Smile {James Bourne/McBusted Fanfiction}

Chapter 5 - Mistakes

Chapter 5

Mistakes

“Hey James!” Sierra said, smiling brightly at me as she opened the door, “Come on in!” She made her way into her bedroom and I followed her, sitting down on the piano stool at the same time as she did. We'd been writing together for a few weeks now, and I was beginning to consider her a very close friend.

“So, what're those amazing ideas you told me about yesterday?” I asked, frowning slightly when I thought about the cinema trip. Gabriela and I hadn't talked since our fight that afternoon, partially because as soon as I got home I had to get ready for the next concert, and partially because she refused to talk to me. After I was done writing with Sierra, I was going to try and patch things up with her.

“Ah, well I was thinking a breakup song!” she suggested, biting her lip.

“Why would you want to write a song about breaking up with someone when you're in a perfectly happy relationship? “

“If Taylor Swift can do it, why can't I?” she replied defensively, the smile falling from her face. I felt bad almost instantly, as she looked like she was about to cry.

“Did Geoff...?” I trailed off when she nodded

“Yeah... Oh God,” tears began to dribble down her face, “He said it's just a break, but I just can't believe it!”

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her tightly. She pressed her face into my shoulder, getting my t-shirt wet, but right then I didn't care. I knew how much she cared about him; it was evident in the songs we wrote together.

“He's a dick, Si,” I said softly. She made a noise that sounded like she disagreed.

“No, it's probably my fault, I'm so stupid...”

“Hey, no, no!” I pulled away from the hug, but still held onto her arms so she would listen, “You are not stupid Sierra. I haven't known you long but you are one of the sweetest, most genuine girls I've ever met, so don't you ever say that it's your fault because he couldn't see that.”

“Thanks James,” she gave me a small smile, “You're...just so amazing, you know that?”

“I try to be,” I smiled back gently. She sniffed, wiping her eyes with the side of her hand.

“Oh gosh, I ruined your t-shirt,” she said.

“I don't mind, it's not my favourite anyway,” I replied, “Now dry those eyes and let's sing something that'll cheer you up!”

“Even if it's incredibly cheesy?” she asked hopefully.

“Just this once...”

“Yay!” she grinned, picking up one of her sheet music books and flipping through it, “Ooh, this one! It's my favourite!” she put it down on the stand, and I groaned inwardly just at its title, which was 'Smile', but of course I didn't say anything out loud.

“I think you'll like it,” she said promisingly, before starting to play.

“You're better than the best,” she sung, “I'm lucky just to linger in your light.. Cooler than the flip-side of my pillow, that's right.”

She sung all the way to the end of the chorus, and when she beckoned me to sing the second verse, I couldn't help but do it.

“Even when you're gone, somehow you come along just like a flower poking through the pavement crack, and just like that, you steal away the rain, and just like that...”

She joined in with me on the chorus, and we sung the rest of the song together. By the end, I was grinning like mad. She was right, it wasn't that bad of a song.

“Oh you make me smile...” we both looked up just as we sung the last line, straight into each-other’s eyes. Hers were a little bloodshot and puffy from the crying, but were still warm and gentle, and with her hair pulled back, you could really see them clearly. I started noticing other things about her in those few seconds: how her hair looked good down but even better up, how her dimples were still slightly visible even when she wasn't smiling and how her hair-dye was fading at the roots but it still somehow suited her. Instinctively, I began to lean in, and I swore she did too, but we were interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

“Uh, well I'd better go get that,” Sierra said, snapping out of whatever trance she'd been in and standing up to leave the room.

“Yeah...” I murmured. What was I thinking? I had a girlfriend, who I loved a lot, and anyway, she'd only just broken up with her boyfriend. I could hear her talking to whoever it was at the door, but it was too quiet for me to make out what they were saying. Eventually, putting our little 'moment' down to momentary stupidity, I stood up and grabbed my jacket off of the chair I'd flung it onto as I entered the room, pulling it on.

“I think I'm gonna go,” I said, walking into her living room with my eyes downcast. When I looked up, I was incredibly shocked to see Sierra in what looked like a passionate make-out session with... Geoff? They broke apart almost as soon as they heard my voice.

“Oh, yeah, see you James,” Sierra replied absent-mindedly, arms still around the guy who I thought was her ex.

“I thought you two broke up?” I couldn't help saying.

“I realised I made a stupid mistake in dumping her, so we're back together now,” Geoff said happily. I frowned slightly, wondering why Sierra would be so quick to forgive after only ten minutes ago she was in tears over their breakup, but I decided not to press the issue. Instead, I just gave a slight nod before walking out the door. I had to focus on apologizing to Gabriela for our fight, rather than worrying about somebody else's relationship, however strange it was.

*

SONG OF THE CHAPTER: Smile by Uncle Kracker