Friend, Please

1.7

Michael's POV:

As Ali- Alissa runs off I smack my hand onto my forehead. Why do I have to be so awkward. Wait what am I talking about I don't care about her.

"So, wait where'd the she go?" Ron asks coming back around the car.

"We found the sister so Alissa went to soundcheck." I say smiling.

"So, now shouldn't you go in?" Ron questions.

"Oh, uh right." I reply shifting my body to make my way through the crowd again.

I finally get to the front of the gate and see Dave. "Dave, over here." I shout. His head spins round to face me.

"There you are." He glares pushing a few fans away from the gate. "Where the fuck have you been?" He asks glaring at me.

"Well I was,"

"You know what, nevermind." He says shoving me into the venue.

"I'm sorry." I mutter.

As I walk up towards the arena I hear someone singing. It's soft and soothing, like a lullaby. I open the door to see who it is.Sitting on the edge of the stage, Alissa is sitting with what looks to be a ukulele. Down on the floor I see the boys sitting in the fourth or fifth row. Listening closer I can hear the lyrics of her song.

"Here's the truth, I never thought I would be over you," She croons. "You swept me off my feet and made me believe in, you" Fuck she can sing. I know she could, but I never thought she was that good. "I had a thought that one day we would be torn apart, I never would've thought it would come so soon."

"Okay. I think we're good for that one you wanna try a faster one to see how that will work?" one of the tech guys shouts over the speaker.

"Uhm, let's do In Too Deep, Yeah." She stands up.

"Okay ." She positions herself to face the boys. Feeling out of place I walk down to where the boys are seated.

"Hey Michael, glad you could make it." Calum says as I slide into the foldable chair next to him. I roll my eyes.

"Oh please he only came to see his girlfriend." Luke drags out. I reach across Calum's lap and slap the back of his head. "Ow." He whines.

"Oh boohoo." I mumble sitting back into my seat.

"We all good?" Alissa calls out. The stage manager gives her a thumbs up and she begins to sing. "The faster we're falling, We're stopping and stalling. We're running in circles again. Just as things we're looking up you said it wasn't good enough. But still we're trying one more time." she sings out. I look up at her to see her taking the mic into her petite hands. She waltz across the stage smiling towards us and dramatically belts out the lyrics. "Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep, up above in my head, instead of going under." she says flailing her arms around and jumping around, even as she does her voice still sounds angelic.

"Bro you got a little dribble." Calum pokes my cheek, knocking me out of her trance. I look over to him. He and the other boys are giggling. I roll my eyes, pulling my phone out I pretend to scroll through twitter.

"Hey you should probably go on the snapchat and record a bit of this." Ashton says over Alissa's voice. I nod my head going onto snapchat logging into the band's account. Logged in I put the camera on selfie mode.

"Hello guys guess What?" I shout over Alissa. "We're at the arena." The video ends and I post it. I start a second video. "LOok It's Alissa." I switch the camera to the stage. She surprisingly waves as she sings. The video ends and and I add it to the story. I then start another. Putting it in selfie mode again and put it on Cal and I.

"She is so good at the singing." Calum says in a childlike voice.

"Such good much wow." I laugh and start the next video. "Luke," I point the camera at him catching him off guard.

"Huh?" he asks looking over.

"You suck." I say giggling. He pouts.

"Nuh uh." The video stops I post it, start another. "You know who sucks," he pauses trying to think. "You." Ashton, Calum, and I start laughing. I change the filter  it to make me look like a dog. I start the video turning it towards Calum and I.

"Calum look." I say nudging his shoulder. Calum turns to the camera.

"Oh holo." He says to the camera.

"Guys." Alissa shouts drawing us to look in her direction. "You guys need to get up here and do your shit."

"Okay." We say in unison. I look back to my phone and turn it off.

"Up we go." Ashton says jumping up. We each follow suit. Ushering ourselves out of the seats, we make our way to the stage. We all climb up onto the stage with swift ease sense we've done it so many times before.

"Alissa you were amazing, like, holy shit." Luke praised pulling her into his chest. Her arms wrapped around his waist instantly. I suck in my lip feeling my muscles tense. Wait, why am I doing this? It's Luke for fuck sakes. Besides I don't care.

"Group hug!" Ashton screeches. Calum and him both wrap themselves around Luke and Alissa.

I back myself away from them. Turning towards stage left I begin to walk away. "Oi where the hell are you going?" Calum shouts. I look over my shoulder seeing him gesturing to me to come join in on the lovefest.

"Uh I gotta, you know tune my uh guitar." I say trying to sound suspicious.

"Get over here loser." Ashton yells. I look back at the backstage area, I could make a run for it. Looking back I see Calum glaring as though he knows what I'm thinking. Giving out a surrendering sigh, I drag myself over to them and stand next to Calum. He wraps his arm around my shoulder however I keep my arms down and stand stiff looking anywhere but down.

"Uhm." I hear Alissa muddle. "Can't, breath." she whines. Knowing that she has extreme anxiety in crowds I attempt to move away from her, but Luke has the same idea. He tumbles away causing a domino effect. Ashton goes next, then Calum but this only causes Alissa to stumble. 

Instinct kicking in, I wrap my arms around her waist hoisting her up. She wraps her arms around my neck tightly. I feel her body tremble in fear. Her breath slowing as she calms herself. I slowly rub small circles on the back of her hip bones. I rest my chin on the top of her head. We stay like this for a minute or so. It's only until I hear Ashton clear his throat that I let her go.

"Uh, I, uh sorry, I-I'm gonna, go," I say looking anywhere other than her. "Tune, my uh, like, fuck, my."

"Guitar?" Calum attempts not to burst out laughing. Glaring at him, I breathe out a yes.

"I'm gonna go, uhm get, get some water." Ali says quickly jogging past me towards the left of the stage. Once she is out of sight I facepalm myself.

"Aw is wittle Mikey embarrassed." Luke says pinching my cheek. I quickly swat his hand down, probably harder than I should of. "Ow, dude chill." Luke says clasping his wrist.

"Yeah man chill out." Ashton says patting my back. "You didn't even make out yet." He starts to laugh, Luke joining in. Looking up Calum gives me an apologetic smile.

"Guys come on leave him alone. He just wanted to help her unlike us." Calum said calmly. Luke and Ashton both stop laughing. "You did nothing wrong Mike, if anything you helped her calm down. You are the one who always did calm her down." Calum says wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

"Then why do I feel so bad?" I ask painfully. No one responds. Exactly.