"Violet! Vi, wake up!" Violet's eyes opened slowly and adjusted to the pale morning light. Elle was standing over her bed, shaking her awake.
"What the hell...?" Violet murmured sleepily.
"When me and Jack... well, did what we did last night, we didn't use anything," Elle pushed a lock of messy blonde hair behind her ear. "You have to come to the clinic with me. Come on Vi, get up!"
Violet looked at Elle's nervous, colourless face and threw back the bedcovers. "Give me five minutes to get dressed then" she said, staggering out of bed and promptly tripping over Elle's sleeping bag that was laid out on the floor. Elle managed a giggle as Violet grabbed onto the wardrobe handles to steady herself. "Oh shut up!" she groaned.
      Minutes later, the two best friends were heading to the Family Planning clinic. "Thank God no-one's around," Elle sighed, pushing open the clinic door. "It's still too early for any shoppers".
Violet stayed in the waiting area while Elle got the Morning-after Pill, seated on a hard plastic chair and staring at the faded posters on the walls about pregnancy and various STIs.
      Elle emerged from the doctor's office and signalled at Violet for them to leave. They hurried out of the clinic and into the street, where Violet warned Elle "Don't ever be that stupid again, alright?"
"I'm sorry, it's just I was so drunk last night and I just didn't think..." Elle stopped and realised how pathetic her excuses sounded. "I'll be careful next time" she nodded.
"Oh, so there'll be a next time?" Violet linked her arm through Elle's. "You and Jack are going to be an item then?"
"I think so, yeah. Something will happen, right?" Elle looked so happy at the thpught of her and Jack, Violet hoped he wouldn't mess her around. "Anyway, tell me about you and Jared! Go on, you wouldn't say anything last night"
"We just kissed, a lot, and we talked. He thinks I look like Morgan Lander from Kittie" Violet beamed at the thought of Jared saying this. She stopped to unlatch her gate as the girls returned to her house, and then let herself and Elle through the front door.
      Elle flopped down in the armchair closest to the TV, and said "I am so not drinking again, ever".
Violet was in the kitchen, pouring Elle a glass of water for her pill, and arched an eyebrow skeptically at her friend's promise. "I'll believe that when I see it!" she called.

                                                                   * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey, is that Violet?"
Oh good God. Violet felt her wrist go limp, and the telephone flopped about in her hand. She touched her cheek with her other, shakey hand and felt the heat radiating off them, they were glowing.
"Violet?" Jared's sexy, drawling voice floated down the phoneline. She adored the way he said her name.
"Oh, um, yeah?" she tried to sound breezy and care-free, but it came out sounding scatter-brained.
"It's Jared". As if she didn't know. "I was wondering if you and your friends want to come to the Agent Blue gig at Spin on Tuesday night?"
"Um, that sounds cool, yeah" Violet managed to sound like she had at least one brain cell.
"Great, we'll meet outside the side doors at eight, see you then" and Jared hung up. A grin spread immediately across Violet's face, and her heart beat practically doubled. God, was Jared going to have this effect on her forever?

                                                                     * * * * * * * * * *

"Want me to get you a drink?" Jared offered, hand-gesturing to Violet in case she didn't hear him over the guitar intro blasting from the speakers. Violet and her friends and Jared and the band had managed to secure a table at the crowded, noisy Spin club. It was Tuesday night and they'd come to see Agent Blue play, as arranged, but the band weren't on for a half hour yet.
"Yeah, a Malibu and lemonade please," Violet requested, and Jared went off to the bar. "Can't wait to see Agent Blue!" she said to an equally excited Sarah.
"As soon as the start, you're coming to the front to dance with me," Sarah told her. "I'm determined to make Nic Andrews mine!"
      The girls were still talking about the band's lead singer when Jared came back from the bar with drinks, and Agent Blue's drummer stumbled onto the stage, followed by the other members, Nic Andrews swaggering on last, bottle of beer in hand. Standing the bottle on an amp, he pulled the microphone stand towards him, and the band launched into their first song.
      Sarah grabbed Violet's hand and pulled her up from her chair. "Come on, Vi. Elle, are you coming to... nevermind", she turned away after seeing Elle occupied with Jack. Sarah and Violet made their way to the front of the dancefloor, expertly squeezing past others until they got close to the stage.
      Every five minutes Sarah would tell Violet she was positive Nic was paying her attention, prompting her to dance even more wildly. It was only when she'd elbowed someone in the eye for the third time that Violet suggested it would be wise to take a break.
      When they arrived back at the table, only Ryan, Jared and Jamie remained there. Jack and Elle, they explained, had moved to their own private booth, and Strummer had taken a girl he vaguely knew back to the flat.
"Any luck with Nic yet?" Ryan smiled.
"Part of his mouthful of beer went over me during the chorus of 'Something Else'" Sarah said proudly.
"Wow," Jared said sarcastically. "You'll be meeting the parents next".
"Hey!" Violet batted his leg as he pulled her onto his lap. "She can hope! If your band gets famous, you can invite him to your parties and Sarah can get to know him".
"If we get famous? When, I think you mean," Jared narrowed his eyes at her. "This latest meeting with Block Records is going to go great, and then we'll get the deal, trust me".
"You two could be the new Kurt and Courtney" Jamie remarked.
"Only don't destroy yourselves with drugs. Not that you would" warned Sarah.
"Hmm, a life of celeb rock & roll debauchery. Can't wait" Jared winked at Violet.

      Everyone turned towards the stage and clapped and whistled, showing their appreciation. Then most people left the dancefloor and either went to the bar or cleared out of the club. Violet, Elle, Sarah and Jamie stayed at the front of the dancefloor as the band came off the stage. Resting their guitars against the amps, Jared, Ryan and Strummer stepped down from the stage and joined the group. Jack emerged from behind his drumkit and grabbed a large, glass-topped table for them to sit at.

      Jared and Strummer went to the bar to order vodkas for everyone. Violet found herself sat between Sarah and an empty seat. "We'll save that one for Jared" Ryan said, nudging Violet with a sharp elbow and sitting himself next to Jamie, something a good-looking boy like Ryan should never do. Returning from the bar, Jared and Strummer set down the tray of drinks and took their seats. Jared pulled his chair close to Violet's and smiled that lop-sided grin of his that she loved. Sarah gently kicked Violet's leg and whispered "I've never seen so much colour in your cheeks, you're blushing!" Violet glanced across the table at Elle and Jack, who got up hand in hand, explaining to the group they were going to go backstage to "talk about the band". Yeah right.

      "That's the last we'll see of them for tonight" Strummer said, pouring his vodka down his throat. The gang nodded in agreement and went on to talk about the new Garbage album. Sarah was telling everyone how she thought the lyrics to the fifth track were so clever and emotive, when Violet felt a warm arm slip around her waist. "Come and sit over there with me," Jared whispered in her ear, pointing at a booth in a quieter corner of the club. "I want to talk to you". Violet pushed her chair back and Jared pulled her up. "I promised Vi I'd look at some, uh, song lyrics she'd written," Jared lied, slinging an arm round her shoulders and leading her over to the booth in the corner.

      "Okay, does one of us smell, or something?" Strummer asked the remaining friends. "We started with eight of us and now there's four" "Well, everyone's pairing off," Jamie said. "Who wants to take me home?" "I think I'll be the one taking you home if you have any more to drink!" laughed Sarah. "Anyone up for a dance?" Scraping their chairs back, the friends made their way onto the moderately full dancefloor and started moving to HIM 's 'Buried Alive By Love'. Jamie's dancing was so camp that they all began to loosen up around each other, and by the end of the song Sarah and Jamie were performing a very inappropriate can-can.

      Almost invisable due to the club's poor lighting, Jared and Violet were sat close together in the corner booth. "Watching you dancing... I knew I had to speak to you after the set. You know it was you I was talking about before 'Halo' right? I was singing about you the whole time" Jared informed her. Underneath the table, Violet's hands shook. She'd dreamt of Jared saying things like this to her for what seemed like forever. But now, now it was really happening and she didn't have a clue what to do. Jared stopped talking and inched closer to her, just as Violet was wondering what she'd do if he tried to kiss her. She didn't have time to answer herself... 

      "Looking at songwords, eh?" Strummer jeered. "I'll be damned if he finds them down the throat". Strummer, Sarah, Ryan and Jamie were sat back at their table, worn out from dancing. "Or where his hand is at the moment," Sarah remarked with a giggle, observing Jared's roaming hands. "I think I'll be off home now - Jamie?" She turned to Jamie who begrudgingly left his seat next to Ryan. "I'm not one who needs his beauty sleep, but I suppose I should head home. I've got a momma who worries" and with that, Jamie took Sarah's arm and the two of them walked out of the club, not bothering to say goodbye to Elle or Violet.

      "How are Jack and Jared going to get in? You were the only one who brought a key" Strummer questioned Ryan at his suggestion of going home. "We'll have to wait up for them" Ryan shrugged. "Come on". The two boys collected their instruments and amps from the side of the stage and fitted them into the back of their van. "Good job I didn't have too much, I can still drive" Ryan said as he and Strummer jumped into the front of the van, and drove off.

      Violet performed the difficult task of detaching Jared's lips from hers for a moment and took some deep breaths. "It's two a.m," she told Jared, struggling to see her silver watch in the darkness of the club. "I should be getting home". As If she was psychic, Elle appeared through the backstage door, wrapped up in Jack. "Come on, Vi," she said when they arrived at their table. "Did you know it's two o'clock? Anyway, what have you two been up to?" she grinned, her usually pale eyes glittered. "Probably the same as you" Jared shook his head so his hair fell forward into his eyes. As he looked up through the espresso-coloured strands, Violet felt her heart jerk. So endearing, she thought.

      Elle looked shocked. "In the club? I know it's dark, but..." she looked confusedly around her. "Okay, not the same as you then," Jared laughed, then turned and winked at Violet. "Do you ladies need walking home?" "No, we'll be fine, I'm sleeping over at Violet's so we'll be okay together" Elle smiled at Jared's politness. "So long as you're sure you'll be safe," Jack said. "I hope Strummer and Ryan are still awake, Ryan had the key"

      The four of them strolled out of the Spin club doors and went their separate ways, amid promises to text each other soon. Before he wandered home with Jack, Jared pulled Violet close to him and whispered in her ear. "Can't wait to see you again" his warm breath tickled the side of her face, then he pulled away and turned the corner to the street that the boys lived on. Violet stared after him and realised that all she'd been wanting for months on end was finally hers. And she wasn't going to let it go.

It all started one mid-winter Friday night, with completely pure intentions. Well, pure-ish. Violet's best friend Elle had miraculously got them both on the guest list for Spin, the coolest rock club in town, where Jared's band, Rock Addicted, were playing a gig that night.

Ah, Jared. Violet had never seen a more perfect boy. With the possible exception of Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis of course. But Jared was more available, he was more local. So local that he only lived a few streets away, but she hadn't seen him since Elle's brother's party two months ago. Still, tonight she'd see him in all his glory, on stage.

Elle's brother, Ryan, was the reason they'd blagged it onto the guestlist in the first place. He was Jared's best friend and the band's bass player. He'd also said Elle and Violet could hang out with the band after the show, owing to the fact that the band's drummer fancied Elle and Ryan wanted to help them together.

"Vi, come on - you look perfect, you'll knock Jared out, but I want to get there on time so get your arse out the door!" Elle pushed her friend from in front of the mirror and out of her bedroom door. Violet paused to look in the hallway mirror instead, and what she saw told her it was worth the hours she'd spent agonizing over her appearance earlier. Her reflection was wearing a tight black sweater, short black skirt, black tights and black boots. And her eyes sported a lot of black eyeliner and mascara. She poked her tongue out at the mirror, her silver piercing flashing, and headed out of the front door with Elle.

Arms linked, the girls tottered into town and joined the queue of rock lovers that snaked out of the Spin club doors. Elle was waffling on about the band's drummer, Jack, but Violet had matters more important to her pressing on her mind - what if Jared's with another girl? What if he's not interested in you? Suppose you make a complete fool of yourself? she fretted silently. All these things are highly likely, she continued to think. Sod it she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she and Elle reached the front of the queue.

"We're on the guestlist," Elle told the club's bouncer, confident as ever. "Elle Groves and Violet Herring" she said, batting her false eyelashes at the burly door-gaurd. "Go right in ladies, have a good night" the bouncer said with a wink and held the club doors open for them. They were greeted by a wave of rock music, and Violet stared in awe around her. Glamorous music executives swanned around in suits, looking out for anyone who could be the "next best thing", and there were fellow music lovers stomping around in packs, dressed in quirky tees and Converse Allstars. And then there was the band, visable through the clouds of cigarette smoke and the haze of perfumes.

Violet's eyes widened as she took every bit of Jared in. He looked so cool. His black hair flopping over one eye, his faded Led Zeppelin t-shirt, his baggy black jeans that came down way too low... she knew she'd never forget that image of him. His mouth was shouting out the words to one of the band's own songs 'Difficult'. Elle tugged on Violet's arm. "If you can tear yourself away from Mr Rock Star for five minutes, we should probably find Sarah and Jamie".

Sarah was a good friend of Elle and Violet's, and she worked behind the bar at Spin. She'd been expelled from the local comprehensive a few months earlier because her dyed pink hair was a "distraction to other pupils", and she refused to change it. Tonight was her first night off in a while and she was perched on a stool by the bar, next to Jamie. Jamie, to put it bluntly, is as gay as Jared is gorgeous - ie. very. He was so feminine, and so like them, that the three girls had to love him, and adopted him as one of them from the first day of Year 7.

Noticing Elle scanning the room with her innocent blue eyes, Jamie waved at her over-enthusiastically. Rolling those eyes, Elle grabbed Violet's hand and they made their way over to them, through the crowded dancefloor, careful to avoid anyone too into their dancing to prevent themselves crashing into the two girls. When they arrived at the bar, they flopped down on stools next to Sarah and Jamie who'd already ordered vodka and cokes for them. "Jamie, what the hell are you drinking?" Elle peered at the glass Jamie was holding, with a pink umberella sticking out of the top. "It's a Cosmopolitan, sweetie" he informed her, sounding very Sex And The City.

Violet rolled her eyes, and began to persuade Sarah to dance with her, right down the front. "So you can get noticed by Pouty McSmoulder up there?" Sarah teased, raising her eyebrows. "No, so we can hear the music better" Violet lied, knowing she wasn't fooling anyone. Jamie swirled his drink stirrer around in the glass. "Ready when you ladies are".

The girls necked the rest of their drinks and slid off the chrome bar stools. The four of them fixed their eyes on the stage and strutted to the front of the dancefloor, wasting "excuse me" 's on no-one. Reaching their destination at the front of the dancefloor, they really went for it. The band's version of 'Lithium' was going down a storm, and Violet found herself captured by the music, making no attempt to escape. As the song died away, Violet looked up and missed a breath. Jared was staring right at her, she was sure of it!

Jared lazily wrapped an arm around his microphone stand and spoke into it. "Our next song is another cover, this one's by Soil and it's called 'Halo'. I wanna sing it 'coz someone in the audience just caught me watching them, and I want them to know". As the band began the song, Jamie let out a short, high-pitched squeal and grabbed Violet. "He was totally talking about you, I saw him staring at you all through that song!"

Violet couldn't help but laugh at Jamie, but had Jared really been talking about her? He could have been talking about any girl in the club. But then Jared's growly, gravelly vocals cut through her thoughts and she began to dance again. "...With my arms around you, my little halo" Jared sang, looking directly at Violet. He made it to the end of the song and through a few more origional tracks before pushing over his mic stand and declaring that the set was over.

Hi, this is my LJ for my story that I began writing last summer. I've only done four chapters, and by my own standards its not very good, but I'd be so grateful if you'd read it and give me your feedback. If you'd like to talk though, my proper LJ name is:

rockxstarxgirl

First part coming a.s.a.p!