Love Like Wildfire

Chapter I

   Wildfire blared through the headphones set snugly in Mollie's ears. She wasn't quite sure but something at that particular song on their latest album just connected with her. It was by far her favourite song, even if her contributions were few and far between; not that she minded. She had come to accept her talent to underline and accent the others. It was just the harmony they created together.

   As she listened, she scrolled through her Tumblr feed on her laptop, just passing time by browsing through the posts of fashion and the few oddities that came with following eccentric blogs. Their side-tour they had recently taken across America had come to a close with the release of their newest album, and they were all rather exhausted as they boarded their tour bus a few hours earlier, headed home, but first... New York.

   While she had come to love America, their home was really in London, England. And she missed it. She missed Alfie, her family, Jordan, the slopes. But the idea of travelling through New York before their flight, even for a day, excited her more than the prospect of the flight home. It was those little bits of downtime in their hectic schedule that were the true highlights of the benefits given to them. Being the kind of girl she was raised to be, she always made sure to be grateful for them.

   Glancing at the little clock in the corner of her screen, she read the late hour. Looking over the top of her laptop, Mollie had to blink a couple times to adjust to the dim setting outside of her little world lit by the artificial light of her computer. Vanessa sat across from her, mirroring herself as she too was set at the other outlet, laptop plugged in, staringing with hooded eyes and headphones in her ears. Mollie could assume she appeared about the same, dressed in a pair of loose fitting sweat pants and a ragged t-shirt that was so worn, the cotton felt like heaven against her skin, and well, muscles that ached from on-stage dance routines.

   Besides Vanessa, the others were situated in the back. She knew Una and Rochelle were either wrapped up in discussion or each other, asleep. The moms of the girl group often gravitated towards each other because of the common ground only they shared; leaving Frankie to have fallen asleep a while ago. And it just struck Mollie how tempting that sounded. Sleep. And Frankie.

   With a sigh, she logged off her Tumblr (Vanessa was not above snatching her laptop and screwing with her account) and shut it, tossing it on the couch cushion beside her. Standing with a stretch, she made sure she was steady on her feet with the bus jostling about the road, and crossed over to the youngling of their band. Plucking a headphone from her ears to prompt her attention, she leaned down to plant a kiss good night, receiving a hum of appreciation before attempting to place the headphone back, which Vanessa resorted to putting in herself since Mollie couldn't actually relocate it. With a giggle, she left the living area.

   There were a couple bunks, enough for the five of them, creating a narrow hallway to the back where their luggage and the lavatory was located. All but two bunks gaped at her, begging her sleep-deprived body to collapse or climb into the mattress and sleep. But curiosity got the better of her and she peered through the curtain of one bunk. Her assumptions proved correct as she found Una and Rochelle huddled together beneath the covers, appearing to have fallen asleep talking with the way they were laid facing each other. With another stifled giggle, Mollie turn to the other bunk and peeked inside.

   A soft glow fell on Frankie's features as she read from her Kindle Fire. At the movement from her curtain, dark eyes shifted from the words on her reader to the blonde nosing about. Immediately, a smile crept across her eyes and she tugged her headphones from her ears, music playing distantly from her iPod.

   "Still awake?" the brunette questioned, setting her Kindle beside her and turning on her side. Before Mollie could answer, Frankie pat the bed in front of her for the blonde to crawl in with her. Without a second suggestion, Mollie clambered onto the bunk and settled beside the best friend of her best friends.