Brighter Than the Stars

Michael's POV

I'm so tired, I think all the excitement I had all day is finally wearing me out. I'm excited because tonight was the last night of tour. I called my mom a while ago telling her that we were on our way and she sounded so happy, more happy than usual. Cameron on the other had looks stressed, it's been a while since he has been acting like this. He keeps saying that something is wrong in his house but no one will tell him anything.

Kira and I are sitting together having a light conversation. I looked at her and she is half asleep, she saw me looking at her and she smiled at me.

"I'm tired." she whined

"HA, you think you're tired, look at Zach." I said pointing in his direction. He looked more tired that Kira and that's already saying a lot, he was trying to sleep but Cameron kept talking to him.

"Cam, what are you so worried about anyway?" Kira asked

"I don't know that's the problem." he said frustrated

"Maybe there is no problem." I said quietly

"Zach how would you feel if your mom called you asking if you were ok and sounded more worried than usual?" Cam he asked

"Huh?" Zach asked sitting up

"Your mom," Cameron said

"What about her?" Zach asked

"Wouldn't you be worried if she sounded weird?" he asked Zach

"Oh um, my mom has been calling me more than usual if it's not her it's my brother or my sister, it's kinda wired but whatever, they worry too much." Zach mumbled

"My parents have been calling me more too." I said shrugging

"How could you guys be so calm, maybe something is wrong." Cameron said sounding worried

"What can possibly go wrong? Maybe they are just planning something and you are overreacting." Zach said looking at Cam. I no longer wanted to be part of that conversation so I turned to Kira and realized she had fallen asleep on my shoulder. How did I not notice? I don't know...

Zach's POV

I am now standing in front of my house and I am so excited to be home. I
quietly opened the front door and went up to my room. I really missed my bed. I am really excited to be here but I am more tired, I didn't get to sleep on the way home, I only had a short nap before the show. I kicked my backpack of my bed and I was about to fall asleep when I was engulfed in a hug.

"Mom," I mumbled. She kissed my cheek and I gave up, I opened my eyes.

"Wow, you didn't miss me at all." I joked as she continued to hug me

"I am so glad you are home and in one piece." she said hugging me tighter

"Mom, is something wrong?" I asked noticing she was acting weird

"No, I just had a bad dream a few days ago and it left me a bit worried that's all." she said kissing my cheek one last time before letting me go

"Then forget about that dumb dream and get happy because the one and only Zach Porter is finally here." I said winking and she laughed

"Come on, I need to give you a proper meal, who knows how much junk you ate on tour." she said pulling me up

"Ouch," I said holding my hands up to my chest, "I feel offended, I'm a good boy, a good healthy boy."

"You're so thin did you eat anything while on tour?" she asked looking at my stomach then shaking her head

We went down to the kitchen and I drank a glass of orange juice before my mom told me to go turn off the hoes. I'm confused because the hoes isn't even on. I heard the door open behind me and saw Taylor come out.

"Surprise!" everyone called out. I was shocked, I looked at Taylor and she was too. I was still trying to take it all in when I felt someone hug me, it was my dad and my brother.

"Lot’s of hugs today." I mumbled in my dad's shoulder

"Oh so you have been giving hugs to people but not to your big sister." Maddie said pouting

"Why would I want to give you a hug? Yuck!" I said joking

I'm sitting on the tree next to my room with Maddie and Vic, I really missed those two. Taylor's friends were also here except for Lisa, I didn't talk much to them because I didn't want to be around Taylor. A few old friends were also here but it was mostly family. Maddie told us that she has a boyfriend but that he wasn't able to make it today.

"Tell him that he better watch out and not hurt you if he wants to keep his face intact." I said

"You're cute and I hate to break it to you but you're younger than both of us." she said smiling, I rolled my eyes at her and jumped of the tree

"C'mon let's have some fun." I said running off to where all the people were. I saw an iPod on a table and I grabbed it.

"I'm going to borrow this, who's ever it is." I informed before plugging it in to the sound system. It was very awkward for me because I heard my voice.

"Aww you're blushing how cute." my sister said pinching my cheek, that made me blush more than I already was and she laughed at me. I looked away embarrassed and changed the song which was Scream by Usher.

"Leave my iPod alone and let's dance." she said pulling my arm. She smirked at me when she saw the look of horror on my face. I am not good with dancing and I feel like my feet are going to fall off because I’m so tired. Halfway through the song Kristen asked her something and I took that as my opportunity to sneak off. I sat beside two ladies I didn't know. I looked at my phone trying to look less awkward then I heard someone sit next to me.

"I am NOT dancing with you again so forget it." I said not even bothering to look up

"If you say so." that voice did not belong to Maddie's

"Bella!" I said surprised, "Sorry, I thought you were my sister."

"Why are you here all alone?" she asked

"Trying to stay away from my sister." I mumbled. We cough up on our lives and she told me she just broke up with her boyfriend.

"Zachary David Porter I will find you!" I heard my sister's voice not so far away. I grabbed Bella's hand and lead her to where I thought Maddie wouldn't find us. We jumped the fence and made it to the front of my house and we sat on the porch, I know Maddie will find me eventually.

"Zach!" I heard my mom's voice but she sounded scared and I quickly stood up

"Mom!" I called out. She ran out the door hugged me, but she was shaking. I don't like this.

"I'm sorry I freaked out, I didn't see you and I remembered my dream do I got worried." she said smiling lightly

"Are you sure that was it?" I asked worried

"Yup. Why are you over here when there is a party for you?" she asked. We went back to the party and had fun. It feels good to come home and to have a party waiting for me, and to be around my family and friends.

I was feeling really tired, more than before so I decided to drink a beer. After a few more I started feeling a little tipsy so I stopped. I started eating some cake, yeah my mom got me a huge cake, she's awesome. Cake wasn't the only thing I was eating, I walked around eating bits of everything, I guess I'm hungry. I looked around and there were still a few people. I felt myself drifting to sleep but I quickly opened my eyes and shook my head. Few minutes later, well I think few minutes later, I felt someone shake me.

"Dad?" I mumbled

"You fell asleep." he said

"I didn't even know I fell asleep, I feel like I just closed my eyes to blink." I mumbled

"Oh honey you must be tired." my mom said

"You have no idea, Cam kept me up the whole way here." I mumbled sleepily, I looked around and noticed that everyone was gone. How long was I out? I got up and stumbled in the house. I didn't even bother to take my shoes off, all I want to do is sleep. I felt someone, most likely my mom, take my shoes off and put a blanket over me.

"Mom...thanks... for... the-" that was the last think I said before sleeping.

Cameron's POV

My welcome home was pretty normal and everything looked normal. My sisters were very excited especially when I showed them what I brought for them. I confronted my mom about why she has been acting weird and she said that everything was fine and that there was nothing to worry about. After that she went off saying how happy she was that I was home and that she missed me so much that she wasn't going to let me out the house, I just laughed at her comment.

My mom prepared me a big dinner, oh how I missed her food. There was everything; lasagna, some other pasta, chicken, cake, and a bunch of other foods.

"Did you think I was going to come home starving?" I asked laughing

"I just wanted to make sure you came to a good meal." she said smiling at me

"Thanks mom, this was all so good." I said in satisfaction after we finished our dinner

"I'm just glad you're here." she said hugging me

I am in my room putting all my stuff away, I would rather get it over with now, I will have to do it eventually. Oh man, the tiredness is starting to kick in. Maybe I should have taken a nap on the way here instead of stressing myself. Everything seems fine here, I think I might have overreacted a bit.

I was sitting on my bed wasting time on my laptop when I heard my door open, I looked up to see my sisters standing in the doorway. They came in and sat on my bed then asked me a bunch of questions about the tour. They ask more questions than when I get interviewed. After a little while Bridget yawned and rubbed her eyes then mumbled that she was going to bed. Anna and I were alone so I asked her how she was doing with Vic and she blushed.

"Vic is perfect and I can't believe he has been my boyfriend for this long, but-" she frowned and looked down

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Well... Lately we haven't hung out so much and little by little he has been spending less time with me." she said sadly

"Let me call Zach and ask him if he knows what’s up with Vic." I said and took out my phone

"No don't, Vic told me that they were making Zach a surprise party. He said I was welcomed to go but that he knew we would probably do something with you as well." she said

"Fine, but I'll talk to Zach tomorrow." I said looking at her. We went on talking about our relationships. Tori went to visit her parents and she will come in a week or two.

"Have you noticed anything weird about our mom?" I asked one last time

"She just doesn't want me out as much." she said shrugging.

After Anna left I sent Zach a text asking him how the party was going but he never answered back. I looked at the clock and noticed that it was pretty late, I bet he's sleeping, he did look tired or maybe that was because I kept him up with me.

I woke up panting from a bad dream. I dreamt that I woke up and that no one was home, I went to Kira's house and no one was there either, then I went to Zach's and Michael's and I got the same results; they were all gone. I went to a small market, the doors were open but the place was empty. I went all over town but this place was more alone than a ghost town. There wasn't even any wind blowing, not even animals were out. I was freaking out because I was the only one there. I saw a newspaper lying on the ground, I picked it up and read that there had been a disaster that is killing everyone. It was pretty obvious that everyone was dead but I survived because I was the only one there. After making the realization that I was alone, completely alone, I dropped to my knees and cried like I never did before.

That dream was horrible! Everyone I loved and cared about was dead and I was left alone with no desire to live. I honestly don't know what I would do if that were to happen for real. I can't even think about it, it's too horrible. The worse part about all this is that every time I close my eyes I see a person that I care about dead.

Since I couldn't go back to sleep I tippy toed downstairs and I saw a shadow, at first it scared me but then I recognized my mom's shadow. I sat next to her and neither of us said anything for a long time.

"Tell me why you can't sleep?" my mom asked breaking the silence

"It was just a bad dream." I confessed

"What happened?" she asked

"It was horrible and I can't get it out of my head." I said feeling hopeless

"I have been having a lot of nightmares lately, the worse one is about someone hurting you and your sisters." she said

"I won't let anyone hurt them." I said firmly

"I love you so much." she whispered in my ear

"I love you too mom." I said and gave her a quick hug