Even If You Don't

Mari’s POV

The next day; 10am

All of our equipment had already been picked up and taken to the venue before we left to get the boys yesterday, so all we had to do was set up for soundcheck. Since we were the openers, it was decided that it would just be easier for Ashton use my drums for their turn at soundcheck instead of setting up his kit just to take it back down again.

I looked at the hazel-eyed boy curiously as he trotted over and began helping me set up my drums without anyone asking him to.

“What?” Ashton asked with a smile when he noticed me staring.

“Nothing,” I laughed under my breath, continuing to work, “Just not used to people helping me do this.”

“Well, look at the bright side,” he shrugged, “When you guys become ridiculously famous after this tour, you’ll be able to hire a guy to do it for you.”

“Where’s the satisfaction in that, Ash?” I teased.

“You can warm up your vocal cords and sing your songs so you don’t forget the lyrics,” he stuck his tongue out at me.

“That something you remind Calum to do every day?” I winked and he nodded seriously in response. I simply giggled and went on, “I’m pretty good with our lyrics, you know. I’d rather do a song I don’t have to hear every single day.”

“Go for it then,” Ashton challenged.

I happily accepted it, climbing up onto the seat behind my drum kit and then hopping onto the speaker beside it. Once I was standing back on my feet, I looked around the empty arena with my hands on my hips.

“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” Ashton quickly went into responsible-mode on me, “You’re going to hurt yourself!”

“Who’s going to hurt themselves?” Kaylynn asked as she and the group came onto the stage. They looked at where Ashton was gazing and found me. “Mari Danielle Duncan, if you fall off of that thing, so help me God-” I cut her off with a small smirk.

“I’m gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware,” I sang, earning a laugh from my bandmates and an eye roll from the boys – typical Mari, as the girls would say.

“Well, I’ve never seen a king of beast with quite so little hair!” Kenzie giggled.

“I’m gonna be the main event like no king was before,” I shook my head, “I’m brushing up on looking down, I’m working on my ROAR!”

“Thus far, a rather…uninspiring this,” Vanessa chirped, making me wave her off.

“Oh, I just can’t WAIT to be king!” I smiled widely.

“You’ve a long way to go, Mari, if you think-” I cut Kaylynn off.

“No one saying do this,” I rolled me eyes jokingly, jumping off of the speaker.

“No one saying be there!” Michael chimed in, making everyone look at him.

“No one saying stop that!” I sang and then Michael and I sang in unison, “No one saying see here!” I went on by myself, “Free to run around all day, free to do it all my way!”

“I think it’s time that you and I arranged a heart-to-heart,” Calum joined in. I skipped over to him as I sang the next line.

“Kings don’t need advice from little bassists for a start,” I giggled, poking his nose.

“Rude,” Kaylynn scoffed, but snickered quietly at the blush on Calum’s cheeks.

“If this is where the monarchy is headed, count me out!” Luke exclaimed dramatically, throwing his hands up, “Out of service, out of Africa; I wouldn’t hang about!”

“This child is getting wildly out of wing,” Ashton shook his head, obviously trying not to smile.

“Oh, I just can’t wait to be king!” I grinned. I trotted over to the center of the stage. “Everybody look left, everybody look right; Everywhere you look I’m-” I furrowed my eyebrows for a moment before stepping forward, right where Luke’s microphone stand would be. “-standing in the spotlight!”

“Not yet!” Kaylynn stated, pulling me back to my drum kit and making me sit down on the bass drum. My smirk only grew, skipping the next part of the song and going straight to the last three lines.

“Oh, I just can’t wait to be king,” I grinned. I then stood up to deliver the next line, “Oh, I just can’t wait to be king. Oh, I just can’t wait-” As I held out the note, I hopped up on my seat and climbed back onto the speaker to end the song. “-to be king!”

My hands were back on my hips as I overlooked the venue, the few crew members setting up the barricade stopping to clap. I bowed jokingly, making them chuckle before getting back to work.

“Alright,” Ashton chuckled, walking over to me, “Seriously, get down from there before you hurt yourself.” He held his arm up, letting me take his hand so I could jump back off the speaker.

“You have to unwind, guys!” I squeaked, “You’re all too worried about everything not being ready in time! You all needed an impromptu Disney sing-along!”

“That was pretty fun, huh?” Kenzie giggled.

“Prepare yourselves for tomorrow because we’ll be doing I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” I announced.

“No way!” Kaylynn exclaimed, “You get way too slap-happy during that song.”

“Well, if you guys would just man up before the second verse, I wouldn’t have to,” I sassed. The boys chuckled under their breaths.

“Okay, kitten,” Michael said, already having given me a nickname, “What do you say you and me go cause some trouble somewhere else?” He threw his arm around my shoulders, beginning to lead me away from the group.

“I thought you’d never ask, Mikey,” I sighed dramatically, slipping my arm around his waist and leaning into him.

Calum’s POV

“Look at him,” Kaylynn smirked at me, causing everyone to turn their attention to the two of us, “He’s in so deep already and he’s barely even had a conversation with her.”

“Shut up,” I mumbled, blushing ever-so-slightly.

“We thought she was just a celebrity crush, Cal,” Luke snickered, “We didn’t think you were actually in love with her.”

“I’m not in love with anybody.”

“Yet,” Ashton grinned, trotting away with Luke, Kaylynn, Kenzie, and Vanessa following behind him.