The Tour

34

BANG BANG BANG

Answer the door please

BANG BANG BANG

For god sake please answer the door

BANG

"Michael I swear to god answer this tour bus door right now" I shouted before I continued to slam against the door until it slowed creaked open

"Jesus Christ Nicky you look a mess" he said staring at me with shock written over his face.

In the time it had taken for me to walk from the restaurant to the busses I had done nothing but cry my eyes out continuously. I had been tricked into going onto some sort of date. Had my feelings belittled. And had sly comments made at me. He had been Luke.

"Can I come in?" I asked as he nodded quickly and walked back into his bus wrapping a blanket around my bare arms

"This Luke's doing?" He asked as I nodded staring at the floor "do I want to know why?" He asked as I shook my head not wanting to use any energy talking right now I just wanted silence and the company of someone I trusted wouldn't hurt me.

"I don't suppose you have any makeup remover?" I asked laughing slightly knowing what he said at the door was probably right and I most definitely had makeup all over the place

"I'm sure Crystal has left some somewhere" he said before walking off to the bathroom leaving me alone. I picked up my phone and once again just stared at the photo on my lock screen of Oli and I. There was a part of me that felt as though I'd betrayed him this evening. I'd gone on a 'date'. Although I'd only been there for less than 20 mins it still felt wrong and I wanted to tell him everything.

"Will this do?" Michael suddenly asked snapping me out of my thoughts showing me a pack of wipes

"Of course thank you" I smiled as he looked down at my phone and smiled

"I'm happy for you Nic" he said pointing to my phone smiling widely "I'm a good match maker" he said before I threw one of his pillows at him

"Oh hush you, he did the work not you" I said as he fake gasped

"Who introduced you to him Miss Bright?" He asked as I looked away from him making him laugh "Exactly Nicky hushhhhh" he said still laughing to himself before turning himself around into the kitchen part of the bus and pulling out a Diet Coke that I could only hope was for me.

"Get this down you" he said sliding it my way making me smile as I began taking of the worn off makeup off my face

"You know me too well Mr Clifford" I mumbled as he sat down next to me

"I know you better than you know yourself Nicky" he replied as I nodded "you've been attached to all of us for two years you're like an annoying little sister" he laughed as I pushed him slightly

"Screw you" I laughed

"See you're getting moody, classic little sister move that" he said as he continued to laugh at his own jokes making me laugh myself. Apart from Luke, Michael was the person I was the closest to out of all the boys. Similar humour, similar taste in music, similar love for music production, similar love for our dogs back home and overall one of the nicest people I'd ever met.

Sitting with him and laughing was helping me more than he would ever realise. However there was a dark noise in the back of my mind telling me to enjoy every last minute with my friend as I knew it would disappear as soon as this tour ended. All four of the boys would no longer need to be connected to me. No me and Luke meant no me and 5sos and no friendships. If I stuck around then it would possibly ruin Michael and Luke's friendship and I wasn't about to do that.

"Do you remember that time we were in London and we did that open top bus tour" Michael suddenly blurted as I nodded confused

"The day the bird crapped on Luke" I laughed as he nodded laughing as well

"I think that was the first time I ever saw the two of you argue" he said as I felt my face drop not wanting to talk about Luke

"Well he did blame me for it when it was clearly not my fault" I said as he nodded

"But that day was also the first day I saw you stand up to him" he said as I looked at him confused "he'd been making sly comments all morning I remember it so well I was stood there thinking this guy has nerve. But you took it all but once we were on this bus you hit the non existent roof as soon as he started shouting. That was when I got to see how strong you are" he said as I smiled awkwardly

"Thank you Michael" I said not really sure how to reply to him

"What I'm trying to say Nicky is you're strong. You're stronger than him and whenever he did this evening to upset you. He's spent two years kicking you down so you can't let him continue outside of your relationship" he said as I nodded appreciative of his words

"You're right Michael thank you" I said before hugging him tightly

"I'm always right"