Status: Active.
Staircase
17
I watched as Laurel and Sam walked away from the bus, hand-in-hand. My heart sank at the slight smile on her face as he spoke animatedly to her. I ignored the feeling and finished my trek back to the bus.
“Finished with sound check already?” Tom questioned as I slumped onto the nearest couch.
“Yeah,” I replied shortly. I watched Tom mess around on his computer before I groaned and got up. “’M goin’ out.”
“Where to?” He looked up from his laptop and I just shrugged. “Well make sure yeh get back in time for yeh set.” I just nodded my head and grabbed my sweater before exiting the bus.
“Aye! We got yeh some food,” Curtis yelled as I neared him and the rest of the guys in the car park.
“I’ll eat it later, thanks.” He just shrugged his shoulders and they continued back to the bus.
I walked aimlessly away from the venue, rubbing my hands together to keep them warm. My breath came out in smoky puffs in the frigid February air. I eventually found myself stepping into a pub just a couple streets over from the venue. I ordered a drink and ignored the odd look I received from the server. I didn’t care that it was only around one o’clock at the moment. I just wanted to relax for a bit. My nerves have been on end since Laurel joined us and I needed to unwind before our set. I know my emotions have been affecting my performance and I wanted to give the best performance possible tonight. There was only one date left on the tour after tonight and I was determined to give these performances my all. After this we wouldn’t be touring for a while and I knew I would miss it once we were on break.
One drink turned into three and more and I found myself rather light-headed as I exited the pub and ambled my way back to the rear of the venue and onto the bus. Everyone was in the front lounge watching TV and I grabbed a beer and joined them.
“It’s a little early to be drinkin’, ain’t it?” Nicholls asked. I just shrugged him off and returned my attention to the screen.
My thoughts drifted to Laurel’s absence and my grip tightened on the bottle in my hand as I thought of her with him. The other night must have meant nothing to her. She didn’t love me. She loved Sam. I felt sick at the thought and quickly retreated to my bunk, ignoring the questions thrown at my sudden departure. I kept myself busy with my phone, trying to keep my thoughts from the younger Malia. Of course nothing has ever kept her from my mind before.
“Love, what’s wrong?” I heard Lee speak from outside my bunk. I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to hear anyone approaching.
“Sam’s gone,” I heard Laurel murmur and my heart soared at her statement. I listened more intently to the conversation taking place.
“Wha’ happened?” Lee asked and I heard Laurel sigh. I could picture her pulling at her sleeves, nervously avoiding her brother’s gaze and I wanted nothing more than to announce my presence and comfort her.
“It just wasn’t workin’.” I knew she was lying and that I was the reason it ended. Though I was extremely happy to be responsible for the end of their relationship, I also felt terrible for being the one who indirectly cause her sadness.
“It’s ‘cause of Oli, yeah?” Lee’s question shocked the hell out of me and I could tell Laurel felt the same by the way she questioned her brother with a sharp breath. “I’m not a complete moron, yeh know.”
“Why didn’t yeh say anythin’ before?” She asked.
“I wanted yeh to tell me.”
“I’m sorry I never did.” Laurel’s voice seemed to waver and I found myself sitting up in my bunk, ready to jump out and wrap my arms around her.
“Aye, love, it’s alrigh’.” Lee’s soothing voice ceased my motions and I slumped back down as I heard their retreating footsteps heading to the back lounge.
God, I feel like such a prick.
“Finished with sound check already?” Tom questioned as I slumped onto the nearest couch.
“Yeah,” I replied shortly. I watched Tom mess around on his computer before I groaned and got up. “’M goin’ out.”
“Where to?” He looked up from his laptop and I just shrugged. “Well make sure yeh get back in time for yeh set.” I just nodded my head and grabbed my sweater before exiting the bus.
“Aye! We got yeh some food,” Curtis yelled as I neared him and the rest of the guys in the car park.
“I’ll eat it later, thanks.” He just shrugged his shoulders and they continued back to the bus.
I walked aimlessly away from the venue, rubbing my hands together to keep them warm. My breath came out in smoky puffs in the frigid February air. I eventually found myself stepping into a pub just a couple streets over from the venue. I ordered a drink and ignored the odd look I received from the server. I didn’t care that it was only around one o’clock at the moment. I just wanted to relax for a bit. My nerves have been on end since Laurel joined us and I needed to unwind before our set. I know my emotions have been affecting my performance and I wanted to give the best performance possible tonight. There was only one date left on the tour after tonight and I was determined to give these performances my all. After this we wouldn’t be touring for a while and I knew I would miss it once we were on break.
One drink turned into three and more and I found myself rather light-headed as I exited the pub and ambled my way back to the rear of the venue and onto the bus. Everyone was in the front lounge watching TV and I grabbed a beer and joined them.
“It’s a little early to be drinkin’, ain’t it?” Nicholls asked. I just shrugged him off and returned my attention to the screen.
My thoughts drifted to Laurel’s absence and my grip tightened on the bottle in my hand as I thought of her with him. The other night must have meant nothing to her. She didn’t love me. She loved Sam. I felt sick at the thought and quickly retreated to my bunk, ignoring the questions thrown at my sudden departure. I kept myself busy with my phone, trying to keep my thoughts from the younger Malia. Of course nothing has ever kept her from my mind before.
“Love, what’s wrong?” I heard Lee speak from outside my bunk. I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to hear anyone approaching.
“Sam’s gone,” I heard Laurel murmur and my heart soared at her statement. I listened more intently to the conversation taking place.
“Wha’ happened?” Lee asked and I heard Laurel sigh. I could picture her pulling at her sleeves, nervously avoiding her brother’s gaze and I wanted nothing more than to announce my presence and comfort her.
“It just wasn’t workin’.” I knew she was lying and that I was the reason it ended. Though I was extremely happy to be responsible for the end of their relationship, I also felt terrible for being the one who indirectly cause her sadness.
“It’s ‘cause of Oli, yeah?” Lee’s question shocked the hell out of me and I could tell Laurel felt the same by the way she questioned her brother with a sharp breath. “I’m not a complete moron, yeh know.”
“Why didn’t yeh say anythin’ before?” She asked.
“I wanted yeh to tell me.”
“I’m sorry I never did.” Laurel’s voice seemed to waver and I found myself sitting up in my bunk, ready to jump out and wrap my arms around her.
“Aye, love, it’s alrigh’.” Lee’s soothing voice ceased my motions and I slumped back down as I heard their retreating footsteps heading to the back lounge.
God, I feel like such a prick.
♠ ♠ ♠
Yeah, I fucking suck. But I've had a lot of shit going on, as lame of an excuse as that is. It's the truth.Sorry it's so short. I'm trying to wrap this story up and move on. Doubt there's gonna be a sequel... I've seemed to have lost interest in this story as have all the readers, apparently.