The Dilemma.

So Dan’s off doing some press with Matthew right now, I’ve gotten an idea. Make a to-do list, why? Because when Dan’s off doing stuff I get to make my list as follows.

1. Not Dan
2. Make Joshua work on his article
3. Definitely not Dan.
4. Brother hangs.
5. Still not Dan.
6. Lunch with Franfuckface.
7. Nothing close to Dan
8. Annoy Chew for a bit
9. Not Daniel.
10. Check in and hide extra room keys.
11. Not remotely Dan.
12. Sound check.
13. Not Dan.
14. Show.
15. Still not Dan.
16. Shower
17. Possibly Dan.
18. Sleep.

Seems legit, time to tape it up in his bunk for when he gets back. Just to annoy him, hell any list like this I make annoys him this one will more though. Well now time to go annoy Josh. I grabbed my crutches from the floor and lifted myself off the bed and headed downstairs. When I got to the front lounge he was taking up the whole couch and playing FIFA muttering to himself about Jake being a wanker “Oi Franfuckface you have an article to be working on. Not playing FIFA with Jake online.” I wacked his legs off and sat down.

“But I don’t wanna right now.” He half replied to me.

“Pause the game before I turn off the telly and make you loose.”

He paused the game after yelling at Jake a bit more, “You woman are mean. And why isn’t Dan trailing behind you worrying his arse off?”

“You sir, right now are determining my job. So please do your shit. Also Daniel is off somewhere with Matthew because I told him to go do whatever it is that the two of them do on their man dates. Oh and press stuff.” I shrugged. “Now I see your computer right there. Get to.”

“Demanding, evil woman.”

“Alright, finish your game then get to it. Then tell me what you have at done at lunch.” I rolled my eyes and stood up. “Where’s my knob of a brother?”

“Upstairs, now move out in front of the TV so I can finish this game.”

“Remember you have phone interviews today.”

“Spoil sport.” He moaned.

“Not until 4 so you’re good for a few more hours.”

“Go piss off your brother and not me.”

“I will hurt you Joshua. Do not test me.” I flipped him off and worked my way up the stairs. I got to Max’s bunk, “Max are you in here?”

“It’s safe.” I opened the curtains and got in with him. “What’s up?”

“Giving Josh until lunch to do his article.”

“On his day off when he plans on doing nothing but FIFA? Real smart.”

“He has phone interviews today, and I’m at least letting him finish this match with Jake.”

“When exactly are you forcing him to go to lunch with you?”

“Two hours, he should have a few sentences done by then.”

“So what until then?” He looked at me.

“Hang out with you until I have to deal with Josh for a good hour while he stuffs his face with Nando’s and complains about having to do my job for me when I know that he’ll get it done in ten minutes when he gets to the hotel.”

“Please tell me that Dan is coming along so you two don’t kill each other?”

“Dan and Matt are doing press until we leave for the hotel at two.”

“Oh god you’re going to kill him.”

“I’ll try not to. No promises on not breaking his nose again.”

“Don’t re-break your wrist, you only have 5 more days wearing the wrap on it.” Max shoved me.

“I punch with my right hand not my left. No problems there.” I made a face at him.

“Don’t punch Josh.”

“Tell Josh not to provoke me and I won’t punch him.”

“He provokes you because he finds it amusing. Seriously don’t punch him.”

“I’ll try, I make no promises though.” I raised my hands slightly.

“Anyways, how are you ribs? Today’s your last day of the meds.”

“They’re fine. Dan re-did the wrap on them before he left so you don’t have to. Well if he doesn’t get back before I go to lunch with Josh then yes you have to.”

“I don’t mind doing it and you know this.” He shoved me lightly.

“I know, Dan just freaks out when someone else does it incase ‘the wankers fuck it up’ using his words there.” I rolled my eyes at him. “I seriously think that he’s more protective over me than you are.”

“I know he is, because you’ll injure me if I get to protective.”

“I injure him too don’t worry.”

“I did see you trip him with your crutches today.” He laughed.

“That was just for fun. Not because he was being annoying.”

“Why?”

“I was bored.”

“You need help.”

“No, I just need more female interaction. Being around all males for the past month I’ve turned to much more primitive forms of entertainment.”

“Are you calling us primitive?”

“Yes, yes I am.” I smiled at him.

“I will call Laura and get her and Georgie here.”

“They haven’t seen my hair yet so sure do it. And I talked to both of then yesterday.” I shrugged.

“You know they’ll force you shopping right?”

“I’ll just drag Oli along then, if I’m getting tortured someone else should have to as well.”

“Ok, I won’t call them. Because he’ll be bitching to me thinking I can do something about you.”

“That’s what I thought. So ha!” My phone started ringing. “Who the hell is calling me?”

“I’ll get your phone.” Max moved me facing sideways before getting out of the bunk and getting my phone out of Dan’s. “It’s Tina.” He tossed it to me.

“Aloha dear!” I smiled into the phone; I haven’t talked to her since I got out of the hospital.

“I fucked up.”

“What did you do Tina?” Max shot me a look at this. I held up a finger at him.

“Are you alone?”

“No why?”

“Well go to the back lounge and be alone.” I motioned for Max to hand me my crutches.

“Ookay give me a minute.”

“What’s the need for these?” Max looked at me.

“Private conversation.” I shrugged, and moved to the back lounge. “So I’m alone now, what’s going on Tina?”

“Well last night, a few of the people I work with took me out to celebrate my first feature.”

“And Tina?”

“I fucked up. Bad, like got real drunk and made a shitty decision fucked up.”

“You didn’t do what I think you did?” Max walked up and looked at me from the door giving me a look. I shooed him away, shutting and locking the door.

“I did.”

“TINA!!! You need to end things then. Today.”

“But I was drunk! And you don’t even like him, you broke his nose for Christ sake.”

“No, he’s not my favorite person in the world but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a friend. Jesus Christ Tina how could you be so stupid! You know what he’s been through with what’s-her-tits. This is the exact same shit she did! How could you be so stupid!?”

“I had too much to drink! And I made a shitty decision and I fucked up. I really fucked up, the distance is killing me and I don’t know if I can do it anymore.”

“Well you should have thought about that before you started this relationship! You haven’t talked to him in almost three weeks Tina. It’s one killing him, and two A REALLY BAD FUCKING IDEA. You fucking idiot.”

“I didn’t know ok?! I thought I could do this.”

“Did you Tina? Did you really? Because this is some serious shit, and you need to tell him, I’m not doing this for you. Not this time, he’s my brother’s best mate. And it’s not my place to tell him.”

“I can’t.”

“Oh yes you can, and you’re going to. You cannot let this go on any further. I’m not going to let you. It’s 11 here so; you have until 5 to do this. And don’t you dare get drunk before you do this. And don’t go to sleep before you do this either.” I hung up on her. “OH MY GOD.” I screamed into the closest pillow I could find resulting in Max re-breaking the lock on the back lounge.

“What the fuck is going on?”

“My best friends and idiot and I have to deal with it. And the idiot downstairs after she tells him why she’s an idiot.”

“She didn’t do anything stupid? Say,” he looked out the door for Josh presumably, “get really drunk and fuck some random?”

“Where you seriously listening in on my conversation Max?” He slammed the door and blocked it.

“She didn’t!” I just nodded at him and shoved my face back into the pillow. “She’s going to end things though?”

“I told her she had to and I’m not doing it for her this time. Not since I have to deal with him. Normally I would do this for her, but like I told Dan when they got together she got bored got drunk and couldn’t deal with the distance.”

“Oh shit. What are you going to do at lunch?”

“Avoid the subject of Tina at all cost.” I shrugged.

“Well, he’s been complaining that he’s hungry for the past ten minutes. So I guess that means time to re-do the wrap on your ribs.” He left and returned with the bandages. “Alright fix your shirt so I can do this.” I lifted up my shirt fixing it so he could re-do them. “Hey the bruising isn’t that bad anymore.”

“Let’s just hope the ones on my face are doing that well.”

“They’re almost gone Rae. We’ve told you this.”

“Well I haven’t looked in a mirror in over a week so I wouldn’t know.”

“Is that why there’s tape over the mirror in the bathroom?”

“Yup.” I said. “And next time Josh or Dan takes it off I’m breaking their noses.” I smiled.

“Violent woman you are.” He started and finished my wrap quickly unlike Dan.

“Only violent when people annoy me. Which you don’t do.” I patted his hand after fixing my shirt.

“Yeah, because you’ll break my nose.”

“Nah, you and Chew are on the safe list. So that means not breaking your noses.”

“Give me your hand so I can do your wrist, or do you want to do your ankle first?” He raised an eyebrow. “And thanks for that. I’m going to be even more annoying to you now.”

“Don’t push it big brother. Don’t push it.” I undid the bandage on my wrist and held it out to him.

“I’ll try.” He smiled and re-did it. “All done. Here’s the stuff for your ankle.” He handed it to me. “Now, I’m going to tell Josh that you’re leaving soon.”

“Don’t you dare mention what we talked about. Or I will hurt you.” I looked up at him as he walked away.

“Got it.” I rolled my eyes and finished up my ankle and got my crutches off the couch. I got downstairs to the two idiots.

“Off to Nando’s Franfuckface!” I shoved him towards the door with my crutch.

“Bossy much.”

“Out the door, or you don’t get food.”

“Don’t make her break your nose again Joshua!” Max shouted from the bus.

“Spoil sport.” He muttered. “But please don’t break my nose again. It feels weird.”

“Looks a bit weird to, but hey you did tell me I could.” I shrugged as we walked towards the nearest Nando’s. Well he ran in front of me shouting at me to hurry up, walk faster, stop being such a slow ass and many more. I finally saw him standing outside of one with his hands on his hips tapping his foot. “Jesus Christ Joshua was it necessary to run here?”

“I’m hungry, and you take forever to get anywhere.”

“I swear to god I will break your nose. Again.” He just covered his nose before opening the door and going in.

“So sit, I’ll get your food.” He shoo’d me towards a table.

“Are you trying to be nice to me?” I put my hand over my heart. “Well I’ll be, Joshua is turning into a decent human being. Bless your heart.” I may have over-exaggerated my accent a lot but hey.

“Seriously Rae, was that necessary?”

“Sure was, and I’ll continue to do it in place of breaking your nose.” I smiled at him and went to sit down. Took the asshole ten minutes to get our food and drinks, and he calls me slow. He finally sat down with everything and handed me my food. “So how much did you get done on that article Josh?”

“Like four words. But I got some done.” He smiled around a mouthful of food.

“Seriously Josh four words? Really?” I raised an eyebrow at him. “And don’t talk with your mouth full it’s rude.”

“What? I don’t see why I have to do this anyways? It’s your job.”

“I’m going to hit you. We had this conversation yesterday, and the day before.” I pointed my fork at him before taking a bite of food. The rest of lunch went as well as I could have hoped, Josh complaining about doing the article, making fun of me, talking with his mouth full. That boy has zero manners it’s a bit frightening to be honest I should tell his sister, or just tell Nyx. Either way he’ll get yelled at so the point will get across. The walk back was actually a bit nice; he wasn’t being rude or anything well Josh like. He even offered a piggyback ride so I didn’t have to deal with the crutches. I took his up on that offer; my armpits were hurting from using them. After a five-minute ordeal about how exactly that was going to work and him finally figuring out why I stood on a bench we started back towards the bus. Well he ran while holding my crutches like some sort of battle weapon and I died of laughter trying not to fall off his back and damaged my ribs ever more. When we got in sight of the bus, I could see Dan staring out the window with Max and Chris right beside him annoying him. “Oi! Joshua do you see the idiots?” I smacked him in the back of the head to get him to stop so I could full point at them.

“Yeah. Wanna fuck with them?”

“You aren’t as much of an idiot as I originally thought.” I grabbed one of my crutches from his hands and lifted it into the air “Now ONWARD TO BATTLE!!!” I roared while he ran towards the open bus door yelling something I didn’t really understand. We ran onto the bus, up the stairs to the three that were staring out the window and started beating them with my crutches.

“What the fuck?!?!” Max shouted while shielding his face and manhood.

“THIS. IS. BATTLE!!!” I shouted.

“This is painful!” Dan whined when I got a hit on his back.

“Battle!!” Josh whacked Max in the back of the leg.

“Dammit Dan where the fuck are your extra sticks when we need them?” Chew dived on the couch hiding behind some of the pillows.

“Not like they’d do you any good you weaklings!!” I laughed out.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” Matt spoke up from the door of the back lounge.

“Battle! TURN JOSH TURN!!!” Josh obliged and I turned around and got a good hit on Matt’s shin.

“Ow. What the fuck?” Matt ran away from us

“Battle!” Josh yelled at him and turned back towards the three intended targets, which wasn’t a good idea because three pillows/cushions hit us directly in the face.

“Oi!” That’s gonna cost you!” I swung my crutch wildly in the hopes that it would hit someone. When I was greeted with a loud ‘fuckin’ shit’ from Max I was glad.

“WE SURRENDER! YOU TWO FUCKING WIN!” Chris shouted over our battle cries.

“Seriously, stop it. I’m going to have bruises from your unnecessary attack on us. And the bus is about to start moving again.” Dan rubbed his arms after Josh and I lowered our weapons.

“Pus! Oh! You can put me down now Joshua.” I wacked him upside the head, he sat me on the couch before jumping on top of Chris and stretched out as the engine of the bus started.

“Sweet victory.” He put his arms behind his head.

“What on Earth possessed the two of you to do that?” Dan sat down beside me.

“She saw you three staring out the window and we figure why not fuck with you?” He shrugged.

“Told you they were up to something. They never get along unless destruction of us is involved.” Chris pointed at Max and Dan.

“I never said you were wrong, I just didn’t think that they’d come assault us with her crutches.” Max raised his hands. “Though I do appreciate the creativity and the time you’ve put off doing this.”

“What are you talking about she tripped me with these things this morning?”

“She what?” Chris choked out.

“How did you not hear that? He landed right beside your bunk.” I looked over at him.

“Even I heard the after math of-“ Josh’s sentence was cut off by his phone ringing Max shot me a look, I just shrugged at him. “I’ll be back in a few.” He stood up and left the room answering his phone.

“That better be who I think it is.” Max shot me a look.

“Exactly what I was thinking. Let me check.” I pulled out my phone calling Tina, I got her I’m on the phone with someone else message. “Yupp. No one go find Josh until well after we’re at the hotel.”

“That would be a really good idea. I need to call someone who he’ll actually talk to after this.” Max left the room.

“What the hell was all that about?” Dan looked at me.

“You’ll find out. But long story short, my best friends a stupid cunt.” I shrugged.

“You warned me about this, didn’t you?”

“I did, date night forever ago.”

“Can you tell the future?”

“No Daniel, or I would have avoided you when we first met, and punched Josh a lot more. I just know Tina.”

“I’m still confused.”

“You’ll find out, depending on how long she drags this out. She never is good at this part, but hey that’s why she got me to do it for her.”

“Still confused.”

“Wait for it.”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!?!?!?!” Josh’s shout floated up stairs,

“Penny in the air.” I mumbled under my breath.

“YOU KNOW WHAT FUCK YOU.” Followed by a crash, and a door slam, probably the bathroom door.

“Penny dropped.”

“I’m still confused.”

“Tina’s a stupid cunt, who makes stupid decisions that I am most likely going to have to pay for and fix the idiotic man who’s just locked himself into the bathroom.”

“Are you implying something?” Chris raised an eyebrow.

“Max will explain when he gets off the phone. I need to check on Joshua since neither of you seem to be doing it for me. Now hand me my other battle axe.” I pointed to the other crutch halfway across the room.

“You gonna hit me with it?” Chew looked at me suspiciously.

“Is your name Tina?”

“No.”

“Then you’re safe.” I smiled, he just handed it over it me. I headed towards the stairs. “Stay Daniel. And if I call for you, I’m just threatening Josh.” I looked back at him.

“Okay.” He sat back down, and I made my way towards the stairs and to the bathroom. When I got outside of it, I heard a lot of swearing.

“Joshua let me in.”

“Go away Rae.”

“Let me in the bathroom Joshua. I’ll break the fucking lock with my battle axe if I have to, just let me in.” I hit the door with the bottom of my crutch.

“Not gonna happen Rae.”

“Joshua James Alphonse Franceschi, you open this fucking door right now or I will get Dan down here to do it for me.”

“No.”

“Hey Dan! Come here!” I shouted.

“Alright, alright. Fuckin’ hell woman.”

“Thank you Josh.” He cracked the door and I got in and sat in front of the door next to him. “Now tell me how much of a stupid slut my best friend is and get it out of the way.”

“How did you know?”

“One she’s my best friend, two it’s the only logical explanation as to why you’ve locked yourself into the bathroom.” I looked at him. “Three, she called me freaking out wanting me to clean up her mess and I refused because as much as you annoy me, we have our moments when we get along and it wasn’t my place to tell you and I told her this and made sure she actually ended this instead of pretending like it never happened. You can be mad at me all you want to and I completely understand that. But if you need yell about her, it’s best to do it to me.”

“I’m not mad, at you at least. The fucking slag you call a best friend yes. I mean seriously? If the distance was bothering her that much that she felt it was ok to get plastered and fuck some guy she works with! That’s fucking ridiculous! She knows the problems I have with cheating; I told her from the beginning that if it the distance was going to be an issue then we shouldn’t start the relationship. I just can’t begin to understand what went through her brain last night. I should’ve known something was up since she hasn’t talked to me in three weeks. I just don’t get it!” He rushed out breathing heavily.

“Look Josh, she’s an idiot of the biggest kind, and that’s an understatement I know. So no need to mention it, just,” I sighed. “You’re going to be ok. Yes she’s like a sister to me, but you can do better, she on the other hand can’t. Not with the way she treats guys. Remember that ok?”

“Thanks, that has to be the weirdest and most effective cheer up speech I’ve ever gotten.”

“I’m just that good. I’ll leave you alone until we get to the hotel ok? Not promising anything about Max. If you need any yelling at, or just a broken nose let me know.” I smiled at him before using my crutches to get up. He stood up with me.

“Thanks. Even though you’re a useless lump half the time.”

“Watch it mister.” I laughed and went out of the bathroom and was greeted by my wonderful boyfriend, my brother, Matthew and Chew.

“He talked to you?” Max gaped at me.

“I can hear you!” Josh shouted from the bathroom.

“Ha!” I laughed and pushed past them making my way to the front lounge.

“But Rae!”

“He can still hear you.” I sat down on the couch with Dan soon following behind me. So I stretched out and laid my head on his lap so he could play with my hair.

“So seriously what like how? He never talks to people!” Max looked at me as he threw himself on the other couch beside Chew.

“I let him vent. That’s it really. I shrugged.”

“I do not believe you.”

“Well I also threatened beating him with my crutches, and breaking his nose again.”

“Really Squirt really?”

“What did you really expect me not to threaten him at least once?” I raised an eyebrow.

“She has a point. And she could have actually punched him.” Dan laughed.

“Good enough.” The other two shrugged and we stayed in the front lounge on the way to the hotel. Waiting for Josh to come out of the bathroom for ten minutes, when he finally did he just got his phone from where he’d thrown it and disappeared up stairs. The other three followed him shortly after talking about getting their stuff ready for the hotel.

“We walking to the venue tonight?” I looked up at Dan.

“That was the plan since it is right across from the venue. And I did see your to do list. What all that really needed?” He poked my nose.

“No, but I found it funny.” I laughed at him,

“It wasn’t.” The noise that came out of his mouth was more of a whine than a huff but I won’t tell him that.

“Totally was. And the fact that it annoys you just makes it better.”

“It does not annoy me.”

“And Max is the smartest person on this bus.”

“You sarcasm astounds me.”

“You’re just annoyed by it because you aren’t getting laid tonight. Poor Daniel.” I poked his nose.

“I can wait until you don’t have to wear your wraps anymore. Five days is not that much longer.”

“Awe, well aren’t you a sweet boy.” More over-exaggeration of my accent.

“That was not cool.”

“What you enjoy my accent.”

“Not when I’ve just willingly given up sex for the next five days. Now it’s just torture and evil.”

“Oh goodie, I should just do it more then.” I grinned evilly.

“Don’t you dare.”

“Oh but Daniel, I enjoy it so much.”

“Seriously need to stop.”

“But it’s so much fun.”

“Go get clothes in a bag for the hotel.”

“Now who’s no fun?” I stuck my tongue out at him and leaned up grabbing my crutches from the floor.

“You are, I’m doing this for my sanity.” He kissed me quickly.

“Yeah, yeah whatever.” I stood up and waved my hand at him before going upstairs and grabbing a bag from the random shit room and some clothes from my bunk. We got to the hotel and checked in quickly, I hid the extra room key from the idiots while Dan was showering before he left for sound check and laid out on the bed getting ready for a nap. But that idea was ruined when Dan dived on the bed.

“You really gonna nap?” He moved up next to me.

“Yup. You can wake me up before the show.”

“I wanna nap too.”

“You sir, have a job to do. I can nap all I want until I check my email tomorrow.”

“No fair.”

“Still injured and just took one of my meds so I’m going to be asleep soon anyways.” I curled into his chest.

“Are you just saying that so you can nap?”

“Nope.” I yawned out.

“Okay, your right. You don’t monster yawn like that normally.” He ran his hands through my hair.

“Go to sound check Daniel. I’ll be here when you get back.” I leaned up and kissed him before pushing him off the bed.

“You’re mean.”

“You need to be at sound check. I’ll be fine.”

He leaned over the bed and kissed my forehead, “I love you Rae.”

“Love you too Daniel. Now it’s time for a nap.” I yawned and curled into a pillow falling asleep before he left the room. I didn’t wake up until he crawled in the bed with me sometime later. I rolled over and scooted up to him. “What time is it?”

“You slept through Max and Chew yelling at you for fifteen minutes before the show and the whole show.”

“Holy shit.”

“You can go back to sleep though.” He moved a strand of hair away from my face.

“Good. Love you Dan.”

“Love you too.” I was out soon after because he kept playing with my hair and humming something under his breath.