fame + fortune.

Hayes Branson had been a thorn in her side for as long as Olivia could remember. Even as children Hayden had hated her despite her best efforts. Liv had always been a people pleaser, and that extended to her older brother’s gang of misfit friends. She had spent a year or so when she was barely a teenager tagging along with her big brother and his bandmates, desperately wanting to fit in with the rag-tag group of musicians. It was where Olivia had gained her love for music, but she had never been as talented as her brother or his friends and was perfectly content just listening to them play.

Still, despite her effort to fit in and her appreciation for their music, the older boys hadn’t loved a young Olivia joining them on all their outings. That was fair, she supposed. What older sibling would enjoy their kid sister following them everywhere they went? But still, Hayden had always been the worst.

Olivia had been a gangly, awkward, ugly-duckling type of kid growing up. Glasses, untamable hair, freckles, the like - and Hayden had been relentless in capitalizing on each and every flaw until the young girl had finally stopped hanging around. She’d blossomed during the time she’d spent across the country at university. Once nothing but skinny and lanky limbs with the chest of a 12 year old boy, her body had developed into a womanly figure during the first year of her degree. Long silken hair, clear skin, petite in stature yet still graced with full breasts and supple hips - Liv was gorgeous, and she’d become well aware of it. Gone were the days that she let teenage boys tease and chastise her, now she noted every lingering stare or slacked jaw and let it feed into her growing confidence.

She’d spent each summer between school years back in Arizona with her family, occasionally tagging along with her older brother when the band would play at venues and bars around their small hometown, and suddenly she was no longer a nuisance to the group of boys. No, the older, prettier Olivia had become a welcome face to the boys each time she’d stop by while they played.

To all besides Hayden, at least.

When she’d graduated from University and joined the band as their assistant the rest of the boys had been glad to have her, and were generally kind to her if not a little flirty on occasion - despite River declaring his little sister as ‘off limits’ to all of his friends and the crew. But Hayes had always met her every glance with a glare, each word with a roll of his eyes, and seemed to prefer to act as if Olivia didn’t even exist most of time.

But that was fine by her… Liv didn’t particularly care for him either.

So when the drummer hadn’t even bothered to speak to her until after he’d plucked his morning coffee from her hands, taken a test sip, and deemed it acceptable, Liv wasn’t even the slightest bit surprised. Still, it earned him a dramatic roll of her eyes all the same. It was those next words that rolled off of his lips that left Liv’s eyebrows raising in surprise, her lips caught in a sly little smirk. In total honesty Liv hadn’t even realized she was staring, although it was hard not to when Hayes had those purple splotches scattering the side of his neck. “We’re leaving for tour today.” She breathed, equal parts frustration and amusement dancing across her features. “I expected you to exercise a little more decorum considering the press we’re about to face… clearly that was my mistake, Mr. Branson.” She finished in the most professional tone she could manage.

Their morning meeting had gone smooth; spirits were high, multiple stadiums had already sold out and they’d hit record ticket sales, and their was already a small mob of paparazzi forming outside their studio to snap pictures of them loading onto the tour bus - it would be good publicity to kick off their tour, aside from the glaring hickeys on Hayden’s neck.

The bus was loaded, management had filed into their respective vehicles, and the boys were finally readying to load the bus. “Wait.” Liv sighed shortly before Karma made the trek to the bus and officially kicked off their tour. Fishing around in her purse for a brief moment to snag a compact makeup palette, Olivia went to perch on the arm of the chair Hayes was occupying. “Stay still.” She directed smoothly, sliding his hood off of those dark curls to expose the set of hickeys dotting his neck. One of the other boys let out a low whistle at the sight, all of them with the biggest shit-eating grins on their faces. “Who were you giving a ride to?” Laughed River as Liv delicately dabbed some coverage over the bruises. “Anyone we know?” Followed Levi.

The concealer wasn’t an exact match and it definitely didn’t leave the love bites totally covered, but it was better than nothing mused Olivia. “Hood up, please.” She sighed, standing from her perch and crossing the room to the exit.

Cameras were flashing from every angle the moment the studio doors opened, a roped off pathway lead to the already open and waiting bus door. Paparazzi and media representatives shouted over one another, begging for an exclusive or to get the boys to look their way. Karma was well versed in talking to the paps and could hold their own on the rare occasions they bothered to speak with them, so that was the least of her worries.

No, her biggest worry was the man, her boyfriend, standing at the entrance of the bus, hands in his pockets and very clearly waiting for her.

He looked so out of place next to the boys of Karma as they loaded the bus. Tall, blonde, and well kept with a smart pair of pants and a polo to match… he was handsome in a, well, accountant or bank manager kind of way - nothing of the edgy attractiveness of Karma.

He was angry, that was clear despite the pleasantly passive smile he had on his face. “Mason.” Olivia said by way of greeting, letting him stoop to press a kiss to her cheek. “Don’t get on that bus, Liv.” He responded, the words phrased as a plea though she knew it was a demand. They’d fought about this more times than Olivia cared to count over the past few months, and each time she’d held steadfast in her answer. “This is my job, Mason. I’m going, and this is wildly inappropriate.” She could’ve throttled him for showing up at her place of employment, in front of her bosses, to cause this scene.

Their heads bowed together in a hushed argument for a few more long minutes, both of their cheeks growing redder and redder as the discussion became more heated. “Awh lay off, Lawson!” Called Levi from a now opened window, growing inpatient. “Don’t you worry, we’ll take good care of our special girl.” The words were meant every bit as an jab, and Liv wasn’t naive to the tension between her boyfriend and Karma. They’d all gone to high school together and come from very different walks of like. Mason had turned his nose up at the ratty kids in the band, deeming them beneath him and nothing but a bunch of trashy assholes - conversely, the band had thought Mason Lawson was just a rich bitch with a stick too far up his ass. The feud had been going on for years, more so once Olivia got involved with the latter. “Yeah, Liv is in very good hands with us.” Owen, usually the quiet one, chided as he poked his head out the open door.

Ever since he was young, Hayes Branson wanted to mean something. To someone. And to himself.

Growing up, forming roots within this world had been hard -- terrifying, even. For if a human being could be so disposable, then what else in the world truly mattered? He was a year old when he found out that a mother’s love could only stretch so long, that evil sometimes won in the end, and he was left to be nothing but collateral damage. A boy, thrown into this world without the one thing he needed most, the one thing he still craved the acceptance of, and yet loathed all the same. A family. A home. Love.

When he was handed over to the system, his life had been flooded with the same questions:

“What do you like to do for fun?”

“What makes you happy?”

“How can I help you?”

And every answer had been the same.

Music.

Music.

Music.

His journey started off with an old piano shoved into a back room of the city’s rec center. The thing was riddled with dust and some of the keys had gone missing, but it called to him all the same. At the age of seven, Hayden had taught himself how to play. He wasn’t spectacular, his fingers fumbled too often and he tended to grow bored of the keys too quickly, but the passion was prevalent. The drive to be something other than disposable ruled him, disciplining the boy into making something out of nothing. A phoenix rising from the ashes, if you will. Twice a week he would leave the dirty and vehement shack of a house he was supposed to call home for the next six months and lose himself to the one thing that stayed the same, wherever he went. That would forever be the answer.

Music.

A tattered set of drums then wound up at the rec center when he was nine, and it changed everything. Hayden no longer could play the music… He could be the music. He could feel the various beats swimming through his body, controlling his every move, rooting him to something. The consistency was what he craved -- the independence and control gave him an outlet that he so desperately needed. Once music came into his life, everything else just seemed… easier.

However, his trek towards the studio was anything but.

Remnants from his chaotic night still sat heavily against his shoulders. River was chipper and talkative, like usual, Levi was about ready to start drinking, and Owen was his typical, silent self – AirPods in and his head hung low as they all strode into the studio. So far, Hayden was lingering around the silent bassist, for at least he was aware that loud noises mixed with a grueling hangover were a straight ticket to being knee in the balls. And boy, was Hayes fucking tempted. Especially if River kept going on about the chick he had on his dick last night.

Still, Hayden Branson was starting to feel like someone. He felt like his life meant something, now. Their tickets had sold out, had been sold out for weeks. Karma wasn’t just a name under a rock, an afterthought, or a question. They were known and they were thriving. No longer a second option. No longer an afterthought.

Sliding effortless through the doors, the black hood of his sweatshirt pulled over his still damp curls, he followed the other members through the all too familiar halls, barely glancing at the gentle greetings they were given by the staff. River responded, as usual, Levi did his signature wink, and Owen merely nodded to the others while Hayden refused to lift his eyes from the floor. It was only when they reached their personal studio and lounge did he glance upwards.

Only to meet the clear, blue pools of Olivia Bennet. Sister to River, and also the biggest pain in his ass.

She was good at her job, Hayes would give her that. She was always on time, very thorough in her tasks and was always put together. He figured the girl had a decent head on her shoulders and was too smart to be at a rock band’s beck and call. And yet, there she was, her pert little ass perched on one of the desks, coffee in hand and a light smile. The rest of the boys greeted her, though Hayes remained silent, his eyes on the coffee she jutted out towards him.

“Your coffee, Mr. Branson,” she said, causing his dark brows to quirk up. Gingerly, he took the coffee from her, taking one test sip, before sliding his gaze to hers. Perfect, as always.

“Liv,” was all he said, giving her a nod. Her appearance was a stark contrast to his. Where she was dressed in a skirt, blazer, and heels – even some more jewelry than normal – Hayden was all comfort over class, at the moment. They were heading right for the bus after their morning meeting, why bother with appearances? His hoodie was oversized, followed by a pair of black athletic shorts that brushed the space above his knees, highlighting the string of tattoos he had down each leg. His sneakers were pristine, an anomaly compared to the rest of the sleep-deprived drummer. Hey, he was a shoe guy.

She didn’t look like she was dressed to hop on a tour bus for seven hours. While Olivia Bennet was meticulous and a people pleaser, even as children, she and Hayden had never gotten along. She was all wired up, where he was go with the flow. She had her life scheduled years ahead, whereas Hayes grew terrified of the future. Being his assistant caused her to know every superficial piece about him, most of which his brother Levi didn’t even know.

Still, it didn’t make her any less annoying.

Scratching his neck, fingers roaming over tattoos and the nearly faded hickey he received a couple nights prior, Hayes caught her eyes tethering to his movements, how they lingered on the small bruise gracing his neck. Intrigued glimmered in his eyes. “Never took you for one to have a staring problem,” he sighed, a smirk fiddling across his lips and yet not strong enough to crest. “Maybe next time I’ll invite you to watch, then.”

Olivia jolted awake with a gasp, her body going rigid as she slammed a hand down on the alarm clock and threw herself out of bed. “Fuck.” She hissed, glancing at the clock only to have it stare back at her in big red numbers that she was running very, very behind. Liv started her morning with a quickness, jogging to her bathroom and stripping her clothes off as she went, and forced herself into a screaming hot shower. The brunette’s head pounded in protest to her urgency, begging for just another five minutes of reprieve as she tried to scrub away the remnants of the previous night. She’d gone out with some friends to celebrate the kick off of Karma’s tour and the start of her career… she wasn’t quite sure when she’d gotten home or how she’d made it into her pajamas, but the hangover she was nursing was enough to tell her that it had been one hell of a night.

Liv was in and out of the shower within ten minutes - a record for her, really, and threw on a simple outfit. They’d spend a few hours in to the studio running through last minute changes before boarding the tour bus and embarking on the journey to their first concert location, so it wasn’t like she needed to wear anything too fancy. The girl decided it was best to keep her hair simple as well, considering the fact that she didn’t actually have time to style it, and had twisted half of it back into a simple bun held in place with an ornate clip, the rest left to flow in it’s natural waves down her back.

She was out the door and jogging down the steps of her apartment in record time, diving into the car and throwing her bag in the passenger seat before pealing out of the parking lot. The studio was twenty minutes from her home, but Liv was confident that with a little bit of tokyo-drift-esque driving and by avoiding main roads that she could make it in ten.

Olivia had been assisting her brother’s band for a few months now, and had settled into the routine of their tomfoolery. Each day was a different disaster, but she enjoyed that she knew exactly what to expect out of each day - a mess. Most of her occupation required her to memorize the boys’ agenda, schedule their interviews and essentially be a glorified babysitter… but one of them made her job especially difficult. Hayden Branson, the drummer and America’s favorite bad boy had made it his personal mission to make Olivia’s life her own personal hell, it seemed. Go get his dry cleaning, make sure his apartment was clean before his sneaky link showed up, make sure his coffee was made to his exact specifications, so on and so forth. Liv had considered quitting a handful of times already in her short time assisting the boys, mostly because of Hayden and his ridiculous God complex, but alas, she couldn’t force herself to do it.

Olivia and her brother had grown up with a single mom who struggled to make ends meet. They’d hovered around the poverty line for almost their entire lives, before River’s band had hit it big on some music competition. They had always survived off of the bare minimum and hadn’t ever dared ask for more - their mother tried her best, and they agreed that they couldn’t ask any more of her. But all of a sudden Karma was scoring paid gigs and promotion deals, and then they signed with some fancy record label, and now they were about to go on tour. When the idea of an assistant to help run their day-to-day was first pitched, River hadn’t hesitated to throw Olivia into the mix… and that was how it all began. Now, Liv was making more money than she’d ever dreamed of, and despite the hell those boys put her through, she wasn’t going to give up her new found life of luxury without a fight.

Thus, that was how she found herself running into the local coffee shop, despite already being late, because a specific drummer boy needed his coffee if he were going to be expected to do anything during the day. But if she were here, she might as well get herself one too, she supposed.

Silver linings, right?

Rolling on a thin coat of mascara while she drove the rest of the way to the studio, Olivia finally pulled into the parking lot and whipped her car into an open spot. Grabbing the coffees from the cup holders, Liv hissed out a “shit.” as one sloshed onto her lap, the steaming hot liquid already stinging her skin as it soaked through her pants. Another glance at the clock on the dashboard revealed that she was already six minutes late, so she figured it there was no sense going in with stained pants.

Setting the coffees back in the cupholders, Liv dug around in her back seat until she finally found a little black pencil skirt that would match her outfit. She shimmied out of her ruined pants, tossing them to the back of the car before clogging the skirt up her legs and around her hips. The girl had made it a point to dress modestly while she was working, avoiding wearing short skirts or anything showing skin… sure, they were her bosses, but the boys were still young men who very much enjoyed sleeping around and picking fun at pretty girls, and she didn’t want to give them any opportunity or ammunition. Plus, she was pretty sure her brother would have an aneurysm if he ever caught one of his band mates looking at her for more than two seconds - not that the piping hot coffee she’d spilled had cared anything about that.

Finally dressed, Olivia released a heavy sigh and once again, very carefully this time, grabbed the coffees before heading inside. Luckily for her, it looked as if Karma was running late this morning as well, as she and a few of the miscellaneous crew members were the only ones in the studio. She released a sigh she hadn’t realized she had been holding, flashing her ID at the security at the door before letting it drop against her chest along with a few layered necklaces. The brunette tossed her bag behind the main desk in the entrance, adjusting her blazer and tugging her skirt down the slightest bit. In all honestly, the little number probably wasn’t exactly work appropriate, but it was better than stained pants and would work in a pinch, she supposed. Still, she wasn’t sure why she was quite so worried about looking disheveled when Hayden rolled into the studio looking like he’d just done a line of coke in the car half of the time, and River was almost always stoned.

Liv perched on the edge of the desk, one heeled foot crossed in front of the other as she sipped her coffee, going over the itinerary and checklist one more time for the day. She toyed with the handful of hangs scattering her fingers, remnants of the previous night she’d failed to remove before heading into work. Normally she tried to keep her look more neutral when she was working, but it was tour day, she figured she was allowed to have a little fun.

Hearing the boys arrive, Olivia put on a smile, brushing her hair over her shoulder as they finally pushed through the door. “Goodmorning, boys.” She chirped, a chorus of their own hello’s echoing back at her. “Your coffee, Mr. Branson.” The brunette greeted, holding the boy’s drink out to him. Two sugars, two cream, not too hot, but still steaming - just how the brat liked it. Everything was so formal while she was working, management demanded it so everyone was ‘Mr.’ or the occasion ‘sir’, but Liv could still recall her teenage self calling her brothers friends a bunch of pricks.

Ah, the good old days.

at the age of nine, hayes was put into the foster care system by his mother while she struggled with drug addiction. the first couple of families were no different than his life before -- being treated as a burden and nothing more, which led hayden into often lashing out in school and at home. throughout his time in the foster care system, which had so much uncertainty, music was the only thing that remained stable. he clung to it and taught himself how to play piano first, which then led into his fascination for the drums. it wasn't until the age of sixteen did he find himself in a somewhat stable household, though the painful memories of his childhood hung heavy against his shoulders, which caused him to put forth a cold, even cruel demeanor towards ones who tried to get too close. still, this family believed in him and ended up adopting hayes shortly after he joined their family. they weren't wealthy and their home sat in a rough part of town, but in this new family, hayes found his first friend -- his brother named levi. realizing that they both had an affinity for music, the two started off their relationship by messing around with old instruments in their garage, which piqued the interest of a couple neighborhood kids around their age -- owen and river. with a few rough starts followed by years of practice, the four boys finally ended up with a few songs under their belt and a band name that meant something to each of them: karma. now, seven years later, karma is just about to go on their first tour. their name is on the rise with tremendous promise and hayes is soaking up all of the attention and adoration he didn't receive as a child. to some, he comes off cocky and rude, which is what he prefers. best to push others away before the temptation to grow close succeeds.