LiquorLip Loaded Gun

"Unfold my only life vest, sink or swim

Through the everlasting worlds begin" - Sticky Fingers


Backstage wasn't dark and disco-like. It wasn't like what people said it'd be like. Maya was promised, ancient strobe lights, and a dark curtain, leading to the stage. It was a room, with bright lights, that led to the small room with dark lights. There were two couches in the big empty room, along with one other band.

Of fucking course, Demoralized had the same gig as they did. The other merry band of four, was sat on one of the couches, all of their legs, laying over one another. Half of them were on their phones, but Lucas and Missy were playing chopsticks.

Road to Serenity were playing card games on the floor, waiting for their turn on the stage.

Maya heard a man screeching into a microphone, with horrifying vocals. The band playing had a more heavy metal sound, and Maya was open to all kinds of music, but this band was substandard. If they were going to enter Battle of the Bands , they wouldn't make it far. Maya had faith that her band could win this thing.

The room smelled of cigarettes, drugs, and whiskey. Maya scrunched her nose, hating the smell. She didn't understand doing any of those things. She thought cigarettes were nasty and decaying, drugs were just plain stupid, and alcohol was for cowards.

"41," Riley said, laying down her playing cards. Maya rolled her eyes and groaned. Riley smiled at Maya innocently, and laughed.

"I'm done." Maya moaned, throwing her cards into the center of their circle. Josh nodded his head, and threw his cards in the middle. Riley picked up all the cards and placed them into the box.

"So," Riley said scooting next to Maya; resting her feet in front of her, and leaning back on the palm of her hands. "We're better than them, right?" Riley whispered, nodding her head toward the other group, but not too much so they wouldn't notice.

Riley was good friends with Farkle, their guitarist, and she had often expressed her attraction to Lucas. She would constantly tell her that he is incredibly hot, but perfect for Maya. Maya would always disagree.

"Fucking obviously," Maya said, glancing at the band. She'd known all of them, they were all friends, but not really. They hung out sometimes, when they saw each other, but not as much as they used to. She was close with Farkle and Missy, but Zay was just a person she knew. She wished she didn't know Lucas, for valid reasons.

"I hope." Riley says, as Josh comes back to them, with his coat in his hand. Maya mimicked Riley's, sitting position with her legs still crossed.

"Have some faith in us Riles," Maya said, leaning her head behind Riley's back, to see the other band laughing at something, one said. "We're golden."

"Yeah, Riley." Josh agreed. "We're going to kick their asses in Battle of the Bands." He said, drinking from a gray flask he had seemed to have gotten from his coat.

"And if we don't?" Riley said, looking at both of her band-mates, with one eyebrow raised.

"We will." Maya said shrugging her shoulders. Honestly, Maya wasn't sure, but she'd do anything in her power to make it so.

"And how do you know?" Riley sat back up properly, and kept her perfectly ached eyebrow up. The brunette's eyes looked so innocent to Maya.

"I may not care about the things I can't control, but I care about this, because I can actually do something. We'll practice more, okay?" Maya nudged Riley, softly with her elbow. "I mean look at us, this is the biggest stage we've ever gotten."

"But they're here too." Riley said pouting involuntarily.

"We'll still kick their asses," Josh said, winking at Riley, and Maya gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hell yeah," Riley said, getting more excited. She bunched up her arms into her chest, and kicked her feet. Maya fake gasped at Riley saying 'hell', but just chuckled and got up to get some water.

Maya sauntered to a table with a table cloth and drinks on top. She started opening her water when a person came up next to her.

"Hey Maya," Farkle said, also grabbing a water. "When are you guys on?" He said, twisting the cap off. He took a big chug, and let out a silent 'ah'. He was wearing a cerulean shirt, that was covered in holes.

"10 minutes, and you Farky?" Maya smirked, and Farkle laughed at the nickname, Maya had gave him, but hadn't said since high school.

"Soon." He said, taking another gulp, and twisting the cap back on. "I'll see you at Battle of the Bands, Maya." Farkle left the table, and Maya smiled, then waved, with her thumb tucked in her front pocket.

When Maya returned to her bandmates, she found that Riley had gained company. The guy had his arm around her shoulder, and was talking to Riley.

"What the fuck are you doing, Friar?" Maya spat out, with her hands on her hips, like a mom scolding her child. She even almost started tapping her toe, but she stood still, with an eyebrow raised.

Lucas turned his attention to Maya and smiled a toothy grin, that reminded her of the big bad wolf. He was in a black t-shirt and ripped jeans, and his stupid beat-up, black converse. On his forearm, was his tattoo of a bird, with the name Ava in cursive. She knew that it meant bird in Hebrew, and his adopted sister was Ava. It made her feel a little better about him, every time she saw him.

"Nothing, Riley and I are just talking." He said, a smirk replacing the smile.

Maya pressed her lips into a thin line, "Okay, now that you've talked you can leave." Maya gestured toward Missy, who was wearing stockings with a polka dot pattern, and black cotton shorts. Her hair had been dyed at the purple at the bottom, and her eyeliner seemed to devour her face; in a good way. She was talking to Zay, who was in a muscle shirt that said 'Blood Warriors'.

"Riley and I happen to be friends, right Riles?" Riley felt a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Only I get to call her that." Maya hissed.

"I think it's pretty." said Lucas, adjusting the arm that was around Riley. "Just like her." He smiled like he's never told a lie in his life.

"I agree, she's extremely gorgeous," Maya smirked, "which is why she's way out of your league. So maybe you should go back to your groupie whores. I know it's tough pretty girls like Riles won't blow you, what a damn travesty." Maya fake pouted, and put her hands against her chest, where her heart would be.

"Wow, Maya that one really hurt." Lucas sarcastically, replied. He looked down and shook his head. "I don't think I can live with myself anymore," said Lucas, lifting his arm over Riley's head and standing up. "Oh but by the way, Maya," he brought his lips to Maya's ear having to lean down. She stood completely still, internally shaking, as his cool breath hit her neck , "you didn't seem to mind it, last time we were together." He pulled away, then smiled, just to walk back to his band, that was waiting to go onstage.

Maya was left standing there, not a trace of expression on her face, not even a blush, because she had became to tan for that. She could hear Riley snort, and she shot a mean glare, as soon as it left her mouth.

Josh walked over to them, and analyzed them both. "What happened with, Lucas?" Josh said, plopping down next to Riley, right where Lucas had been. "Don't tell me you guys are still doing that whole, Holmes and Moriarty thing, are you?"

"Ooo, who'd be who?" asked Riley, turning toward Josh excitedly.

Josh furrowed his eyebrows for awhile and then said, "Maya's probably Sherlock, but only because she's on the good side." He said looking like, he had actually put a lot of thought into it.

Maya's mouth parted and she looked at her two friends as they talked about her, right in front of her. Her hands folded across her chest, and she scowled.

"I didn't know Sherlock and Moriarty, wanted to do the do with the other so badly." Riley said laughing. Maya and Josh both laughed at Riley, not being able to say sex.

"Wait, what?" Maya's smile dropped, as she started realizing what Riley what just said. "I have a boyfriend?!"

"Oh yeah, your so called boyfriend, Billy, who never seems to call you while he's in California?" Riley said, judgmentally. She received a threatening look from Maya, and let out a fit of giggles.

"Well, he's a lot better than, Lucas." Maya said his name like it was poison. "He's an ass." Maya argued.

"More like an ass, with a nice ass." Riley giggled, and Maya threw a pillow at her. Even Joshua laughed, and Maya gave him a look that said, 'betrayer'.

"Hey pancakes!" Lucas shouted from the door, and Maya whipped her head towards him, because of the nickname he called her. "Listen and learn."

Maya growled, and looked back at her friends, who were failing at trying to remain contempt. Riley was nearly falling off the couch, jumping in excitement, and Josh was on the verge of exploding, holdin in his laugh. "Oh, shut it." said Maya, and Riley squealed.

"Come on, pancakes," Josh got up, along with Riley, "let's go watch their set."

Riley and Josh ran over to the dark corridor, and waited at the side of the stage to get a view of Demoralized, and Maya followed. Riley crouched with her hand resting on the wall, with Josh and Maya behind her; both of their arms crossed.

Maya had heard them before, and she would always want to hate them, but she couldn't. Road to Serenity, mainly started out as a Chicago style, hardcore punk genre, but they soon started playing more alternative rock songs. That was what they all liked.

Demoralized, played a more indie pop rock vibe, like Foster the People or Arctic Monkeys.

She hated to admit how much she loved to hear them play. She'd never say it to anyone, not even Riley, but she always loved Lucas' voice. It reminded her of Patrick Stump, and his vocal range was almost as impressive as hers. She also really, liked the intro of their songs, because she loved the little solos Farkle got. She especially loved, when the chorus came, and Missy sang along with Lucas. She also knew that Riley was taking notes on Zay.

"We're on in 2 minutes," Josh reminded the two girls, as Riley stood up.

"Let's kick some ass." Maya said as she walked off to get her guitar.


1. Hi! I'm so excited for Road to Serenity, because it's the only story I've written, that I've actually planned out.

2. I hope you guys will love punk rock Maya Hart, because I want to put this little vibe on her that makes her different from a basic, rock chick.

3. Road to Serenity is Maya's band, and I saw it somewhere in a poem, and I thought it'd be a great band name.

4. Demoralized I'm more fond of. My teacher once made us pick a word to describe us and this word always popped up, and I love it so much.

5. The bands

Road to Serenity

Maya Hart- Lead vocals and guitarist

Riley Matthews- Bassist and vocals aka biggest sweetheart in the world

Josh Matthews- Drummer

Demoralized

Lucas Friar- Lead vocals and guitarist

Farkle Minkus- Guitarist

Zay Babineaux- Bassist

Missy Bradford- Drummer and vocals