Brother's Best Friend || l.h.

Chapter 12

- Ashley -
I was sitting in a chair looking at my reflection as Casey applied a crimson colored lip stain to my lips to pull my outfit together. 5 Seconds of Summer were about ten minutes away from hitting the stage, so Lou was with them getting their clothes and makeup finalized. Casey smiled at me as she finished.

"You look beautiful. And, don't worry. You'll do amazing," it was like she could sense my nervousness. Not that I didn't show it.

I had been pacing around the dressing room the entire time everyone was rushing around getting outfits together. The faster they moved, the faster that showtime was approaching, the faster I paced. I was ridiculously nervous. All of the boys have said stuff to me to try to get me to not be as nervous, but none of it was working.

"Ash, you'll do amazing. I promise," Luke said, sliding his arms around my waist twenty minutes earlier. I shrugged him off and told him that he couldn't promise me something like that.

"Thank you, Casey," I said, trying not to be rude or misunderstood. I smiled at her and carefully stepped away, making sure I didn't bump into anyone who was carrying makeup. I saw Michael and Luke sitting in the couches in their black attire, tapping away on their phones. I wasn't and sat on Luke's lap, facing him and Mikey.

"Are you boys excited?" I asked. They nodded but didn't turn away from their phones. I nodded and waited for them to turn their attention to me.

They never did.

I nodded again in mock understanding and got up, leaving them to whatever they were doing that was that important.

I roamed around the backstage area for a while before deciding that I was thirsty and heading for the table that was filled with food. I grabbed a water and basically chugged it down before Louis came rolling to me.

"Hey Ashley, I just wanted to say thank you. I'm sad that I can't perform but if anyone deserves to replace me, it is definitely you. Thank you again," he smiled at me and left before I got the chance to reply. I looked weirdly at his back as he rolled away.

"Okay, 5SOS goes on in five," a star manager came back and yelled. I walked slowly back over to where they were all stood, getting their ear pieces put in and guitars strapped onto them.

"You boys will do great! Have fun!" I said, hugging Calum instead of my brother or boyfriend, not that they seemed to notice. Something was going on and they weren't telling me.

"Yeah, thanks," Michael spoke shortly. I scrunched my eyebrows at his behavior and looked at Calum. He seemed to notice how much of assholes they were being and shrugged. I sighed and stepped to the side of the stage to watch them.

---

"Okay, this will, sadly, be our last song of the night. You've been amazing, we love you all. Who's ready for One Direction?" Ashton said through the microphone as he banged his drums. Luke was plucking his strings, opening the song.

"Simmer down, simmer down,

they say we're too young now to

amount to anything else,"

Luke started singing and the crowd started cheering, for the song or for One Direction, I couldn't tell.

"Ashley, 1D goes on in ten minutes, we need to fix you up and finalize some things, and tape your microphone," Jeff, another stage manager spoke to me. I nodded and looked back at the stage, seeing Luke look at me before I stepped backstage again.

Three minutes later, the boys are whooping and cheering, coming into view through my mirror that I was once again sitting in front of. I caught eyes with Michael, but I looked back towards Casey, noticing how she looked slightly uncomfortable once the boys came in the room.