Deception (Michael Clifford)

Thirteen

Another day, another city.
Lifting my head lazily, I look around at the departure lounge, blinking the sleep from my eyes. I have no idea what time it is. But with how dark it is outside, I decide it can't be much earlier than 1am. Disturbed sleep is the norm these days, I sigh. We arrived a few hours ago I think, I nodded off as soon as my butt hit the seat and haven't stirred until now. Squinting in the harsh light of Baltimore airport, I look around at the sterile, grey room and take in the people around me. Various passengers of different ages strung out around the place, littering the rows of seats with their fatigue, heads buried in their phones, or beanies in the case of the man across from me. I can just make out to shape of his nose and the sockets of his eyes through the thick material. I smirk to myself lazily. Small things like this amuse me, though it's not often that I go out anymore. I've become so engulfed by the daily routine of wondering around venues and hotels that its quiet moments like this, I can sit back and appreciate the creative ways of using a beanie.
Small things.
Passing my gaze around again, I become acutely aware of the crew collected at the other end of the lounge. Most of them are sleeping and so ignore the fact I'm on the opposite side of the room. They know I'm with them, but have gathered by now that I like to be left alone, so they allow me sit away from the group. For which I'm grateful.

My eyes gradually travel to where two robust men, alert and tight lipped, sit guard next to four lanky boys in black jeans. I blink slowly. They're on the very end seats, with Luke and Calum cuddled up in the middle, Ash sleeping separately in another seat with his arms crossed and head bowed with sleep. I can't help but smile in amusement. If only I could get a picture and show them later, but the security guards make it so hard to get near them now. They've employed an extra one, ever since Michael went on his little adventure, and they are much more on edge now about who approaches. It's easier just to give them a wide birth.
Where did he go anyway? Surely his bandmates would have prised it out of him by now, but as far as I'm aware, he's given no indication of where he went. I sigh as my attention drifts to the splash of red. He's propped up with his back to the rest of us, staring out the window at the large plane that is slowly pulling into the bay. His head rests in his palm, and his shoulders slouch exhaustedly. Anyone who's not paying particular attention would assume that he's asleep, but the way that his shoulders gently rise and fall, and the way his foot that taps out a beat on the ground, tells me he's not. He's awake. Just sitting silently by himself, analysing all the operations of the airport and immersed in his own little world. Butterflies flitter nervously in my stomach, but I push them down quickly. Something about him just doesn't sit right with me. He's so silent, so distant. Yet after weeks of giving death glares, he finally had the nerve to display some show of kindness. I don't know where I stand with him, and that's what scares me. I watch him cautiously, his foot still tapping out a soft beat on the carpet.
I'm curious about him, but like he said, curiosity killed the cat.
I feel my eyelids growing heavy again, sleep threatening to take over. Loosing interest, I let my head fall back onto my shoulder and my vision fades into a grey blur. With the intention of falling back to sleep.

Suddenly my phone buzzes in my pocket, and I jump with shock.
For fuck sake...
I lift a hand frustratingly, rubbing my eyes with exhaustion. Just 5 more minutes of sleep, thats all I'm asking.
I ease my phone out of my pocket reluctantly, muscles complaining at the effort. Peeling open my eyelids, I bring up the text.
A picture pops up, and I squint at it carefully. It's of Kellin sat behind a drum kit, his dark brown hair framing a very enthusiastic face and both sticks held in the air with anticipation.
'I've been replaced :P' is all the text says, and a small smile turns up at the corners of my mouth. The message has come from Kellin's phone, but its not him. I flit my thumb across the screen as I type out a reply.
'Haha, god damn it Gabe why did you leave him unsupervised?' I click send and wait for a reply. In the meantime slowly reaching into my bag to grab a sour worm, my favourite travel lollies. I miss these guys, it's gotten really lonely traveling without them. What I would give right now just to ditch this flight, and head straight back to the band practices and the late nights playing Xbox. My phone buzzes in my hand.
'Jesse distracted me! He stole my hat :( Where are you anyway girl? We've been missing ya back here,' A pang of loneliness hits my chest. It's been about a month since mum dragged me away from Michigan and the band, throwing me back into this life of silence and solitude. I miss them a lot, they are the only ones that seem to understand me. I push away the thoughts and start typing out a reply, just as a metallic 'ding' sounds over head.
"Flight LHR220 is now boarding, all passengers please make they're way to boarding gate 3."
I look up at the speaker in annoyance. Go away, I puff at it mentally, grumpy due to the lack of sleep, and coffee might I add. I'm really irritable right now, and as I drop my feet to the floor, I feel like even the carpet deserves the right to a death glare. I start to hear rustling rising from around the departure lounge, and notice people reluctantly collecting their bags and waking their companions. I look over at the crew and see them starting to count heads. Murmuring to myself about the lack of sleep, I sluggishly lift my head and let my hand fall to my luggage. Here we go again.