Make Me Bad |l.h|

1. chocolate

I can honestly say that life is good right now. Managing bands and touring with them has always been my dream and I can finally say I'm a successful tour/band manager. Although it does get a bit rough with the late nights, always being on call, and being away from my family and friends, but it's a sacrifice I was willing to take. I'm just glad I finally get to go home with my family after The American Dream tour which was fucking insane! The fans were super crazy and passionate; kinda makes me miss being in the crowd instead of backstage. I must go to a concert soon.

-

7:04 PM, Mountain View, CA.

I can already feel the jet lag consume my body as I walk up the steps to my parents' house. I step inside and the sweet aroma of home-made cookies immediately greets me.

"I'm home!" I yell out seeing as no one is in sight.

"Kara, honey? Is that you?" I hear my mom's voice fade in as she descends downstairs into the living room.

"Mom, why don't you ever lock the damn door?" I chuckle as I embrace her. "I missed you so much!"

"Relax! I missed you too, honey. I even made you cookies," she wiggles her eyebrows as she goes into the kitchen.

"Where have you been, missy?" My dad comes down mocking a stern voice.

"Oh, you know, here, there, and everywhere." I smirk but I eventually crack into a smile and jump into his arms.

"I missed you, princess!" He spins me around for a while before he sets me down.

"C'mon, dad, we've been over this! Princess is too girly!" I whine.

"Chill! I'll call you my little punk princess, then," he nudges my shoulder as he meets my mom in the kitchen.

I sit at the kitchen table waiting for the cookies as I catch up with my dorky parents.

"So, any new lovers? Tattoos? Songs?" My mom takes a seat next to me and so does my dad.

"Maria!" My dad calls my mom out.

"What?" She shrugs.

"God, mom, I'd like to keep my love life private for now, thank you very much," I say seriously, even though my love life's a joke.

"But, yeah, I got two new tattoos!" I screech.

"Show us!" She says excitedly.

I take off my black cardigan and show them my new tattoo on my side which is La Dispute's flower logo with the lyrics "What is life without a purpose? What is purpose without love?" I then show them part of my chest piece which is a dagger going through a red rose.

"Wow, hun, they're beautiful!" My mom says.

"Dope." My dad simply says which caused me to giggle. I have the coolest parents ever.

"How's your music going? Have you been able to write or have you been too busy?" He asks as my mom gets up to check up on the cookies.

"I write whenever I have the chance, but sometimes I can't concentrate. I have like two solid songs, though." I'm not in a band, although, I wish I was. I write songs in the meantime, hoping to catch a big break later and start a career as a musician but not right now.

"Don't stress yourself out too much, punk princess." He smiles.

"Yeah, just take it easy, hun, as long as you get your work done and all." My mom chimes in as she sets a big plate piled with chocolate chip cookies.

Just as I was gonna dive into chocolate paradise, my phone rings. I step into the living room since it's a business call.

Fuck me.

"Everything okay?" My dad asks worriedly.

I sigh. "I just got called up to manage and go on another tour with this band. It's an emergency." I shake my head trying not to cry. I just came home and now I have to leave.

"They're picking me up in about two hours."

"What?! But you just came! Can't you call in sick or something? I can't believe this." My mom exclaims.

"Maria, she can't do that. This isn't some fast-food restaurant job. This is her career." My dad eyes me telling me to ignore my mom.

"C'mon, punk princess," he stretches out his arm to sit on his lap like a little girl, even though I'm an adult... sometimes.

"You signed up for this. And don't cry, that's not very punk, now is it?"

"Oh, dad," I laugh. "It's just, it isn't fair, but I knew something like this was bound to happen. It just sucks." I breathe out.

"I know, sweetie, I know. It's not like we'll never see you again, so chill out for a bit and let's eat these cookies, c'mon!"

-

9:58 PM

I guess I'll have to wear the same damn clothes from the last tour. I must find a laundromat as soon as possible. Unless, they're kind enough to make a quick stop to my house when we get to L.A.

Fuck me... again.

I say goodbye to my parents holding back tears.

"Have fun, punk princess. Rock on!" My dad attempts to make the rock n' roll sign with his hand but fails.

"You tried, dad, you tried." I pat his arm.

"Call me as soon as you land... where are you even going?" My mom's face confused.

"From what they told me, we're driving down to L.A or taking a jet, I don't know, over there, but yes, mom, I'll call you." I smile reassuringly.

I walk down the steps towards a black truck. The driver steps out to help with my luggage, which wasn't a lot. He opens the passenger door for me and I wave goodbye to my parents for the last time before I step inside.
I keep my eyes out the window when an Australian voice startles me. I look next to me and a guy with fiery red hair, which was attractively messy by the way, is sitting next to me.

"Oh, shit, you scared me." I laugh in relief.

"I didn't mean to. I'm Michael Clifford, guitarist and vocalist for 5 Seconds of Summer." His red lips curve into a smile.

"I'm Kara Brink, your new band and tour manager," I shake his hand.

"I know." He says. "I mean, sorry, I didn't mean to sound creepy, shit. I, uh, was told about the whole situation and, um, yeah." He stutters, which is kinda cute.

"Chill. It's okay, dude." I laugh at his awkwardness.

He nervously laughs and asks, "so, what bands have you managed and toured with?"

"Well, when I first started I, uh, managed small bands for a long time. My career launched when I met this really awesome local band called Issues and got the chance to manage them, and then they got pretty famous and I toured with them, Letlive, and Our Last Night. After that tour, I stopped managing them and just managed a tour with All Time Low, Pierce The Veil, and Sleeping With Sirens. I recently managed Bring Me The Horizon and toured with them, Of Mice & Men, Issues, and Letlive for the American Dream Tour. And now I'm managing 5 Seconds of Summer." I grin at him.

"Damn. Just, wow. That's fucking awesome." He meant it. I could tell by the sound of his voice; it sounded genuine and amazed.

I'm actually not sad about leaving so early now that I met one out of the four band members. Michael and I instantly clicked which got me wondering if the other members are as easygoing as Michael...