bite my bottom lip and let our passion bleed out so lust can take over while
love watches in envy.
-m.razon

**

"So what you're proposing, is that we have a Derp Con at every show?" Sammy clarifies and we all vigorously nod at him. 

"I like it," Nick says.

"I don't care if you like it or not Nick. We are doing it anyway." Ashton glares at him, I had a feeling that they never got along.

"We will send out notices to the arena's and the crew, see what they can do," Sammy suggests, deep in thought.

Calum raises his phone. "We should tweet the fans a message so they know that they can dress up and to come a few hours early to the shows."

I didn't think they needed to tell the fans to come early, they camped out for shows a day early anyway. Over the years, it has only gotten crazier.

"Good idea." Ashton and Michael agree. The band had called an emergency meeting with their management to bring this up, everyone was here except for Luke. It had been easier than we thought to convince them.

"Am I the only one here who doesn't know what the heck a Derp Con is?" Addy worries, making everyone laugh.

Ashton is seated next to her so he pulls her closer. "Derp Con was a fan convention we had two years ago. We had competitions and flew fans to LA from all around the world for three days."

"Not from every country," I mutter to myself. Remembering how much shit went down between the fans during those weeks.

"We gave them the full 5SOS experience. They got to dress up and get derpy as much as they wanted. We made like...customized food and merchandise for them, stuff like that." He explains.

"We hung out with them and had an acoustic set at the end of the day," Michael adds. I was twenty years old now and I was still jealous I couldn't be there.

"Started the party without me?" Something in my chest flutters at the voice. Luke walks into the room wearing a rumpled black t-shirt and his black skinny jeans.

"We thought of what to do for the fans." Calum beams up at him and Luke plops down on the couch next to him, directly in front of me. I stare down at my phone, pretending to be occupied.

"Well, Sierra did. She's an absolute genius." Calum adds.

I hear Luke mutter something along the lines of "we're screwed" but I keep looking down at my phone, refusing to make eye contact.

"So what's the plan?" He asks, his voice is raspy, tired.

"We are going to make the shows Derp Con themed," Sammy replies.

"She came up with that?" Luke asks, pointing at me. I finally look up from my phone and look him in the eye. My heart flutters again when I see that he still looks a little hung-over. Last night flashes through my head and how vulnerable he was, I push the sympathy away.

"Yes, do you have a problem with that too?" I shoot.

"No, no problem. Anything for our fans." He gives me a fake smile.

"Good."

---

I slowly blink my eyes open, the morning light that was streaming in through the curtains was too bright. We had flown to Brazil on a thirteen-hour flight yesterday and I was feeling enough jet lag to last me a lifetime.

As soon as we got to Rio, we were driven to our hotel to rest because the show was today. Montana, Addy and I had grabbed a bottle of scotch from the bar and had decided to share a room because well, why the hell not?

We must have passed out talking for hours and making plans for the show and now I know it probably was a bad idea because I couldn't move to the left or the right. Addy was fast asleep on my left with her hand draped over me and Montana was on my right, her leg over both of us. As much as I loved cuddling with my best friends, I couldn't breathe. 

"Guys." I groan, pulling my hand out from under Monti. Judging by the brightness of the sunlight, I was guessing it was high time to get ready and head to the arena.

"Wake up you guys." I shake them both. Addy stirs beside me and raises her head sleepily, her hair a tangled mess.

"What time is it?" She mumbles.

"I don't know." I yawn and pat around the sheets to try and find my phone.

Montana whacks me in the hand. "Shut up! I'm trying to sleep." She groans into her pillow. Addy grabs her phone off the side table and sits up on the bed.

"It's forty-five to twelve. We have to be down by two." She states, yawning again. That makes Montana shoot straight up, her OCD probably kicking in.

"Oh my god, I have so much to do! Shit, we're going to be so late." She mutters and tries to get up but I pull her back down next to me.

"Relax will you? We have like, two whole hours."

"Yes, I know, but I have to shower and do something with my hair, we gotta sort through the products, and I have to do some stuff for Calum." She keeps listing.

"Some stuff huh? What kind of stuff?" I wink at her as Addy laughs out loud.

"Leave it up to you to make sick jokes early morning." Montana groans again and lays her head down on my lap. Her earlier frustration at being late forgotten.

We all sit close on the huge bed and have a quiet moment, enjoying the peace that felt like the calm before a storm. "We're living the dream." Addy finally breaks the silence.

"No, I always wanted to be a porn star. This is not my dream." Montana admits, making us laugh.

Addy takes my hand in hers, admiring my nail art. I was big on always having my nails done, it made me feel complete. "I know it's been rough for you, but I'm glad you're here." She tells me.

"Thanks, babe. I'm happy I have you two here with me." I smile at her.

"No matter what happens, we will always have each other." She says and Montana sits up, all three of us sitting in a circle in the middle of the bed.

"Promise?" I ask.

"Promise." They say and we wrap our pinkies around the others and end up in a hysterical laughing fit.

---

This place was huge. The arena was called Cidade do Rock and we were told its capacity was about seventy-five thousand people. The arena was open at the top and I could see the clear blue skies. My heart soared for a second when we first walked in because I realized just how far Five Seconds of Summer has come as a band.

I know they've played this arena before but then it was for One Direction when they were an opening act. This show was theirs, it was sold out for them. However, my proud moment is broken by Luke when he comes up to me and starts to walk beside me. Mimicking my movements.

"Can you not?" I narrow my eyes at him. That night in LA was always on replay in my mind now, like it was trying to make sense of it.

"Can you not?" He mimics, trying to be serious. How was this guy twenty years old? Pathetic. I ignore him and walk off, trying to catch up to Addy and Montana who were a few feet away and carrying large bags identical to mine with all the stuff we will need for tonight.

The other three boys were up on stage with some of the crew, getting ready for sound check. They had decided to set up a place in every country on the tour where fans could go if they liked and experience Derp Con and then attend the show two hours later, dressed up in costumes. I don't know how they pulled it all off last minute but they had and I was happy. Fans have been going crazy on Twitter saying how appreciated they felt by the band.

"We can be friends you know." Luke has come up behind me again. I pause in my tracks. Friends? He wanted to be friends after all that he has said to me? Does he think that I have no self-respect?

"You want to be my friend?" I ask sarcastically but he nods, dismissing my tone.

"Since the day I met you, all you have done is insult me every chance you get! You proved that you hated me and now you want to be my friend? No, thank you, Mr. Hemmings. I'd rather keep my job." I say not so calmly, surprised at his confidence to actually ask this of me.

I move away and start walking again but he jumps in front of me. "Look, I'm trying to make this easier for us. So we can do this the easy way or the hard way." He suggests.

I scoff, unable to believe what I was hearing.

"You pull all that crap on me and now you want a truce? I almost didn't take this job because of you!" I stamp my foot on the ground not caring if my voice was echoing through the arena.

"Okay, fine, will it make you shut up if I say I'm sorry?" He frowns. It's like this guy had forgotten how he has been treating me. Did he feel any type of emotion?

"I don't need your sorry, Luke. You're a rude piece of shit that I don't want to waste my precious time and feelings on. One minute you're nastier than Satan's butt and then the next you want to be my friend. But guess what? I don't take shit from anyone, not even stuck up rock stars so stay away from me unless you need me to do your princess makeup for you." I push a shocked Luke out of the way and continue my walk towards Addy and Montana who are waiting for me by a door that leads to backstage, not daring to look back.

---

"Ross can you please stop staring at me." I groan as I hairspray his blonde locks. We were in R5's dressing room getting them ready to go on in a few minutes. I had just got done with Riker and Rocky and it was Ross's turn. Montana and Addy were taking care of Rydel and Ellington.

"Can you blame me? You look adorable when you're concentrating." Ross laughs.

"Unless you want your hair burned, be quiet." I joke, grabbing the straightener. He had asked me to flatten out his hair for him today.

After his hair is done the way he wants it, I start on his makeup. We just powdered off on the boys since they sweated through every pore while performing and concealed any dark eye bags and blemishes. Nothing heavy.

R5 had decided to add in a little formality to their costumes for the show today since it was the first on the tour. Everyone was in white shirts and black pants except for Rydel who was in a mini white dress and combat boots. It was fun working with them. The siblings had a great bond and the chatter was non-stop. Everyone was in high spirits.

"Fifteen and you're on guys," Sammy announces from the doorway and rushes out again.

"Almost done," I say to Addy as I tie Ross's thin black tie around his collar. He keeps staring at me but I concentrate on my work.

"Thank you." He says when I'm done and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek earning hoots from his brothers. I roll my eyes at them, laughing. Paparazzi had gotten some good shots of us together at the gala and now, of course, everyone assumed that we were together.

"Good luck you guys. Kill 'em." I cheer as they all head out and we grab our stuff, huffing with relief as we had gotten one job done perfectly before heading over to the next dressing room to start getting the other band ready.

~

When we get in, Ashton is shirtless and upside down on his head, leaning against the wall and laughing while Calum recorded it on his phone. I knew straight away what they were doing but the other two were confused.

"What are you doing?" Montana asks, her eyebrows raised.

"Hey, babe!" Calum cheers and runs over like a kid with his phone still held up, recording. I honestly couldn't accept the fact that they were all in their twenties.

"We're making a few Keeks! Say hi!" He says and we all wave awkwardly. This was going to be all over the internet two seconds after he posts it.

"Guys, meet our beautiful makeup artists...and this one...she's my girlfriend." Calum introduces, pulling Montana to his side and flipping the camera over so they were recorded in the video as he kissed her cheek.

"Isn't she beautiful?" He asks the camera. Ashton gets down onto his feet and comes up to Addy, signaling at Calum to flip the camera back towards him.

"And this one here is my princess." Ashton hugs Addy to him and bends her backward, kissing her just like in a chick flick. Sappiness overload. 

We all 'aww' in unison as background music for the keek.  I drop onto the couch with my coffee, this entire situation a little too awkward for me, kind of like a brain freeze. 

Hearing Michael singing the Pokemon theme song from the showers, I smile to myself. I wasn't looking forward to seeing Luke after our little...our little what? Fight? Argument? Banter? I try to stop my mind from wondering to him.

Calum comes up to me and all but shoves the camera in my face. "Introduce yourself to the fam."

"Hi, guys! I'm the unwanted fifth wheel! Yay." I laugh and take a sip of my coffee, trying to hide my face with it. This was not something I was comfortable with.

"No, she's the most amazing makeup artist on the planet." Calum corrects with a pout and I laugh, bringing my head into the camera range again.

"It's the first show and I haven't even done anything yet guys. He's a liar."

"Get out of my cameo." Calum rolls his eyes, pushing me away playfully.

---

"Please don't take any of your clothes off okay? Management will kill me." I whine as we all make our way towards the stage.

Over the past year, the 5SOS boys have started a streak of ripping off their clothes on stage or going on without any in the first place. Management had told me to make sure they had clothes on when they went on stage this time.

I laughed for about fifteen minutes straight afterward. The world has already seen every single body part of theirs and they were all pretty much built and toned in all the right places and was the best eye candy for teenage girls but I was guessing the worrying was for the younger fans sake. And the parents.

"Sure, sure." Ashton laughs as we head towards the stage from the dressing rooms. The crowds were getting louder.

Luke had come into the room and asked for Addy to grab whatever she will need to get him ready and to come with him. She had gone after him with her hands loaded with hairspray and blow dryers, shooting me a quick worried look. I'm sure he had done it to prove a point to me but I ignored it even though my blood boiled.

R5 are seated around behind the stage, cooling off as they had just gotten off a couple of minutes ago. I see Luke seated over at a corner while Addy messed with his hair. I spot Ross and walk over to him and he brightens when he sees me. "How did it go?" I grin.

He points his hands up and down his body, showing me how sweaty he was. "Brazil is crazy." He laughs. His shirt buttons are open and his tie long gone, probably with a girl in the crowd now. His chest and abs are on full display, glistening with sweat. I feel my stomach do flips.

"You guys go hardcore huh?" I ask, dragging my eyes off of his abs and up to his face so I wasn't staring at him. His hair was all messed up and curling,  my hair-do sweated out long ago.

"Hardcore baby, hardcore." He smirks, pulling me closer. I move closer and give into my urge to push his hair out of his eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" He murmurs, running his hands up and down my back in a soothing motion.

"Nothing."

"There's something. Tell me." He insists.

"Nothing Ross, I promise." 

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way." He tries to say in a serious tone. How many people were going to tell me that today?

"Oh yeah? What's the hard way?" I challenge him, giggling.

His hands land on my hips and he shouts, "Tickle-fest!"

I yelp and push away when he starts tickling me but we drop onto the floor instead. I shout at him to stop but he keeps tickling me, straddling my hips.

"Are you going to tell me now?" He laughs and I can hear everyone around us laughing at the spectacle too. Tears start to stream down my face from laughing too hard and crying at the same time.

"Okay! Okay! Stop please." I wheeze out through my giggles. He stops and gets up, pulling me up with him.

"I love your laughter. Can I tickle you again?" He asks.

"No! Oh my god." I giggle automatically, wrapping my arms around my body as protection from him. Ross comes close to wipe a tear from my cheek.

"Boys you're on stage in two!" Someone shouts and I hear the intro booming through the speakers as the crowds start to scream. The sound was too loud and was quite incredible at the same time.

I look over Ross's shoulder to find the boys so I could wish them, but my eyes find Luke instead. His eyes are narrowed at me, his lips in an angry pout. He is fidgeting while Addy clips on his IEM.

His stance is rigid and his hands are clenched at his sides. One of the crew hands him his guitar and he stomps off and stands behind the staircase that leads to the stage as the countdown starts.

"Good luck you guys!" I shout to the other three and they shout quick "thank yous" and "I love yous" behind them and run onto the stage.

The floors of the arena vibrate with the sheer force of the sound that the crowd makes as Ashton bangs on his drums three times in a row, officially kicking off their new tour.