A Second Chance • A.F. {#wattys2018}

Chapter 20

Melody

Mikey and I arrived back at the boys flat after taking a quick uber from the hospital, since Rye, Brook and Jack had taken Rye's car back.

"For fuck sake !!! Is he fucking serious?!" We walked into the flat to hear Rye screaming and the other two sat on the bunk under Andy's bed looking pissed but remaining quiet.

"Whoa what's happened?" Mikey took the words right out of my mouth, I took a seat on the sofa while Mikey was stood near Rye.

"Blair just texted. He's staying out there for another month, last minute decision apparently" Mikey pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a massive sigh, I could tell he was pissed off too but he handled it differently to Rye.

Mikey remained calm while Rye wanted to break everything in the room but Mikey managed to calm him down.

We all sat in silence until the rumble of my stomach broke it and everyone glanced around the room before their eyes landed on me.

"Sorry, I haven't eaten since this morning" the boys laughed lightly and I swear that's the first time I've heard a genuine laugh all day and it made me laugh too. So now we're all sat laughing about nothing but it was worth it.

••••••••••

About 2 hours later we decided to order Chinese, pizza and get some food from maccies because we were all pretty hungry.

Everyone was smiling but on the inside we all knew that it wasn't the same because Andy was missing but deep down we all had hope that he could come home soon.

Rye and I never ended up talking about the time he was at my place but I felt like we needed to before Andy came home, because I knew that I was in love with Andy and I needed to make sure that Rye understood that.

"Rye can I please speak to you in the kitchen?" My voice was somewhat low and the other boys glanced around but Rye just nodded and made his way to the kitchen, I followed close behind.

Rye closed the door and stood near the sink with his arms crossed, he stared at the hole that Andy had put in the wall when they were fighting and I swear I saw him flinch slightly.

"You know I love you, the days you were at my place, the way you cared for me, it made me fall for you" he smiled lightly but his face quickly returned to an emotionless one.

"But everything that's happening, it's made me realise that it's Andy. It will always be Andy. Maybe we can come back to whatever we started in the distant future but for now I think we should be friends, and it pains me slightly to say that because you were so gentle with me" a single tear fell down my cheek and I hated myself for being so emotional at the minute.

Rye pulled me into a hug and rested his chin on my head, like he has done every other time. "Mel I completely understand, I hate seeing you so fragile, Andy's my brother and if you're choosing him then I'm going to be happy for you but know that if he ever hurts you then I'll be here for you, know that I'm a shoulder for you to cry on and we can talk to Andy about it when he's better, tell him that the friendship we have will be different to most and that he'll have to deal with it, but for now I completely understand. I love you and you know I always will"

I felt him smile which caused me to smile too, he pulled away from the hug and wiped my face with his thumbs and we both walked back into the band room smiling at the other three boys.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm absolutely shattered" Mikey said stretching his arms, everyone else nodded in agreement and we all made our way into our bed.