Chapter 2 Venomous Glare

Valeska eyed the time in the top corner of her phone screen. 3:12am. Groaning, she rolled over onto her stomach. The rest of her bandmates were sound asleep in their bunks. Except Kieran, who of course was out partying to celebrate their flawless performance.

Unable to sleep, Val opened up social media to scroll mindlessly through her feed. Gianna had posted a few photos of the two of them, which were going semi-viral. The paparazzi photos of her and Kieran weren't out yet, but she knew once they were they'd be all anyone talked about.

Lost in thought, Valeska didn't notice the figure tip-toeing into the dark bedroom. Not until he was creeping up right behind her, crouching down to the same level as her bottom bunk. Startled, she opened her mouth to scream at the sudden presence, but a familiar male hand clamped down over her mouth.

Kieran was shrugging off his clothes and climbing into the bed, snuggling up behind Val. "Just what do you think you're doing?!" She hissed through her teeth, wary of her volume whilst all the others were asleep.

"Holding my girl, go to sleep." He slurred, his voice softened by alcohol. Valeska clenched her jaw, this was just fantastic. He gets to spend the night dancing around with scantily dressed girls and getting shit-faced drunk, but it's all fine because at least at the end of it he wants to snuggle?

Valeska tried to kick at him, but then one of his large hands travelled down her waist and over her hip, before settling around her thigh and holding it in place.

"So aggressive," He murmured sleepily, his head buried in the crook of her neck. "Just stay here, Val, just stay like this..." His voice trailed off,and Valeska sighed exasperatedly. There was no getting rid of him. Accepting defeat, she relaxed into his arms and closed her eyes, willing sleep to find her quickly.

The next morning, Valeska was relieved to find the space next to her vacant. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she entered the living area to find Gianna in the midst of a phone call, and Felix doubled over in a fit of laughter.

Val stepped into the space, raising a perfectly manicured brow. Outside the bus window, she glimpsed the top of Liam and Kieran's heads. They must've been having a smoke. She shook her head to herself. Liam really needed to cut back, but that would prove impossible with Kieran's persistent enabling.

Felix sauntered over to Val, clutching his phone with one hand and his stomach with the other. "Ohh Valeska, I love you so much!" He cried tauntingly, breathing hard from his fit of laughter. "I just can't keep my hands off you!"

Val leaned up on her tiptoes and flicked his forehead, shooting him a venomous glare. "Very funny. Why don't you go try that one on Kieran?" She challenged, crossing her arms and lifting a brow.

Felix gulped, tucking his phone back into his pocket. "I'm just messing." He gave her an easy smile, ruffling her hair before taking a seat at one of the kitchen stools.

While all of them had been close friends since high school, Felix and Kieran had the deepest bond. Their friendship stretched back to early childhood, growing up alongside each other almost like brothers. As such, he understood the rebellious guitarist better than most, maybe even better than Valeska did.

Gianna finally hung up the phone, sidling up to Val's side. "Who was it?" Val asked her, reaching up into a cupboard to retrieve the coffee.

"Sasha. She's booked us in for two hours at this studio." Gianna pulled up the address on her phone to show them. "She wants to hear a few practice sessions before the show tonight."

Val and Felix let out a collective groan at this news. Between the five of them, there was nothing they hated more than being trapped in a stuffy studio. Though their manager Sasha was a close second.

Val typed in the security code and swung open the heavy bus door, descending the steps and making her way over to Liam and Kieran.

She stopped in front of them, her short stature dwarfed by the two men's imposing figures. "Let me get some of that." She said, gesturing to the cigarette between Liam's fingers.

Liam made to hand it to her, but Kieran abruptly clutched his wrist, stopping him.

Val's eyes narrowed to a glare, her head tipped back slightly to stare up at Kieran. That smouldering, furious glint in her expression was practically her trademark at that point. In fact, it was the 'venomous' nature of Valeska's glaring that originally inspired their band name; The Vipers.

His eyes met hers with disinterested boredom. "You don't need that." He dismissed plainly, his voice devoid of the softness it held the night before.

"That's not for you to decide." She countered defiantly, reaching out to take the cigarette from Liam's no longer outstretched hand.

But Kieran grabbed it first, dropping it to the ground and then doing the same with his, before extinguishing them with his foot. Val's eyes simmered with rising fury, her delicate hands clenched into fists. Kieran just gave her an infuriating smirk, then sidestepped her like she was nothing and made his way back onto the bus.

Left outside with Liam, Val rubbed at her temples in an attempt to fight off the impending migraine she knew she'd have. "Do we really need a guitarist?" She whined, prompting a chuckle from Liam. He patted her back sympathetically, turning to follow Kieran into the vehicle.