on, never ending
Open doors, empty arms
Don't look back, no pretending

[Kaylynn]

I don't want anything in our broken home
Not the memories or the things we own
Not the picture of us on the wall
So take what you want

[Kenzie, Kaylynn, Vanessa]

Can you hear me? I'm trying to hear you
Silence strikes like a hurricane
I'm singing for you; you're screaming at me
It's hard to see your tears in the pouring rain

[Vanessa]

Take what you want
Take what you want and go
Take what you want
Take what you want and go
Take what you want
Take what you want and go
Just go now, just go, go, go

[Kaylynn, Kenzie]

Still remember a time when you felt like home
You and me up against the great unknown
You were my life, now you're out of my life
Yeah, I guess that's life

[Mari]

Can you hear me? I'm trying to hear you
Silence strikes like a hurricane
I'm singing for you; you're screaming at me
It's hard to see your tears in the pouring rain

[Vanessa]

Take what you want
Take what you want and go

[Kenzie, Kaylynn, Vanessa]

Take it, no reason for me to hold on

[Mari]

Look in my eyes and I'm letting go

[Kenzie, Kaylynn, Vanessa]

Keep it, don't need it, don't need it, don't need it

[Mari]

Take what you want
Take what you want and go

[Kenzie, Kaylynn, Vanessa]

Can you hear me? I'm trying to hear you
Silence strikes like a hurricane
I'm singing for you; you're screaming at me
It's hard to see your tears in the pouring rain

[Mari]

I don’t want anything in our broken home
All the memories or the things we own

[Vanessa]

Take what you want
Take what you want and go

[Kenzie]

Can you hear me?