“I’m so bored.” I groaned, looking around the group.

We had landed in Rio de Janeiro a couple hours ago and after a short nap, we were all just sitting around. Rio was 12 hours behind Sydney making it only 9:30 in the morning here. Our flight was about 13 hours long over all. We got to Rio around 6 in the morning but our bodies felt like it should be night. We were all cranky and tired but knew we had to stay away as long as we could to adjust to the time difference.

“I don’t like jet lag.” Scar yawned.

“Now you know how we feel.” Luke chuckled.

“I’d never want to do this all the time.” I rolled my eyes.

“We love what we do, so we deal.” Ashton shrugged.

The hotel we were staying at was gorgeous. We had 4 rooms total between the 8 of us. We were all paired off, Calum and Ashton, Luke and Michael, Scarlett and myself, and then Skylar and Piper. We decided that we girls would switch roommates for every new place we went. It was super exciting to be doing this with my best friends. I could tell everyone was going to get along perfectly fine all tour as well. That should make for an easy bet.

We were all in Luke and Mikey’s room, just hanging out watching TV; the guys didn’t have anything to do until tomorrow morning so we had a full day to recover from the traveling. The curtains were pulled tight, not letting one once of sun light in. I don’t think any of us could handle that right now. We were all bored but had no energy to go anywhere right now.

“Guys, let’s do something.” Ashton whined. God, we sounded too much alike.

“Yeah, I actually agree with him for once.” I giggled.

“Let’s get hammered.” Calum suggested.

“It’s 9 in the morning, let’s not.” Piper said.

“But it feels like 9 at night to us.” He eyed her.

“I’m with Piper.” Ashton agreed. “I don’t want to get drunk; we haven’t even been on tour a full day.”

“So?” Cal chuckled.

“Cal, we all aren’t you. We all can’t be alcoholics.” Mikey laughed, tossing a pillow at him.

“I’m not an alcoholic.” He rolled his eyes. “What should we do then?”

“I don’t know, why don’t we just get to know each other better?” Ashton suggested. Ew he really was the dad on tour.

“Truth or dare.” Calum wiggled his eyebrows. “You find out who people are real quick when you play that.”

“Fine.” We all agreed.

This was actually good for the girls and I. Even though we all wanted to win, we agreed to help each other if we could. This was a start. Everyone decided that Calum should go first; of course he started with me.

“Truth or dare, Kenz?”

I tapped my chin thinking for a minute. “Truth.”

“Okay, let’s see…” he paused. “If you had to share a house with any member of our band, who would it be?”

Everyone leaned in waiting for my answer. The obvious answer would be Calum, because truthfully that’s who I would have picked. But that wouldn’t help me win this bet any. I didn’t need Luke thinking I was in love with Cal. Then I’d never get a chance.

“Um, you’re all so repugnant. I don’t know.” I flipped my hair off my shoulder. “I guess if I had too, I’d pick Luke. He’s got that badass thing going on. Just like me.”

Calum look defeated. I felt so bad. Everyone sat there quietly in shock, except the girls. They stared at me smugly knowing exactly what I was doing.

“I for sure thought you weren’t going to say Luke.” Ashton laughed.

“No questioning my answers, Ash.” I said. “I pick Michael.”

“Truth he said.”

I wanted to start out easy. “When did you have your first kiss?”

“Uhhh. Year 8 maybe? I was like 14.” He nodded, I smiled accepting his answer.

We went around the room back and forth with simple questions like this. We got to point where everyone had been asked at least once. A little ways into the second round, Scar choose me.

“Truth or dare, Mackenzie?” she eyed me. I wanted to pick truth so bad with her but I know I’d get shit if I didn’t go dare.

“Dare.”

“I dare you to kiss the hottest guy in the room, right now.” She raised an eyebrow and I laughed nervously. There had been a couple like this before, Mikey dared Scarlett to kiss Skylar, Ashton asked Piper who’d she ‘spend the night with’ out of the band, she said Calum, of course for the bet.

I was hardly a stranger to kissing boys but in front of all these people? I know who I wanted to kiss, but knew who I had to kiss. I nodded standing up. I scanned my 3 options, taking a huge breath of air. I couldn’t believe I was about to do this. It was only our first day here and things were already starting. Damnit Calum for thinking of this! I gave a weak smile to Ashton, as if to apologize about kissing on of his best friends, and leaned down in front of Luke. His eyes went wide in surprise. I grabbed the back of his head, pushing his face closer to mine. I gave a slight smirk before pressing my lips to his. The kiss was short, very short but it got my point across.

“What the fuck?” I heard Ashton mutter.

“Just for your tude, truth or dare Ash?” I stuck my tongue out as I took sat back down.

“Truth.” He rolled his eyes.

“Tell everyone how many times a week you jerk off.” I stated flatly. Yes, he was my brother and I never ever ever wanted to know anything like this, but for his little side comments throughout the game, he deserved it.

“Yes, do tell.” Luke laughed.

“What?! Why would you ask me that?!” he glared at me.

“Because you’re being stupid.” I shrugged. “I’ll gladly cover my ears.”

“Just tell us!” Calum shouted. I couldn’t tell if he was being himself, if he was frustrated or what.

“Like 6 or so times.” Ashton rolled his eyes.

The guys shared a look before bursting into a fit of laughter. The girls and I snickering to ourselves.

“That’s almost once a day.” Scar giggled.

“Dude, you need to get laid.” Luke smirked.

“I’m aware, thank you.” Ashton turned beat red, flipping me off. It took a lot to embarrass Ash, but when I did it was great. “Fine, Calum truth or dare.”

Calum looked like he was debating between the two. He tapped his finger to his chin. “Dare.”

“I dare you and Kenz to play 7 minutes in heaven, right now.” Ashton eyed us both.

“What are we…? Twelve?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

“Yeah man.” Calum agreed.

“It’s your dare. No one’s pussied out yet. Trying to be the first?” Ashton said to Calum.

“No, I’ll go. She won’t come.” Calum nodded at me.

“If it’s the dare I can’t say no.” I stood up.

“There’s a closet in the bedroom.” Ashton winked.

I hated him sometimes. In any other circumstances, my answers all would have been Calum. I wouldn’t have protested. I was so mad I agreed to this bet. Over the last six months while the guys had been home, Calum and I had really gotten closer. We were talking a lot more, hanging out occasionally and just really got along. I was excited to come on tour and maybe see where one thing led the next but now I can’t. I can’t do any of that.

Part of me wanted to just quit and the other girls do it. Piper thought Luke was the hottest. We could swap. She could try and get Luke and Calum and I could try and do something real. Something that wasn’t a stupid bet. But the other part of me never lost. I was a sore loser. I would do whatever it took to win, whether that meant fucking everything up with Calum or not.

Ashton led us into the bedroom. I don’t get why we couldn’t just close that door. He cheekily opened the closet door and shoved us in abruptly.

“You’ll thank me one day.” Ashton said shutting the door.

“What does that even mean?” I said as Ashton shouted our time had started.

“Your brother is weird.” Calum said.

We kept a safe distance apart. I didn’t know what to say or do and I got the feeling he didn’t either. It felt like an hour had gone by before he broke the silence.

“Since when has it been Luke, huh?” he looked at me. I swore I saw the slightest hint of hurt in his eyes.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, I’m just playing the game.”

“Why wouldn’t you play the game to your advantage?” he raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer to me. Oh if he only knew I really was.

“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.

“I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling the vibe between us for a while now!”

“What?” I stared at him blankly. I had to quit the bet.

“We’ve just been texting more and the other morning in the bathroom! Like how much more obvious do I have to fucking be, Kenz?” have I ever mentioned Calum is super sexy when he’s pissed off. And when he calls me Kenz. “I thought I was going to be able to hang out with you on tour, get to know you really well and then bam! We’d be together!”

I was all for Calum expressing his feelings for me, I really was. But for him to assume I would just open up and date him? I hated when guys thought they had it all planned out.

“Excuse me?!” I shouted back. “What gives you the right to assume I’d just date you?”

“We’ve been getting along so well!” he groaned.

“Just because we get along doesn’t mean I want to fucking date you!” I shoved his chest. What a dick! “How presumptuous are you!”

“Come on Kenz, I didn’t mean it like that!” he tried; recovering from the small step backwards I pushed him.

“No! You did! You think just because you’re fucking Calum Hood, you can get any girl who looks in your direction!” I huffed.

“I do not! I’m shit with ladies, you know that! I just thought that because of the way things were going it would have been a serious possibility!” he paused. “It still could be!”

“Well you can just take your stupid little thought and shove…”

Before I had a chance to finish my sentence, I was being pushed up against the wall. His lips found mine instantly. We moved in sync with each other. This was everything a first kiss should ever be. He had one hand on my waist and the other on the wall above me. I instinctly wrapped one hand around his neck, pulling him in close, leaving the other wander up and down his firm chest. After a little more intense making out, he pulled back. He rested his forehand against mine and looked directly into my eyes.

“Tell me you felt nothing just now and I’m done trying.” He said.

“Calum.” I swallowed hard. I felt it, I felt everything. I had butterflies in my stomach, sparks were flying from my head to toes and my lips tingled in the most perfect way. “I just can’t.”

He let out a sigh. “If it’s because I’m in a band with Ashton…”

I stopped him by kissing him again. We melted into each other like nothing else mattered. I wish nothing else mattered but things did. I broke the kiss and looked up at him.

“What’s holding you back Kenz?” stop calling me Kenz, or nothing will be holding me back. Everyone called me that but for some reason the way he said it, drove me insane in the greatest way possible.

“You wouldn’t even believe me if I told you.” I chuckled sadly, I wasn’t lying. Even if I gave up the bet and ruined it for the rest of the girls, it was so farfetched that we’d actually be doing it, no one would believe it. I also didn’t want to risk losing Calum all together.

I let out a shaky sigh, looking down at our tangled feet. He placed his thumb under my chin, tilting my head back up. I was forced to look at him.

“Try me Mackenzie.” He stared at me.

“Cal…” I started.

“TIME’S UPPP…WHOA.” Ashton looked between us.

Calum and I were still chest to chest against the wall, breathing slightly awry. We looked at each other quickly before I pushed him off me.

“Nothing was happening.” I murmured as I pushed past Ashton.

I left the bedroom feeling all types of ways. I was angry at both of us. I was mad at Calum for just assuming I would date him. I was mad at myself for being the biggest idiot in the world. The kid I’ve had a huge crush on for years, practically tells me he likes me and I can’t return the favor because I’m trying to fuck his bandmate. I was beyond sad. I’m pretty sure I just broke my own heart. I know I hurt Cal in some sort of way.

Why did I have to be a complete moron? Yes, I’m young and stubborn but that doesn’t give me any right to blow the greatest kid in the entire planet off. I just can’t lose.

“Babe, are you okay?” I heard Scar ask as I rushed past everyone in the living room.

“KENZ!” I heard Ashton shout from behind me.

I didn’t stop for anyone. I didn’t even stop at my room. I just kept walking. I had no phone, no room key, no anything. I rode the elevator to the bottom floor, heading straight for the main door. The lobby was scattered with girls of all ages, even more waiting outside. I pushed past the hordes of screams and dashed down the street.

I felt the first tear fall. I always did this. I always screwed something up over the stupidest reasons. I leaned up against a wall a few blocks away from the hotel. I shook my head at myself. Fuck me. This tour was supposed to be the best year of my life. Of course I’d go and screw it up in the first day. Hopefully we’d all be able to forget about this and move on. I wanted to have fun. I wanted to hook up with Luke. I wanted to fall in love with Calum. Wait, love? No. I certainly didn’t want that.



--------------------------------------------------------------------

(Ashton POV)

“What the fuck did you do to her?!” I shoved Calum back into the closet after Mackenzie stormed out.

“Nothing mate! We were bickering and then I kissed her to shut her up! Then we talked a little more and then she kissed me! Then we started to talk again when you opened the door!” he ran a hand down his face. “I have no fucking clue what just happened!”

I watched as he slid down the wall, resting his hands on his knees as he hit the floor.

“What were you guys talking about? Maybe that has something to do with all this?” I tried.

“I was trying to tell her how I felt man.” He sighed.

“Good, do it on the first fucking day we’re here.” I rolled my eyes. Calum always had the best intentions but sometimes he just forgot to think things through.

“I know, that was poor planning.” He looked up at me. “I told her I was hoping at some point on tour we could try dating and that’s when she blew up.”

“Was she mad you liked her?”

“Like her, haven’t stopped yet.” he smiled up at me. “But no, she was mad at the fact that I just assumed she would date me.”

“Well I thought things were going good between you two? Haven’t you been talking a lot?” I questioned. I knew vague details of the relationship held between my sister and best friend.

“I thought but I guess she just thinks I’m being nice or something. I don’t fucking know man.” He slammed his fist down.

“Calm down, what else?”

“She said she couldn’t and I wouldn’t even believe her if she told me why.” He paused. “I tried to ask her if it was because of you and that’s when she kissed me. When you barged in is when she was about to say why I think. So I have no idea.” He leaned his head all the way back against the wall.

“Babe, are you okay?” I heard Scarlett ask Mackenzie from the other room.

I ran out into the living room only to see Mackenzie half way out the door.

“KENZ!” I shouted trying to get her to stop but it was no use. “Fuck.”

“What the hell just happened?” Skylar asked looking between me and the bedroom door. I turned around to see a very sad and angry looking Calum.

“I’ll go find her.” Calum said coming into the room.

“No man, I’ll go.” I said, pushing down to the couch.

“I don’t know what happened but she obviously isn’t going to want to talk to either of you right now.” Scarlett rolled her eyes at us. “I’ll go.”

We both agreed that would be best, maybe Scar would be able to get whatever was bothering Kenz out of her. I took a seat next to Calum on the couch.

“I’ll call someone if I need anything.” She said.

“Wait, I’ll come with you.” Luke said standing up. I felt Cal tense up next to me, this definitely had something to with it.

“Um…” Scar said looking between the girls and Luke. Piper shrugged at her. “Okay.”

“Just in case you know.” Luke nodded.

I watched as Scarlett and Luke left the room, closing the door tight behind them.

“Maybe Luke’s got a thing for Scarlett.” Michael suggested.

“Likely.” Calum rolled his eyes. He stood, walking over to the door.

“Where are you going?” I asked. He didn’t need to follow them.

“Our room.” He snapped, slamming the door.

“What the fuck just happened, mate?” Mikey asked, looking between the 4 of us left.

“I wish I knew.” Skylar giggled. “That was intense.”

“I’m sure we’ll know by dinner.” I said.

“Kenz doesn’t really wear her heart on her sleeve, so good luck.” Piper chuckled.

“Yeah, we may never know what really happened in there. Unless Calum will tell you.” Skylar added.

“Even if he will, it’s not our business to pry into.” Mikey said.

“I just hope this doesn’t make tour awkward.” I laughed nervously.

I knew Kenz would bounce back almost instantly from this. I had no worries about her. I couldn’t be sure the same thing would happen with Calum though. He tends to hold grudges or linger on things for just a minute too long. I love them both dearly; I wanted everything to work out fine, one way or another.



--------------------------------------------
(Mackenzie POV)

I heard the screams of the girls escalate. I rolled my eyes and stayed where I was. I had found a bench right across the street from where I had stopped before. I could see the hotel even better from over here. I knew someone was bound to come looking for me eventually. I don’t know how long I had been out here but it couldn’t have been that long. I watched as the girls around the hotel went crazy.

There was nothing in life worth standing outside of a hotel just to get a glimpse of. I rolled my eyes at these types of things. Before the guys got famous, Ashton and I always used to make fun of boy bands. And now he was a boy band. Sure, they insisted that they weren’t a typical boy band. They were so punk rock. Whatever. They were boys and they made up a band. That’s a boy band if you ask me.

I watched as I saw a familiar blonde quaff follow a large man in black through the crowd. Of all people they could have sent to come search for me they send him! Well, in their defense they didn’t know about the bet so I couldn’t technically be mad at them. Yes. I could. I watched as he scanned the girls and down the street. Yep, he was definitely looking for me.

That’s when I saw Scar. She was so tiny next to Luke. She spotted me instantly. She looked down the street quickly before flying across the road.

“What are you doing?!” she shouted as she reached me.

“Shut up.” I rolled my eyes. By now, I had wiped every emotion I felt a little bit ago completely away. I was good at that, hiding how I really feel, unless completely necessary. “Guitar boy and his trusty sidekick are right behind you.”

“Stop it. Stop masking whatever feelings you’re having for whomever.” She rolled her eyes sitting next to me.

I looked back over at Luke who was awkwardly paces back and forth on the other side of the street. His body guard was keeping the girls back from him. He was definitely having an internal debate on whether or not he should come over too.


“He looks fucking moronic.” I chuckled.

“No, Kenz, you do.” Scarlett said.

That was something I had loved about Scar from the start. She never bullshitted around. Even from that first day of school, she told everyone like it was. She got a little harsh sometimes, but only when I deserved it. I didn’t feel the need to have fake friends around me. I could sniff the bull shitters out from a mile away. I’m real and that’s the only way for me.

“How so?” I snorted.

“First of all, you ran away from whatever happened. Second of all, you got shoved in the closet with fucking Calum Hood, the kid you’ve been in love with for years. Third of all, the boy you kissed in a game of truth or dare is pacing back and forth outside his hotel worried about you. And fourth of all, Ashton is probably blaming himself for all of this.”

“Look I’ll tell you what happened tonight, when it’s just me and you in our room. I don’t want the wrong person to hear. Okay?” I said. I watched as Luke gathered the courage to cross the street. I nodded towards him and Scar got the hint.

“Fine. But I’m holding you to that.” She said standing up.

“Where are you going?” I asked her.

“As much as I hate helping the competition out, you have a bet to win.” She winked, walking away.

Fuck her, fuck this bet. Who am I kidding? I’m not going to quit no matter what I feel for Calum. Maybe I can get Piper to switch with me. I’d doubt she would though, and then I’d totally have the advantage.

“Are you okay, Mackenzie?” Luke asked as he got to me.

“Is anyone ever really okay though?” I asked, watching as he took a seat next to me. “I don’t bite.” I laughed at the distance he had between us. We slid down closer to each other at the same time, slamming our bodies into each other.

“Damnit!” I shouted. “You slid in harder than I expected.”

“That’s what most girls say.” He smirked down at me.

“And here I was under the impression that Luke Hemmings was the innocent member of 5 Seconds of Summer.” I giggled.

“What do they say, ‘lady in the streets but a freak in the sheets’, right?” he laughed.

“OH! So you’re a woman then?” I nudged his side.

“Ha ha Kenz.” Kenz had a nice ring to it when Luke said it too, but just didn’t give me that butterfly filled stomach like Calum. “I got these for us. I grabbed them before I left the room.” He smiled handing me a cigarette and a lighter, keeping the second one for himself.

“You don’t smoke.” I rolled my eyes.

“Who says I can’t if I want to?” he asked, laying his arm on the top of the bench behind me.

“What if those paps see you? There’s a ton super close. I bet they can hear what we’re saying.” I looked down the street, before lighting my cig, passing the lighter to Luke.

“Fuck them.” He said, flipping off the cameras violently snapping our picture before lighting his own.

“LUKE!” I swatted his chest. “You can’t steal my thunder!”

“You’ll find a way to piss someone off eventually on this tour. We’ve got a year.”

“I think I’m going to be a very bad influence on you.” I smirked up at him.

“Whys that?” he met my eyes with his.

I shrugged. “I’m Mackenzie Irwin.”

“Sounds like a pretty good reason to me.” He chuckled. “What if maybe, I need a little bit of a bad influence in my life?”

“Tired of being the cute adorable, youngest member of the band that everyone still assumes is a virgin?”

“Maybe.” He shrugged, taking a long hit off his cigarette.

“You’ve been smoking awhile, haven’t you?” I eyed him curiously.

“Yeah, it’s no big deal. Management, and the world I suppose, doesn’t know I do, I guess until right now.”

“I’m going to be kicked off the tour before we’re halfway done.”

“Probably. Management doesn’t really like you. They always tell Ashton to keep you in line when you go out with us or him.”

“They don’t pay me shit so they can fuck off.” I laughed. “But he has told me that before. I find it hilarious.”

“Those meetings are a real pleasure.” He joked, I laughed along with him. We fell into a comfortable silence, both finishing the remainder of our cigarettes. I watched as he stomped his into the pavement with the toe of his boot.

“So I didn’t meet him yet.” I nodded towards the big guy lurking a little bit down the street from us.

“That’s Randy.” He chuckled. “I told him I’d be fine but he wasn’t buying it.”

“Truth or dare.” I looked at Luke completely serious.

“I have a feeling if I pick truth, you’ll make me chose dare anyway by the way you said it. So dare.”

“I dare us to get out of here. Let’s go somewhere.”

“Go where?” he laughed nervously.

“Do you have a phone?” I asked, he nodded yes. “Let’s just take off running down the street and take random turn after random turn. Once we’ve made it, we’ll know. Then we can use your phone to find our way back.”

“Kenz.” He warned. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Luke, have fun. We’re only going to be young once!” I gave him my best puppy dog eyes.

“Fine.”

“Ready?” I asked standing up.

“Randy’s going to be pissed.” He sighed, standing up. “And everyone else in management and the band.”

“We don’t have to…” I trailed.

“Ready, go!” he said, taking off down the street in the opposite direction of the hotel.

I stood there shocked for a minute before my brain registered to move my legs. I definitely was going to be kicked off this tour and potentially get Luke fired from the band. I had a feeling this bet was going to be pretty easy. I just couldn’t bring myself to hurt him. Or Calum. This was the toughest situation I had ever been in. But like I told Luke, I’m Mackenzie Irwin. I’ll find a way out of this mess.

Notes

hey pretties! here you gooooo!

i hope you like this! let me know what you think!

as always, so many more goodies to come!

this story is only getting started! you haven't seen anything yet!

xx