“Wha—?”

“Don’t even, man!” Chris let out.

“What the fuck, JC?” Joey threw in.

“But, guys—”

“Wow…” Lance inserted.

“It’s just a mistake, I swear!” JC sputtered, “It’s not like we’re dating, and whatever, just please don’t—” 

“You could have at least told us you had a girl in bed with you.” Justin snorted. 

JC closed his open mouth, kind’ve confused, and then opened it, again, “So… You didn’t see who it was?” 

“No, who was it?” Chris grinned, pushing past the others and walking towards JC, and sitting down on the bunk in front of him.

“God, it smells really bad in here.” Lance muttered, walking in after Chris.

JC cleared his throat, trying to calm his racing heartbeat – he had almost confessed himself that he had fucked Kate.

“Sooo? Who the fuck was it?” Joey asked Chris’ question, again.

JC yawned, shrugging, “Some girl.”

“Wait.” Justin said, putting his hands up, and looking around, slowly, and then at the floor. He pointed to something, and turned the lights all on, “Why are Kate’s clothes on the floor?”

“Uhm…” JC tried to think of an excuse, as his heartbeat picked back up again, “I bought her the dress and shoes? She told me she didn’t want them, and that I should go give them back, since she has no use for them anymore.”

“But her other clothes are back in the TV room. The ones she was wearing, before she put the dress on! The only clothes she actually had. So she’s gotta be in her underwear, or…” Justin turned back to JC, and glared, “Where is she?”

“I dunno, man. Jeez, calm down.” 

“Were you fucking Kate?” Justin asked the question, and everyone shut up, and they all stared at JC.

“Uh, no.” JC almost coughed, “Why would you ask that?”

“Because, JC. She’s nowhere here, and I SAW her come onto the bus, before I went to watch TV, and then you came here, and– Just tell me.”

“No, I came here, and I grabbed my phone and—”

“Called that girl you just fucked?” Chris smirked.

JC nodded, deciding to go along with it, “She texted me, so I called her. And I haven’t had some in a long time, okay?”

“And then? Did you see Kate anywhere here?” Justin asked, arms crossed.

JC shook his head, “No. I swear to God, I didn’t.”

“Then where is she—”

Kate walked right back onto the bus, at that moment, and looked around to see all four boys around JC, and her heartbeat went from an average thumping, to a slightly increased one.

Oh, shit.

“Where were you?” Justin asked, and all of them turned onto her then.

“Uhm, out? Obviously.”

“Where? And why do you have clothes on?”

“The fuck, dude?” Kate asked, looking at Lance, “Why do you have clothes on, Lance? Jeez.”

“Your clothes from before are all in the TV room, and you were wearing this dress” Justin pointed at it, “when you came back, and I didn’t see you come into the TV room at all, so what the fuck?”

“Why do you suddenly wanna know, mom?” She spat.

“Because.”

“Ugh.” She sighed, and then pointed at the hoodie, “This is my hoodie, if you haven’t noticed. It’s always been here.”

“No, it hasn’t—”

“Yes, it has, dumbass.” Kate shot back, coolly, at Joey.

“What about what you’re wearing under the hoodie?” Justin pushed an eyebrow up, and JC wanted to punch him then.

Leave her alone, for fuck’s sake.

“I’m wearing a bra, do you wanna see it?” She asked, sarcastically.

“No.” He replied back, immediately. “What about the bottoms? Or are you walking around in your underwear?”

Oh shit!, JC thought. The hoodie that Kate was wearing came about four inches above her knees, so it wasn’t too bad, but he was sure that she was still in her panties.

Kate pulled her hoodie up to reveal boxer briefs and JC’s eyes went wide. He looked around, quickly, to find his own pair, but he couldn’t see his – when had she taken his underwear?

“Satisfied?”

“No, why are you wearing boxer briefs?” Lance asked, confused.

“I bought them for myself to sleep in. Is it that big of a deal that I wore them under my fucking dress?”

“Oh. Uhm…”

JC and Kate stared at Justin then, as well as the others.

“I’m sorry, okay?” Justin muttered, and then decided to go back into the TV room.

“We totally missed football for this, Justin?” Joey yelled, running in after him. Lance copied Joey, and Chris grinned at both Kate and JC before walking into the TV room, again.

Katelyn turned her head towards JC, letting out a deep breath, putting her hand on her hip, smiling at him. His open mouth, and scared look, changed into a grin, and he let out a breath of relief as well.

‘Holy fucking shit,’ JC mouthed, as Katelyn nodded. “So, where were you?”

“Jimmy’s. His hoodie.” She stated, pulling at the material.

“He didn’t think it was weird you went over there in a baggy shirt, and boxer briefs?” JC smirked.

She shook her head, “Nope. He gave me the hoodie to take back, though.”

“Smart man. Wouldn’t want you to get raped or something.”

“Yeah, you already did that half an hour ago.”

JC stared at her confused, and she shook her head, “Never mind; you ruin everything.”

Katelyn unzipped the hoodie, showing the shirt JC had lent her before, “I obviously had this on, but I wasn’t gonna show them.” He nodded, a smile on his lips as she pushed his boxer briefs down her legs.

JC snickered, watching her, “You wanna go at it, again, after the near exposing we got?”

“Hah. Hah.” She dry laughed, and then threw his boxers at him. He caught them, and drew them under the covers, pulling them up over his lower half, as Katelyn walked over to her bag, and put her lighter and phone back into it.

“You going to bed?” He asked, once she got up.

“Yeah. Really tired.” As if on cue, she yawned.

“‘kay.”

Kate began her walk toward the living room, walking by him, but he caught her wrist, pulling her towards him, “Hey…”

She looked down, his fingers around her wrist, his eyes gazing up at her, “What would you like?”

“Gimme a kiss.”

She smirked, rolling her eyes, “You need to stop changing your attitude so much.”

“It’s only around you. Kiss me, dammit.” He leaned up, pulling her down to his mouth, as their lips touched for a few brief moments, before she pulled away.

“We gotta be careful, ‘kay?”

“Yeah.” He grinned then, “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Night.” She looked back at him once, before walking over into the living room with the others.

“Isn’t that JC’s shirt?”

Chris’ question was answered with a pillow thrown to his face.

“This is so. Fucking. Beautiful. How many people is this gonna seat, anyways? I thought you guys were doing stadiums.” Katelyn asked, looking around the fairly big “theatre-type” venue they’d come for their concert the next day.

Justin shrugged, “About two thousand. Twenty-five hundred at the most.”

“Why is it so small?”

“It’s more intimate.” JC offered, looking around, as he yawned.

Katelyn nodded, walking around the stage area: how did these boys do it? How did any live performer, singer, or whatever do it? Sit in front of thousands of people and do their “thing”? It was a challenge she knew she’d never take on. But one that she was actually really proud of for the guys, and her brother, and his band.

“You guys actually gonna use this piano?” She teased, running her fingers over the ivory keys.

“Actually, yes!” Justin grinned, sitting down on the bench, and beginning to play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. “I always play this for JC, before we all start – the fans love it so much, they never talk about it.”

“Shut up, numbnuts,” JC smirked, jokingly, before punching Justin, lightly. He then looked at Kate, “They’re actually going to come and take this out, tomorrow, before the show – our guys have to set up.”

Kate nodded, again, “Cool.”

“Hey, yo, we’re gonna go grab lunch!” Wade yelled, looking at the three, and then disappearing.

“Food!” Justin cheered, running out, and then coming back, “Lady, let’s go,” he urged Katelyn, and she shook her head. “Sup, girl?”

“I’m not hungry, I wanna continue looking around, okay? You guys go on.” She smiled at Justin.

“We’re not gonna eat without you.” JC rolled his eyes, “Just come.”

“I swear, I’m fine. I feel like I’ll puke if I see or smell food, right now.”

“You’re not pregnant, right?” Justin asked, and Katelyn laughed, suppressing JC’s anxiety that had suddenly shot up, out of nowhere.

“No, I’m not. Just go.” She flashed a grin at JC.

“What is with you two?” Justin asked, “One second, you’re going around calling each other dicks and bitches, and the next, you’re smilin’ at each other. What’s the deal, recently?”

Kate and JC exchanged a glance, and then JC proceeded to look at the floor, smiling the very slightest, as Kate shrugged at Justin, “We’re trying to be civil as to get through this half year or whatever, together.”

“Nice, can we go, now, Jace?” Justin asked, pulling at JC’s arms.

“We’ll see you later then,” JC called out, as Justin dragged him away.

“Yeah, later!”

Katelyn’s POV

I shook my head, smiling, as I watched the two out the side door of the back exit. Turning around, I looked around the performance area where the boys were set to entertain about as much girls as the place could fit. And knowing their fans, they would probably sneak in, and place themselves where ever they pleased, comfortable, or not.

My eyes strayed back to the piano, the fingers itching to play it. It was the only reason I had stayed behind.

I walked over, sliding myself along the fairly long bench, into the middle. I hadn’t played in years – literally. And it wasn’t like I didn’t want to, I didn’t have one of my own, and Matt didn’t own one, and I didn’t want to bother asking him, or anyone, or getting myself one – pianos weren’t the most cheapest things when you’re NOT a celebrity.

I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, all the songs I had learnt to play, swirling around my head.

“Hmm…” I licked my lips, and took a steady breath, placing my fingers on the snow white keys.

The melody of When You’re Gone began piecing itself together, and before I could actually help – or stop myself – I was singing along, as my fingers seemed to just skim across the keys.

“I’ve never felt this way, before; everything that I do, reminds me of you…” My voice flowed in with the tune, and I was so glad I was all alone – asides from Matt, no one really knew that I could sing, and I was extremely shy about that part of me. “And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor – and they smell just like you. I love the things that you do. When you walk away, I count the steps that you take; do you see how much I need you, right now? When you’re gone, the pieces of my heart are missin’ you. When you’re gone, the face I came to know is missin’, too. When you’re gone, all the words I need to hear to always get me through the day, and make it okay. I miss you. We were made for each other, out here, forever. I know we were.”

My voice escalated, taking a mind of its own, and both my mind and body relaxed, and there were the three of us: just me, my voice, and my fingers, everything was synchronized. 

“Yeah-eee-yeah! And all I ever wanted was for you to know, everything I do, I give my heart and soul – I can hardly breathe, I need to feel you here with me! Yeah, when you’re gone…” My fingers faded the rest of the tune away into just a dying echo, and when I finished, I took a deep breathe, smiling, and then grinning, as adrenaline coursed through my entire body. 

“Ho. Lee. Shit.” I licked my lips, shaking my head, and holding it between my head, as emotions ran wild within me. “That felt so good.” I breathed to myself, before looking back up, and deciding to do another.

I need more.

My fingers hit the first few keys of a familiar song, and I stopped, almost gasping. It was such a personal song, and it was my own. I’d written, I’d made the music – it was mine. But it was also a song that haunted me because it related so much to my past. And there were only two songs in total that I’d written like this, and I had told myself I’d never revisit either due to the fact that both overworked, and stressed the fuck out of me later.

But this was, now.

I was clean, now, and there would be no more chemicals to inject into my body just because my past had marred my view on everything.

I was gonna do it – I was going to play them.

“Get ready to cry a fucking river, motherfucker…” I whispered to myself, licking my lips, and returning my fingers to the piano, as they began moving effortlessly over the smooth keys. When it cued my voice, I hesitated, but went for it.

“Four years old, with my back to the door. All I could hear was the family war.” I swallowed, uneasily. “Your selfish hands always expecting more – am I your child, or just a charity ward?” The back of my throat began to swell, just the tiniest, but I felt it, and my eyes stung. “You have a hallowed out heart, but it’s heavy in your chest. I try so hard to find it, but it’s hopeless, hopeless. You’re hopeless.” A single tear ran down my eye, but it didn’t falter me from anything I was doing, “Oh, father– Please, father. I’d love to leave you alone, but I can’t let you go. Oh, father– Please, father. Put the bottle down for the love of a daughter.”

My voice broke, as more tears fell from my eyes, but I wasn’t sobbing, yet. I wasn’t crying.

JC’s POV

I ran back towards the door, and upon getting there, opened it, quietly, and closing the door behind me, quietly. Playing Hide-N-Go-Seek with Justin was kinda fucking awesome – he was always under the impression I’d stick to staying within the four walls we started playing the game in, but no. While he’d be busy looking around the tour bus, I’d be busy roaming the concert venue, until I decided to show my face to him.

Music filled my ear – a piano, and I realized that the guys who were supposed to take it away must be here, but when I got closer towards the entrance into the venue, where the seats were located, I could hear a voice singing along, and it was definitely not manly, in any way.

I opened the door, gently, and peeked in.

“It’s been ten years, since we’ve spoken last.”

My eyebrows furrowed, when I saw Katelyn sitting at the bench, her wrists moving along the piano, as her fingers danced on the keys. I inched inside, closing the door behind me, quietly. I ducked a little, and walked behind the balcony area, thanking God that the lights were only on towards her end, and not mine. I sat down in the chair, slouching down – I was pretty certain if I interrupted, I wouldn’t get to see the “show”.

“And you can’t take back what we never had, ohhh-ooh. I can be manipulated only so many times, before even ‘I love you’ starts to sound like a lie.”

I looked down, and stared at her face, the way her hands moved, everything. She looked beautiful, and right now it was so sexy, hearing her sing whatever she was singing. Her voice was fucking perfect, and I was pretty sure I could sit here for days on end, just watching her like this.

She sniffed, loudly, and a frown on her lips, as she played, beginning to get vigorous (and not in a good way!), and only then was it, that I tried to pay attention to the lyrics.

“You have a hallowed out heart, but it’s heavy in your chest. I try so hard to find it, but it’s hopeless, hopeless. You’re hopeless.” I had never heard this song, before, so I assumed it was original, thus pushing myself to continue listening, “Oh, father– Please, father. I’d love to leave you alone, but I can’t let you go. Oh, father– Please, father. Put the bottle down for the love of a daughter.”

I suddenly felt like a complete ass for thinking whatever I had moments ago, and I gulped, as both the music, and her voice got softer.

“Don’t you remember I’m your baby girl? How could push me out of your world? Lied to your flesh and your blood; put your hands on the ones that you swore you loved.” Kate’s voice picked up, louder than before, as well as from the way she played the piano, to how loud it was getting. “Don’t you remember I’m your baby girl? How could you throw me right out of your world? So young when the pain had begun. Now forever afraid of being loved. Oh, father– Please, father, I’d love to leave you alone, but I can’t let you go…”

I took a deep breath in, letting it out, as quietly as possible, “Ho. Lee. Shit.” I muttered to myself, as she ran her fingers through her hair, looking up at the ceiling, sighing, and her lips in that sad frown, while her fingers now rubbed her temples.

What the fuck was that?

I’d never seen anything like it, or heard anything like it, and she was incredible with the emotions and passion she put into her voice, delivering it to the audience. My insides ached, hoping the song wasn’t original, hoping it wasn’t anything that related to her. Everything in me stopped when she began playing, again.

I held my breath, listening, rigorously, as the first few moments passed by with a seemingly sad melody that flowed out of the grand piano onstage, operated by the suddenly mysterious young woman.

I realized I didn’t know anything about Katelyn. Almost close to nothing.

“Once upon a time, there was a girl…” Her voice was steady, and slow, raw, this time, but still heartbreakingly depressed. “In her early years, she had to learn how to grow up living in a war that she called home. Never knew just where to turn for shelter from the storm.”

I abruptly didn’t want to listen, but I didn’t want to leave, or walk out, right now – those were things I didn’t want to do more than not listening.

“It hurt me to see pain across my mother’s face, every time my father’s fist would put her in her place.”

I swallowed, my heart heavy, my eyes widening just a little at that specific line.

“Hearing all the yelling, I would cry up in my room, hopin’ it would be over soon…” The music faded just for a moment, along with her voice, and then both started, again – melancholy, but a slight sort of twinge to it. “Bruises fade, father, but the pain remains the same.” Her voice faltered, and I hoped to God she wasn’t crying – this was all way too much for me, already, “But I still remember how you kept me so afraid. The strength was my mother for all the love she gave. And every morning that I wake, I look back at yesterday, and I’m okay.”

Her head was bent now, and my palms sweat, like crazy, wanting to go over there, and do something, say something, but I didn’t want her to know I had sat there, watching her like a creep.

“I often wonder why I’ve carried all this guilt, when it’s you that helped me put up all these walls I’ve built. Shadows stir a night through a crack in the door, echoes of a broken child screaming, ‘please, no more’. Daddy, don’t you understand the damage you have done? For you, it’s just a memory, but for me, it still lives on…”

She started what I presumed was the chorus up, again, and her head seemed to lull, gently, with the rhythm, and then stopped, as the tune gradually increased in passion.

“It’s not so easy to forget all the marks you left…along her neck, when I was thrown against cold stairs, and everyday afraid to come, in fear of what I might see next—” She stopped.

She just stopped singing, and stopped playing, ending up with her face down on the piano, her arms wrapped around her head, loosely, as her body racked with sobs.

“Found you,” Justin smirked, appearing out of the corner, and I looked at him, panicked, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. “You okay? I’m not gonna kill you – it’s just your turn to find me, now.”

I didn’t say anything, and pointed towards Katelyn, staring at Justin; they were best friends, he probably knew all about this. I was no fucking help at all.

“Oh, shit.” Justin backed away, and began running down the steps, towards Katelyn, his footsteps making light sounds.