The Loud Crowd

3. Fell In Love With a Girl

Hey! Welcome to Chapter Three! I'm sorry uploads have been slower than usual, but A Levels get in the way and I've been super busy. But, enjoy this one:

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I fell into some kind of routine.

I woke up, ate breakfast, listened to music, read some of a book, listened to music, ate dinner, showered, listened to music, then went to bed.

A never-ending cycle of misery and guilt. I didn't even go to Number Four. I knew that I probably should, given that I had no idea what was happening with the band, and yet we were supposed to be rescheduling the tour, but I just didn't want to go.

It was selfish and cruel, but that had become the norm for me.

It was my Dad who finally shook me out of things. One morning, I sat drooping over some toast and he slammed a glass of juice next to me with unreasonable force.

I jumped, "What's up with you?"

Dad rolled his eyes. "It is not fun watching your daughter sink lower and lower into depression."

I scowled. "I am not depressed. I've already told you this."

"Really? Because from where I'm standing, depression seems to be the only explanation. You hardly eat a thing, you just sit there all empty, then sleep. Nothing. And, to be quite honest, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do as a father. And that scares me."

I sighed. "Dad, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. I just don't understand. Nate's awake, and although he isn't 100% fixed up yet, he's on his way to being just how he used to be. Why aren't you happy for him?" Dad said, frowning deeply.

"I am happy for him, Dad, of course I am. But he hates me. And I... I don't know what I feel. I just know I blew it with him." I admitted, coldly.

"That's utter BS, Lyra Jayne. And you know it is." He sat next to me. "You two were in love, weren't you?"

I nodded.

"But you didn't tell each other or acknowledge it in any way?"

I shook my head.

"Then you need to go fix things. And do it before you destroy the band you worked so hard for. Right now. Today, in fact." He said, simply.

It was strange, given that I'd grown up believing that my Dad was thoroughly disappointed in everything I did, but he was the only one who'd made sense.

And so, an hour and a half later, I found myself standing before the familiar, graffitied front door of Springfield Studios. I remembered my first time visiting, how I'd loved the realness of the place and yet been so dazed to have been joining a band.

I stepped through the door, breathing in the familiar smell. Danni gave me a small smile from the front desk, where she was customising a pair of Converse with silver studs and glitter gel. I strode up to her, remembering all the time she'd woken me up in the Studio and bought me food because I'd been down there so long. She even cried with me once.

"Danni, I'm so sorry," I said, when she'd put down her glitter glue.

She narrowed her eyes. "Who woke you up? I want to send them flowers."

Ouch. I cleared my throat. "Um, Nate. And my Dad, to be honest. I just... I feel like I let myself get pulled under, you know?"

She nodded slightly. "Don't do it again. Because Nate might be awake, but he still needs you. Now more than ever. And I don't think he deserves to be abandoned again."