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.
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.