grouped | miniminter

twenty-three: the return

The next couple of days went by quickly for Mariah. Most interviewers asked who the mystery man was and Mariah gave the press nothing. Her last interview before she flew out was Jimmy Fallon and she knew that she would have to add to the story there. After all her manager said the interview would be cut short if she didn't talk about it which was bad for the movie and her career.

"How are you doing these past couple of days? It must be crazy." Jimmy said with a hint of mischief in his eyes. Mariah blushed and slowly swept her hair behind her ear, causing the audience to laugh.

"Oh yeah you know how it is."

"No I don't, I've never had the internet turn into the FBI for me." He said and then chuckled. She scrunched her nose and cringed internally at the conversation about to take place.

"I'm sure you have Jimmy don't belittle yourself." Mariah said trying to move around the subject as best as she could.

"Alright well thank you. So this man, can you give us anything? You've got the world completely clueless." Mariah thought about what she could possibly say without giving anything away.

"See the problem is Jimmy," She leaned in and crossed her arms setting them down on his desk, he leaned in too, "the problem is: I know him now, as in we're friends, so I can't say much without him or everyone else figuring it out."

"Oh so you're close with him? How close? Would you say you're perhaps mutuals with him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter?" Jimmy said and Mariah chuckled at his attempt to get info out of her.

"Who knows?" She shrugged and looked at the audience who was in tears with laughter.

"You know, that's the problem! No one else does!" He yelled this now and Mariah couldn't stop laughing. The interview was over soon after this as Jimmy went on to talk about the movie and then she said her goodbyes.

Mariah's flight back was tomorrow which resulted in her not sleeping from being anxious. She decided to call JJ since she hadn't spoken to him in a while and the groupchat wasn't active due to her always being busy and the guys just wanting to know who the mystery man was.

+++

"Olajide!"

"Mariah! How you been? "

"Stressed, I can't fucking sleep"

"Hey don't be everything will be alright. I know the guys are being pricks but it'll die down, everyone will forget within a week or two."

"Yeah but what I said on Jimmy Fallon probably didn't help."

"What did you say?"

"I said the guy is a close friend."

"Fuuuccck."

"I know."

"Alright it's okay when you come back the first thing you should do is talk to Simon, there's nothing worse than hearing that kind of news from someone else."

"You're right but it's easier said than done."

"Aren't you tired of waiting?"

"Of course I am, but I'm more scared than tired."

"No matters what we'll still be friends and if Simon doesn't realize what you guys have going on he's a bigger dumbass than I thought."

"Thanks JJ it means a lot for you to say that. I'll try and sleep now, see you tomorrow."

"G'night"

+++

The flight to London was a blur mostly because Mariah was in and out of sleep. Sleep didn't come too easily for Mariah the night before so she made most of it up on the flight.

When she finally left the airport she saw Logan and JJ waiting with her car. She had given Logan permission to drive the car to the airport because she missed it.

"My baby!" Mariah opened her arms and JJ opened his arms but she walked to embrace her car.

"For fucks sake." JJ mumbled and Mariah chuckled pulling away and jumping onto him and wrapping her arms around him.

"Don't forget about me!" Logan said and she pulled back to pull both of them in for a hug.

"I missed you guys, a lot." They nodded and smiled at her telling her they missed her too. Mariah was glad she had such great friends like them. They all went back to her and Logan's apartment and talked for hours. It was 12 when JJ realized he should leave.

+++

SIDEMEN+MARIAH:

Toebee:
Mariah you're back!

Mariah:
I am! I'll visit you ASAP Tobi is tomorrow alright?

Toebee:
yeah around noon works for me

Behz:
I'll come over then too

Harold:
same

Mariah:
Alright great see you guys then

+++

Mariah had told JJ she would visit them in the morning since she had a meeting at 7 she would wake up early anyway and then head over to the sidemen house.

She fell asleep quickly and woke up to Logan shaking her awake. Mariah rushed to get ready and made it to her meeting just in time. It went by slowly but when it finally over she drove to the house.

JJ opened the door and let her in. Josh, and Vikk came down to greet her and they all talked briefly as the guys were just about to film a video. Mariah noticed Simon wasn't there but didn't say anything until Josh and Vikk went back to their rooms. JJ spoke up before she could.

"Mariah, you've got to tell him you like him. The internet will figure it out and it's better he hear it from you." She knew he was right, but that didn't change the fact she was terrified.

"I know it's just hard okay, I don't want to ruin everything."

"The longer you wait the more messy things will be." JJ was also right about this so she groaned being it was all she could do.

"What if he doesn't feel the same?"

"You have to risk it."

"Okay, okay I'll do it. Where is he?" If she didn't do it now it would be too late, too late to save some of her dignity.

"The pitch down the street, but it's pouring rain Mariah!" JJ said this as she grabbed her jacket and ran out the door only hearing JJ's voice fade as she sprinted.

A/n: ayyeee things be getting heated I hope you guys like this chap as it's pretty intense compared to what I usually post, make sure to vote and leave a comment :)