Chapter Text
Laney really hated being the shortest member of the band.
Heck, the girl was the shortest in their grade! Even Larry from the Ewman's was two centimeters taller! (Which the two bands had learned as an argument between the guitarists resulted in each bandmate measuring against their counterpart… Carrie did not react well to the news that Corey was taller than her… Though even Laney had to admit that Corey did deserve the kick to the knee for all that gloating.)
Anyways - Laney missed back when they were seven, when she and Corey first met and were around the same height. Even the twins were the same-ish height when the four had befriended each other… Okay, well Kon hadn’t been the same height as them, but Laney had a feeling the drummer would always be a giant compared to the rest of the band.
It just felt unfair. Though Laney knew there was a chance the guys would grow taller than her, she just never expected it to happen so fast. They haven't even started puberty for Rock God's sake!
Yet, at thirteen, she was the only one who still had to climb onto the counter to reach the good snacks in the Riffin kitchen (which she strongly suspected Trina was in charge of putting away). The only one who struggled to reach the garage door to pull it down when they leave. The only one tiny enough to get lost in a crowd and then have to push and shove her way back to her bandmates as they searched for her in a panic.
All in all, Laney strongly believed that being the smallest sucked!
…Well, until that one Cheese-fest.
"Cheese!" Kin and Kon cheered as they entered the fairgrounds. The two ravenettes kept parrotting, "Cheese!" at each other like it was the only word that ever existed. The two apparently came to an agreement in their twin language, because the next thing Corey and Laney knew, Kin and Kon zipped off in some random direction.
"Those two really like their cheese," Corey chuckled as he watched the twins dodge and weave their way through the crowd. The two boys making a beeline towards Sample Street, the section of the festival for patrons to try cheeses from around the world.
"They're lucky they're not lactose intolerant," Laney remarked as she stood on her tiptoes to try at least to catch a glimpse of Kon's spikey mane.
"I think you mean we're lucky," Corey playfully nudged Laney, his comment earning a snort that quickly evolved into a fit of giggles from the girl.
"Oh, rock gods," Laney wheezed. "The garage would smell even worse than it does now."
"Hey! It doesn't smell that bad!" Corey defended. Blue met green as the two made eye contact before both teens burst into laughter.
"Okay, I guess it does smell pretty bad after our grilled cheese parties," Corey admitted. "We should catch up with them before they get on some rides without us."
Corey held his hand out to the bassist, opening and closing his fingers expectantly. Laney raised a brow.
"...Core, I'm not giving you my money," Laney deadpanned.
"What?!" The frontman's voice cracked, a hurt expression flashing over his face. "C'mon, Lanes, who do you take me for? Trina? I'm not asking for your money, dude! Now c'mon!"
Again, Corey shoved his hand closer towards Laney.
"Uh...What?" The tiny redhead gave him a confused look as she motioned to his hand.
Corey pouted before grasping the bassist's hand and starting to drag Laney along with him as he headed towards the twins.
"C'mon, Lanes, you got swept away by the crowd during the last event! We almost missed the gig! And you're so short, it's hard to spot you in a crowd!" Corey squeezed her hand. "This way, we won't lose each other! Genius, huh?" The frontman smiled, clearly proud of his idea.
"Uh-huh," Laney vigorously nodded, her eyes transfixed on their intertwined hands. The tiny redhead didn't even notice Corey calling her short—something that would have caused the girl to chase Kin or Kon around the garage and put them in a headlock until they took it back. At the moment though, she was too distracted by the heat that spread all over her body at the simple contact to really care.
Oh, Rock Gods, please don't let my hands be sweaty. Please don't let my hands be sweaty. Laney chanted in her mind. She glanced up at Corey, only to see the blunette excitedly looking from stall to stall with a sparkle in his eyes. A bright smile on the boy's face that made the butterflies in her stomach run rampant.
She shyly glanced back down at their intertwined hands. She never noticed that the hand she had held so many times had grown along with her best friend. Corey's hand, calloused and rough from years of practicing guitar, seemed so big compared to her own.
Okay. Maybe being small has some perks. Laney giddily thought to herself as she lightly squeezed Corey's hand.