This

Well, that was unexpected, Zayn thought to himself, both highly confused and slightly amused. Where do we go from here?

The members of both bands who remained all seemed to be processing this new information. Liam seemed to be reaching out – across party lines, as it were – to make a gesture of good will to the girls. Mya looked to be apprehensive, but young Rosie seemed rather glad to be done with the tension (regarding everyone but Harry, that is, who looked at her with palpable fury and who she blatantly ignored). It was the third remaining member who caught his attention, as she often did. Vivian was being uncharacteristically quiet, as if the fire had gone out. She was biting her lip, looking neither at her departing friends or those who stood beside her, instead staring at a particularly enthralling spot on the pavement.

“How could we be so stupid?” Her voice was soft, so soft he barely heard her. He cleared his throat softly and motioned to the others gathered near. Vivian finally looked up, and her green eyes were distant.

“Vivi?” Rosie’s abrupt concern – echoed in Mya’s eyes – solidified the suspicion that something was wrong with the red-head.

“We were so… dumb.” Her brow furrowed and she finally made eye contact with her bandmates, clearly ignoring the boys, though it seemed more as if she had forgotten they were there. “What happened to us?”

“What do you mean, Viv?” It surprised Zayn to hear the softness in Mya’s tone – it wasn’t something he was used to.

At once, the emotion that seemed to have vacated Vivian was back with a vengeance. “I mean we’re stupid! We’re with Cass and Sam every day. We’re supposed to be a family. What a joke! We couldn’t even tell what was going on right under our noses because we were so involved in this rubbish! We were so stuck in our own mess that we didn't even notice our sisters. Cass and Sam both mentioned crying, and we should have been there! We should have been there for them, and we weren't. I'm right chuffed for them, I really am, because clearly we're doing a crap job as friends."

With that, the girl stormed off, ignoring the tears welling in Rosie's eyes or the shock on Mya's face.

"Now that was just uncalled for," Harry whispered under his breath.

"Stay out of it, Haz."



Tears blurred Vivian's vision as she ran her fingers across the keys on an empty stage, but she wouldn't let them fall. She couldn't have said what it was she was playing - her hands moved with a mind of her own. Time passed, and her fingers slowed to a stop. She took several deep breaths before a voice startled her.

"That was beautiful."

She turned her head just slightly. "Haven't we already discussed that it's inappropriate to spy?"

"Yes, but seeing as the last time that happened you were sabotaging our wardrobes -"

Vivian whirled around with an eyebrow cocked. "Was not."

"You were an accomplice."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course not." Zayn smiled at her as if they were sharing a secret, but it faded fast. "I just wanted to check that you're alright."

"I'm fine," she responded dismissively - and much too quickly. "Is Rosie okay? I was pretty hard back there."

"Mya's still with her, so I guess so."

"I should go apologize." Vivian stood and started past Zayn, but his hand on her arm stopped her. She looked at him, confused.

"We're all friends now, Vivian. You can talk to me if you need it."

She smirked, but there was acid in it, bitterness. "You're a fool if you think this means we're all friends, Zayn. We're just not enemies, is all."

She started past him again, but he didn't let go. "Okay, fine. This doesn't make us friends, but I think we should be."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

He seemed to pause before he answered. "Because you're hiding something."

She pulled her arm roughly from his grasp and got up close to him. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, yeah? Do your bandmates know you're scared of crowds?"

He was surprised by the change in her eyes; did she think he wouldn't notice, after that day she got split off?

"You don't know what you're talking about, Zayn," she repeated, backing away. "I'm not scared of crowds."

“Vivian, you don’t have to hide -”

She cut him off. "I'm just scared of getting left behind." She knew by the way his eyes changed that he was confused. “Just let it go.”

“I won’t,” he countered. “That doesn’t make sense – they’d never leave you behind.”

“Just drop it, okay? It doesn’t matter.”

As she reached the door, she heard his voice again. “Who left you, Vivian?”

“Drop it, Zayn.”



By the time she reached the Audacious Amour bus an hour later, Vivian thought she had steeled herself for what she knew was coming, but she wasn’t prepared – not really – for Rosie’s face when she looked up at her, or the disappointment evident in Mya’s eyes.

“Can you give us a minute, Mya?” The brunette seemed to struggle with the decision, but finally elected to step out, though not before reminding Rosie that she would be right outside.

“Hey, Rosebud.” The younger girl sniffed, not even smiling at the nickname. “I just…” Vivian sighed. “I’m not very good at this, you know? I messed up, I messed up big time.”

“Are you mad at us, Viv?”

“No! No, that’s not it. I was mad at me, and I took it out on you and that wasn’t fair. I was just surprised is all, and I was bummed that so much had happened without me even noticing.” She smiled tentatively. “I tell you what though, Rosie, you’re my new hero, what with how you clocked Styles like that. He really didn't know what hit 'im!"

The pretty brunette looked at her in silence for a moment. “Want to play Mario Kart with me?”

Vivian smiled. “I'd love to play Mario Kart with you.” As she sat next to her friend on the couch, Vivian knew that this didn’t mean all was forgiven - that would take a lot of time - but it was a start. She only hoped that Mya would be so lenient.