The studio was buzzing with energy, with guitar riffs echoing in the background and laughter filling the air. War in the Hell had carved out this space as their sanctuary, and today was no different. Jeremy was plucking away at a few chords, testing a new melody, while Edward scribbled potential lyrics onto a notepad. Nalani sat curled up in the corner of the old, sagging sofa, a cup of coffee in hand, as she watched her bandmates.

Josh leaned over the worn arm of his chair, eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, guys," he began, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone, "I might have done something... bold."

Edward, lounging with his legs stretched out and head tilted back, raised an eyebrow without opening his eyes. "Bold? You? The last bold thing you did was wear two different socks to a gig."

Josh rolled his eyes and glanced around to make sure he had everyone's attention. "I asked Poppy out on a date."

The room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a cacophony of voices. Nicole, who had been going over some notes in the corner, dropped her clipboard in mock astonishment. Jeremy's drumsticks clattered to the floor as he shot upright, grinning. "No way! Poppy?"

"Josh has a date? With Poppy? The Poppy from the Rock and Die Festival?" Nicole exclaimed, putting her hand over her mouth dramatically. "This is the gossip of the century."

Edward clapped Josh on the back. "Dude, that's huge! She's way out of your league, but I'm proud of you for shooting your shot."

"Out of my league?" Josh scoffed, though his smile was broad. "I'll have you know that she followed me back on Instagram after we talked at the festival. So, technically, she made the first move."

Edward laughed so hard he nearly fell off the sofa. "Sure, Josh. Keep telling yourself that."

Nalani, who had been leaning against the table with her chin resting in her palm, glanced up, her dark eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, this is going to be good. Please tell me you didn't say something embarrassing when you asked her."

Josh flushed a deep red. "I might have said something about how I'm 'kind of' in a band that's 'kind of' opening for BMTH."

Jeremy cackled. "Classic Josh. Underselling us while trying to be humble. Did she say yes, though?"

Josh nodded vigorously, his face breaking into an uncontrollable smile. "She did. We're meeting at the little café by the canal tomorrow."

A collective round of whoops and congratulations followed. Edward reached over and clapped Josh on the back. "Don't blow it, man. Remember, don't talk about your guitar collection for more than thirty minutes."

"Or at all," Jeremy added, deadpan.

The room filled with laughter again, and for a moment, Nalani joined in, her voice ringing clear and bright. But as the noise settled, Edward caught the way her gaze drifted to the far side of the room, unfocused and distant.

Jeremy noticed it too and nudged her with his foot. "Hey, Nalani, where'd you go just now? You were looking off into the void as if it owed you money."

She snapped back, eyes sharpening. "Huh? Nowhere. I'm just listening to you guys talk."

Edward's smirk softened into a look of curiosity. "Liar. You've got that face you always get when you're overthinking something."

"Yeah," Josh piped up, leaning forward. "Come on, what's up? You've been weird ever since we got back from the tattoo studio."

"So, Nalani," Jeremy said suddenly, his voice cutting through the noise with a mischievous lilt. He set his guitar down and turned to face her fully, a grin spreading across his face. "Word has it you braved Nicholas' tattoo chair yesterday."

Nalani rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her coffee to mask her smirk. "I did."

"Man, that's a sick piece, Nalani," Edward said, nodding at her tattoo with approval. "I still can't believe you went through with it."

Josh chuckled, putting his drumsticks down. "Yeah, you didn't even flinch. Nick said you handled it like a pro, unlike some people we know." He nudged Edward playfully, and the bassist feigned offense, putting his hand over his heart.

"Excuse me, I am a beacon of bravery!" Edward declared, making everyone burst into laughter.

"Sure, Ed," Nalani said, smirking. "Bravery until someone mentions needles."

"The fact that Nick was there to support you says a lot,"Jeremy teased again.

"It wasn't as big a deal as you guys are making it out to be."

Edward leaned forward, eyebrows raised with intrigue. "Are you kidding? Your first tattoo? And with Nick there as your personal cheerleader? That's a headline moment."

"Oh, you should've seen him," Nalani said with a touch of sarcasm. "He was more excited than I was."

Josh's eyes widened with feigned shock. "More excited than you? Impossible. Did he hold your hand and sing you a lullaby?"

The room erupted with laughter, and Nicole, who had been observing with a bemused expression, piped up. "Did he give you a speech on the philosophy of tattoos too?"

"Nope, just steady words of advice and a few terrible jokes to keep me from backing out," Nalani admitted, a genuine smile breaking through her usual composed demeanor. "And yes, before you ask, he did hold my hand, but just to support me."

"Sure, support," Jeremy teased. "Nick's pretty charming. But speaking of holding hands and grand gestures—how's the other brooding frontman in your life?"

The lightness in Nalani's expression faltered as she caught the knowing looks being exchanged. "You're not seriously talking about Noah, are you?" she said, her tone slipping into irritation.

"Oh, we're definitely talking about Noah," Nicole said, sitting forward with her phone now forgotten. "Come on, Nalani. I heard you arguing on the BMTH's last concert and let me tell you... that was next-level moody."

"Yeah," Josh chimed in, leaning against the soundboard with a dramatic sigh. "The guy's a storm cloud whenever you're around, but when Nick's there too? He's the whole thunderstorm."

Nalani huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Noah's just being Noah. Rude, unbearable, and... did I mention rude?"

Nicole and Josh exchanged a conspiratorial glance, and Josh let out a playful laugh. "Sure, Nalani. Just Noah being Noah. But tell me, why does 'just Noah' have a habit of glaring daggers every time Nick does anything nice for you?"

"Maybe he's just an insufferable human being in general," Nalani snapped, though the heat in her cheeks betrayed more than annoyance. The mention of Noah's behavior made her mind wander back to the sharp look in his eyes during her tattoo session. That unspoken tension between them simmered like a storm waiting to break.

"Ah," Edward said knowingly, drawing out the syllable. "That guy again."

Josh exchanged a glance with Jeremy. "What did he do this time? Steal your spotlight? Glare at you like you stepped on his favorite guitar pedal?"

"Worse," Nalani muttered, crossing her arms tightly. "He was there at the studio, watching like he was the overseer of every move I made. The way he looked at Nick when he was talking to me, it was—ugh! He's so frustrating. He acts like... I don't know, like he owns the room and everyone in it."

Jeremy whistled, low and dramatic. "Sounds like someone's got a problem admitting he's a little jealous." that made evetyone laugh except Nalani, who was sending deathly stares at Jeremy. "You know, Nick being there was cool and all, but what's more interesting is the aftermath. You've got Noah turning into Mr. Grump, and our dear Edward here is grinning like he's just won the lottery."

Edward, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up, a smirk tugging at his lips. "What can I say? Nick's support was the best thing to happen all week. The more Noah glowers, the better."

Nicole noticed the shift in Nalani's expression and tilted her head. "Hey, are you zoning out on us?" she asked, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"No, just... distracted," Nalani said, waving it off, but her bandmates exchanged knowing glances.

"Oh, we know exactly what you're distracted by," Josh said, waggling his eyebrows. "Isn't that right, Nicole?"

Nicole's grin widened. "Oh, absolutely. It's a certain brooding, tattooed singer who can't stop staring at you."

Nalani's eyes narrowed, a playful warning. "Josh, Nicole, don't you dare—"

"Come on, Nalani," Nicole teased, ignoring the glare. "Everyone knows how Noah was acting. He definitely was burning holes into Nick's head while he supported you. It's so obvious he's jealous."

"Jealous?" Nalani huffed, though her heart picked up a traitorous beat. "He's just... unbearable. That's what he is."

"Yeah, unbearably jealous," Josh said with a smirk, making Edward snort with laughter.

Jeremy, who had been quiet until now, raised his hand. "Meanwhile, can we acknowledge how perfect Nick was being? I'm telling you, Nick and Nalani would make a great couple. He's supportive, chill, and has great taste in tattoos."

"Agreed," Edward chimed in, leaning back with a satisfied grin. "Nick was all in, cheering her on while she got that tattoo. It was like he was her personal hype man."

Nalani groaned, pressing her palms to her face. "You guys are impossible."

"Impossible but accurate," Jeremy said, winking. "You can't tell us you didn't notice how comfortable he made you feel."

A silence fell over them for a moment as Nalani's expression shifted. She sighed, letting her hands fall to her lap. "Alright, fine. Yes, Nick was great. But can we please drop the subject before I lose my mind?"

"Too late," Josh said, unable to resist one more dig. "And just so you know, Nicole, the ship is far from sinking. Noah's just taking a scenic route."

Nicole laughed, the sound ringing through the room. "Don't worry, Josh. It'll get better. Patience is key."

Before Nalani could respond, Josh slapped his palms together, shifting the mood back to light-hearted banter. "Alright, enough about romantic subplots," he announced. "Let's talk about real stakes—I have a date with Poppy tonight, and I'm freaking out."

Nicole gave a mock salute. "Smooth, Josh. Just don't mess it up with that 'smooth as a rock' confidence."

Nalani let out a chuckle, the tension in her shoulders easing as she watched Josh try to act confident. "You'll be fine, Josh. Just be yourself."

"Yeah, but what if my 'self' is a rambling idiot who talks about obscure horror films?" Josh said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Edward smirked, leaning in. "Then she'll either love you for it or run for the hills. Either way, we'll be here to roast you."

The banter continued, but amidst the laughter, Nalani felt a weight pressing against her mind—the shadow of Noah's glances, his arrogance, and whatever game he seemed to be playing. She glanced at her bandmates, who were still teasing Josh mercilessly, and realized that no matter how hard she tried, the thoughts of Noah's behavior were hard to shake.

Suddenly, Mark walked into the room, clapping his hands to gather everyone's attention. "Alright, team. I know you're having fun, but listen up." Mark's voice boomed, capturing their attention immediately. He had a glint in his eye, the kind that meant news was brewing.

Josh leaned against his drum set, eyebrows raised. "What's up, Mark? You look like you're about to burst."

Mark held up a piece of paper triumphantly. "I just got off the phone. I've got some big news— you guys are officially invited for your first live interview. And not just any interview—it's with Rock Pulse, one of the biggest platforms out there."

The room erupted into noise. Jeremy whooped, tossing his guitar pick into the air. Edward slapped Josh on the back with a grin, while Nalani's eyes widened in excitement. Never in a million years she thought they could go this further. It felt unreal.

"No way!" she exclaimed, disbelief mixing with joy. "Rock Pulse? That's insane!"

"It's legit," Mark said, smirking. "They want you guys on their livestream next week. This is huge, so start prepping for it. We want to make a killer first impression."

Josh pretended to faint, catching himself on Nicole's shoulder. "Our faces on Rock Pulse? This has to be a dream."

Nicole laughed, pushing him off gently. "It's real, Josh. So, you better start practicing your charming answers."

"Great," Edward said with mock seriousness, "now we need to decide who gets to say what. I vote that Nalani doesn't get the first question, or she'll accidentally roast someone on air."

Nalani rolled her eyes but laughed along. "Says the guy who once described us as 'just a bunch of noise' during that radio promo."

Mark chuckled, the sound rich and genuine. "Alright, alright. Jokes aside, this is a major step. They'll want to know about your journey, your recent opening for BMTH, and, if I had to guess, your thoughts on that wild tattoo session last week."

At the mention of the tattoo, Jeremy and Edward shot each other knowing looks. Jeremy elbowed Nalani with a smirk. "Oh, I bet Nick would have some things to say if he were in that interview."

"Yeah," Edward chimed in, winking, "I mean, he was the true MVP of that day."

Nalani rolled her eyes dramatically but couldn't hide the faint smile tugging at her lips. "Can we not make this about Nick for once?"

"Oh, come on!" Josh said, eyes twinkling. "We've got to mention the studio's 'star guest' and his glare of doom whenever someone got too close to you."

"Jealous much?" Nicole teased, nudging Nalani. "Honestly, I think Noah's begaviour was more intense than usual."

Nalani's expression turned stormy at Noah's mention, her eyes narrowing. "Don't even start with that. The way he acted was beyond irritating."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, save that energy for the interview, Nalani. Drama sells, but let's not end up with headlines like 'Rising Band Clashes with Established Rock Star' before you even get famous."

The room dissolved into laughter, the mix of excitement and nervousness palpable as the band started preparing mentally for what was sure to be their first step into wider recognition.