we walk together, the five of us, out of the building.
"I'm heading home, night!" says Topper as he waves and walks in the opposite direction.
"I think I am too, I can't stay up late again" I admit, although not happily.
"but you certainly have time to come to our place and have a drink" proposes Mick
"yea baby, don't go yet" pouts Joe
"Maybe tomorrow"
"Tomorrow, tomorrow is the Damned gig down at The Stage isn't it?" asks Paul
"Right, I'd forgotten" confesses Joe, "Candy you'll have to come, you have to see how great their band is."
I assure Joe that "If you're going, I'm going"
"And bring your lovely friends" winks Paul
"Right, bring Mattey" asks Mick.
I laugh, "Alright, Alright I'll bring my lovely lovely friends."
"Its settled then, see you later boys I'll walk my Juliet home" says Joe making one of his funny expressions.
"oh Romeo, how sweet of you" I say mockingly with a flattered laugh.

// the next evening (narrated in 3rd person) //

It was a packed night at the nightclub "The Stage," for a well-known underground punk band called "The Damned" was playing that night.
The Three Musketeers (also known as Joe, Mick, and Paul) make their way through the crowded club, followed by Candy who held tightly to Joe's hand.

"There's more people than expected" says Paul loudly hoping the others would hear.
Candy: Mattey and Piper said they'd be in front of the stage!
Joe: Do you think they really got all the way to the front? They're pretty short!
"But they're tough too, lets go find out!" proposes Mick.
They all agree and begin to push the others to get through, of course Paul first, him being the tallest. Joe holds Candy's hand tight as if afraid she'd get lost but she manages to push away the other Punks as good as Paul did.

Finally, after what felt like endless suffocation, they find Mattey and Piper up front where they said they'd be.
"My lady," says Mick as he meets Mattey, "My man," she replies.
Candy and Joe smile at each other, both happy for their friends.
meanwhile Paul and Piper stand side by side, a bit awkwardly and unsure of where they stood relationship-wise.
Paul was not as comfortable as Mick to call a girl "his lady," he needed assurance from her that they were both in the same boat.
Piper, was unsure if she wanted more from Paul than she'd already received, so she just kept right on doing her thing.

"Hello, Hello, Hello" a deep, hot, voice coming from the speakers interrupted everyone's side conversations. In unison they all faced the stage where Dave Vanian, the lead singer of The Damned, stood wearing all black, with a pale ivory-like face and dark eye shadow.
Candy's breath was stolen, she'd never seen someone who looked so much like a vampire before. Like a handsome, and somewhat adorable, vampire.
"I'm Dave Vanian, and this is The Damned" the crowd cheered "on drums, Rat Scabies, on bass, Captain Sensible, and finally awful on guitar, Brian" the crowd laughed along.

with an energizing drum intro that ignites the whole crowd, they start their act, the song is "New Rose." the punks and the non-punks all jump together, they all yelled along as if they knew the lyrics, but Joe did know, for he was friends with the band. He sings them to Candy, she laughs.

Next comes "Fan Club" a less-violent tune.
"They're Hot!" yells Candy
"What'd you mean Hot?!" says Joe, a bit jealous of how mesmerized his "Juliet" appeared.
"I mean, the songs! they're hot!"
"Right."
She laughs to herself flattered by his jealousy and kisses his cheek.
Across the crowd are Mick and Mattey holding hands trying to dance between everyone else.
"You'd heard them before?" he asks
"Yeah, we'd seen them a couple times, they're great!"
"yeah huh, they've opened for us!"
"Nice, when's your next performance!? you guys kicked fucking balls before!"
Mick laughs, "This weekend, we're playing here" he says into her ear then kisses her cheek. She blushes. "I'll come see you"
"I'll be singing especially for you then."
They seal the deal with a heart-felt kiss.

Piper and Paul are both enjoying the performance in their own little worlds but a fight breaks between two skinheads standing by Piper's side, they begin to throw punches around like wild men.
Paul pulls Piper against his body, saving her from the savages who could've hurt her otherwise.
"Are ya fine down there?" he asks, still holding her close.
"Yeah, I didn't need your help big boy" she says jokingly punching his arm.
"Yeah, I bet you didn't" he says sarcastically, then he leans down to face her, their noses touch.
"Why don't you just admit you're head over heels for me huh?"
"What?" she scoffs.
"Pft, please, I bet you've thought about me naked"
"I've seen you naked."
"And you loved it didn't you?" he winks.
Someone pushes Paul and his forehead hits Piper's.
"Ouch, watch it!"
"Shut up," he grabs her and kisses her with a grin on his face.
She can't help smiling herself, but she bites him just to teach him a lesson about kissing without asking first. He laughs and lifts her up, then drags her to the bar.
"And what'd you do that for?"
"It was getting too hot in there" he says as he signals up the bartender, "I'll have whiskey, and for the lady?"
"I'm fine, wait, whiskey too."
"You can't just carry people like that Paul."
"You'd be trampled over! But you're right, sorry, I won't do it again" he says drinking.
She drinks too, and sits next to him.