We're on the road again. It's festival season after all. The boys have already played one Europe show and we're now headed to the U.K for Download.
"So we have a week in the U.K and then we're moving on again?" Sadie confirms as we make our way through the departure lounge.
"Yup, straight to Download and then we fly out again the following Thursday." Nick replies with a smile.
"Oh god that's a lot but I can't wait to see my Mammy." Says her Irish accent strong.
"I bet. I can't wait to get this fucking cast off as soon as we land." I reply earning a chorus of laughter from the group.
"First stop the hospital for Margo's cast, then Download." Noah nods at the plan.
"Damn straight gotta get the priorities right and that's getting this lump of shit removed." I say looking down at the cast that's now littered with silly drawings and all of our names.
"You could probably sell that cast and earn an easy buck." Matt chuckles as we join the queue to order coffee.
"How much do you reckon I could get for it?" I joke whilst examining the drinks menu.
"Oh at least ten dollars." Matt winks.
"Well shit! Better get this beauty up on Depop." Noah chimes in with a smile.
"It won't even cover the cost of these airport drinks." Nick joins in truthfully making me laugh.
"Fucking extortion" Folio nods in agreement. "But I can't resist a hot chocolate."
"Dude it's summer. Are you for real gonna order a hot chocolate." I ask Folio who shrugs his shoulders in response.
"He does it all the time. Every single time. Without fail. Anyways it'll be miserable in the U.K might as well brace ourselves with hot chocolate." Noah informs me as we approach the front of the queue.
"Very true. That's one thing that I really haven't missed. Shit British weather."
"Oh but Mar that's where it all began. In the U.K with shite British weather." Sadie reminds me of the
night I met Noah and she met Nick.
"Ay, Mar what you having?" Noah nudges me.
"I guess if hot chocolate is tradition I'll have one of those." I smile up at Noah.
"Oh yeah because we're all about tradition." Noah smirks back at me before placing our order.
"It's good to be back in Europe?" Jolly asks me and I nod in reply as we wait at the end of the coffee bar for our drinks. "I miss it. There's always so much nostalgia when coming home."
"I think so too. As much as I was itching to move away I can appreciate the beauty in where I came from." I reply.
"Would you ever want to move back?" Jolly asks me as Noah joins us at the end of the coffee bar.
"Would I want to?.. God that's a loaded question." I reply with a tight lipped smile. "Honestly no. Unless I really had to but no. We'll see though. Life is always so fucking unpredictable."
"So the States are definitely home?" Jolly asks and I nod slowly. I can't help but notice him and Noah exchange an unreadable look. "That's cool, me too."
"Oat flat white for Karlsson." The barista calls.
"Thanks." Jolly smiles swiping his cup and making his way over to the plush waiting area.
"You really wouldn't ever want to move back?" Noah asks and I shake my head in reply. "Would you always wanna live in L.A?"
"I don't really know. I don't think I've seen enough to pick my forever home but as long as you're there I'm coming." I smile at Noah who wraps his arm around my shoulders pulling me into his side for a hug.
"Me too baby girl. Me too." Noah smiles back at me.
"Two hot chocolates for Noah." The barista calls and we both pick up our drinks making our way over to where Jolly's sitting.
"What did you guys get?" Jolly asks as we both take a seat.
"Hot chocolate." I reply taking off the lid blowing on the drink to cool it down.
"Folio's influence?" Jolly asks and Noah nods back at him.
"How do you guys do all this travelling? It's so fucking tiring." Sadie groans as she joins us leaving Nick to wait at the bar for their drinks. She flops down on the seat next to Jolly with a huff. "Fucking exhausting actually." She continues pulling her hood up over her head tugging on the toggles covering most of her face leaving just her eyes, nose and lips poking out. I can't help but laugh as she sticks her tongue out at me. She looks fucking ridiculous.
"You just get used to it. Although the first couple of days are always the worst." Jolly says matter of factly taking a sip of his coffee.
"Well I gotta give you credit because it's a fucking lot. Back and forth, back and forth. Fucking time zones, crazy fans, new schedules each day. I'm getting sleepy just thinking about it." Sadie grumbles.
"Gotta do what you gotta do." Noah laughs but it sounds forced.
"I suppose so. Wait so Mar have you gone with the guys every time? For every show?" Sadie asks me.
"No, not every show. A few but not all." I reply as Nick makes his way over to his with Folio, Matt and Bryan armed with coffee and hot chocolate.
"Here honey... um Sadie why do you look like a worm?" Nick asks holding back a laugh as he hands Sadie her drink.
"I'm exhausted already from this all this travelling and we've barely started. I don't get how you guys do it. You really are married to the music." Sadie huffs finally realising the size of Nicks job and everything that it entails along what she's signed herself up for by becoming his fiancé.
"Nick wraps his arms around her pulling her into him. She twists her engagement ring around her finger, a new nervous habit she seems to have developed.
"It's okay, I know it's a lot." He whispers kissing her on the temple. "You don't need to come with me every time we go on tour."
"Yeah Margo and Noah just can't be separated from each other for more than twenty four hours or they start having withdrawals. Trust me it's not pretty." Folio jokes trying to lighten the mood.
"He's right. Anyway I'll be married to you soon." Nick comforts and Sadie stops twiddling her ring.
"I know, I know. I'm just not used to it."
We all break off into our own little pockets of conversations.
"Do you think you'll ever get tired of it?" I ask Noah who nods instantly.
"Oh yeah, for sure. It's fucking draining. I'm lucky that you've come with me for most of them but it gets lonely. It sometimes feels like a revolving door and by the end I'm ready for a reset. The buzz I feel on stage is euphoric, there really isn't anything else to compare it to and as long as I get that buzz I'll continue to tour and get on that stage. I just hope that you continue to stand by my side, at home or on the road." He explains and I nod as I listen.
"As long as you want me to come with you I'll try my hardest to be there and to support you. I love seeing you on stage. I feel so fucking proud of you every single time. Like fuck that's my man living his dream and look at everything he's achieved and how far he's come." I reply. Noah smiles back at me flashing his perfect teeth.
"God I love you. Come here." He wraps his arms around me kissing me like no one's watching.
"Hey guys, are you still trying to keep it lowkey because we've already had people taking sneaky photos and now people are definitely taking photos and not being so sneaky about it." Bryan hisses as I rest my head on Noah's shoulder snuggling into him and he rests his hand on my hip.
"Let them. I'm fucking sick of playing pretend."
YOU ARE READING
Just Pretend
FanfictionMargo Brown, twenty five year old writer is desperate to pave her own path and to get out of her small town. A month before she is due to put down new roots in a new city her best friend Cassidy invites her along to a concert playing it off as Marg...
