"It's Not Love If It Hurts" //5sos

/131/

"I see why you need two handlers," Annie commented dryly.

They were walking around a busy street, shops and offices lining each side. They had just finished doing not one, not two, but five interviews. It was insane. Everyone wanted to interview them- radio hosts, chat shows, popular celebrity YouTube channels. Today had been one radio and three magazine interviews, with one more to go. And comparitively, today wasn't even busy.

Annie was exhausted. Obviosuly, she hadn't slept all that well the previous night- that was an understatement- and still, she didn't know how they did it. They were almosy done for the day now, but they still had one more interview plus plans for this evening. It was Thanksgiving, after all. The boys wouldn't be heading home for the American holiday, obviously, but Johanna had invited them over to her house for some sort of holiday celebration. Annie didn't care much for the holiday- when she was a kid, celebrating it at home was boring, and as an adult she had no one to celebrate with anyways. Usually, it just meant a day off of work and a ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. When she worked at the restaurant, she usually ended up waiting tables that night, since she had no other plans anyways. If anything, she got good tips.

But this year, she'd actually be celebrating it. It sounded like Johanna might actually know how to cook, which was more than a little exciting. A real, home cooked meal, without all the drama? Yes please.

But that brought up other thoughts. What would Annie do for Christmas? Holidays were never something she particular enjoyed, and the best part of Christmas for her was the bonus she'd receive from her job. That was about it. But this year, the boys would be flying home. Annie didn't ask, but Johanna would likely be heading home to Colorado. Annie would be left at her and Calum's house alone. Maybe she could- no, she didn't want to intrude on someone else's Christmas plans, not Calum's, and not Johanna's.

"Watch out," Calum warned, pulling her back. Annie had been about to walk across the crosswalk when the light was green. Calum chuckled at Annie's sour expression. "A bit focused?"

"Maybe," she grumbled. "Just.... thinking."

"Just proof why you shouldn't think. You almost got smushed by a car."

Annie rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. "Is that what you do? Just... don't think?" the crosswalk sign turned on, and they begun walking across the street. "That explains so much."

"You're such an ass!" Calum laughed, bumping into her as they walked. "Why do I even date you?"

Annie pouted teasingly. "Because I'm the only one who can handle your personality."

"I object." Luke muttered, on the other side of Calum, but they both ignored him.

Annie stumbled on the curb, and Calum reached out and caught her in instinct. His expression turned to one of worry. "You sure you're okay? You don't seem very focused."

"I'm just out of it today," she reassured. "It's nothing."

"I'll say," Johanna agreed from behind them. "You got lost going to the bathroom earlier."

"It was an unfamiliar building."

"It was the only other door in that hallway."

Annie blinked slowly, Calum grabbing ahold of her elbow and pulling her away from the gutter. "It was a rough night," he defended for her.

Michael coughed as if trying to keep from laughing. "It was a rough night, or you had a rough night?"

Ashton smacked him on the back side of the head.

"We really don't want to know about your sex life," Luke commented dryly. Calum smacked him on the back of the head, repeating Ashton's action.

"Not talking about that, perverts."

Annie bumped into him on accident. "Sorry."

He was getting really worried now. "Johanna, do you think you can be a singular handler for this last interview? Annie's practically sleepwalking." Johanna tapped her chin, and looked like she was about to say no when Calum added, "I'll make up up a rumor during the interview. I'll say Annie and I are in an open relationship, and that we have threesomes with Luke."

Johanna wasn't the only one who had power in this situation. The boys were just as capable of blackmail.

Johanna switched on her phone, checking the schedule. "Hmm. Fine. This one will be quick, we're almost done." She avoided a piece of trash on the sidewalk without looking up from her phone.

They turned a corner, and Johanna put her phone back away. "I need to give them the paperwork. You guys want to wait out here?"

Calum nodded, leading Annie over to a bench. "How bad is it?"

"I see it again whenever I blink," she murmers, her words slurred.

He held her to his side, and Annie rested her head on his shoulder. The other boys sat on the bench except for Michael, who leaned up against the wall behind them.

They wore sunglasses and hoodies, but that didn't always work. Almost as soon as they sat down, a girl came around, giggling and talking to Luke. He was tired, but managed a lopsided grin.

The girl turned to Calum and Annie. "You're not supposed to be a good boyfriend," she announced confused. "In all the interviews, you were all like 'get your own jacket' and saying the girl would make you food and crap. What's changed?"

It took Calum a second to translate what she was saying. He blinked. "I guess I've never fallen in love before."