Touring With the McDonoughs (sequel to MIWTM)

Chapter 25

Haley's POV:

I don't know what happened between Connor and Riley in the bus that day but whatever it was, I'm glad it took place. Everyone noticed the difference in Riley's behavior. He wasn't ignoring anyone anymore... Well, except me. Actually, I wouldn't put it as ignoring because he WAS talking to me but not like before. He only said what was necessary and stayed quiet the rest of the time. But at least he was acting like himself. For example, the other day when we were in Warsaw, Poland, it was my turn to buy food for everyone and Riley volunteered to help me with it. We didn't talk much but there was no tension in the air like when we were in Germany.

Currently, we were in Milano, Italy and I had to say, Before You Exit's Italian fans were LOUD!! I was backstage and the screams and cheers were actually bouncing off of the walls! No wonder the crew wore ear gear. I got a pair of the headphone looking ear gear from one of the crew members and felt relieved immediately. Lindsey and I stared at each other wearing that ear gear and burst out laughing. Then we began dancing around like crazy since the head gear DID look like headphones! After a while, we heard Connor saying thank you and goodbye to the fans. That meant that Before You Exit's concert had ended. Why were WE backstage when the concert hadn't ended yet? We just wanted to get out of there before all hell broke loose at the exiting area!

"Okay I REALLY need to go to the bathroom now!" Linds shouted. I let out a laugh and made a "seriously?" face.

"What? I really have to go!" Linds whined. I laughed again.

"Well you shouldn't have had all that liquid before the concert!" I said loudly with a grin. Lindsey stuck her tongue out at me and I held both hands up in my defence but grinned all the same. Lindsey started moving towards the dressing room area but I didn't. She turned around and looked at me in question.

"You're not coming?" I shook my head with a sheepish smile.

"Actually, I saw an Instruments Room on the way here and---"

"Okay fine. Go ahead. I'll meet you later," Lindsey cut me off. I chuckled, causing Lindsey to smile. We high fived one another before heading in opposite directions.

"Hey bring the boys with you on the way back!" I shouted at Lindsey's retreating figure. I held a thumbs up to show that she'd heard me. I grinned at my best friend and continued towards the Instruments Room. It took me a while to find it because there were SO many rooms backstage! A few minutes later, I stood in front of the room I was looking for.

Lindsey's POV:

I speed walked to the boys' dressing room, weaving through the increasing crowd and may or may not have pushed a few EXTREMELY excited fans to the side as well. I just hope you won't tell the boys though! Anyways, I rushed to their dressing room and knocked 'lightly' on the door.

"Who is it?" I heard Thomas ask from inside.

"911. Open up!" I shouted. Thomas opened the door and grinned at me.

"Since when did the cops start hiring such good looking people?" he asked. I felt a blush creeping onto my cheeks but I pushed my way through the door passed Thomas just in time so he wouldn't be able to see it. I didn't get that lucky, though.

"I saw that blush creeping onto your face," he said, closing the door and turning to face me with his arms crossed. I bit my cheek to hold back a smile.

"But I'll pretend like I didn't see it," Thomas added with a smile. That melted my heart but I kept my face straight and headed to the bathroom. Something changed inside me and I stopped, turning back to Thomas. I ran up to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek before running back to the bathroom. Turning the knob, I found that it was locked. Damn it! I banged my fisted against the door.

"Yeah?" Toby shouted from inside.

"TOBY, THERE'S A FIRE! GET OUT! QUICK!" I shouted back, banging the door repeatly. The door swung open to reveal a horrified looking Toby and he sprinted out of the bathroom. I took that moment to run into the bathroom and lock the door before Toby realized what was ACTUALLY going on. The moment I locked it, Toby came charging at the bathroom door.

"Oh come on, Lindsey! No fair!" he whined, causing me to laugh.

"Sorry, Toby! I'll just be a minute. I need to use the bathroom really badly!" I replied. I heard Toby let out a groan.

"Oh how I hate you right now..." he mumbled. I stifled a laugh.

"Just hurry up!" he shouted with a final bang on the door. And hurry I did.

Haley's POV:

How big do you think a backstage Instruments Room would be? I had no idea but the one I was currently in was HUGE! Literally! Even though it didn't have every kind of instrument, it could easily hold an orchestra of 10 to 15 people. THAT is how big the room was! It held instruments from guitars, drum kits, tubas to flutes, saxophones, xylophones, harmonicas and a couple of other instruments but the one that immediately caught my eye was an extremely beautiful and delicately built grand piano. As if in a trance, I felt myself being pulled towards it.

Tracing my fingers over the black and white keys, I was reminded of the grand piano at the McDonough household. Hadn't used that name in a while! I smiled as memories of Connor teaching me how to play the piano came flooding into my head. I felt a sudden urge to give Connor a hug. Why was I missing him when I was actually WITH him? I sighed as I remembered the time when I surprised him by playing Next To You on the piano and sang it with Riley.

Oh Riley... What had happened? WHY did it have to happen?!? WHY?!? Everything was going was amazingly and suddenly, he started treating me like I'm nothing but a stranger to him. I felt my vision get blurry as I thought of all the moments Riley and I had shared, all the fun we had had... I missed him... So much that it... I couldn't even understand the pain from missing him because it was unbearable... I rested my head against the wood of the piano as I held back a sob. Everything was ALMOST perfect. It all ALMOST worked out. I had ALMOST found the best group of people I could ever imagine but alas, almost was never enough. Lifting my head off the wood, I straightened up, taking a seat next to the piano. Taking a deep breath, I placed my fingers on different keys and pressed.

Nathan Sykes' POV:

I made my way to Soundcheck when I passed the Instruments Room. I heard music coming from inside and it looked like someone was playing the piano. That wasn't what stopped me. I froze as I heard the person inside sing. Ariana? My heartbeat sped up. I frantically looked for a person who had a plan of all of the performances that had to take place at the Magazinni Generali. Upon finding one, I asked them if Ariana Grande was performing there... She wasn't. I furrowed my eyebrows as I quickly made my way back to the Instruments Room. If Ariana wasn't there, then who was playing the piano? I carefully turned the knob of the Instruments Room and pushed the door open.

Haley's POV:

"Almost, almost is never enough. So close to being in love. If I would have known that you wanted me the way I wanted you, then maybe we wouldn't be two worlds apart but right here in each other's arms. And we almost, we almost knew what love was but almost is never enough," I sang, letting out every pent up emotion and feelings. My fingers moved along the keys, giving me the strength that I needed for the song.

Ending the chorus, I let my hands drop into my lap as silence occupied the room once again. I felt as though every other instrument in the room was waiting, waiting for me to continue but I don't think I had the strength to. A tear fell from my eye onto a key and I just stared at it, not wanting to move at all. I wish I could stay in that room for the rest of the day but I knew that wasn't possible. After all, the show had to go on. I was about to get up when I heard it.

"If I could change the world overnight, there'd be no such thing as goodbye..." My eyes widened. That voice... It can't be.... I spun around in my seat and gasped.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry this chapter took a while! Had lost internet access. Gained it yesterday. Hence, publishing the chapter today. So who do you think sang at the end of the chapter? ;)

Enjoy!
Peace! xxx