𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐲
-𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝟔-

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞: Billy had gone to rehab for a while and it was peaceful — I mean.. Camila was in pieces for a some time but with the help of the band she was okay.

𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞: He was back.. (sighing and looking down) The label dropped us a week after the tour was cancelled.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧: They made us pay back our advance and everything.

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦: I kept us practicing as much as I could. Got a job at a body shop.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧: Yeah, I was working down at Malibu Harbour cleaning boats which I love and doing a lot of mushrooms which I also love.

𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞: (shaking his head) basically we were back where we started. Worse, even.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫: Are you still upset about it?

𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞: Me? No. I mean holding onto that shit will be the death of you. But he really fucked us over.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞: I worked in a record shop for a while to help keep money coming in. It wasn't much but it kept a roof over our head (taking a breath) there was a boy too.. Nathan. He was a casual hookup (shrugging)

𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞: He was a jerk.

✯✯✯

Stevie sat awkwardly and played with her hands as the group sat in silence. "Who the fuck do you think you are man?" Eddie spat. Billy stood with his hands on his hips. "Look everybody calm down, okay?" Graham suggested.

"For fucks sake— I can't be the only one who's pissed here!" He argued. Stevie looked up and pursed her lips together. "I don't know what else you want me to say. You guys don't even need me! You got the songs, you got the fanbase. I'm sure if you just—" Billy started.

"Billy—" Eddie shouted, "if you're going. Go." He dismissed.

"Look, Billy—" Stevie began. Billy glared at her. She held her hands up in defence. "All i'm saying.. is that— after messing people around and, y'know, changing their roles on the band which, by the way, upset a few people.. you can't just expect everybody to be okay with you just," she paused, "leaving."

"Stevie you-" He began.

"Don't get it. I know. But all i'm saying is that you'll be making a mistake." She pursed her lips into a line, looking down and playing with the hem of her sleeve.

Billy nodded once and slowly left the room. Warren shared an uneasy glance with Stevie. "So now what do we do?" Warren asked. Stevie leaned forward and took the flask that sat on the table, sipping from it.

✯✯✯

𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧: I mean, bands fall apart. You know? That's rock and roll.. (thinking) I just, thought this one was different.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞: I hated how everything revolved around Billy (looking away) I know I told him that he should stay but I knew he was right. We could do it without him, one hundred percent. The band was my life (pausing) and i wasn't going to let him take that from me.

✯✯✯

Stevie sat at the poolside, alone, surrounded by groupies and people they didn't know. Karen and Graham sat talking on a lounge chair. Warren was god knows where and Eddie. Well, Eddie was finding an excuse to go and speak to Stevie.

A cigarette hung between two of Stevie's fingers and she had her feet dipped in the water.

Eddie shoved his hands into his pockets and walked over to her, stopping behind her and clearing his throat. Stevie slowly looked over her shoulder. "Can I help you?" She sighed. Eddie motioned toward the space beside her. "Can I sit?"

She shrugged and Eddie took that as a yes. He looked at the flask that sat beside her and he took it into his hands, shaking it to realise it was empty.

"He's such a prick.." she shook her head, taking a drag of her cigarette.

"Who, Billy? Don't get me starting, Vie." Eddie let out a slight chuckle. "I mean, he kicked me from rhythm to give it to you and now he just wants to leave?"

"That's my point." Stevie sighed, offering Eddie her cigarette and leaning back on her hands. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like if the band never happened in the first place?" She asked. Eddie thought for a moment and shrugged. "Sometimes."

Stevie looked at him. "You know what I haven't done in a while?" She asked, the alcohol rushing through her veins. Eddie looked at her. "What?"

Stevie lifted the now empty flask, disappointed by its lack of contents.

"Kissed someone." She peered over her shoulder to look for someone. Eddie raised his eyebrows. "Yeah.. yeah. Me neither." He said nervously. She hummed and looked around. Her eyes slowly landed on Eddie and she grinned.

His mouth went dry. "What?" He asked.

"We haven't ever kissed. We should kiss." She said nonchalantly. Eddie almost choked on his own saliva. He nodded quickly. "I mean— yeah. Yeah, sure." He stumbled over his own words.

Stevie almost laughed at him. "God, you're such a virgin."

Eddie scoffed. "Oh and you aren't?"

"No, actually. I'm not." She grinned, looking away. Eddie's face fell slightly. He wasn't a virgin. But he didn't know that Stevie wasn't either. "And you didn't tell me?"

"Didn't think I needed to." She teased.

Eddie shook his head. Stevie turned to face him, her feet no longer in the water. "Go on then." She nodded. Eddie frowned. "Kiss me." She said. Eddie looked down at her lips. "What?"

"I said kiss me. Unless you don't want to."

Eddie looked at her lips. Then at her eyes. Then at her lips again. He hesitantly took her chin between his two fingers and kissed her. Stevie closed her eyes and draped an arm around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. She kissed him aggressively, emotions rushing through her.

Eddie tried to keep up with her and felt her teeth tug at his bottom lip softly. He sucked in a breath and placed a hand on the back of her head.

They heard a whistle from behind them which made them pull apart. There stood Warren with a wide grin on his face. "I knew it!" Stevie scoffed and stood, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Knew what? It was only a kiss, Warren. People kiss all the time." She walked off.

Eddie swallowed hard. Just a kiss. Sure. He chewed on his bottom lip and shook his head.

After a few moments of thinking, he followed after her. "Stevie— Stevie wait!" He called after her, dodging the crowd and entering the house where the party was being held. Stevie had stopped at the drinks table and looked at him.

"What?" She asked, pouring a drink.

"So.. not a virgin?" He brought up the topic again. Stevie rolled her eyes and poured a drink. "It's just some guy who comes into the shop every so often." She shook her head, not really wanting to talk about it.

Eddie hummed. "Is he nice?"

"He's a nice hookup." Stevie raised her eyebrows. "His name is Nathan." She told him.

Eddie nodded. "Well... when do we get to meet this guy then." He asked seriously. Stevie stared at him for a few seconds and raised an eyebrow. "You're not serious, are you?" She asked. "God you're serious." She sighed. "He's not my boyfriend, Eddie."

He shrugged. "I wanna see who the guy is that's getting into my best friends pants."

"Gross." Stevie frowned, sipping from her cup.

✯✯✯

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞: Looking back (pausing) i know why he was so... curious. He was concerned and (a small grin on her face) jealous.

𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞: She said that? I mean— i'll never admit it to her face but yeah. Yeah, maybe I was jealous. She was my best friend, man. And she was staying out late and nobody knew where she would be. None of us knew this guy. I wanted to know who he was incase something happened to her.

✯✯✯

Stevie winced as they sat and listened to one of the many men who was trying to become their new main singer. Graham glanced at her and bit down, cringing for the one hundredth time that day.

Eddie sat with a look of concern on his face. "Okay—" Stevie stood and clapped her hands together once. "I think we have seen enough. Thank you." She dismissed the man. He nodded and walked off.

She turned to face the band and almost burst out laughing.

"I feel like we have seen every bloody front man in all of California." Karen sighed. Eddie looked around. "Not everyone.." he said. Warren's eyebrows furrowed together. "What?"

"I can do it, guys." Eddie offered.

"Yeah, Eddie—" Graham interrupted.

"I can do it." Eddie assured. "I'm a better guitarist than Billy and I can sing almost as good. Come on, just give me a chance." He practically begged. "I mean, he's already up there." Warren mumbled to Karen.

Stevie sighed and put two hands on Eddie's shoulders, pushing him toward the microphone and nodding. She knew he could do it. And, in her opinion, he was better than Billy.

Eddie picked up his guitar and took a deep breath before he started singing.

Stevie put her hands on her knees and smiled widely, nodding along as he sang. Warren sat up straight and Karen slowly nodded her head. "I think he's got it.." Stevie spoke up when he stopped. Silence. "Come on guys. It won't kill you to admit it."

Karen hummed. "I agree with Stevie."

✯✯✯

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞: Graham wouldn't agree, of course. Billy was his brother at the end of the day. So I couldn't blame him. But I really believe Eddie could do good if they'd have given him a chance.

𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧: Stevie was Eddie's biggest supporter. It was quite moving now that I think back.

✯✯✯

Camila walked around the living room with the camera in hand, filming as everybody was helping hang up Christmas Decorations. She turned the camera to Stevie who was stood behind Eddie and Stevie draped her arms across his front, standing on the tip of her toes and kissing his cheek.

Eddie smiled widely and waved at the camera.

Camila moved on and Stevie picked up a piece of tinsel, wrapping it over her shoulders and grinning. "Warren, come here!" She exclaimed, arms open wide. Warren laughed and hugged her, picking her off the floor for a moment. "Merry Christmas, Stevie!" He said happily.

She chuckled and patted his cheek. "Merry Christmas, Warren." She said.

Stevie then turned back to Eddie and placed the tinsel around his shoulders instead and pulled him close. "You too, Roundtree," she said quietly, poking his chest. Eddie rolled his eyes and threw an arm across her shoulders.

Billie had disappeared upstairs with the baby to get her asleep and everybody was settling down, smoking cigarettes and drinking.

Eddie sat in the chair beside the couch that everybody was sat on and, without thinking, pulled Stevie down onto his lap. She didn't say anything, though. She just draped an arm around him for support.

"It took forever but she's finally asleep!" Billie entered again with a sigh.

"She's asleep!" They cheered happily. "I wanna have some fun," Karen chimed in. "I agree!" Stevie said, clapping her hands together. Billy had a nervous look on his face and Stevie tilted her head. "Billy?"

"Look... I— erm.. I'd like to play something for you if you're open to it. I understand if you're not," he began.

Stevie and Eddie looked at each other. Eddie was now slouched in the chair, Stevie still on his lap and his hand resting on her hip.

"We're not," he said in a slightly jokey tone even though he wasn't joking.

Stevie bit down on her tongue and looked at the floor.

"We're not, right guys?" Eddie slurred his words together, clearly drunk. "Come on guys. You can't do this. You can't just walk back in here like nothing happened." He said. As much as Stevie wanted to agree, she saw the look on Billy's face and decided to keep her mouth closed.

"You're right, i'm sorry." He looked down. "I'm just gonna go check on Julia," he excused.

Stevie looked at Eddie in an awkward manner as the rest of the group looked at Eddie in disbelief. "Hey, asshole." He stopped Billy. "Play the damn song."

✯✯✯

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫: Why did you stay?

𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞: (wincing) I ask myself that all the time.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞: (silence whilst looking down)

✯✯✯

Eddie and Stevie sat on the balcony, looking up at the stars. Everybody else had gone to bed and it was just them. Eddie was stealing glances at her every now and again and she didn't seem to notice.

"I love Christmas." She said randomly. Eddie nodded in agreement. "Same." He said. He rolled his head to the side to look at her properly and she looked back at him. "I feel so peaceful."

He frowned. That was random.

"Peaceful? Do you not normally feel peaceful?"

She sighed and looked away. "You know I haven't been doing great, Eddie." She played with her fingers, not wanting to go through it again. Eddie pursed his lips into a line and took a deep breath. "I thought you were feeling better."

"I am." She said. "..I think."

Eddie's heart felt heavy at the thought of her struggling again. He reached over and grabbed her hand. She looked down and didn't say anything.

"One day," he began, "i'm going to buy you so many records that you'll begin to hate listening to music." He joked.

"I could never hate listening to music." She grinned at him.

Eddie smiled at her smile and squeezed her hand. "Just wanted to make you smile, Vie." He admitted. Her smile grew wider and she stared at him. Eddie used his free hand to brush her hair over her shoulder and her breath hitched.

"The moon makes you look.." he paused, unsure if he should finish his sentence, "beautiful."

She scoffed. "Do I not always look beautiful?" She joked.

"You always look beautiful, Stevie." Eddie whispered, his fingers brushing against her skin. She looked down at his hand before looking back up at him, inching closer. Eddie looked down at her lips and cupped her jaw with both hands.

"Eddie—"

But she didn't get to finish her sentence because he had kissed her. It was slow and gentle this time. The alcohol was fading from their system and they were almost completely sober.

Stevie placed her hand over his and the other on the back of his neck.

Who knew that Eddie Roundtree's present for Christmas would come early. And that present would be another kiss from Stevie Franklin.

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