𝔅𝔞𝔟𝔶, 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢 || 𝔨. 𝔥𝔞𝔪𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔱

.10.

I don't know how long I've been standing in front of the studio. I didn't want to come over too early but the noise from Noah's room was not pleasant to my ears. I don't want to listen to my brother having sex.

Slowly but surely I walked up the few steps and then opened the door. Like last time, the man sat at a table and went through some papers. I forgot his name.

I quietly crept up behind him and watched what he was doing. Since Metallica has a new album out there would be a tour soon. He probably wrote a tour plan. A plan the band had to follow. But then why did it all make so little sense? Did he just randomly write down the locations or was that the list? And why was Germany ahead of Canada? That didn't make any sense. Faster than he could react, I grabbed the pen from his hand and sat next to him in an empty chair.

"What are you doing here again?", he asked but I didn't pay any attention to him.

I folded the sheet of paper once and wrote them all down in a reasonably neat order. The way the guy wanted to drive and fly it was way too mixed up. Even James would have no idea at some point. That would be too much pressure for the band and too much work for him as a manager. No normal person flies first to Germany and then to Canada.

A few minutes later I handed him the note. He read his rank first and then mine. Or at least I think he did. He looked focused. Like he was thinking about what would make more sense.
I've always been interested in band management, so I've read tons of books. As manager, his job is to plan the band's schedule and make it as easy as possible when the band is on tour. This includes the tour schedule.

"Why are you so familiar with it?", he asked me.

"I've known James and Lars for a while and know how their brains work. Neither of them would make it that difficult for themselves.", I explained to him and also gave him his pen back.

With these words I said goodbye to Bob. He told me his name before I went into the actual studio. Just as I was about to open the door, I heard a voice yelling at someone else. I could already guess who it was but I was still a little nervous. I didn't ask Cliff to explain it to me but I was still grateful that he told me. I know exactly how it feels when you find out you've been lied to the whole time. My last relationship wasn't great either.

I took another deep breath and then opened the door.

Immediately the whole room fell silent. Cliff looked dejected. He had risked a lot, probably the friendship with Kirk. And that's because of me. So that I can understand him. James and Lars sat next to each other and probably observed everything. Maybe the two of them interfered but I doubt that somehow.

"You.", Kirk sounded angry.

I tried not to let it show that I was intimidated. I've always hated being yelled at. At least since the relationship with Liam I've been traumatized by it.
Kirk was about to yell a little loudly into the room but I cut him off.

"I asked Cliff what happened. If you want to yell at someone, then yell at me.", I didn't know exactly why I was protecting Cliff.

I thought of the countless times Noah had protected me from my dad. When he was drunk and wanted to take his frustration out on someone. How many times he took the hits. I just felt like I need to do the same thing with Cliff now. A protective instinct.

"Do you think your problems will turn into lift if you sleep with me? Do you think you'll feel better afterwards?", I asked him.

Kirk was still glaring at me but I saw him begin to realize that neither Cliff nor I had made any devastating mistakes. He was beginning to realize that whatever he was doing right now was partly his fault.

"You are responsible for your own mistakes. I'm really sorry about what happened to you Kirk but one night stands won't get you any better.", I said to him.

I meant every word that left my mouth. I've always been a very direct person. Most of what I said I meant. Unless I spoke in a most sarcastic tone but that's self-explanatory. He just kept looking at me like I was his worst enemy or something.

I threw a quick glance at Cliff, who still looked a bit confused, and smiled at him. He shouldn't feel bad about something like this. He was just trying to explain why Kirk did what he did and there's nothing wrong with that.

"You have no idea how it feels. How it feels to have a stake rammed into your heart.", he growled and just walked past me.

The whole thing was probably too much for him. I heard him close the door with a loud bang.

Calm returned to the room and nobody dared to make a sound. I could imagine how Kirk felt. I could understand the pain he feels. It sucks when you find out you've only been used. That's what I should know. Not only by Liam but also by my parents.

"You okay Liv?", asked James.

I just nodded. Kirk has every right to be angry. Maybe I should go after him. Like Noah always did when I was upset. But I wasn't responsible for him and he wasn't responsible for me.

"He should think carefully about his words. He has no idea what you've been through.", James said with a slightly angry undertone.

I turned to him and looked at him a bit confused. How was Kirk supposed to know if we don't even know each other? I guess James wasn't as smart as I always assume when it comes to this sort of thing.

"How was Kirk supposed to know, James? We didn't even know each other five years ago.", I said helplessly to him.

He probably hadn't considered that the way he looked at me now. I just shook my head and grinned. Sometimes I feel smarter than Einstein and moments like this prove to me that I'm not completely lost.