Turn Around

My membrane had started to spin repetitively from the main topic discussed in the meeting. Well, the band's management had discussed it and simply informed the boys of what they were expected to do. And, apparently, I had to be whirled into the centre of their music fame chaos when I hadn't even asked to. 

That was the problem when you became famous and signed under a label or another artist, you had to dot your signature on the contract which could never be broken. I didn't think anybody was fond of their own management. Fame definitely had its side effects.

My brother and the other lads couldn't make any firm decisions unless their 'boss' approved. They had several liberties and major advantages but things like releasing a song they wrote, making 'fun' videos, going out where they wanted to, who they were meant to date and even how they acted in public, it had to be passed through the management and fully approved. Even without cameras, they had to watch what they did. 

It wasn't exactly the life you wanted. And now the position of being the lovely sibling of Leo interrupted the usual mundane flow of my life. Niall was already the one who built the dam to stop the flow of my river and I didn't want or need anybody else for that. 

I stopped in my tracks - not realizing I had lost my mother when she turned the corner - once I'd really processed my thoughts. It shouldn't have shocked me that one Irish lad had squeezed himself into my mind and I actually permitted him to. It was ridiculous how much of my thoughts he occupied. 

I took my phone out of my pockets just to see his text again. It put a grin on my face and I scrolled up reading through his old messages and our last conversations. It made me glad knowing I'd jumped over the fear of my brother and his wrath to be with the boy who really made me laugh. 

But no, things hadn't settled down yet. I'd have to live through the feat of hanging out with Cassanova Chaos and One Direction. Even from the group names you knew who was the more obnoxious. 

"Christie!" I heard my mother hissed and my head snapped up, pushing the phone into my jean pocket. I smiled innocently, following her around the corner and waiting in front of a lift. "What is happening with you recently hon?"

Looking at her, I dug around in my head searching for any decent reasons but found none. I knew she generally cared even though most of the time, she only wanted me around for the band part. She was still my mother. "I've just been spacing out, I guess. Mum?"

"Yeah?" 

Before I was able to open my mouth to ask the question I've been meaning to, and I thought it was the right time since she was in a particularly fine mood, something dinged and the lift door slid sideward and we walked in. I pressed the correct button and looked hopefully up at her. 

She raised an eyebrow. "If you're asking about you hanging out with the boys and not wanting to do it, don't waste your time. They've made up their minds and I'm not going to disagree."

I would've argued about that point but I didn't want to irk her. "No I know that's necessary," I lied. "But Nadine asked me if I wanted to move in with her and I want to but I wanna ask you if it's okay. She's...um...having some-she's in a predicament."

"Depends what the problem is? What's the issue?"

"Um.." 

We stepped out of the lift and made our way out of the building. Leo and the rest were left behind since they had more things to discuss.

Wracking my brain for different dilemmas someone like Nadine could've gone through, but seeing as she was one of those people who never seemed to have any problems I gave up. I gazed at my mother's face an idea popped into my head and even if was slightly mad, it could've worked. 

"Well it's silly really but there's this boy and she really fancies him, absolutely crazy about him. I've met the boy and he's a massive sweetheart but they aren't supposed to be together and she's just accepting the fact. It's a shame, really, he'd make a lovely boyfriend. Any ideas mum?"

My mother's lips were pursed into one straight light red line. Her brows were lowered to the centre of her forehead, crinkles forming I'm between and it seemed as if she was thinking carefully about what I'd just explained. 

She began, "Well if Nadine," she paused elongating my best friend's name as if attempting to point out something to me - I hoped to the dear lord she hadn't suspected anything about me - "really does like him then what's to stop her? If he's actually into her and if he is a nice boy then why wouldn't she be allowed to see him?"

"Family problems.." I trailed uncertain of how I should've continued. 

"Family?" she snapped. "Is there something you aren-never mind. So you sure you wanna live with her? Is she here permanently or..?"

"I think so."

She nodded and stopped walking once we reached my car parked right outside the building. The pedestrian flow was a lot denser than when I walked in but it didn't mattter since I was leaving soon anyway. 

"Bye honey," she murmured kissing my cheek and giving me a one-armed embrace. "Oh and I'm calling you later alright? You promised me a shopping trip." She wasn't like most mothers but I'd managed to live that way for the past eighteen years. I was convinced I could cope til forever.

"See you later!" I exclaimed, halfheartedly, as she walked back into the building disppearing behind a throng of other Sony Music Records employees. 

The alternative pop-rock guitar intro of a song blared through my jeans and a couple of pedestrians passing by glared at me. I hurriedly went to answer not bothered to check the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey Chris," a familiar Irish voice greeted. "How'd it go? Meeting done?"

It amused me how he didn't even know if the meeting was over until he asked me how it went. Niall Horan was known and precious for the little things like that. "I'm coming back now. Um, I'm not sure how it went...um...you have to hang out with my band."

There was two second interlude in his speech before he said, "Oh." Guess I wasn't the only one extremely excited for next Monday. "That means we have to...oh."

"Yeah I know. I just wish Leo wasn't my brother."

He chuckled. "Then we wouldn't have met babe. And I can't have that."