We were golden, we were fire, we were magic
Yeah, and they all knew our names all over town
We had it made in the middle of the madness
We were neon in a grey crowd
Yeah, we wrote our own story
Full of blood sweat and heartbeats
We didn't do it for the fame or the glory
But we went down in history

~Kelsea Ballerini

Edd

"Everybody get your bitch asses in the bus!" Nathan practically screeched. Marie and I stood near the rear doors of the monstrous "hippie bus" as Eddy had fondly named it. Beads hung from the top of the windshield on the inside, only a couple inches long a piece. A gaudy purple shag rug covered the floor and two rows of seats lined each side of the walls. Little compartments were drilled into the sides above the seats, and the outside practically screamed Look at me! with its bright Carribean blue paint and chrome detailing. I clutched my coffee cup in my hands, sipping slowly as I tried to stay awake and get right with the universe. Marie nibbled the plastic rim of her lid, staring at him blankly. "It's too fucking early to be alive," she grunted before taking another long gulp of her drink. "It's okay, Nat, let the ladies sit by and enjoy their coffee while us 'men' finish loading everything up," Kevin joked, slinging another duffel bag over his shoulder, Eddy and Ed following suit as they climbed in the back and attempted to make everything fit into the compartments. What didn't fit would be wedged in the space between the back of the driver and passenger seats and the bright blue-and-purple-cushioned bench seats. I almost choked on my coffee at his comment. "Excuuuse me, Kevin Daniel Barr, I certainly was no lady last night when I-"

"Innocent ears!" Jimmy shrieked. "Don't wanna hear it!" Nathan pouted while everyone else burst into laughter. "But, Jimmy, I wanted to hear it!" he whined. My three favorite boys in the whole world stepped out of the back doors and shouted, "Alright, we're all loaded up!" May, Sarah, Nazz, and Marie clambered in first, taking up one side of the seats that ran across the wall. Rolf, Jimmy, Johnny, and I got in next, taking our seats along the other wall. There was enough floor space between each side to lay down a full size mattress. Eddy climbed in and sat on the shag rug on the floor, his head laying on Sarah's knees. Ed did the same, laying his head in May's lap. Kevin rode shotgun and was honorary navigator as Nathan took the driver's seat and cranked the old hunk of metal to life. Marie and I pulled the heavy doors in the back shut, grinning at each other once it made a satisfying click. "Time to roll!" he cheered, rolling out of the driveway of his parents' elegant mansion.

*12 hours later*

I liked the diner we stopped at for lunch. I liked when we stopped at the Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida state lines to take pictures. I liked the game of "Never Have I Ever" Nazz started up with a two-liter of soda instead of a bottle of alcohol. I loved the scenery, and I loved the loud, pop music that everyone belted their hearts out to. I even enjoyed the emo music Nathan forced us to listen to for an hour and a half straight. What I did not appreciate was waking up to:

"I'm hungry!"

"Yo, I've gotta piss!"

"That's not very lady like!"

"Who the fuck are you calling a lady?!"

"Guys, for real, I'm about to starve."

"We'll eat when I see an exit that has a restaurant!!"

"You need to let someone else drive, you've been drifting off for an hour now!"

"Excuse me little ho, do you wanna drive?"

"I'd do a damn better job than you!"

"Are we there yet?"

"I could also do with a break for dinner."

"Y'know what? I'LL TURN THIS BIG MOTHERFUCKER RIGHT AROUND, I SWEAR I WILL!"

"NATHAN KEDD GOLDBERG, EYES ON THE ROAD!!!" I shrieked, startling everyone in the midst of their arguments and clamoring chatter. Nathan turned to face the front and swerved just in time to miss taking out an exit sign. Still basked in silence, I got up from my seat, having to crouch to walk forward. My lips were mere inches from Nathan's ear, his hands locked rigidly on 10-and-2 while the rest of him trembled. "You will stop this vehicle at the next exit, restaurant or not, and I will take over driving or else I will rip your pretty little head off. I don't feel like dying today because of your recklessness," I whispered.

A sideways glance revealed Kevin watching me while leaning against his window, looking equal parts terrified and amazed. I gave him a tight-lipped smile, and then Nathan opened his big mouth. "...so you think my head is pretty?" he squeaked. That immediately broke the tension and we were all laughing in seconds. I shook my head, grabbing the headrests of the front seats and crouching there. "You hear that, Barr? You've got competition. Your little love muffin thinks I'm pretty!" Kevin rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Only in your dreams would you be my competition." My eyes locked with his which shimmered with amusement, and he smirked. "I love you," he mouthed. "I love you too," I whispered, swaying as the bus turned onto an exit ramp.

"I love you three!" Ed bellowed. "Me four!" Eddy chimed in a high-pitched voice, his hands clutched to his chest. By the time we parked at a gas pump, everyone was falling over themselves with laughter and declaring their love. Nathan got out first, fumbling through his pockets for his wallet. "I'll pump gas and meet you guys across the street at McDonald's in ten," he said, heading toward the entrance. We all piled out of the bus, looking a wild mess. The boys wore their shirts up around their necks, their hair tousled from wind and sleep. The girls all held their wallets and phones tucked into their bras, walking around in sandals and pajama pants. I had changed on our last stop into a pair of basketball shorts and a tanktop, my beanie tucked into my pocket and my hair pulled up into a high bun so that it was off my neck. The crickets wailed their night song despite the sun that still perched high in the sky and the mosquitos swarmed while we rushed for shelter from the humid Southern evening.

"Do you think they'd get mad if I order 100 nuggets?" Ed asked. "Why would you order that much? There's no way you could eat it all. Besides, it's a waste of money," Eddy scoffed. "On the contrary," I piped up," it's only $25 plus tax for that many nuggets, and I'd call that a deal. If you think you can do it, Ed, you go for it." He simply beamed giddily as everyone else laughed. I could see the despair in the poor cashier's face as our group of eleven walked in the door. This poor girl is gonna end up quitting her job because of customers like us, I thought, watching my friends approach the counter in a rowdy uproar of vulgar jokes and playful insults. Nathan came in soon after, pushing his way to the front of the group once we had all ordered. He waved a shiny credit card in front of the woman's face as he gave her his order. "It's all on me, Toots," he smiled. "That'll be...$107.08," she replied with an equally confident smile. "Fuck," he murmured, glancing over his shoulder at us. "You guys are some expensive ass dates." Marie stuck her tongue out at him. "No one told you that you had to pay," May pointed out.

"I don't know how you guys eat this stuff," I grimaced as I stabbed into my grilled chicken salad. "Because it's goooood!" Eddy moaned, tearing into a monstrous sandwich that he referred to as a McGangBang*. "It looks revolting," I gagged. "That's why it's called fast food, babe," Kevin chuckled. "It's not meant to be good quality. It's just quick 'n easy and it fills you up." Nathan stuffed his trash into his Big Mac box and stood with a flourish. "If you ladies are all done jabbering and stuffing your faces, we should really get back on the road. We're only like three and a half hours away." "Wait! Lemme fill my cup up!" Sarah cried, climbing over Eddy and her brother to get on the outside of the large, curved booth. Most of the others followed suit with cries of, "I gotta take a leak!" and, "Hold on, I'm gonna order an ice cream!" I rolled my eyes, sparing an amused glance at Nathan, who looked like a frustrated mother trying to round up her children. "Keys, Nathan," I sighed, holding my hand out. He handed them over with a reluctant groan. "Let's hit the road!" Nazz cheered eagerly.

Kevin

"Holy shit," I gasped, staring up at the three-story beach house. Every light in the house was on, shining like a beacon on the shore of the beach. The first floor was nestled into the side of a massive sand dune, a staircase leading up to the decks on the second and third floors. The upper levels loomed over the swell of the dune, overlooking the beach. The side of the house overlooking the ocean and the side that was facing the shore were covered with glass walls, the rest of the structure covered in sleek paneling.

"Wow! This is all yours?" Nazz asked in awe. "Well, my parents own it, but yeah. We don't really use it much anymore, but Mother Dear called housekeeping to come this afternoon so that everything would be ready for us," he explained as he led our exhausted troupe inside. Everyone huddled into the foyer with their luggage, eagerly awaiting instructions from our host. "Nazz, Marie, you guys can have the first bedroom past the living room," he said, waggling his eyebrows at them. Nazz only blushed, but Marie gladly grabbed her hand and pushed through all of us. "Sixteen hours in a car with you losers? I will happily take some alone time with my woman!" she shouted on the way. Double D just shook his head and chuckled softly.

My free hand found his hip and I gave it a gentle squeeze as I whispered in his ear, "I think Marie might have the right idea. I know I can't wait to get my hands on you." He acknowledged me with a sideways glance as he chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully, pulling the plump flesh between his teeth as Nat continued to give out directions on our sleeping arrangements. "Double Delish, Kevy-Poo, you two will get the room just past the kitchen, on your left. It's one of three bedrooms with an attached bathroom," Nat said with a wink. Double D looked up at me with a sly smirk, his deep blue eyes hazy with lust. "Shower, ten minutes?" he mouthed. I nodded, watching as he hoisted up his suitcase. "Well, I'm going to go unpack. I'll be more than happy to see the rest of the house once I get a shower and something to eat, of course." Nat jumped quickly like he had been bitten. "Oh, speaking of the rest of the house, I almost forgot! Thanks for reminding me! Hurry along and get settled in, I'm going to get some snacks and drinks, because we're meeting on the roof in an hour." Everyone dispersed to explore and unpack. The foyer opened up to a cozy little den (I use the term "little" lightly, it was huge!) with a TV mounted on the solid wall and a sectional that ran about ten feet along the glass wall before curving, creating a sort of barrier between it and the dining room. A spiral metal staircase led upstairs from the middle of the floor. "This place is awesome, Nat!" I sighed reverently. He chuckled as he made his way to the kitchen, leaning over the bar to look at me. "It's the best, isn't it? I always wanted to invite friends out here. I always wanted to do a lot of fun things with friends, never really had friends until I came to Peach Creek," he confessed, pushing himself off of the counter and digging through the liquor cabinet. "Don't go getting all mushy on me bruh," I chuckled. "Fine. In that case, do you want margaritas or screwdrivers?" he grinned. "Why not both?" He nodded sagely. "Smart, smart man," he murmured as he went about fixing the drinks. "I'm gonna, uh- I'm gonna go unpack," I said, hoisting my duffel bag over my shoulder. "Alright, Kev. Have fuuun," he called after me.

"Wow," I whispered to myself as I stepped into the room. My feet thudded softly on the hardwood floor as I paced the room, dropping my duffel bag beside the dresser. The bed was huge, with an oak headboard and white satin sheets. One entire side of the room was glass, overlooking the moonlit water. A set of speakers were mounted in the corners of the adjacent wall, a flat screen set up on top of the long, eight-drawer dresser. This beats a hotel any day, I thought. Edd's voice piped up from behind me. "Enjoying the view?" he asked. I turned to face him, and all thought left my mind. The breath was stolen straight out of my lungs. He was leaning against the bathroom door wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, his onyx locks tumbling in thick waves over his shoulder. His porcelain skin seemed to glow under the warm light in the room. His lips twitched upward in the slightest smirk. "Citrouille? It's been ten minutes," he sighed before disappearing back into the bathroom and closing the door. "Oh, hell yeah!" I snorted, tearing my shirt off as I made my way after him eagerly. I opened the door to find my boyfriend standing under a waterfall encased in glass. The water from the shower poured down from the ceiling onto the aqua tiles that covered the floor. I could only grin as I hurried to undress and join him. My hands were impatient, pulling him to my chest in a flash. He let out a surprised giggle as his hands linked behind my neck. "In a hurry?" he teased, pressing his thigh up against my growing erection. "You have no idea," I growled, letting my hands roam wildly. He looked around the bathroom before turning his head upward and closing his eyes, drops of water cascading over his cheeks, his eyelids, down his nose. He was a siren, pulling me in with his power, taking away all of my sense of reason. I was powerless against him, and glad to be.

"Oh, the things we could do in this house," he moaned happily. I picked him up, gripping his ass in my hands as his legs wrapped around my hips. "Then we shouldn't waste any time," I murmured, shifting all of his weight to one arm as I grabbed hold of my twitching, eager cock, guiding it to his entrance. "Hold on tight," I said as I pushed myself into him fully in one thrust. He let out a soft cry, his limbs all tightening around my body. Legs squeezed my back, pulling me even closer to him, arms tightened around my shoulders, lifting his body up and bringing it back down. "Oh God," I breathed, holding him in both arms again as I thrusted upward slowly. "Kevinnnn," he groaned, letting his head fall backward and rest against the wall. I continued with my soft, slow thrusts, tilting upward further with each movement. "What is it, baby?" I taunted as I pressed gentle kisses to his throat. "Oh, you feel so good," he moaned. I couldn't hide the proud grin that spread across my face as I pulled almost all the way out and pumped into him hard, still keeping the strokes nice and slow. "Trust me, you feel way better," I chuckled. He let out a soft whimper and jerked at the rattling of my body from laughter. Where do you think you're going? I thought, digging my fingers into his hips and pulling him down on me again. His shoulders pressed against the wall but the rest of his body arched toward me as he spasmed. He was close. I tilted my hips back and pulled him with me, bouncing him up and down on my cock until I felt it rising up in me, too. The water drowned out our cries as we climaxed together.

I held him in my arms for a few moments, both of us catching our breath. Eventually I pulled out and his shaky legs found their way to the floor again. "We should actually shower, y'know," I sighed, holding his trembling body against me. He let out a shaky laugh, grabbing a washcloth from one of the shelves along the wall, lathering it with soap. "I suppose you're correct if we want any time to unpack before Nathan gathers all of us together for the festivities upstairs," he responded as he began rubbing the cloth over my chest and shoulders. I couldn't hold back the soft moan as my head lolled back. How could he make the smallest things intimate and sensual? How could he drive me insane with just one touch?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You put the lime in the coconut and shake 'em all up!" Nat sang as he danced around the small, metal fire pit that sat in the middle of the rooftop deck. We were all perched around the fire on patio furniture and bean bag chairs, everyone sipping on mixed drinks. Nazz and Marie sat together on one of the love seats, cuddled up under a blanket. I, on the other hand, was laying on the floor with my head in Edd's lap. He sat in a bean bag chair, his legs stretched out as he played with my hair. What had started off as a nice little buzz turned into totally wasted in no time at all, and laying my head in his lap was the only thing that stopped everything from spinning. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" Sarah asked excitedly, taking a long sip of her drink. For some reason, she was upside down. Oh, you dork! a voice in my head snorted. You're laying with your head upside down! "Dude, what're you laughing for?" Eddy suddenly asked, raising an eyebrow at me. "Oh, I laughed out loud? My bad, I thought of something funny," is what I meant to say. What came out instead was something along the lines of: "I lafffff'd ow loud? My battt...mmm," before I buried my face into my boyfriend's stomach. They continued their conversation, and all of it was a jumbled mess. I looked up at Edd, the flames giving his skin a golden hue and his eyes turning violet under the amber light. You are perfect. You are everything. How the hell did someone like me get lucky enough to find you? I don't deserve you, but you still chose me. Why? Why am I so lucky? I'll take that blessing though, and I'll never let you go. I love you so much, Eddward. The words were there, right on the verge of escaping me, but they wouldn't come out. Instead, I made a soft little humming sound in the back of my throat, grinning stupidly at him. "That sound good to you, Kevin?" Johnny asked out of nowhere. "Hm? Huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah, choice," I murmured before burying my face in Edd's stomach again. I closed my eyes and whispered, "Love you, Dork," before drunken sleep took me over.

*A McGangBang, for those of you that don't know, is a heavenly McDonald's creation for us that have to eat off the struggle menu that is only $2-$3 plus tax and is a McChicken wedged in the middle of a McDouble.