"Yeah, you know you got to help me out..."
__

"Jail?"

It's still Thursday night, and that one word gets Royce's attention.

"Kennedy," Royce begins, as her frown deepens, "what?"

Lola looks up from her laptop. "What?"

"Someone's in jail..."

Lola's eyes widen. "Someone's in jail? Who's in jail? Did Perrie pee on someone, again?"

Royce laughs. "Or, did Jesy?"

Lola clutches her stomach, rolling over on Kennedy's bed. "Remember that night?"

"Umm, of course. Between the two of them they had-"

"Shh," Kennedy exclaims, shooting her friends glares as she rises from the bed between them, pacing about the room. "Yeah, yeah...okay. Fucking God...Do you realize how much you're gonna owe me after this? You do realize that, right? Okay. Good. Just making sure...Shut up; this isn't funny! I'm..."

Royce and Lola exchange glances.

"...yeah, yeah. I'll see you soon. Bye...You're welcome...I know...Bye, Luke."

Lola falls out.

"Luke?" She exclaims. "Luke Castillo from AP Gov? Luke McNarry from band?" She taps her chin as Royce rolls her eyes and Kennedy sighs, searching around the room for her shoes. "Which Luke could you possibly mean, Kenn?"

Kennedy shoots Lola a glare.

"Very funny, Lola," she says. "And if you must know, it's your dear friend Luke Hemmings, who we've got to bail out of jail, tonight."

Royce sighs. "Jesus..."

"Umm, we?" Lola snorts. "Why do I have to come bail out your boyfriend?"

"For moral support, of course," she smiles, before grabbing for a pillow and whacking Lola upside her head with it.

"Bitch!"

And Royce can't help it.

She laughs.

___

Luke gets his tired ass dragged back to the holding cell he's in with Calum and Ashton and Michael and the rest of the people caught from the club and detained.

"Well," he snaps, as Calum and Ashton lean tiredly against each other and Michael takes a seat beside him, "Look at us," he folds his arms, "we're reunited. Me and all my best mates. Together again."

Calum chuckles tiredly as Michael rolls his eyes. "Me and all my best mates, together again," Mike mimics. He rolls his eyes with a snort, "Don't be a drama queen, Luke."

"Me?" Luke exclaims. "Me, Michael? Dude, look the fuck around. Notice something?" He leans forward, "We're in jail."

Michael shrugs. "We've been worse places."

"No! No, we haven't!"

"Dude, fucking chill."

"Chill?"

"Yeah, chill," Michael replies tiredly. "You called Kennedy, right?"

"Yeah, and now she's gotta bail our asses out of fucking jail."

Michael snorts, waving him off dismissively. "Bailing you out of jail isn't gonna make her change her mind about not fucking you. Chill out, Luke."

"Fucking me?" Luke blinks. "Fucking me? She won't fuck me 'cause I'm friends with you."

"Pssh," Michael laughs. "Then you don't need to be with her, anyway."

"Dude!" Luke roars, reaching out now to grab the front of Michael's shirt.

"Whoa--" Exclaims one of the guys in the cell.

"Shut the fuck up!" Luke exclaims. He's tired and delirious and running on very little energy. "You think this is funny? You think this is some kinda joke?"

"Luke," Calum exclaims, rising to his feet. "C'mon, let him go, mate."

But, Luke is too busy glaring at Michael to let him go. "What is it, huh? 'Cause we've been in shit, but not shit like this."

Calum nods ."He's got a point, Mike..."

Michael jerks from Luke's hold on him. "What the fuck, Calum? Whose side're you on, you fucking instigator?"

"I mean, what? He's right, man."

"I know I'm right," Luke snaps. "Ever since Emma's been hanging around I've been out late doing stupid shit, and don't fucking tell me she's your friend 'cause you both hate Jesse. That's fucking stupid and it doesn't fucking make any sense."

"Fuck off, Luke," Michael spits back, shoving him. "I told you I owed Snake a favor, didn't I?"

"That doesn't explain shit," Luke screams, shoving him back, and this time Michael stumbles backwards into Ashton and wakes him up.

He sits up. "The fuck...?"

"We played our shows," Luke continues. "We did what you said we had to do, but still she's been with us every day after school fucking shit up. She's with us all the fucking time, Mikey," Luke exclaims, and again, Calum nods.

"He's right about that, too, Mike."

Ashton looks between them. "What the hell...? What the fuck's going on?"

That goes ignored, because Luke is tired and pissed off and it's probably because of whatever he snorted out of that plastic bag of Emma's magic pills.

"Your dumbass friend Michael keeps inviting Emma places and it keeps ending us up in shit," Luke exclaims.

Ashton nods. "Yeah..."

Calum nods too, tiredly.

"What," Luke growls, "is she always fucking doing with us?"

Michael glares back. "It's a free fucking country, Luke."

By now, everyone in their cell is staring.

"Not when that bitch is this fucking devil."

"He's right."

"Shut the fuck up, Calum!"

"She's always fucking with us, Mike, thanks to you, you dick," Luke growls. "And if you can't tell that's a fucking issue then..."

Luke scowls, "What the fuck're we even doing with her...?"

And Luke's voice trails off to nothing, blue eyes widening.

Now, Luke gets it.

He clenches his teeth together.

"That's the favor," he grits, "Isn't it?"

No one's seen Luke that angry, before.

Michael is uncharacteristically silent.

Luke's voice is low and gravelly. "It hasn't been the fucking shows, or the late nights, or any of the other shit, has it?"

Michael looks away.

"Has it, Mikey? Huh!? Or have we really been playing fucking babysitter to Satan's spawn!"

Michael doesn't respond.

Calum looks to Michael. "Luke's lying," he grits. "Mikey, tell me he's fucking lying."

Michael glares. "And if I don't?"

"Dude," Ashton shakes his head, running his hands across his face; he's exhausted and drunk still, "is that really the favor? We've gotta take care of Snake's fucking kid?"

"Wait..." Calum looks around, because he's starting to finally sober up a little. "Where the fuck is she now?"

___

"The fuck?" Lola groans, as Kennedy pulls up in front of the local police station. "He really got his ass arrested?"

"What the fuck does 'Luke's in jail,' mean to you, Lols?"

Royce laughs, shaking her head. "God...What the fuck'd they do?"

"Something about being at a club..." Kennedy replies, as she pulls into the lot behind the station. "I didn't really ask. I just know he owes me bail."

Royce nods, as suddenly her conversation with Luke comes flooding back to her earlier that night.

From the weird texts from Calum, to the weird conversation with Luke...

God, Royce realizes. Calum's ass is probably in the cell with Luke's.

Watch both of those idiots have gotten arrested tonight.

"Well, c'mon, then," Kennedy sighs. "Let's get this over with."

And both Royce and Lola follow Kennedy from the car.

The girls walk up the steps to the precinct, and as the officer at the counter greets the girls with a, "How can I help you, ladies?" Royce's phone buzzes in her pocket.

It's her brother.

It's Christian, and he's calling.

Roycie: nows kinda not a good time chris

He texts her back.

Chris: tf u doing????

She texts him.

Roycie: bailing a friend outta jail
Roycie: long story

Chris responds.

Chris: what typa friends u got girl???

Royce laughs.

Roycie: hella good question

Christian replies one last time.

Chris: you're gonna wanna call me when you can
Chris: don't forget
Chris: I'm deadass

And Royce replies with an ok, pocketing her phone because she can't deal with anything else at the moment. Like, can't jail be enough, tonight?

She's gonna have to say 'yes.'

"Damn it," Lola says, as the officer finally goes to retrieve Luke and the boys. "They really fucked up."

"They really owe me money," says Kennedy through gritted teeth, since the boys violated Washington's Zero Tolerance Law and were minors in possession of alcohol.

Royce shakes her head. "They're lucky they don't actually have to stay here. They're lucky they can get out with a fine."

"Yeah, of five-fucking-hundred dollars!"

Lola whistles. "The lady said it could've been five thousand."

"Apparently they weren't all drunk," says Kennedy, arms crossed as they wait for the boys. She drums her long nails impatiently upon her arm. "Just three out of four. I swear, when I see Luke I'm gonna kill him."

When the officer lets the boys go, they're quickly notified of their expensive-ass fine and some other bad news, too.

Their licenses are suspended for ninety days.

"You're lucky, boys," says Officer Rachel Goff, as she leads them from their cell. "It could've been worse. You've got some great friends."

And Ashton frowns. "Friends?"

Calum's heart sinks. "Who else'd you call, Luke?"

"Just Kennedy. Shut the fuck up."

"Dude, chill."

"Don't tell me to fucking chill. Literally, just don't. Don't fucking talk to me, Mike."

And they're led to the lobby of the precinct.

Calum sees Royce first and his heart stops beating in his chest.

He should have fucking known that Kennedy was going to bring her, goddammit.

Now, she gets to see him in jail.

Now, this bad boy, vagabond image of him is only going to be reinforced in her mind.

Now, even he can see why Payne is so much better for her.

Fuck him.

No, fuck her, because this is who he is and if she can't get with that, then--"Jesus Christ, Calum," he tells himself, "Shut the fuck up with all these thoughts about Royce."

Too late.

It's the Adderall, or whatever the hell he'd been given at the club.

It's the drugs talking, not him.

But, if that's the case, then the drugs are also making him want to hug her and hold her and smell her hair and allow her to hold him and kiss his problems away. If it's the drugs making him feel weird shit, then those drugs are making him crave her touch and her lips and her voice in his ear...

"Who's the hot chick?" Ashton whispers loudly, drunkenly as he sees Lola with her hands on her hips, standing on Kennedy's opposite side.

"That's Lola, dipshit," Kennedy replies, as she glares at each of the boys. "Now, shut up and say nothing because you're all in trouble."

"Don't be mean," Lola grins, batting her lashes at the drunk drummer with the sandy blonde hair pulled into a man bun.

Kennedy rolls her eyes. "You just like him 'cause of his hair!"

"I--"

Ashton grins. "You like my hair?"

Kennedy can't take this. "Shut up, Ashton!"

"Introduce me to your, your friend, then."

Kennedy sighs tiredly. "Lord..." She exhales loudly, and Royce focuses all of her gaze and amusement onto her friend and purposefully directs none of it towards Calum, whose eyes she can feel boring into her.

"Lola, that's Luke, Calum, Michael and Ashton..."

He grins.

"Guys--Royce and Lola," she pulls a face. "There. Happy?"

Ashton nods. "How hard was that?"

"Can we go?" Asks Royce, because it's pushing two-thirty and it's a Thursday.

"Yes," Kennedy exclaims. "Since none of you idiots can drive."

"Pshh. I can."

"Shut the fuck up, Mikey!"

And they exit the precinct, hitting the doors, only to be met by the cold air and the misty fog and the blonde girl sat on the curb.

She turns.

Luke scowls viciously. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

She rises to a stand. "Nice to see you too, Lucinda."

"Where've you been?" Calum scowls. "Way to ditch us and let us take the fucking blame for--"

"For?" Emma places a hand behind her ear. "For what, Cal? I didn't force you into snorting my shit, and I sure as hell didn't force you to drink, either."

Lola looks around at the boys. "You guys're high, too?"

Royce snorts. "You can't tell?"

Calum stares at her. "You can?"

"Uh, yeah. Only an idiot can't. I'm shocked they didn't test you guys in there. Our fucking law enforcement system is shit."

Kennedy looks to Emma.

"Who's the chick?"

Luke glares over her head at Michael. "Ask him."

Michael rolls his eyes. "Jesus Christ! Are we still on that, mate!?"

Emma looks between them. "On what?"

That's ignored.

"What do you think, Mikey? How'm I supposed to explain to my mom that my license is suspended? Huh? You gonna tell her?"

Emma whistles. "Could be worse."

Ashton points to her. "You might wanna shut up."

"What?" She shrugs. "You guys were high and drunk and under aged at a club..."

The girls look around.

"What?"

"Why?"

"Holy shit--!"

Emma nods. "...so I'd say it was a pretty damn good night, don't you?"

Royce shakes her head, speaking before Ashton or Calum or Luke can rip her head off. "What'd you give them?"

She wrinkles her nose. "Give them? I didn't give them--"

Royce rolls her eyes. "The drugs," she says. "What'd you take?"

"Oh," and Emma pulls the bag of pills left from her pocket.

Kennedy snatches it from her hand. "What the fuck's this?"

Luke shrugs, glaring at Emma. "Good question."

"You don't know?" Kennedy turns to him. "But, you took it?"

And Luke opens his moth to respond, arms raised in surrender when Royce snatches the bag from Kennedy.

"Chill, Kenn," says Michael. "It's like, Adderall, or some shit--"

She pulls the last two pills from the bag and let's them roll around in her hand.

She's staring at two little white pills, rubbing her thumb over the ridges alongside the front from the indentations of the two lines creating three sections upon the surface. There are different letters and numbers impressed into each section, and Royce shakes her head. This is so obviously not Adderall she doesn't understand what the fuck made them snort this shit.

"It's not Adderall," laughs Royce.

Calum turns to her, shock still evident. "You know?"

"Yeah," Michael snorts. "How'd you know?"

"Because, idiot," she retorts, "Addie doesn't look like this. This is Xanax. You didn't take a stimulant, you took a sedative. That shit makes you tired and angry and hallucinate and other random extra shit," she shakes her head, "That's why you're half-asleep, dumbass."

Calum is staring at Royce because how the fuck does she know that??

Lola snorts. "How the fuck do you know that?"

Royce shrugs, tossing the pills into the nearest trash bin. "Doesn't really matter."

"Hey!" Emma exclaims. "That's my shit!"

"Not anymore," says Luke, and Kennedy laughs.

And Luke turns to her, smiling with his teeth grazing his lip ring.

He taps her. "Thanks, Kenn."

"Yeah, yeah," she replies. "My dad's definitely gonna notice I just spent way too much money, and I can't even lie and say I bought new shoes."

He ducks his head as their friends follow to the car.

He whispers, "Thanks, though."

She sighs. "I don't know how you're all gonna fit in my car."

He snakes his arms around her waist.

"Luke!"

He's still whispering, her back against his chest. "We'll make it work."

Kennedy sighs tiredly. "There's like, ten of us," she responds. "And that weird girl friend of yours..."

"She's not my friend," Luke replies, as Royce ignores Calum and Lola flirts with Ashton. "Thank you, Kenn."

"You said that already, Luke."

"Because you're still pissed at me."

"I'm..." And she turns in his arms, scrunching her face as she folds her own against her chest.

Luke only smiles down at her. He ducks his head and leans his forehead against hers. He drops his voice even lower, "Thanks, Kenn."

"You're welcome, Luke."

"I like you."

She frowns. "You've said that before."

"I'll keep saying it 'till you do."

"Luke..."

"Guys!"

And Kennedy jerks in Luke's arms. He doesn't let her go, though.

"What, Lola?!?"

"Can we go? Shit," she mutters. "Have sex somewhere else."

Kennedy flushes red because Ashton is laughing and Royce is chuckling in her hand and Calum is only smiling because Royce is.

Luke hasn't taken his hands from her waist.

"C'mon, then," sighs Kennedy, wriggling in his grip. "Let's get these bitches home."

Luke buries his face against her neck. "Say it," he whispers.

Kennedy whines. "Luke, lemme go."

He shakes his blonde head against her skin. "Not until you--"

"Dude," and Luke straightens only because it's Emma, and she's smirking at him, arms folded as she leans against Kennedy's shiny Mercedes. "She said let her go," she tips her chin. "Can't you hear, or can you not take a hint?"

___

Royce drags herself tiredly to her room.

She's exhausted.

Never mind the fact that she and Lola were supposed to sleep over at Kennedy's. Never mind the fact that they had to drop Michael off in front of Ashton's car. Never mind the fact that none of the other boys could drive. Never mind the fact that it's like four in the morning. Never mind the fact that she has class tomorrow.

Their girl's night had to take a rain check.

She kicks off her shoes and gets changed for bed, ignoring the multiple calls vibrating from her phone on her bed.

If it's Christian again, she swears she's gonna kill him.

He knows what fucking time it is.

She flips over the screen, only to see as she ties up her hair, that Calum's called like, six times.

Well, Royce thinks, he can keep calling all he wants but it's hella late and Royce is exhausted and she just really doesn't even wanna talk to hi--

Calum: cmon royce please don't ignore me I can see you from outside I know you for this

Royce curses as another text comes through.

Calum: *got

She decides to text him back.

Princess: what do you want calum

He responds.

Calum: can I just come in?
Calum: please??

And Royce can see him from her window. He's standing across the street and his hands are clasped and he's shaking his clasped hands and he's pouting.

Princess: fucking fine

The response?

Calum: yayyyyy

So, begrudgingly, Royce sneaks him into the house and leads him into her room and closes the door and watches him in the darkness.

She'd been ignoring him since they last spoke, so she wasn't exactly thrilled to have him in her room.

"Look, I'm really tired, and I don't wanna have sex with you toni-"

Calum shakes his head. "Honestly, that's not why I came over."

Royce doesn't believe that. "It's not?"

He shakes his head again. "I just wanted to..." He sucks hard on his bottom lip. How does he say he just wanted to hold her? How does he say he just wanted to cuddle? After the night he had, that's it. That was all.

He shrugs. "Just didn't feel like sleeping alone."

And Royce nods, expression softening. "Okay," she says.

"Okay?"

"Yeah," she replies, walking around to the side of the bed and sliding within the blankets. She's lifting her covers to him. She nods again, because she's just too tired and she doesn't feel like arguing. "Okay."

And Calum grins to himself, kicking off his shoes and crawling into bed beside her.

"Oh, wait!"

And Royce jumps from bed, hurrying to lock her door.

"If my dad comes in here and sees you..." She shakes her head. "Let's just say, I don't think he'll beat that murder trial."

Calum snorts, laughing as she re-enters the bed. "Thanks."

She snuggles deep beneath the blankets, yawning. "Don't mention it."

And Calum smiles internally, noting their proximity. Royce has her back to him as she whispers a, "Night, Calum," and he inhales, shifting forward, closer to her as he presses his chest completely against her back.

He sits up, propped on his elbow only so he can place a quick kiss on her cheek.

And then, he lays back down beside her.

"Night, Royce," he replies softly, and with his arm around her waist, he allows himself to fall deeply into sleep.

___
im actually so proud of myself for updating this you have no idea guys.

also emma  is annoying.

also kennedy and luke kill me (I have you some of their pov did you like it do you want more???)

all these things that i've done || the killers