Groupie ; c.h

nineteen - drunk (part 1)

Maely sat silently, staring off into the distance as the tour bus rolled into the AT&T Stadium car park, passing thousands of screaming fans, just waiting to get a glimpse at the four boys sitting before her. Maely saw one girl holding up a sign that read 'Calum I love you', and she scoffed to herself, instantly wanting to rip the poster apart and throw the truth in the girls face. Calum was no life-saving, selfless hero in disguise - she didn't understand how these girls worshiped such a selfish, stuck-up brat. Then again, they had no idea what he was really like.

"Alright," Ashton smiled giddily as the bus escaped the screaming girls and rolled into an inside car park, much like the other ones that they'd stayed in. "We ready for this, boys?"

Luke and Michael nodded excitedly, Calum simply ignoring the boy - however, Ashton couldn't care less. He didn't want to talk to Calum, not after hearing about how badly he'd treated Maely. He had seen Maely storm out of the bathroom, a terribly angry look on her face, and when he'd asked what was wrong (although he already knew that it was Calum's fault), she had collapsed into his arms and burst into tears. Ashton didn't have to know Maely very long to know that she was incredibly strong, so it was a surprise when she broke down like she had - but it made him even angrier, knowing that Calum must have truly broken her to get a reaction like that.

The three remaining boys stood up from the couch (Calum did so reluctantly) as Ashton opened the vehicle door, the loud screams of the girls awaiting them being heard perfectly clearly.

Ashton turned to the group with a serious expression. "As you all know, there's been a lot of hate and bullshit circulating on twitter recently, particularly regarding Maely. Now-"

"We know the plan, Ashton." Calum snapped, the vein in his neck sticking out as evidence of his anger and frustration.

"I know that, Calum-" Ashton tried his very best to stay calm with the boy.

"So what the fuck are we doing still standing here? What are you trying to give us - a fucking pep-talk?" Calum glared at the boy. "We know how this shit works, Ashton. You don't need to educate us."

Ashton breathed heavily through his nostrils, trying to control his anger - but he couldn't. "You know what, Calum? I was actually going to ask you not be fucking rude to fans, like you're known to have been in the past. You clearly don't know how 'this shit' works if that's the way you're letting people see you. It's one thing to take your problems out on us, but I will not let you take them out on our fans - they've done nothing wrong. And the way you've treated Maely is not okay - I'm so angry at you, Calum, but I'm even more disappointed. I didn't want to get angry at you like this, but your actions have been so fucking disgusting lately, especially towards poor Maely, who's only tried to help you, that I just can't keep it in any more. I'm so sick and tired of watching you treat her like absolute shit, Calum. All you do is hurt her, and I can't stand to let it happen again. None of us can. So can you please get yourself together, Calum? If not for us, if not for the fans, then for Alice? I know that she'd hate to see you like this - we do, too. Please, Cal, do it for Alice."

Calum glared down at the shorter boy standing before him with absolute disgust. How dare he tell Calum what he should and shouldn't do? How dare he tell Calum how to live his life? Ashton's life was sad enough, in Calum's opinion - he surely wouldn't take any of his advice. Calum was furious with his friend's words, however he couldn't seem to find any of his own to return. So, he simply stepped past the boy and walked down the steps. He could feel four pairs of eyes burning into his back - Maely had been silent throughout the entire encounter, but he knew that she was watching. And probably reveling in his suffering, too.