Breaking the Rules

I awake fairly aware of how stiff my back is. Also that there are a pair of feet in front of me.

“So you finally decided to wake up,” Max says above me.

“Fuck off,” I say rolling onto my stomach. He laughs and kicks my side. “Get away,” I say making a pathetic waving motion with my hand. He laughs again and leaves me alone. I gently lift my head and survey the area. Jay, Siva, and Max are up. Nathan and Tom are asleep. I groan and put my head back down hoping for sleep.

Five minutes later and that’s not happening. I sit up and look around again. Jay has his computer out and Siva’s watching him, checking his phone every so often. Max is sitting with his laptop and IPod. They’re probably updating twitter or something.

“I hate you Max,” I state.

“What did I do?” he says looking up.

“You fuckin’ woke me up. Not a morning person,” I say with a gesture to my face.

“Hum,” he says, ending the conversation.

I head to my room to take a shower, change, do what people do.

I’m back in ten minutes, ready for the day. Tom is up, and within twenty seconds, Nathan will be too.

“Parker! NO!” I yell as I enter the hallway. Tom boiled some water and is about to pour it on Nath. He ignores me and tilts his cup to spill a little on him. He fails at spilling a little, needless to say. He pours out half the cup, and Nathan jumps to his feet screaming bloody murder.

“OW! HOLY FUCK! HOT!!” he roars. Tom is shocked, but still laughs his ass off. The boys are laughing too, real good friends. “WHAT THE FUCK TOM!”

“What?” Tom asks innocently. Nathan runs into his room and the boys all high five Tom.

I sigh and follow Nath into his room. He left the door open in his haste to get inside.

“Nath? Nathan? Where are ya?” I call out closing the door. I hear whimpering and follow the noise.

“Hey buddy, you okay?” I say when I see him in the bathroom, curled up, touching his ribs.

“Oh yeah, just peary,” he replies.

“It’s peachy.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

“How bad are you hurt?”

He stands up and shows me where it hurts. I go up to him and touch it. He winces but doesn’t move his feet. I frown and look up at him.

“Do the boys hate you or something?” I ask.

“Nah. That’s just Tom being a bitch.”

“Oh. That makes sense.”

“I’m glad you understand.” And with that he gives me a quick kiss.

“You really have to quit freely giving me kisses. Don’t you remember when we decided nobody should know?” I whisper.

“Yeah, but how long is that gonna last? You’re going on tour with us. And let me say, there are not many spaces on the bus, especially with the boys.”

“We’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah. Hope so.”

“I should go before they think somethin’s up.”

“M’kay. How bad will this burn be?”

“Not that bad. You’ll survive.”

“Yay me,” he mumbles as I leave.

The boys have put away their beds and retreated to the kitchen. I sit on the counter.

“Nath’s gonna have a few burns,” I tell them.

“Aww. Poor baby,” Jay mocks. I glare at him.

“Hey. It’s better to wake him up then let him wake up himself. He sleeps till two,” Tom says.

“I’d like to sleep till two at the moment,” I say looking at Max. He puts his hands up in defense.

“What are we doing today?” Jay asks.

“I gonna ask. No one’s told me anything,” I say. Just then my phone starts ringing. “And here we go. Speaker?” I ask. They nod in a painful way, well Tom and Jay anyway. I shh everyone and answer the phone.

“Hey boss. You’re on speaker with The Wanted,” I say.

“Hello Charlie. Hello boys,” she says.

“Hey Mrs. Emery,” they respond.

“Now I’m sure you’re all very eager to hear what I have to say, so I would like you to come to conference room in 3a. See you soon,” she says. The phone clicks and she’s hung up.

“Let’s go!” Tom says.

“Okay. Go on and wash up. Be back in five minutes. I’ll get Nathan,” I say leaving the boys to get ready.

Nathan has moved from the bathroom to his bed.

“Ayo buddy. We have a meeting to get to. Up, up, up,” I say shaking his leg.

“Can’t you just say I’m sick or something?” he asks sitting up and rubbing his eyes. My jaw drops.

“Really? Miss a meeting? Cause you don’t wanna go? I do not think so. Up, up, up!” I say sarcastically. He sighs and gets up.

“Okay,” he says. “I’m up.”

“Good. Now get ready. Hurry.”

“I’ll be out in three minutes.”

“Better be.” And I walk out.

Jay and Max are already out there and ready, so props to them. I sit on the couch next to them and cross my legs.

“What do you think she’s gonna say?” Max asks. Tom pops in and takes a seat right next to me.

“Something about a photo shoot or an interview,” Tom guesses, putting his arm around me.

“Right. Cause photo shoots are so much fun,” Jay says in a girly way. I laugh a little and Siva comes in. He notices Tom’s arm on me and raises his eyebrows.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” he asks.

I look at Tom and he smiles in some weird way while going “Yeaaah.”

“What if I took a picture of this and sent it to Kelsey…” Siva trails off, holding up his phone.

“No!” Tom shrieks. He jumps away from me and lands on the other side of the couch. “Sorry,” he says to me. I shrug. It’s nice to know he cares for her.

“Ready?” Nathan says as he walks in.

“Yup,” I say. “Here we go.”