I Don't Need To Be Saved; Nathan Sykes & Taylor Momsen Fanfiction

5: Thorns

Although I had been nervous for our first show, we had managed to plow through it heroically… Even when people started booing us.

“Thanks, everyone!  You’ve been really great!”  I’m a dirty liar.

I smiled at The Veronicas as they moved to replace us and took a spot side stage so I could watch them.  I was in a surprisingly good mood, so I didn’t bother bitching out whoever started talking to me.

“You’re really good; I can tell you love what you do.”

“Yeah, I do.  Even when people fail you, music never will.  I think that’s how some people feel about pets.”

“So you expect people to let you down?”

“Right again.  I’m not a very big fan of the human race.  We’re selfish, careless, and unreliable.”

“There are a lot of people in the world like that, but not everyone’s all that bad you know.”

I turned to look at my companion and almost jumped out of my skin when I discovered it was Nathan.

“I have to go…”

I didn’t want to miss seeing The Veronicas perform, but I needed to get out of there.  What was I doing talking to a guy in a boy band?  He represented one of the many things I hated in the world.

* * * * *

I had hidden in the bathroom for a long span of time, and emerged only when the musty scent started to make my head ache.  Before I had a chance to get very far, someone grabbed my wrist and was pulling me side stage.

“I know you probably don’t want to, but come watch The Wanted with me.”  Jamie loosened his grip when he realized I was following him. 

“Ew, why?”

“So you’re not depressed and bored and thinking of ways to be a bitch.”

I rolled my eyes, but I don’t think he saw.  I stared at the stage, watching the five boys move across its surface.  For some reason, I found myself fixating on Nathan.  I hated to admit it, but he wasn’t a bad performer.  He knew how to work the crowd and every move he made seemed effortless, like he belonged up there.  I didn’t even know how long I had been standing there, but it seemed like they had finished off the show.  When Nathan passed by me, he was smiling in my direction.  Shit, it’s like he knows what I’m thinking.

* * * * *

The first thing I did when I got on the bus was stretch out on the couch.  Today had been a big day, and I was completely exhausted.

“Scoot over, Tay."

I made some room for Mark and he passed me a controller.

“Halo?”

I nodded back in agreement.

We were choosing teams, and it was then that I realized he was setting the game up for four people, not two.  Before I could say anything, I felt someone sit next to me.

“Sorry we’re late.” Nathan.

We were sitting so close our knees were touching, and I had to move over because it made me feel nervous.  This was going to be a long game.

Three hours later, when the boys had left, I smacked Mark several times on the arm.

“Ow, what the Hell?!”

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”  He looked genuinely confused.

“Waste the last three hours of my life with them?”  I spit out the last word.

His face darkened.  “You seemed perfectly fine talking to them.” He was mocking me.

“I was being fake, obviously.  Just because I don’t like them doesn’t mean I have to start shit.”

“You could’ve just not played, you know.”

At this, I was at a loss for words.  He was right.

He shook his head at me.   “Get some sleep, Tay.  You’ll need it so you have the energy to be a raging bitch tomorrow.”