Save Me.

Neighbours of Ian and Carol Sykes had grown used to the noise that was produced from their family home over many numerous years. From band practises to just a boy’s night in the whole street had grown some sort of sound barrier blocking the ruckus. When Bring Me embarked on their first tour the street had become eerily quiet leaving the residents in bewilderment. Ever since then they always knew when the boys where home.

Carol rolled her eyes when a smashing sound echoed through her house. Wandering into the kitchen she found the culprit who destroyed her peace. Deep down she knew it was Oliver. Thomas was never as overdramatic. Or clumsy.

Mothering instincts took over her body when she seen her son head in his hands and slumped over the table; his phone lay in pieces across the floor. Taking the seat beside her eldest, Carol sat quietly waiting to be told what was wrong. It took her years to perfect the art of getting into her boys heads but now she was an expert.

“Sam’s blamin’ me for Gee not going ‘ome” Oliver said quietly. He knew his mother was the best person to talk to. She still loved him unconditionally after all the shit that he had dragged her through. If anyone was going to protect him it was her.

“Would you’ve liked it if Tommy didn’t come ‘ome with you?”

Oliver turned his attention to his mothers face. The serious expression plastered to her aging skin shocked him. She was the one who was supposed to tell him that Sam was completely at fault. That he shouldn’t be angry at him for wanting Georgia to come home with him. Her real home.

“But...” Oliver’s sentence trailed off before it had really begun. He wasn’t sure what he thought anymore. Of course he would have minded if Thomas had gone straight to Alexa’s parent’s house. That’s not where he was supposed to be.

“Yeh have to ‘meber Georgia’s families in Brighton, not Sheffield love”

Nothing more was said. Carol kissed her sons hair, ruffling it up with her fingers before leaving the room, passing Georgia, who held Bear tightly in her arms, in the hallway. The two females exchanged small smiles as they went in their separate directions.

Georgia sat across the table from Oliver ignoring the already pulled out chair that lay to his left. She let go of Bear letting him softly pad across the table, smiling as their little dog licked at Oliver’s hand.

Oliver’s eyes turned from Bear to Georgia. Her hair was held down courtesy of one of his woolly hats which meant she had just rolled out of bed. He smiled over at her as he ran his hand through Bears soft fur. The little dog had already gone back to sleep on the table.

“I’m going to take him down to my mum and dads with me. I’ll bring him back when we come back from Canada”

“I thought you where staying here” Oliver brow furrowed. He wasn’t sure travelling so soon after just finishing tour was such a good idea for her. Especially after the last couple of months as she had still yet to bounce back to her normal self.

“I was…but there’s a convention on and I thought it’d be a nice way to start back at work” Georgia avoided Oliver’s eyes the entire time she spoke. Somehow she felt that she was doing wrong.

“That sounds really good” he didn’t know what else to say. Frightened that if he didn’t show enough interest that it would effect their relationship. Frightened to show too much in case she went over bored and broke even more.

*****

Thomas was perched on the edge of his seat at the small bar in Lecce, Italy, where his brothers band where playing that night. Just before the end of the set Thomas had removed his eye from his camera and taken his seat, patiently waiting for his friends to come and get him.

The bar slowly lost its booze infested residents shortly after the last song of the set was played and soon Thomas was the only one left. He welcomed the peace and quiet with open arms. Ever since they had left for the American tour that summer he had had no time for himself. Something that he was missing terribly.

“Why so glum chum?” Thomas jumped when Matt sat down beside him; he had yet to put on a shirt after finishing playing his drums letting the bright lights bounce of his shiny skin.

Thomas said nothing, just shook his head a small smile being forced onto his face, a sigh of relief being let out when Oliver took a seat beside Matt. Know he had a chance to leave without feeling guilty about leaving Matt on his own.

“Do I smell or somethin’?” Oliver asked Matt when he noticed Thomas walking away from the bar.

After Matt had stopped laughing the boys became quiet both quite pleased with themselves about how well the show went while everyone around them packed up the gear.

“You ready for marriage mate?” Oliver looked to Matt confused at his best friend’s sudden outburst. “I mean it aint gonna be all shits and giggles”

Oliver knew Matt meant well but that didn’t make what he was saying any clearer. As far as he was aware all his friends loved Georgia. Always said he’d never do better for himself.

“I love her” was all Oliver managed to mumble out before pulling his beer bottle to his mouth and averting his gaze to the big mirror on the wall behind the countless bottles of alcohol. He looked at himself. Tired eyes looked back.

“We all love her it’s just yer only twenty-four. Yeh sure this is what ye want?”

Oliver took his time answering matt’s question. Staring into the mirror he really thought about it. How happy he was waking up to Georgia’s smiling face. How ridiculously happy he was when he was around her. How his stomach went into knots whenever her name was mentioned or flashed across the screen on his phone.

In a week he would be back home in Sheffield for Christmas with her. He had been looking forward to it from the moment he had left her in the flat on the morning they had set out for Italy. He simply missed her.

“I love her”

Matt nodded his head acknowledging his best friends choice although he still wasn’t completely convinced.

“Sometimes it takes more than love mate”