THE ZONE~

A 5"11 foot man walks into an indigo colored apartment living room. His raven color hair was slightly covering his ocean blue eyes. He was slender but had exceptionally toned muscles. He began taking off his black and white checkered Vans. "Today has been a long day", he thought as he finished removing his shoes.

The living room had a 42-inch flat screen T.V. mounted on the wall and 10-feet in front of it a leather couch. There was also a little bar area with stools lined up. All different styles of art filled the walls of the room. The Raven haired man walked over to the couch and collapsed on it, letting out a sigh of relief, feeling the couch's soft leather on his face. "Home sweet h-"his thought was interrupted by the door bell ringing.

"Open the damn door, Aiden!" A man shouted on the other side of the door while ringing the bell rapidly.

"The door's open!" the Raven shouted back, his words a little muffled. The door flew open and a 5"8 dirty-blond man ran in. He was wearing a Rob Zombie T-shirt on with black jeans to match it. His dirty-blond hair flowing down to his shoulders. His body was a little thicker than the Raven's.

"Aiden! Roy got us a gig. Tonight." the blond exclaimed. "Get changed. Him and Allen are waiting in the van."

The Raven got up lazily and went to a door that led to his bedroom. The blond went to the bar area after closing the door, then looked in the fridge behind the marble bar table.

The Raven walked out of his room wearing a black, Eye Set to Kill, T-shirt with dark gray jeans, that has a black and silver chains attached to the belt loops.

"Let's head out." the Raven said as he caught the that the blond just threw at him. "Now, get out of my apartment Logan." The blond just chuckled as they both left the apartment, the Raven locking the door behind them.

~40min later~

A grey van pulled up behind a nightclub named, "The Zone" in neon letters. The place was pretty empty for it was only 9:00. The place is usually packed with people by 10:30. After parking a man climbed out of the grey van with a dark brown cowboy hat, covering his brown hair in bangs over a noticeable scar on his forehead. His body resembling Aiden's except he was a little taller and his eyes were forest green. Not to mention the scar under his right eye. Carrying a guitar case on his back. After the man climbed out of the van he was followed by a 5'8" man with short black hair, well kept, combed to the right side a little above his forehead. He was also carrying a guitar case as well.

"Hey Logan, Aiden. Allen and I are going to go to talk to the manager. Then start setup for sound check," the man with the cowboy hat said while he was walking into the club followed by the other guy carrying a guitar case. Logan and Aiden climbed out of the van on opposite ends of a grey electric keyboard.

"We're playing a few songs for the birthday party. Then the DJ will take over," the blond told the Raven. "The birthday girl requested us to do covers of songs by Asking Alexandria, Miss May I, Of Mice Men, and Skylit Drive." the Raven laughed a little after hearing that last part.

"I bet Roy wasn't too happy about that," the Raven teased as they carried the keyboard into the club.

They entered through the back of the stage where the guy with the cowboy hat was talking to someone. The club had a decent sized stage with a huge dance floor in front of it with strobe lights above it. There was a medium sized bar area with two bartenders at it and tons of different drinks. On the far right of the club there was a bathroom section. On the stage there was a black drum set toward the back near the curtain that hid a wall. The side of the wall had wires connected to TV'S and other machines. There a neon pink turntable to the far left of the stage sat covered by a pink tarp.

Aiden and Logan carried the keyboard to the top right of the stage near the speakers that were embedded in the stage.

"Since they already have a set I'll just get my snare," the Raven told the blond after opening the legs of the keyboard. The blond just nodded in agreement as the Raven ran back to the van. After grabbing his, neon blue, snare drum he quickly ran back into the club.

"Hurry up Aiden, we are about to start soundcheck!" Roy shouted while Aiden just rolled his eyes at Roy. Everyone in the band were in there spots with their respective instrument and microphones. When the Raven made it to the drum set. He noticed that the set was already had microphones set up for it. All the Raven did was switch out the snares and move the microphone over it slightly.

"We're going to warm up with Come Out and Play" Roy announced looking at each of the band members, and they nodded in response. After he looked back to the front of the stage the Raven picked up his pair of ice blue drumsticks.

"One, two, three, four!" the Raven counted as he clapped his sticks together before playing the intro the song. Then the band joined in on their parts.

Two girls walked in about half way through the song. The first girl had lime green hair that flowed down to the crook of her neck and it seemed to frame her pale face. The other had long shark blue hair that made its way down her back all the way to her waist. The lime haired girl had olive green eyes and wore an orange hoodie that covered, most of her slim figure, dawning a gold and white skirt. Her, shark blue haired, friend wore a sparkling white dress that framed the girl's coke bottle figure. The girls' focus went straight to the stage.

"Hey Sofia, who's the hottie on drums?" whispered the blue haired girl to her green haired friend.

"I believe that is Aiden. I've never met him but he and Roy are like brothers. Or so I am told." Said the green haired girl as she inspected the Raven.

After the song was over the sound guy gave Roy a thumbs up. Roy nodded and removed his guitar from around his neck. Placing it gently on a guitar stand nearby.

"So birthday girl, are you ready for tonight?" Roy asked Sofia as he leaped down from the stage.

"Not really, you know I don't like big parties." She replied hugging him lightly.

"You're going to love it, trust me!" Laura butted in, "You guys remember the set I told you to play, right?"

"Yeah…." Roy answered reluctantly and the rest of the band chuckled, "Aiden will be doing most of the screamo parts. So it should be good." With that the band stopped their childish mockery.

Allen, Logan, and Aiden left their instruments jumping down from the stage as well. Logan strolled to the restroom. While Allen pulled out his phone and sat at the nearest table. Aiden on the other hand went to talk to the sound guy. A few minutes past, Aiden went back on stage to the drum set with a body mic on.

"Come on guys let's run through the songs before people start arriving." The Raven said into the microphone. Logan had just came out of the bathroom and started going to the stage. Roy did the same, climbing on stage, but Allen didn't move an inch. He stayed sitting down staring at his phone.

"Allen, get the fuck off twitter and get your ass over here!" Logan shouted as he made it to his keyboard. Allen sighed as he reluctantly put away his phone and got on the stage. Once everyone was on stage and at their instruments. Laura slipped away while Sofia watched the band.

"We open with Forgive and Forget, so don't show of too much, OK." Roy announced to the band the Raven rolling his eyes, "Next, Candle Lit Dinner with an Immorta. Then, Too Little To Late. For the Final, we will sing happy birthday before we playing Glad You Came. After that we pa-"

"That's not the lineup Laura gave us." Allen interrupted as he strummed his bass a bit. Roy shot Allen a look that said, "I don't give a fuck." Allen's response to that was a middle finger.

"It fits and it's easy. So we're doin it. I know Sofia " Roy answered harshly strumming a bar cord on the guitar

"I Hope So!" Sofia shouted

The band ran through the songs fairly quickly before guests started arriving. Laura was still nowhere to be found twenty minutes after it was scheduled to start. So Sofia decided to go on stage and grabbed the mic in front of Roy.

"Evening everybody! Thank you so much for coming to my twenty-first birthday party. Your first three drinks are on the house." Sofia announced and most of the people cheered when they heard free drinks. "Have a good time and give it for, Mom's Spaghetti!" The crowd chuckled and giggled at the name. Then the Raven started the intro to the first song. All the giggles and chuckles stopped, turning into cheering.

The performance was going smoothly but took an unexpected turn.

Roy grabbed the microphone from the stand and began to speak, "Thank you so much for being an amazing audience. Now it's that time of the night to sing happy birth-"

He was interrupted by the lights going out and the main door bursting open. Laura wheeled in a huge cake that barely fit through the door. With lit candles scattered around it. The cake in the shape of Gothic castle. The cake being the only light source moved through the crowd to Sofia. Once it reached her the lights came back on. Roy shrugged before he started singing happy birthday and everyone joined in with him. After the singing was done the green haired girl blew out the candles.

Everyone cheered before going back to what they were doing. The blue haired girl wheeled the cake to the bar area. Before helping slice and give out pieces of cake to anyone who wanted one. Then everyone made a bee line to the bar.

The band began to pack up as soon as they finished their last song. While they were packing up a woman, wearing a pink and white jumpsuit, walked up to the DJ stand. Then began playing some pop songs mixing rock songs into it. It didn't take long for the band to pack their things up, before rejoining the party.

The Raven along with Allen and Roy went to the bar in pursuit of cake. While the dirty-blond went to the dance floor.

"Roy, why do you always spring this shit on me at last minute? You know I have class early tomorrow!" The Raven yelled so Roy could hear him over the noise of the party.

"Come on man loosen up, we just had a bomb set at a great party." Roy yelled back as some guys in line responded with a, hell yeah.

The Raven shrugged while nodding knowing he's right." Okay your right, juggling school and our job is hard enough. I'm not trying to add anything to that just yet.

"Playin in this band isn't hard. Quit your bitching and man up." Allen pipped in as the line moved slowly.

"Dude, this band is not my actual job." The Raven's voice harsh while Allen chuckled knowing which buttons to press.

Roy ordered a shot of Rum and downed it quickly. Then looked at the Raven before saying, "The real reason I arranged this gig for us last minute was to get you laid. All you've been doing is working long hours and going to your classes. Bro, you've got to get back out there. Just because Katherine cheated on you doesn't mean, you can just cut yourself off from everyone. This was the first time in the past few weeks that anyone has spoken to you. Aiden, I know she changed your life and all. You need to move on… Think about what I've said." Roy downed another shot before going to the dance floor.

"Yeah what he said" Allen have a comforting pat on the shoulder before joining Roy, corona in hand.

The Raven stood there for a while focused on his glass of Vodka and . Wandering through the thick forest, of memories and words, that surrounded his mind. The forest shattered when Laura placed a plate in front of him with a slice of vanilla cake that was shaped to be the window.

"Aiden, isn't it?" Laura asked the Raven. He nodded making eye contact with her drawing a fake smile upon his face, "You seem deep in thought. May I ask what about?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. On the other hand, did you plan this whole thing for Sofia by yourself?" He answered making conversation sipping on his drink.

"Yah, I'm so glad Roy contacted me this afternoon. I wasn't able to find any bands that were able to play today. Apparently, Thursday is a weird day to have a birthday party." She joked sarcasm very prevalent at the end causing a genuine smile to form on the Raven's face. Suddenly he downed his drink. After setting his glass back down he asked a smirk on across his face," If you've got nothing going on after this. You wanna go back to my place?"

Surprised by his sudden request, Laura felt her face grow hot," Wow, that is a bit forward don't you think?"

"I saw you two walk in earlier and your eyes shot straight to me."

"I have no idea what your talking about…. Give me a sec." She answered before going into the crowd to find Sofia.

The Raven ordered another drink and the bartender slid the Raven three full shot glasses. He shrugged downing two as the blue hair beauty walked up a small silver handbag. Bartender slid down two more glass right to Laura. The two collided glasses before downing their glasses as if it was a race.

"Ready when you are." Laura said placing the glass on the bar. The Raven doing the same a second late.

A smirk formed on his face grew. The Raven reached in his pocket retrieving his phone and calling a Uber. Once he hung up the phone he grabbed her hand and escorted her through the crowded club to the exit.

It didn't take long for the Uber to arrive and drop them off at their destination. The two made their way to his apartment door making small talk all the way.

"Welcome to my humble abode." He announced as he opened the door for her. The blue haired girl walked into the apartment slightly in awe at how tidy it was.

While she marveled at the Raven's apartment, he walked up behind her kicking the door shut behind him. Wrapping his arms around her waist, before kissing down her neck, and nibbling at her soft skin. Generating a small gasp from the young woman. "You should see my bedroom, but let's leave this here" he whispered seductively into her ear as his hand traced up her slim figure. Then unzipping her dress letting her dress fall to the floor. Leaving the blue haired woman only in her white matching bra and panties. She turned to face him. Reaching up and draping her arms around his slender neck. He didn't even notice that her eyes were silver till that moment getting lost in them. The two stared into the other's eyes silence echoing. Their lips collided in a fury of lust and desire. Animistic instinct taking control of their bodies. Without even noticing, their kiss was deepened by the Raven's tongue entering his partner's mouth. The Raven slowly leading to his bedroom. Laura broke the kiss to lift his shirt, the Raven getting the hint. Quickly removing his shirt revealing his toned abs, a scar running across his chest. She gently ran her hand across the scar. Looking from the scar to his eyes. Her eyes mixing lust with curiosity. The split second where the Raven noticed the change in her eyes he was met with another kiss, the lust completely overtaking the curiosity. Continuing to head for his room the Raven kicking the door shut behind them.

~Chapter End