FIFTH HALF ― luke hemmings ✓

#41

Day sixteen of being on the last bit of the Australia concert and we're on for the Europe tour. Which I was much over excited for the very reason that I love the countries and people in Europe so much so I wanted to live there. Stay there for as long as I live. And I might have that plan in mind, waiting to be done at the right time. "I have so many pictures of you, a whole album of your heart eyes!" I forgot about Andy altogether while we sat in the lounge area at the far back of the bus as I was daydreaming. We chose to stay here because it's good to have silence once in a while, and because the boys are busy with soundcheck back inside on the last hall they're going to be playing in.

"Please, Andy! My Instagram is filled with thousands of comments I didn't wanna read anymore. Don't post more! You and Crystal are ganging up on me, big time!" Ever since the whole post about Luke looking down from the stage, you bet your ass all their fans started posting compilations of him looking down at the concert. They had a whole Instagram page dedicated to it and it—bothers me looking at it.

Like it was unreal.

It was only weeks after the whole freaking reveal and I was still on the process of trying to rebuild some of what we had bit by bit, but that could also be proven impossible when every damn time we attempt to reach out to each other, people assumed it was because we're together. I mean, I still hold on to the belief we'll never be that. But like Crystal said, I gotta try. But the schedule right now, well, let's just say it was fun on the first week. It turned a whole another degree when week two came and the only ever chance we sat down to talk to each other was once or twice, and that's at the backstage ten minutes before their concert.

They were busy for having two soundchecks in one day, busy rehearsing the songs and sometimes wouldn't speak at all because of voice preservation that the manager advised them to do so. I was the one who had fun seeing them resists from even talking but my conscience about messing with them stopped me from doing it and decided to sit over some anime movie Mikey suggested (or made us watch).

Altogether, the first few weeks were stressful enough that it made it for me impossible to fix things. I mean, my job here is to help around and that's no joke running around for food errands for the boys, the crew, or sometimes help out at wardrobe. The only ever times we get to laugh around and be free. After that? We're knocked out and off to bed. Seeming so that twenty-four hours isn't enough of a time for a whole day to begin and finish with.

"All these gawking around won't let you get the man of your dream, sis." And because Crystal had to leave for a few weeks, she told everything to Andy instead—for him to do the convincing when she's not around.

"Andy. We can't. Every one of us is too busy for that." It was the truth. I couldn't—or wouldn't wanna start something good amidst all the stress that's been happening. I couldn't push that through even if I somehow wanted to. "Besides, I just wanna hang around first and see what happens. You know? Wait it out a bit." Andy knew I was stalling, but it was a defense mechanism against having to repeat the same thing that happened before. I think I could justify my stalling with it.

"Fine. Wait. But at least stop gawking at each other like this or I'll have no choice but to anonymously release these pictures in public. High quality gawking courtesy of Luke and Lacey." I chased Andy down with a piece of wood I found lying on the lounge for some reason, the exact same time we see the boys entered looking as though they were dead beat, without Luke though.

Him and I? Well, we were sort of trying. Smiling at each other every once in a while, never really spoke for more over than two minutes without being teased by everyone else, and couldn't really have time alone together with him like before. It was annoying but very understandable.

"Hey, boys. Got ya some food." I say, letting go of the wood on the kitchen and opening the covered foods I bought a little while ago for our dinner. The three went on and eagerly grabbed a serving while I wonder where their other bandmate was. "Where's Luke?" I asked.

"Said he got some call to take." Calum answered while already munching so I figured to check up on Luke and see if he's doing okay. I have a reason, okay? I cared about every one of them this much, even to Luke. And if they haven't eaten a decent lunch, anyone would get worried about that. They're exhausted, they needed to eat.

None of the others paid notice when I went out of the bus, thankfully, and saw that the post lights a few steps away from the bus are already open and I could see Luke's figure a few feet away because of his distinct hair, running his hands through it once in a while. I didn't want to eavesdrop so I waited at the side while he's got his back turned on me, letting a few minutes pass before I noticed a frown on his face when he stood sideways.

I was about to walk closer to where he was when a figure I didn't notice came up in front of him, definitely not seeing where I was which I'm guessing is totally because of the dark clothes I'm wearing whilst blending to the black bus at the same time. I squinted my eyes to see and eventually, the long red hair became distinct. A girl, and not just any girl.

I couldn't help but breathe out the sunken feeling in my chest—as if I was being so fucking blatantly stabbed in the back again. I didn't wanna know how she figured out where we are—it's too obvious, and I didn't wanna stand here and wait for what's about to happen no matter what it is. My dumb self just wanted to eat some chicken, be at peace on my tiny bunk, and forget about what happened. Even if it's impossible to do so.