Don't You Dare

The next day, the bus barreled down the road, bringing the band and the girls to their next destination. In the front lounge, gunshots and shouting blared from the television on the wall as Matt and Zack battled each other on a video game. Johnny and Jimmy cheered on Matt, the undefeated champion of the game so far, fighting over who got to take the next shot at beating him. Val watched from the side, replying to emails from promoters, smiling softly at the comradery beside her.

They thought Aubrey was napping in her bunk. They thought Brian was editing some rough demos of new songs. They were wrong. And completely unaware of the scene unfolding in the back lounge.

Apparently Brian and Aubrey were feeling daring and risky that day, because they were groping each other like teenagers in the back lounge with their oblivious friends merely twenty feet away. The door to the bunks was open, the door to the back lounge was open; the only thing keeping them hidden was the wall they were leaning up against.

The sounds from the video game masked their heaving breathing, his grunts, and her moans. His mouth found hers, desperately latching on in a hurried kiss. He gripped her side with one hand, yanking her hips to his crudely while his other hand reached up under her shirt, squeezing her breasts through her bra. He nudged his knee between her legs and she clutched the waistband of his pants, her forefingers brushing the hair-lined, v-shaped trail that led his abs to his manhood. She instinctively humped his thigh, seeking relief from the sexual frustration that Brian seemed to constantly, almost permanently, instill in her.

When she ran her hand down his zipper, caressing the bulge in his pants, he grunted, his hips bucked involuntarily.

“I want you so bad right now,” he muttered quietly against her mouth.

“Yeah?” She asked sexily.

“Yeah,” he breathed.

“Take me,” she dared.

He jerked his hips into hers again, covering her lips with his, sliding his tongue in her mouth. She bit his bottom lip gently, tugging on it erotically.

“THAT’S NOT FAIR,” Johnny screeched from the front lounge. “I CALLED NEXT!”

“FUCK YOU, YOU SHORT WHINEY PISS-BITCH,” Jimmy shouted back at him.

Johnny replied with something quieter and unintelligible.

“HERE, TAKE IT!” Jimmy yelled in response. “JESUS, I CAN SMELL YOUR PUSSY FROM HERE!”

Brian couldn’t help but pause as Jimmy’s hilarious taunts had caught his ear. He felt Aubrey smile against his mouth. Seconds later, they were both cackling.

“We gotta stop before we get busted,” Aubrey said once their laughter had died down.

“I know,” he agreed but then he cupped her face under her ears and continued to kiss her lips softly and sweetly, not actually wanting to stop yet. He slid his tongue into her mouth again, tasting her whispered moans.

It was obvious to her that he was not going to stop by his own free will, so she pulled away a little and requested, “Hey, can I hear that new song you’ve been working on?”

He pulled back even further and looked in her eyes, seemingly surprised. “You wanna hear the song I’ve been working on?”

“Yeah,” she replied with a nod and a soft smile.

He smiled at her gently then moved away from her.

They knew they needed to separate themselves in order to keep their hands off of each other, so Aubrey sat on one end of the long U-shaped couch facing Brian, who sat on the other end. He opened his computer and clicked around a few times. Just as the song began playing, Jimmy appeared in the doorway unannounced and unheard.

“I thought you were sleeping,” he greeted Aubrey.

She looked over at him, silently thankful that she pushed for them to stop making out when she did. “Who the hell can sleep around here with all your yelling and bitching?” She retorted, trying to deflect.

Brian smirked, enjoying her quick comeback.

Without another word, Jimmy moved over to her and flopped on top of her wildly like a bull in a china shop, covering her entirely from Brian’s view.

“Have you seen our sixth gang member, Synyster Gates?” Jimmy played with an animated voice. “She goes by the name AC Black - AC stands for Asslicker Cockmonkey. She’s a short, sassy, money-laundering criminal, and I want to kick her ASS!”

Brian chuckled and shook his head. Aubrey grunted and gave a few good attempts at shoving Jimmy off of her but he was too tall and too strong. Eventually he relented, sliding off of her lap and onto the couch beside her. He glanced over at her quickly and gasped, feigning surprise.

“There you are!” He cheered with a smartass smirk.

She flipped him off.

“Very original, my friend,” he teased then turned to Brian. “Are you playing your new song for her?”

“I was trying to before you rudely interrupted,” Brian replied.

“Jeez. So much sass in the back lounge today,” Jimmy scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Play the damn song again.”

Brian started the song over. Aubrey listened closely, appreciating the impressive guitar riffs that blared through the speakers. More so, she adored the commentary that followed from the two bandmates about this guitar riff and that guitar solo and this potential drum fill and that potential double bass part.

She had never been so surrounded by music before and it gave her a new appreciation for the field. She never knew about the intricacies that went into writing and recording songs and she certainly never saw the process in person. It was interesting and brought a whole new perspective to their career. They were so much more than just rock stars.

Ø

“Really, Val?” Johnny spat rhetorically, looking out the window, as the bus came to a halt in the parking lot of a hotel. “We’re stopping in this boring ass town? What kind of tour manager are you?”

“One who plans the travel according to schedule, not according to how much fun Johnny will have,” she retorted.

Some days, the tour landed in a boring city, too far away from a big city to go exploring. They stopped in this particular town in order to get a good night’s rest in a hotel room as opposed to a bunk, despite the fact that there wasn’t much else to do in the area.

“No show tonight,” Matt reminded them as they gathered to exit the bus. “I’m getting as drunk as I possibly can without dying.”

Valary rolled her eyes. Jimmy high-fived him.

“I did choose a hotel with an actual hotel bar,” Val informed them, stepping off of the bus. “So. You’re welcome.”

“Thanks, Mom!” Jimmy shouted, per usual.

Inside the hotel, everyone checked into their rooms then booked it downstairs.

Situated across from the elevators, with its floor to ceiling windows, the bar was waiting for them once those elevator double doors opened. Though it was small, it was an actual bar with an actual bartender who was actually social and made drinks that were actually tasty. It was fairly lavish for its size - there was a small baby grand piano off to the side and the barstools had plush seats. The lighting was dim but appropriate and gentle jazz music played in the background.

Within minutes of their arrival, they had infiltrated and taken over the hotel bar.

“Irish Car Bombs, anyone?” Jimmy offered sarcastically as he took a seat next to Brian. “Who’s gonna let Val and AC drink them under the table this time?”

Aubrey laughed as she sat beside Jimmy.

“Not me,” Johnny answered with a groan, recalling the last time the girls put him to shame. He attempted to sit down beside Aubrey but Val shoved him, causing him to stumble.

“Move, I’m sitting by AC,” she said. “Us girls have to stick together.”

Johnny rolled his eyes and tried to sit next to Val but was shoved again, this time by Matt.

“And I’m sitting by Val,” he told Johnny. “Move it.”

Johnny flipped him off and went to sit in the next stool. He paused and cautiously turned to Zack, who was behind him. Silently and with a smart-ass look on his face, he motioned to the stool to offer it to him before he got shoved again.

Zack laughed and shook his head. “Have a seat, Seward.”

“Thank you, Zachary,” Johnny quipped as he climbed onto the stool. “Damn these seats feel incredible under my ass.”

“Welcome, welcome,” the bartender greeted as Zack took the final seat. He was a very attractive man, probably in his late-thirties with a thick beard and his dark hair, already lightly dusted with silver hairs, was slicked-back pompadour style. “What can I get for you guys?”

“A fuck ton of beer,” Jimmy stated simply.

The bartender laughed, a good sign that he wouldn’t hate serving this brash group of friends. “Any specific beer?”

“Eh, a dark beer on tap,” Jimmy continued. “Surprise me.”

The bartender nodded then retrieved a glass. “Anyone else?”

“Yep. Make that two dark beers on tap,” Brian added.

“Three!” Matt chimed in, holding up a finger.

“I want a Long Island,” Johnny disrupted.

“Jack and Coke,” Zack ordered. “On the rocks.”

“And for the ladies?” The bartender wondered, smiling at Aubrey.

“Moscow Mule,” She ordered.

“Ooh, yum,” Valary commented. “Make that two.”

“Alright, three dark beers on tap, two Moscow Mules, a Long Island Iced Tea, and Jack and Coke on the rocks?” The bartender repeated.

“Damn, you’re good!” Valary commended.

As soon as their drinks hit the counter, the fun began. Luckily, thanks to the small town, the early hour, and the lack of seasonal visitors, the hotel and bar were mostly empty and all the unabashed antics went largely unnoticed. Except by the bartender, who actually seemed to appreciate and enjoy the group, laughing at their adventures and refilling their drinks without hesitation. He even brought out a deck of cards, encouraging Johnny and Matt to play different drinking games.

Jimmy ended up at the piano, playing various songs while Valary sat next to him singing along with her copper mug in her hand.

Zack and Brian sat at the end of the bar, watching a sports game without audio on the TV behind the bartender, having absolutely no loyalty to either team and simply rooting for opposite teams in competition to beat each other at something. Winner has to play the next show in his underwear. Aubrey secretly hoped Brian would lose.

Aubrey sat at the bar, working on her second drink, reveling in the people around her. She watched a little bit of Johnny and Matt as they flipped over card after card, playing a twisted game of Battle and chugging their beers. She watched Jimmy as he played the piano flawlessly despite his increasing intoxication and Val as she sang melodies with a beautifully floating voice. And she watched Zack as he shoved Brian off of the barstool when his team scored a touchdown.

This group of people had known each other their whole lives, had memories upon memories together, and were so close-knit and loyal that they were all seemingly blood-related. And without hesitation, they welcomed her into their group, making her feel like she had been on their team since day one.

This life was so vastly different than the life she had been living, yet she never felt like an outcast; she never felt out of the loop. She felt like she belonged there, in a small hotel bar, in a boring little town, fresh off a cramped tour bus, with this wild bunch of lively humans who had become so important to her in such a short period of time.

“What’s the story here?” The bartender asked Aubrey. “How’d you guys end up in this town?”

“The guys are all in a band,” she explained. “On tour, just passing through. They don’t have a show tonight so we stopped to get a good night’s sleep in a real bed for once.”

“Ah,” the bartender acknowledged. “I see. And you and the blonde? Girlfriends?”

“She is,” Aubrey spoke of Val. “She’s dating the front-man, the one playing cards with the dark hair. But she’s their tour manager also.”

“And you?” He wondered.

“I sell and manage their merchandise,” she answered, realizing that she was no longer just helping the manager, she was the manager.

“Not dating any of them? You chose to do this on your own?” He asked with a laugh.

“Not dating any of them,” she confirmed, as it was the truth. “I actually came on tour to help their original merch guy, but he had to leave the tour two days in, so I had to take over. Even though I didn’t necessarily choose this exact role, I’m loving it.”

“I gotta say,” the bartender began, “that’s not the story I usually hear around here. But it’s a good one.”

She smiled at him.

“I’m Jake,” he told her, extending his hand over the bar counter to her.

She shook it. “Aubrey.”

“Where are you guys from?” Jake asked.

“I live in Phoenix but everyone one else is from Orange County, California,” she answered.

Out of nowhere, Jimmy hopped into the barstool beside Aubrey. “Who’s from Orange County?” He wondered.

“You are,” she said with a laugh.

“You’re fuckin’ right I am,” Jimmy replied then turned to the bartender. “Can I get another, my man?”

“You got it,” Jake said, grabbing another glass and filling it with a malty dark beer.

Suddenly, Jimmy froze and his body tensed. Aubrey noticed the change in his disposition and glanced over at him. He had a pained look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” She wondered.

He shook his head quickly.

“Are you okay?” She asked, unsure.

Again, he shook his head.

“You’re freaking me out,” she told him. “What’s wrong?”

He leaned in to whisper something discreetly in her ear. “I am holding in the biggest fucking turd I’ve ever had to shit out in my life.”

A loud explosion of laughter escaped her lips. She hadn’t been expecting such a response and was doubly relieved that his pain wasn’t anything life-threatening.

“No, I’m serious. If I sneeze, it’s game over for these pants. And for probably everyone in the bar too,” Jimmy expressed.

The tall lanky drummer was rarely ever serious, but leave it to him to still be funny and ludicrous even when he’s trying to be serious.

“Please don’t sneeze,” Aubrey encouraged. “But if you do, I’m here for you.”

He nodded in appreciation then jumped back off the stool once a full beer glass was set down in front of him.

“So you’re in town for the night, yeah?” Jake asked her, resuming their conversation when Jimmy left.

She nodded her head and smiled, sipping her drink.

“I get off around midnight. I know that’s late for dinner but maybe you’d join me for a late-night coffee? Or hell, even a nightcap in the bar?” He suggested casually.

She tilted her head a little, fairly surprised by his request. She couldn’t help the smile that graced her lips.

“If you’re feeling up for it,” he added. “I know that’s kind of late.”

She weighed her options quickly. She was only in town for one night, and he knew that, so she wouldn’t be so naive to think it would be anything more than a one-night stand. And judging by her history, she clearly wasn’t opposed to those. But she was still hesitant.

As far as she could tell, Brian hadn’t slept with anyone else this whole tour, and she was fairly confident that was a true fact. Even though she was not tied down by him, and he was not tied down by her, she still felt a sense of loyalty to him. And she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to sleep with someone other than Brian - why the hell would she when he made her feel so good every damn time?

“Is it okay if I let you know later?” She asked. “I’m already feeling a little tipsy so I’d feel terrible if I agreed then passed out drunk in my room.” She laughed a little.

“By all means,” he agreed with a nod. “No pressure.”

She could tell he meant it. He seemed like a nice guy, probably wanting a good conversation and a fun time in bed. And she would probably enjoy the same, if the circumstances were just a tad different.

“You want another one?” He asked, nodding to her empty copper mug, not seemingly thrown off by her partial rejection.

“Sure,” she agreed with a smile.

He brought her another drink in a copper mug and set it down in front of her. “So what do you do back in Phoenix?”

She laughed softly. “Nothing anymore. I quit my job on a whim then impulse-decided to go on this tour.”

“Damn,” he commended. “You’re quite the risk taker, huh?”

She shrugged. “Not typically. But so far, it has worked out quite well for me.”

He smiled softly at her.

She wondered if she was really going to sleep with him. Her gut said she wouldn’t. However, he seemed like a nice enough guy.

But did being nice enough turn her on? Make her moan? Make her come?

No. It didn’t.

Brian, on the other hand, did.

A part of her felt like she had something to prove. Sleeping with Jake would be proof that she and Brian were just sleeping together, that she didn’t feel loyal to him, that she could sleep with other guys and enjoy it and not feel guilty. But the truth was, she didn’t want to prove any of that.

“Hey, where the fuck did Jimmy go?” Matt asked out loud as he and Val walked over to the bar.

Aubrey glanced around, noticing that everyone else was quickly scanning the room as well. He wasn’t sitting at the piano. He wasn’t at any of the tables or booths. He wasn’t under any of the tables or booths.

Suddenly, they all realized that no one had seen him in a while.

As if he could read all of their minds, Jimmy emerged from the bathroom with wide eyes. “Do not go in there unless you have some sort of fucking death wish.”

Everyone broke out into laughter at his warning.

Even Jake let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head. “You’re paying for the damages if we have to get a crime scene unit down here,” he warned playfully.

Jimmy pointed to him, clicking his tongue as a deal, then joined his friends at the bar. He ordered another beer then spun around on his barstool, watching as Johnny stood behind Zack and Brian, getting in on their sporting game bets. He was scheming, it was obvious by the look on his face.

When his next beer arrived, he quickly chugged it, nearly inhaling the dark liquid in a matter of seconds. With a huge exhale, he set the glass back on the bar then stood up.

“Watch this,” he said to Val and Aubrey then took off toward Johnny. Without holding back, he smacked into his bandmate and tackled him straight to the ground.

“Get the fuck off me, you maniac,” Johnny shouted, kicking his leg in Jimmy’s direction.

Jimmy rolled off of him and, in one swift movement, kicked his legs upward and flipped into an upright position then stood up, mimicking a kip up move.

“What are you, Jackie Chan?” Johnny retorted.

Jimmy took a bow then shouted for another beer, making the bartender and all of his friends laugh.

Jake winked at Aubrey as he reached for another glass to fill for Jimmy. And she knew, right then and there, that she had to make a decision. Would she spend a night with Jake, looking for something to prove, or would she accept her situation for what it was, giving in to her loyalty to Brian?

Notes

Another seemingly "random" chapter that is strongly based off of my dream! Thank you guys again for all the sweet comments! I love hearing what everyone thinks; it means so much to me! <3 &*