Fire on Fire [L.H]

twenty-six

(Luke's POV)

"Damn it, I can't get this," I heard Poppy mutter to herself. Poppy was one of our stylist that we have on tour with us. She's been with us since our first tour. She was trying to pin the back of my pants, but she seemed to be struggling. And we hit the stage in ten minutes.

"You still can't get it?" I asked her, looking down behind me.

"No, because the minute to shake your leg, it's gonna pop off. It's not going to work," she told me.

"We don't have time, Pops. You're gonna have to take it in," Zoe told her, running around the room frantically, trying to figure something out.

"Shit, I just ripped it," she cursed. I turned around and saw the rip she was talking about. I sighed to myself. "Somebody get Dani."

"On it!" Devin said, rushing out of the room to go find her.

"Can't I just change pants?" I asked.

"No, because all of your pairs of pants are too long, you'll slip when you guys do the jump during She Looks So Perfect," Zoe told me. I turned back around and looked down at Poppy.

"Why can't you take it in instead?" I asked her.

"I can't sew, remember? My finger," she said, lifting her splint on her right hand. Damn, I forgot.

"Dani's a fast sewer though, so we should be fine," Zoe said to me. I still haven't spoken to Dani a whole lot in the longest time it feels like. We've been doing our job: going out together, being seen in public, we've had small conversations. But that's nothing big. It's one worded answers to questions that are asked. It's between the both of us; it's not just me and it's not just her.

"Okay, what's going on?" Dani said, coming in, passing Devin who was in her way.

"I can't pin this and it needs to be taken in. And I can't sew," Poppy told Dani. Dani squatted down next to my leg and looked at the pants.

"Okay, let it go," she told Poppy. Pops let go of my pants and I was then seeing what she was talking about on how it needs to be pinned back because it's too long. "Alright, I see your problem. Okay, hold on. Get my sewing kit, it's in the black case by the chair," Dani said, pointing to her suitcase. Poppy jumped up and headed to the corner.

"How much we got?"

"Like, seven minutes now," I told her as she pinched my pant leg closer to my leg.

"We need both done?" I nodded and hummed. I heard her curse under her breath. "I can't get both done in time. Dev, call Alexa please." Devin pulled out his phone and left to call Lexi. "Are you okay with standing?"

"Yeah," I told her. Dani sat down on the floor and took the safety pin Poppy was using and clipped the top of my pants as Poppy came by with her kit.

"TELL HER TO BRING HER CASE!"

***

"TWO MINUTES!" Our stage manager shouted to us.

"Is he done?" Zoe asked the girls.

"I'm done," Dani said. I looked down at the leg and saw the work that Dani did in the five minutes we had. She did very well.

"Deej, cut this. It won't rip off," Alexa said. I turned the other direction to see Alexa trying to rip the thread, but it wasn't budging. Dani grabbed her scissors and cut the tread she was using. "Okay, Luke, can you shake your legs, see if they stay?" I shook both legs and the pants seemed to stay together.

"Alright, you're good. Go," Dani said, releasing me. I took off running out the door. I was getting closer and closer to the stage because I could hear the screaming fans. When I got closer to the corner, I saw Calum turn and look at me.

"Dude where have you been? It's almost time?" He asked, walking my way.
 
"Wardrobe mishap. But it's fixed. Come on," I said, stuffing my ear piece in my ear as we quickly walked back together to the stage. Mickey and Ash were waiting for me, both having one ear piece in and one piece out. Calum and I joined them in the circle, taking the last minute we had together in a prayer and a quick admiration speech from of us.

The stage manager told us we were on in ten seconds so we departed. We got in line order of how we usually enter the stage, Ashton going first. I still looked down at my feet when the screams got louder and higher, telling me that Ashton had stepped out. A few seconds later, I heard Ashton's drums go off in a drum riff. Once Michael heard his cue, he started stringing his guitar, heading his way onto the stage. When Michael was far enough into his piece, I grabbed a pic from my guitar. I was about to head out when I heard a voice from not too far.

"Good luck!" It shouted. I turned in the direction of the voice, seeing Danielle stand there, arms crossed over her chest, with a small yet soft smile. I gave her a small smile as I looked at her, wanting to grin even more, but it seemed like my face wouldn't allow it. Nor did Calum, because he tapped my thigh behind me, practically pushing me onto the stage.

I step out and the bright light beamed on me. I played my riff until it was time for Calum to come out. We must have been in the Calum Stan Fan Girl area because he was the loudest cheer we had.

All of our riffs came together as one, playing Disconnected. "What's going on South Wales!" I shouted into my microphone.
 
"You all look lovely tonight!" Michael added.

"We're gonna switch it up a bit for the first time on this tour," Calum added.

"You know it? You sing it! Here is Disconnected!" The cheers got louder. I smiled as the riff for my part to start singing came up.

"Life's, a tangled web," I sang.

"OF CELLPHONE CALLS AND HASHTAG I-DON'T-KNOW'S!" The crowd shouted back with me. I thought my head was going to explode. They were LOUD.