Groupie ; c.h

eleven - contract

It had been a day since the interview, and Maely had spent the whole night tossing and turning, her mind spinning with so many different thoughts that she couldn't possibly sleep.

Maely was confused. About Calum, about the contract, about the other boys - everything. Nothing was making sense and Maely couldn't find a release for all of her stress and worry, and she was forced to bottle her emotions. However, this bottle was beginning to burst at the seams and it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened.

~

Maely and Luke were sat on the couch inside the tour bus, watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother (a show which they both adored), a red plaid blanket thrown over their bodies and a bowl of popcorn settled between them. Ashton was in the kitchen (again), complaining about the lack of food in the bus and Michael was sitting at the kitchen table moping about Luke and Maely taking away the TV. Calum, as per usual, was nowhere to be found.

"Man, someone needs to go shopping ASAP!" Ashton exclaimed, slamming the pantry door shut, "There's nothing in here!"

"There's perfectly good fruit right here, Ashton," Michael said, picking up a banana from the fruit bowl before him and peeling it, "It's all fresh - and healthy."

"God, you sound like my mother," Ashton rolled his eyes, "I want some chips or something! Not fruit. The trainers have had me living off fruit for the past month, I'm sick of it."

"That's because it's healthy, Ashton," Michael mumbled with a mouthful of banana.

"Yeah, well maybe I'm sick of being healthy," Ashton said, "I'm a drummer, not a marathon runner. I don't need to be fit."

Michael scoffed, "Dude, are you hearing yourself? You sound ridiculous."

"I just want some food Michael!" Ashton cried out.

"We have-"

"NOT FRUIT!" Ashton yelled, causing Maely and Luke to burst into laughter. Ashton turned to them, scowling, "It's not funny!"

"It is pretty funny," Michael laughed.

Ashton turned back to Michael, narrowing his eyes, "I swear to god, Clifford, I'm going to kill-"

Suddenly, Calum flung the front door open, letting it slam against the wall loudly. Ashton cut himself off mid-sentence, jumping in surprise at the sound.

Calum took two steps onto the bus and turned to Maely, his wild eyes staring angrily into Maely's frightened ones.

"You," Calum spoke clearly, his voice booming, "Outside. Now."

Maely got up quickly, the look in Calum's eyes telling her that this was no time for arguing. She had almost made it to the door when Luke spoke up.

"She's not a dog, Calum," Luke said, "So don't treat her like one."

Calum stopped in his tracks and turned back to face Luke. He became angrier, if that was even possible, and Maely was certain that in that moment Calum would lunge at Luke.

However, Calum simply stared angrily at the blonde before his hand found it's way to Maely's lower back and he gave her a light push out of the bus, following her himself and slamming the door behind them.

"What's wrong?" Maely asked softly, trying hard to keep calm so that Calum wouldn't get even angrier.

"It's Sara," Calum grumbled, pacing back and forth quickly, "She called."

"Oh," Maely said quietly, not knowing what else to say. Her heart was thumping loudly and she was afraid that Calum would hear it and know how nervous she was. She knew why Sara had called. She knew she had to make a decision.