Save Me From Myself ✖️Muke

Chapter 9

"Uh hi" one of the girls says. All three boys smile and stand up.

"Hey, what's up?" Ash says grinning. They boys hug a few fans, taking pictures with them. Then they ask for Jake to get in the picture and I roll my eyes. Jessie and I get up and walk a bit further away to give them space.

As we watch from afar I notice as they take more and more pictures with fans, Luke is getting increasingly jumpy and looking like he really doesn't want to be there. I frown.

"Have you noticed anything off with Luke?" I ask Jessie.

" ya he seems a lot more quiet than I thought he was, a bit more like shy. Why? I thought you hated him?" he teases me.

"I thought i did too." i say quietly.

"I've noticed that he jumps whenever someone touches him, or you talk too loud, or catch him off guard."

"Ya me too, what's wrong do you think?"

"I think it has to do with Josh to be honest. He has said he doesn't like Jake too."

"No one likes Jake, he stole your song." jessie scoffs.

"Ya but watch." I say, walking back over to the group where luke is standing and placing my hand on his shoulder. He flinches and literally jumps away, turning around with wide frightened eyes. I stare at him in shock, my mouth agape. That was new. Definitely worse than before.

"Hey! Your ok" I say to get his attention because he looked like he was in his own world. He looks back to me and furrows his eyebrows.

"What?" he looked scared.

"Hey come here," I say motioning for him to follow me. I glance back and notice Cal and Ash are staring at us, the fans are dispersing too. I look back to Ash and he motioned for me to come over. I nod.

"Hey jessie wanted to ask you something" I say loud enough for jessie to hear. I guess i'll have to ask Luke what that was about later. He nods and walks over while i jog back to the other two. Jake is nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, where's jake?" i ask.

"Bathroom" Cal says.I nod

"What did you want?" I ask ash.

"We have something we need to talk to you about" he starts. I frown

"ok, what is it?" I ask.

"We shouldn't really be saying this but you have already noticed it and we think you can help, you just have to promise not to tell anyone, you can't even mention that we said anything to Luke."

"Uh ok" I say confused now.

"I guess you've noticed by now that Luke is a bit skittish-"

A bit?" i raise an eyebrow, cutting him off.

"Ok a lot skittish. Something happened to him, that we won't say, we will let him tell you on his own time. But, ever since he's been so closed off, he jumps every time someone raises their voice and god forbid anyone touch him. What just happened, when you grabbed his shoulder, that's the worst of it, He gets flashbacks.

"I noticed the first day i met you" I admit. They nod.

"Um this is going to sound really bad, but is he.... Does he eat?" i ask. Their faces fall and they shake their heads.

" today was the first time in months anyone has even gotten him to try something let alone eat it." Calum says. I gape.

"Wait really?" they nod.

"How did you even do that? It seemed so nonchalant. "

"My friend, KC she was rapped and after that she kind of just closed down, she would barely come out of her room, and after a while I noticed she never ate. I learned that the only way to get someone who doesn't eat to eat, is to convince them that it's healthy has no sugar or calories and is really good. When we were at Panera I realised that he seemed really uncomfortable with Jake asking him why he didn't get anything to eat, and kept saying he already ate and I knew for a fact he didn't because you said you didn't. I don't know i just kinda asked him if he wanted to try it."

"How did you get him to finish it?" Ash asks.

"Usually if you don't watch someone eat it makes them more comfortable, I figured that he was anorexic, he looked a lot thinner than in previous concerts id seen from the year before. I told him he could have it then started a conversation with you guys. Get the focus off of him and he will eat it. You can't just force someone who doesn't want to eat to eat."

"I don't get it, were like seeing glimpses of the old him, how he was years ago. Its because of you." Calum says.

"It's not me, you just have to learn to notice what sets someone off." I shake my head.

"But even before, you wrote music with him, that's the most i've seen him smile in a year."

"You know it's funny, I used to say i was a fan of your band but i just don't like Luke. I always thought he was just really stuck up and rude... I feel terrible for thinking that. Now i know hes not, hes just scared. But I don't think I can help you," I say looking up at them.

"What why?" they ask desperately.

"You have a new guitarist, you will be going back on tour soon." I say.

"Come on tour with us!" Calum exclaims.

"Really calum? Seriously all he needs is his friends to care for him. Plus he doesn't really like me." I laugh.

"Please Michael, just hang out with us till we go on tour then, help us fix him so we can stay on tour" Ashton all but beggs. I sigh.

"Fine."

"Yay! Thank you so much! Oh and he does like you, you wouldn't have been able to get him to eat or write with you if he didn't trust you. I think at some times you remind him of Josh." Ash says. I nod frowning.

"Guys! So since it's getting late do you wanna come back to our apartment? Stay the night?" Jessie asks. I laugh, that must have been what he asked Luke when i told him jessie wanted to ask him something.

"Uh yeah sure why not"