Assistant manager- [M.S]

23

"So, why'd you ditch the show?" Nicks' voice interrupts my racing thoughts.

I had been spaced out for a while now as I sat in the dressing room with Evan and Eve. The pair had both gone off to get something to eat from catering before the concert, leaving me alone with a show-ready Nick and his neatly done hair.

No one had asked me about last night. I guess I had assumed everyone forgot about it or didn't care enough to ask.

Nick proved me wrong once again.

Why does he have to be so nice?

He's going to make this secret keeping thing that much harder for me.

I hope Matt hasn't said anything. He left this morning before I could say anything about keeping it a secret, but seeing how fast he got up and left, I'm going to hope that he kept it to himself. It seems like he's trying to forget about it, just like I am.

When I look up to Nick, he holds a small plastic bowl of bright red strawberries, tossing the fruit into his mouth while he waits for me to acknowledge him and his question.

I shrug, holding back the truth. "I just didn't feel well," I say, trying not to let myself crumble under the lie.

"You're lying," he sees right through my words.
He holds the strawberries out to me, now offering me his bowl. I take a few in my hand, popping them in my mouth.

"I can't be that bad of a liar, can I?" I ask while rolling my eyes at my failed attempt.

He takes the seat next to me on the couch. His fingers trace over the hideous designs in the fabric. You can tell they just toss any furniture they can find in here. Nothing matches and it looks like something retrieved from an old woman's yard sale.

"Not bad at lying, just not good at lying to me," he nudges my side with his elbow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I challenge, slightly offended that he doesn't think I could fool him.

"Why didn't you answer my texts?" he poses another question as he eats another berry.

"Can we do one question at a time please?" I joke.

He hands me the bowl of strawberries again, this time for me to have the rest. I eat a few more while he answers me.

"Okay," he stands again to grab a water bottle from the small cooler in the dressing room. "I'll change my order of questions then. The second one is more important. Why didn't you answer my texts?" he asks his question again, sitting back down beside me.

"I didn't feel well and I wanted to stay off my phone," I barely elaborate on my previous answer when he asked why I skipped the show last night.
He gives me a look of frustration about my secret keeping, then falls back in his seat.

"You're lying, but I won't bother you about it. If you are still willing to lie about it then it's probably none of my business."

That's just what I need - no one to bother me about it until I can figure it out myself.

I finish off his strawberries, tossing the now empty bowl on to the small table in front of us.

"Sorry I ignored your texts," I genuinely
apologise. I feel bad that he cared and I didn't bother to respond. I mean, I kind of spiraled last night from the idea of people not caring, so I should've been more appreciative of Nick in that moment considering he did care.

"It's fine," he shrugs it off. "I would have seen you again to talk, so we're good."

"I thought Matt would've told you that I saw your message. I told him to tell you that I said hey."