Hi peoples reading this, this is my prototype Grojband fic, I want to make a, long thing about Corey and Laney but I want to make sure I can accurately paint all of the character's personalities and how they interact with one another, mainly Corey and Laney since, the other characters don't really do anything of importance, for fair warning; I didn't focus on the song essence too hard, the story is for Corey and Laney and therefore, I didn't deem it important enough to put any effort on.
Disclaimer: I own nothing... My life is a lie
Peaceville mornings, the sun just rising over the mountains, not much of breeze, just enough to keep someone cool, the grass was wet and the Grojband members slept in their fearless leader's garage. It wasn't unusual for them to wake up there, practice lasts long into the night hours, and occasionally unplanned sleepovers take place. It was quiet in the garage, Kon was snoring by his drum set, Kin could be found on the floor with various bottles of lemonade surrounding him, then, there was Corey and Laney, who decided to stay up an hour and a half past their band mates. They were both asleep on the couch after a zombie movie, their heads resting against each other while they peacefully slept. Corey's hat against her slightly frazzled red hair, one would dare say they looked cute. From above the garage, exited Corey's pink haired sister, cranky, tired and always with a grudge, well founded or otherwise. She strutted out wearing her signature outfit of a white collared and skirt and walked right up to her little brother, megaphone in hand.
"WAKE UP DWEEBS!" She boomed and sent Corey and Laney flying off the couch, landing on top of each other. Kin and Kon quickly stirred out of fear and looked up from where they slept. "Cuddle with your boyfriend later Corey, right now," She paused for dramatic effect. "I have a new job as a lifeguard and hunky Nick Mallory is going swimming today. Maybe he'll drown and I'll get to save him…" She fantasized. "Dad says I have to take you guys, so get in the car and let's go!" She barked at the still half asleep Corey and left back to her room.
Corey looked up to Laney on top off him and she nervously laughed. "Hi Core…" She said with big eyes.
"Morning fella, Could you get off me? Kinda weird," He said in his general peppy voice and Laney quickly scrambled off him. Corey followed her up and readjusted his hat to address his band mates. "Guys this is perfect!"
"How so?" Laney asked as she fixed her hair and brushed off her shirt and Kin and Kon stood behind her.
"Yeah, there aren't a lot of gig opportunities at a public pool," Kin added.
"We don't need a gig to play awesome music! We go to this pool, rock out, everybody hears us and sign us for whatever social event they need a killer band for."
"Kon go swimming?" Kon asked.
"Sure, we can swim a little, Trina's there the whole day right?" And at the confirmation Kin and Kon burst into smiles and laughter.
"SUPER-SOAKER-BANANA-FEST!" They said in unison and commenced an intense twin high five.
"What does that mean?" Laney asked with growing concern. "Core, it's a good idea, but I don't need to point out the obvious again do I?"
"I don't follow you," Corey responded innocently enough.
"Lyrics Core! We don't have any for a new song,"
"We could just play an old one," Kin offered .
"And pass up the chance to showcase a brand new song to a bunch of random people?" Corey proclaimed. "Not a chance, Trina will be there for Nick Mallory, getting those lyrics from her diary should be a snap," And his band mates nodded in agreement. "Get your suits guys, we're going to the pool!"
"Uh… Corey, I don't have a swim suit," Laney objected with a raised hand.
"No problem, I'm sure you can fit into one of mine," Corey said digging through a pile of his clothes and Laney blew a gasket for a moment before calming herself. "Here we go, you like green right?"
"Core… I need a bit… more?" She tried to be discreet but it didn't seem to get through.
"Really? Because you seem to keep your figure really well, I'm sure this will fit, try it on," He threw it for her to easily catch it.
"I…" She tried to object but put her hand down. "Oh forget it… I'll just steal something from Trina's closet…" She sighed in defeat before being blasted in the face by a water gun and furiously looked to its source. Kin and Kon instantly ceased their laughter when she growled and hid their modified soakers behind their backs.
"Hurry up and change guys!" Corey yelled taking off his shorts. "Trina's leaving soon,"
"Core… Are you seriously going to change in front of me?" Laney asked shielding her eyes.
"Oh… Sorry dude, it doesn't bother most guys,"
"Yeah, Kin and I get naked all the time and nobody seems to complain." Kon said proudly and received odd stares from Corey and Laney.
"I could've lived my whole life without knowing that…" Laney said lowly and exited the room while the boys changed. She retired to the bathroom and placed a hand over her face in depression. "I don't look that much like a guy…"
"Of course you don't!" Laney heard and shot up from where she was sitting to see Mina hiding under the sink.
"How long have you been there?"
"All night!" Mina answered, her eyes were tired and Laney guessed she wasn't all that sane. "So, need a bathing suit?"
"Uh… Yeah?" Laney said uneasily.
"Great, here you go," Mina said and handed her a black and green two piece that appeared to fit very well.
"I can't wear this!"
"Why not? You want them to know you're a girl right?"
"Yeah but…"
"Just take the stupid suit, I don't have anything to do with it," Seeing very little alternative, Laney complied and put on the suit under her clothes and burst out of the bathroom to her now suited friends.
"Aren't you going to swim?" Kon asked, his shirt already off.
"Yeah… Maybe, where's your shirt?" She tried to change the subject
"I don't know… Probably the same place my monkey is…" Laney didn't want to asked and found Corey loading her bass into the car.
"That should be it, ready to go?" He asked cheerily and turned to her. He grew a confused look when he saw her still wearing her casual clothes. "Are you going to swim?"
"You know what, I might not," She said, already tired of the question.
"That's cool, you can help me set us up,"
"Yeah, I'd like that," She said, her eyes batted a few times but Corey didn't really notice.
"I'M LEAVING, LIKE, NOW!" Trina shouted and got into her pink car with Mina as a passenger and Grojband filed in the back seats. They sat their in silence for a second or two until Corey spoke up.
"I've never noticed a pool around Peaceville, where are we going?" He asked.
"It's up where Nick Mallory is vacationing, an hour away," Trina snidely answered and the entire car groaned in agony.
"Then how do you know that Nick will even be there?" Corey asked again.
"He'll be there because I'll be there, MINA!" She yelled, "Bored, Keep me entertained while I drive,"
"Once upon a time…" She began and Corey sunk back into his seat.
"This is going to suck…" He said to his band mates. Kin and Kon lowered their super soaker weapons in depression then quickly whipped out hand held gaming and proceeded to battle each other. "Got a way to pass the time?" Corey asked Laney.
"Well, we could try and come up with our own lyrics," She offered.
"Not bad, I never do ask you for lyric ideas, what have you got?"
"Oh… I don't have anything, but maybe we can unlock your true potential if we talk about… stuff,"
"Eh, it couldn't hurt, not like my lyrics could get any worse, right?"He asked and Laney just smirked at him. "Yeah don't answer that, so what do most people talk about?"
"Well… Um," She tried to be careful of what she said.
"This is your chance!" Her heart yelled in its manly voice, "Ask him what he thinks of you!"
"Do you uh… Like any girls?" Laney tried, but it sounded awkward to her.
"Nah…" Corey brushed off the question and Laney's mood went downhill. "There just aren't any cool girls around, there should be a girl just like you Lanes, she'd probably catch my attention," He said and Laney brightened up again."I've always wanted to ask about that, you always seem okay with wearing dresses and pretending to be a girl so we can get gigs, why's that?"
"Oh…" Laney blushed and began looking around the car. "You know… Anything for the band," She said uneasily.
"Commitment bro, but I bet you're glad you never have to do that again, maybe we can stick Kin in a dress next," Corey joked.
"I only wear frills or strapless dresses," Kin said without looking up from his game.
"Noted," Laney said dryly and turned back to Corey for their discussion.
"I don't know, I don't really plan on dating a girl for fun, not much point unless I marry them, at least not as far as I can figure, so no Lanes, I'm not interested in any girls at the moment and I'm not planning on getting married anytime soon."
"You do plan on getting married though, right?"
"Maybe, future Corey will worry about that stuff, today Corey will rock out and have fun." He answered simply. "What about you? Any interesting chicks catch your eye?"
"Oh uh… no," She said nervously, "But I—" She had the words on the tip of her tongue and her heart was eagerly fist pumping, cheering her on when her words fell flat. "I'm just… Not that interested in other people at the moment."
"I hear you, sometimes I think you, Kin and Kon are the only people I can deal with, I'd be a terrible boyfriend," Corey laughed at himself.
"Why?"
"Well, I wouldn't spend a lot of time with her, I'd rather be hanging out with you, and the band, plus I it's not like I'm the most likable person."
"Core!" Laney snapped. "You're the most likable person I've ever met, and you're clever, and funny, a little ignorant at times, but nobody's perfect, you're cute and have the best ideas, you're always positive and accept others as they are and—" She stopped when she noticed how loudly she'd been talking and had the attention of the entire car.
"Like, that totally the most gay thing like, ever." Trina muttered from behind the wheel and Laney sat back down, her face practically painted red.
"Shut up Trina, Lanes, she's got nothing on you," Corey defended her.
"You gotta admit Corey, Laney thinks really highly of you… It's kinda weird," Kin pointed out.
"So what? I think highly of him, doesn't mean we're a couple, just means we're awesome, right Lanes?" Core turned back to her and she was sitting in awe of him with big eyes again. "Bro?" He asked her and she snapped back.
"You really think that about me?" She asked sweetly.
"Yeah dude, you're my best friend, I'd never let people diss you," He offered a fist bump to her, but instead she wrapped herself around his neck in a warm hug. It was confusing at first for Corey, but he shrugged' and hugged her back.
"Still gay," Trina repeated.
"It's a best friend, you should get one sometime," Corey called up as Laney and he let go of each other.
"I def have a bestie," Trina said and Mina perked up. "My sweater, Pink-credible." And Mina fell back down.
"I hate that sweater…" She muttered off to the side.
"Like, O.M.G Mina! There it like, totally is!" Trina shouted as the giant pool park came into view.
"That's the pool?" Mina asked in awe.
"What? No, don't be stupid or whatever, the pool is inside and stuff," She quickly parked and Grojband quickly exited and ran to the front of the park. There was a large sign displaying business hours that Laney and Corey read over, but Kin and Kon were absent.
"Guys?" Laney asked turning to see where they'd went. Both brothers were already at the entrance paying for their tickets while admiring the giant waterslide that stood above everything else in the park. "Guys!" She called after them.
"We'll just ride it once! Promise!" Kin called back and Kon threw him on his shoulders as they ripped off their shirts and charged for the slide.
"Well… Now what?" She asked Corey.
"Now, we find someone who runs this establishment to give us a gig doing… Something," He declared putting his hands on his hips and looked over the sign that said 'employs only' "That looks promising." He pointed and marched off with Laney uneasily following through to the manager's office. Corey swung the door open to reveal the most perfect looking man in all the world. Everything from his gelled, brown hair to his suit and tie appeared absolutely perfect. Corey and Laney stared in awe of the man for a moment until Corey recomposed himself and stood proud. "Hello sir," He began. "You know what you're water park needs? A killer band to play over the radio system and keep guests entertained."
"Rob Mallory's interest has been peaked, does the little blue haired kid know such a band?"
"Wait… Rob Mallory?" Laney asked. "Father to Nick Mallory?"
"Rob Mallory is very proud of Nick Mallory," Rob answered in his smooth voice and a random woman swooned out the door.
"Well, we are Grojband and we want to spice up your water park,"
"Rob Mallory think Grojband needs more than two people to be a band," Rob Mallory pointed out.
"Well, we have others but they went on some of your rides, but they can rock out, I promise." Corey said with conviction.
"Rob Mallory is afraid that Grojband won't have a full compliment this time, Rob Mallory's water park is so fun, nobody gets off until Rob Mallory's park closes." Laney opened her mouth to object but Corey placed his hand over her mouth.
"We can get them and if we can't we'll play by ourselves." He asserted.
"Rob Mallory respects Grojband's drive, so Rob Mallory will give Grojband a shot, but not now, Rob Mallory is currently enjoying some Hall and Oates rights now,"
"Thank you sir," Corey bowed and quickly pulled Laney out of the office. Once they were out of earshot of the office he stopped and put her down.
"Core, how are we supposed to do this without Kin and Kon? And we still don't have any lyrics," She scolded him.
"Don't worry fella, you heard him, he likes Hall and Oates, they were an awesome two person pop band, plus we don't know if Kin and Kon are actually out, maybe they can resist the power of the awesome waterslide." Corey said with confidence.
"I'M NEVER GETTING OFF THIS SLIDE!" Kon's voice came from behind him.
"ME NITHER!" Kin shortly followed.
"Never mind… Well, we nailed that duet for cake, this should be a synch, we just have to get Nick Mallory to get Trina to swoon and she'll write something peppy and upbeat for a pop song." Corey said and ran off to find Trina with Laney right behind him. It didn't take long to find Trina already with hearts bubbling over her head at the only pool in the entire park as she stared at Nick Mallory happily swimming with a horde of women following behind. Nick swam right up to where Corey and Laney were standing and rested on the edge of the pool.
"Nick Mallory is surprised to see Corey Riffen all the way out here, but Nick always likes to see a friendly face,"
"Hey Nick, could you do me a favor?"
"Nick always tries to help those in need, but Nick thinks you should take a dip in the pool first, Corey Riffen looks tired," Nick's words made most of the girls following behind fall over in the water.
"Uh… Okay, let me go check in on something and I'll be back, Lanes, enjoy the water while you can," Corey patted her on the shoulder and ran off back to Rob Mallory. Laney watched him go and felt incredibly uncomfortable, surrounded by people she didn't know, as she slowly removed her clothes down to her bathing suit and stepped into the pool. The water was cool and pleasant in the hot sun and she quickly submerged herself, reveling in the water. It was nice to let her hair down, just to be free in the water for a few moments before resurfacing. The pool was mostly empty, which was mainly due in part of everyone staying next to Nick, but that was just perfect, no preppy girls to get in her way. She swam back the ledge of the pool and sat with just her feet in the water and watched Trina as she miserably failed at getting Nick's attention.
Corey was running back to Lanes as fast as he could go, he was too excited to know that Mr. Mallory had allowed them to play next to go any other pace. As he neared the pool, his steps began to slow, and his mouth gradually fell agape. There sitting with her feet in the water was the most beautiful girl Corey had ever seen, her red hair fell just short of her shoulders, her body was subtle but curved enough to show off her features and time seemed to slow down as he looked upon her. "Core," She called facing him. 'She knows my name…' he thought entranced. "I'm hungry, is there any where to eat here?"
"Don't move!" He called back with a voice crack. "I'll get you something!" And he eagerly ran off again. Laney looked around, a little lost at what just happened but shrugged it off and got out of the water to dry off. She fixed her wet hair the best she could and wrapped a towel around herself and spied Corey returning with two hot dogs and confusedly looking around the pool. She waved to him and he walked to her, still looking around the pool.
"Lanes… Have you seen a cute girl around here?" He asked and Laney's head emitted smoke for a second. "She was wearing a green and black bikini and she was hungry," She looked lost a minute before her eyes widened in realization.
"What color was her hair?" Laney asked, her smile growing wide.
"Red," Corey kept looking everywhere but Laney.
"Core… What color is my hair," She tried to insinuate.
"Red," He answered again. "What's your point?"
"And… How would you describe said girl," She continued confidently.
"How could you have missed her? She was like… The only hot girl not swooning for Nick Mallory, dude I think you should rethink your sexuality if she didn't stand out to you."
"You think I'm hot?" She asked with the biggest, sweetest eyes he'd ever seen her with.
"Uh, that's a little creepy dude," He said, still oblivious to what she was saying.
"Uh…" Laney tried to recompose herself. "I'm sure she just had to leave, mind if I steal one of those hotdogs?"
"Sure you can have mine," He said and handed her one. "I don't want to disappoint a girl like that though…" He kept looking around the pool. Laney sighed and put the food down and removed her towel, dipped in the water for a brief moment and returned to Corey exactly as she was.
"Corey," She said with a pang of anger. "It's me,"
"Hi," He said uncomfortably, "I'm Corey Riffen…" And Laney face palmed. "See Lanes, I told she'd be…" He turned around to see the absence of his best friend. "Great, now I can't find Laney,"
"Corey! I'm Laney!" She shouted and his attention returned to her.
"You're name is Laney too?"
"No I—" Her rage all but ready to burst. "Corey, listen to me," She said slowly. "I'm Laney, you're best friend,"
"But… You're a cute girl… My best friend is an awesome bro…" Corey was clearly having trouble processing this.
"You're idol as a child was Bobby Blue, your sister Trina hates you, but has that part of her who loves you, from when we went into her dream and we faked love for cake." She listed off and that seemed to break Corey's brain even more as he continued to blankly stare at her. "Did you say I was cute?" She asked returning to his statement. Corey's eye twitched a little and he didn't say anything. "Corey?" Still nothing, "Oh crap… I broke Corey…" She said and bolted to find Kin as to what to do.
She ran through the water park, only running into one person, before finding the slide Kin and Kon claimed they only ride once. She didn't have to wait long before the brothers came down the slide, with screams of excitement and sheer terror and splashed at the bottom.
"That was even better than the sixth time!" Kon laughed.
"I think the thirteenth was the best," Kin playfully argued.
"Guys!" Laney yelled to them and they looked up. "I told Corey I was a girl, and he thought I was cute, which was really awesome, but now he can't comprehend that I am a girl so he started blankly starring at me and now he won't respond to anything!" She quickly spat out and Kin and Kon looked at each other for a moment before returning to look at her.
"Why's that girl taking to us?" Kon asked his brother.
"I have no idea…" Kin added.
"I don't have time for this!" Laney yelled, grabbed them both and ran back to Corey. She returned to find Corey right where she left him, the same expression on his face, and still unmoving. She threw Kin and Kon down in front of him and pointed to his face. "Fix him!" She ordered.
"Okay… Jeeze, crazy girl…" Kin said under his breath and began examining Corey. He poked Corey in the face once, then again, and then repeated slow, only to have no effect. Kin scratched his chin for a moment before light bulb appeared over his head. "His brain must be fried," Kin said simply.
"Can you fix him?" Laney asked hopefully.
"Of course, but it will be very difficult and a delicate process!" He said ominously with Kon providing sound effects in the background. Kin walked to Corey and wheeled him to the pool, "Steady…" He said to himself and carelessly pushed Corey into the pool. Laney screamed for a second until Corey resurfaced and flailed in the pool.
"Ah!" He gasped for breath before realizes it was a three feet end of the pool. "Oh… Hey uh… Guys,"
"Hi Corey!" Kon cheered. "Did you get us a gig?"
"I did! Let's go!"
"Corey, Lyrics?" Laney reminded.
"Oh right… Hey Nick!" He called and Nick looked up from his harem. "I'll give you ten dollars to blow a kiss at my sister!"
"Nick Mallory could use a snack." Nick said a proceeded to do so. To which Trina easily swooned, lyrics were given and the water park rocked for a minute.
The car ride home was full of Trina babbling like an idiot, proclaiming she was Nick Mallory's true love, Mina mindlessly agreeing, Kin and Kon reminiscing about the slide, but Corey… Corey was silent. Laney poked him in the shoulder and he slowly looked up from the ground to her.
"You alright?" She asked and he nodded. "Swearzies?" She asked again with a small smile but he was silent again.
"I'm just… I'm no good at talking to girls…" He said refusing to look at her.
"I've seen you talk to plenty of fan girls with complete confidence,"
"But they weren't girls… They were fans, fans you address in a crowd, so that's easy,"
"You've talked to me plenty of times," She also pointed out.
"But I thought you were a guy then…"
"What's the difference?"
"I…" Corey began to try and think of some way to put into words his awkward situation. "I mean… I've treated you like I treat Kin and Kon… But now... Now I want to impress you and stuff,"
"Corey you've already impressed me, I'm still your best bro, I just… Look better now, nothing has to change,"
"You must have been super ticked when we got you that male puppet…" Corey tried to make light of the situation.
"What? Me? No, never, it was just a dumb puppet, I wouldn't get angry over that…" Laney said awkwardly and they both lightly laughed.
"This is so weird, why didn't you say anything?"
"Well, my beard was coming along so well, and you were all having such a good time with it, why ruin that?" Corey laughed a little harder at that and punched her in the arm. After doing so, he immediately tensed up and back off. "What?"
"You can't punch girls… It's like, wrong or… Something?"
"Nice, your that sentence was almost better than most of your lyrics, Core, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I changed since yesterday, I'm still Lanes to you," And she offered a fist bump.
"Alright," He agreed and bumped back. "… Should we tell Kin and Kon?"
"No… I don't think Kon would do so well with it and they have that whole… Twin mind thing going on,"
"It's also nice to know I'm not gay…" Corey said more to himself than her, but Laney looked up to him.
"Why would you have been gay?" She asked, 'he totally like you! Tell him!' her hear t yelled while it was pounding.
"Maybe future Corey will tell you, today Corey is going to keep his secrets."
"HEY! SHUP UP BACK THERE!" Trina barked from seat.
The car drove back in contempt silence as the sun was near setting; it was a good day, for everybody evolved. Though it was fair to say, Corey would remember best of all, not a day to dwell on, but a day that opened the possibility to everything he wanted and a little more.
There we go, all done, tell me what you thought! I need opinions to make a killer Grojband fic