One of Those Nights

Mike sat with his shoulder against the window in the make do both located at the front end of the bus, watching intently as the bus rolled out of Birmingham and onwards to Manchester. Jaime handed him a corona and nodded but didn't stop to talk.

"Jess sent me a text. She's with Mils," he informed as he kept moving towards the back of the bus.

Mike looked too in thought and Jaime knew better than to press him for a conversation.

"There he is," Vic jested, occupying the seat across from his brother before Mike could react to Jaime's comment.

Mike didn't feel like talking but averted his attention to his brother anyways. He faked a coy smile as he acknowledged his presence before digging his hands into the pockets of his hooded jacket.

"Gonna come and drink that with the rest of us?" Asked Vic referring to the Corona placed in the middle of the booths table untouched, now dripping with condensation.

"Actually I'm gonna stay here and try to call Mils again. The wifi at the venue was kinda crumby and I couldn't use Viber properly."

"Are you sure it was the WiFi or her just not answering your calls?" Vic questioned.

Mike sighed before taking a swig of his beer. Sometimes he hated how Vic could read his mind.

"All I'm getting is her fucking voicemail. What the fuck did I do wrong?," Mike sighed, defeated and unamused by the game Mila was playing. "We were doing so good."

Vic looked at his brother sympathetically. "When was the last time you talked to her?"

"Last night, briefly. Hime just told me she's with Jess."

"Briefly?"

Mike took another swig before elaborating. "Someone knocked on the door before we could have a conversation. Presumably Cara. At least that's what she told me."

"Well," Vic said promptly. "There's your problem right there."

"What do you mean?"

Vic leaned forward, placing both his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together. A grim look adored his face as though he had solved all of Mike's troubles in one thought.

"Cara isn't exactly your biggest fan, Mike. And my guess is she's probably filled Mila's head. They're girls. It's what they do," he shrugged.

"So she's just not going to talk to me for the rest of tour? Because of Cara? I'm her fucking boyfriend! It doesn't make sense. This is bullshit, Vic," Mike scolded slamming his fist against table out of frustration.

"Ouch," he muttered to himself as he examined his fist before averting his attention back to Vic.

Vic jumped a little at the sound, feeling sorry for his younger brother. In all honesty, Mike was trying. He had cut down on smoking weed and drinking and barely partied anymore. He was serious about Mila and their child and he was doing everything he possibly could to show that.

"Look, it's been a day," Vic consoled. "Let it go. Come have a few drinks with the guys and I. Tomorrow we have a day off. We'll do something to keep your mind off of it and if tomorrow night she doesn't answer, I'll personally call Cara myself."

Mike looked at his older brother. He didn't want to fall asleep knowing Mila wasn't talking to him but he didn't want to sit and dwell on it either.

"Come on," urged Vic getting up from his chair, ushering Mike to follow suite.

-

It was a Sunday afternoon back in San Diego when Jaime's girlfriend Jessica finally made it over to the apartment to introduce herself to Mila.

The two sat at the kitchen table conversing as though they had known each other forever over a cup of tea.

"It honestly took me by surprise. And I'm kind of mad at Mike," Mila admitted as she recalled the story of Frankie's unexpected visit. "And I don't know why I'm mad at him. But I haven't answered his calls... I guess I expected him to tell me he was on a break with his girlfriend when he slept with me or something, as ridiculous as that may sound."

"In no way am I sticking up for Mike, and what Frankie did was wrong, but from what Jaime has told me, Mike really cares about you. He's changed."

Mila pressed her lips together, sympathetically smiling. "I don't know what to do."

"The best advice I can give you is to try and let it go whilst he's out on tour. From experience, I know that when Jaime and I bring issues to the surface whilst he's on the road it only makes the situation and the distance worse. If not answering Mike's calls is your way of dealing with it for now then that's fine, but don't let it go for days without him hearing from you. It'll only put him in a bad mood, and his bad mood will act as a plague in camp Pierce The Veil," she mocked half heartedly. "Call him and make up some excuse as to why you didn't answer his calls today. And then maybe the day after he gets back talk about what happened. And I mean talk, do not argue," she warned. "The two of you are having a child together. You can't let minuscule things like this get in the way of that."

It felt refreshing talking to Jessica. With Jaime on the road, Jessica knew more than anyone how Mila felt. She wasn't patronising nor judgmental. And she made Mila feel like they had known each other for longer than just a few hours.

Mila took a deep breath. "You're right, Jess. I need to put it to the back of mind. And when he comes back, we can talk about it."

Jess nodded in agreement. "Us girls have to stick together," she assured. "It's the only way to keep sane whilst they're off, thousands of miles away."

"Do any of the others have girlfriends?," Mila questioned, feeling like now was the appropriate time to ask. She wanted to know if there were anyone else she'd be meeting soon. "I mean, I'm pretty sure Vic doesn't from what I gather, but does Tony?"

Jessica shook her head. "Tony just recently got out of a long term relationship actually, which is a shame because you would've loved Steph. He's now relocated to Newport Beach and we don't see him much. However Casey, who is Mike's drum tech, has a lovely girlfriend who I'm sure you'll meet soon. Mike and Case are very close."

Mila nodded and smiled. "I can't wait to meet everyone properly. I mean, the closet I got to meeting Jaime and Tony was my walk of shame out of here the morning after... Which I am incredibly embarrassed about. It was a one off thing, I swear," defended Mila.

Jessica tried to suppress her laughter but couldn't. "Sure, Mila."

"It's fine, according to Frankie the whole town is talking," Mila sarcastically remarked as she rolled her eyes.

"What?" chortled Jessica.

Mila nodded but didn't speak.

"You guys haven't made it official yet, have you?" asked Jessica.

"No one really knows apart from our families. But Mike is eager to make it official sooner rather than later. I have no idea why though."

"He probably wants to make it official himself before the fans start becoming aware of the situation and making up their own stories. And of course because he adores you."

Mila smiled and blushed at the thought of Mike's adoration for her, causing her to stare at her phone for a moment. She hated not knowing where he was or what he was doing.

And then, it was though Jessica read her mind.

"Go on," she said, a smiling escaping her lips as she motioned her head towards the device. "Just call him."