Deal With It - Sidemen Fanfiction

Chapter 8 - Chipped Paint

"I just can't Si!"

"That's not an answer. Something has happened and I need to know what."

"What if you hate me for telling you?"

"I couldn't."

Earlier that afternoon...

The attic had become our safe place. I had kept myself awake until three o'clock in the morning in order to quietly move beanbags and torches upstairs without JJ spotting me and we had since been spending our free time reunited as the six Sidemen once again. For the first time in weeks I could close my eyes and feel surrounded by warmth and safety, my friends' laughs reverberating off of the sloping ceilings. That's why it was so hard for me to leave with the lie hanging in the air.

"I'm going to go out," I broke in between the jokes and laughing. A couple of the guys, especially Vikk looked around worriedly. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the younger boy; we all knew how much it hurt for him to see JJ infect our home with fear, perhaps getting to him more than it had got to Simon, despite the two boys' history together. Ignoring the doubt seeping into their expressions, most nodded and turned back to an intense game of Jenga, admittedly not the best game to play when you are trying to avoid detection.

As usual, my blonde haired, slightly taller shadow ducked out of the narrow doorway after me, his skin brushing mine like flint on steel, creating a glowing spark. I bit my lip anxiously but turned to face him nonetheless. The concern in his eyes continued to trouble me; I felt guilty that he spent more time looking after me than himself.

"Are you alright?" I murmured, edging closer to his slightly shivering body. He held my elbows in his hands and looked down on my face with a light smile.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," he grinned sheepishly, "Are you sure it's a good idea to piss off Jide when he's in this mood?" I thought back to the shouting we had endured all morning, subsequently leading to our quick evacuation to the attic. Safe to say, he was in a foul mood.

"I just want to go to the shops," I promised him falsely, "I don't want to take food up here from the kitchen or he's sure to notice."

"You think he doesn't realise we all run off somewhere together?" Simon replied, gesturing at the door where soft sounds of talking could be heard. I shrugged helplessly and leant in a little closer.

"Look after them whilst I'm gone," I whispered in his ear. He cupped my face with both hands and gently pressed his forehead against my own.

"I will Joshy," his breath heated up my face and then he was gone and the coldness returned. He turned back to the attic door and bent his neck to stoop beneath the low doorway. I watched him go regretfully but kept to my plan.

It's for the best that he doesn't know.

Downstairs, I was pulling a battered pair of trainers on when JJ approached from the living room. I knew this would be the hard part. It didn't help that he already had a threatening look on his face and shot me an accusing gaze.

"Where do you think you're going?" he growled under his breath. I could smell a tinge of alcohol on his breath as he moved close to my face. I took a slight step back, not too submissively and locked eyes with him.

"Out," I replied casually, "To the shops." He laughed loudly, emotionlessly and then smirked, trailing his eyes up the staircase, indicating the direction of the attic.

"Do you think I don't know where you're all hiding? If you don't tell me the truth right now I will go up there myself and burn your little security blanket." I mulled over my options thoughtfully and stuck to the lie for a little while longer.