~Michael's POV~
"Do I have to watch it?" I whined.
"Yes!" Ashton yelled. "I know you don't want to, but you need to see what she looks like!"
"I know what she looks like," I sighed.
"No," Ashton shook his head, "you need to see her now-after everything."
I sat on the couch next to Ashton, fiddling with my hands. He opened up the laptop and pulled up the Twitcam. The screen read, "We'll be here soon!"
"CeCe told me they have announcements," he said, as if that would explain why he is forcing me to watch.
"Are you trying to torture me?"
"What?" Ashton goes wide-eyed. "Mate, why would I-"
"Because you know how much it hurts for me to even look at her," I muttered.
"Do you know how much it hurts her to look at herself?" he immediately spat back.
"You don't think I know that!" I yelled, standing up and he followed.
"Get over you and your pain for a fucking minute to see what's right in front of you!" Ashton screamed back. "It looks she is barely holding on anymore and you can't take your head out of your ass for a second to see that!"
I backed away from him, staring at the floor, "She looks like she isn't holding on?"
His eyes softened, "You're in for a shock."
Suddenly, the four girls popped up on the screen. We sat back down and began to watch their livestream.
"Wooo! Happy Birthday, Lost In The Echo!" they all yelled, wearing party hats and blowing little horns.
"1st b-day livestream!" Emily called.
The four girls sat on the couch, and I couldn't help but stare at Emma. The smile on her face was not the one I was used to seeing-proving it was fake.
"Hey guys!" Kaitlyn cheered. "We have a few, very important announcements later on," she creepily smirked at the camera, causing them all to laugh, "but first, a quick lay down of this broadcast."
CeCe began to speak, "First, the introduction. Then, announcement one. Then, surprise number one. After that, fan questions. Next, surprise number two, plus announcement number two and three."
"So," Emma smiled, "shall I get on with announcement one?"
Kaitlyn smiled at her, "You take it, Emma."
"Okay," Emma cheered. "We are going to release a new, unofficial EP called 'The Lost Echoes.' It's a collection of acoustic and sadder stuff we've written. We try to keep our image positive, but people have been asking for new stuff. Also, we have been criticized for not having meaningful tracks, so we decided to release this."
"When Emma said unofficial, she means we will not be advertising it heavily. You know, we will put it on the iTunes Store. It will be available in Oz/NZ on February 15th, UK/Europe on February 14th, and USA/Canada/Mexico February 17th," Kaitlyn put in.
"Plus, it'll be more like an album than an EP," CeCe started. "We're calling it an EP, but it has about like 10 songs. You've already heard some of the tracks, but most are new. We even have a collaboration with a person we really admire, so thank you guys for giving us this opportunity."
Emily blurted out next, with a smile on her face, "I get to read off the track listing! Okay, so Always Attract, I Surrender, a cover of Remembering Sunday, Sixteen, The Night I Drove Alone, When You See My Friends, I've Given Up On You, Love Your Friends Die Laughing, Clairvoyant, I Think You Were In My Profile Picture Once, Long Lost Friends, Therapy, a cover of Swing Life Away, Another Song About The Weekend, and Dreamcatcher."
"We are going to perform a few!" Emma cheered. "It will be Another Song About The Weekend, When You See My Friends, Clairvoyant, and Dreamcatcher."
The girls carried the laptop up to there music room and settled on the stools. They each held one of their beloved instruments with a smile.
"What do you think?" Ashton asked.
"She looks-"
"Broken," he finished.
My voice cracked, "Why won't she let me help her?"
"She feels like a burden, Michael," Ashton started. "Like she will never be good enough for anyone. You are happy. You escaped your demons. Emma can't-and she knows it."
"But they're back," my eyes watered. "I feel like shit again! She made me feel alive-like I wasn't the only fucked up kid!"
"You aren't a kid anymore, Michael," Ashton said. "You're an adult now. Emma is, too. You need to do what your heart tells you-not what your mind does. Don't you miss Toby?"
I chuckled as tears spilled over my eyes, "I do miss that little shit."
"What about Emma?"
My head hangs low and I let out a strangled sob. Each of my hands cover my eyes, catching the hot, angry tears. I resorted to screaming. My voice ripped through the air around us.
"She was why I was happy!"
"Am I not good enough?"
"Was I not good enough to make her happy?"
"Are the fans right?"
"They can't be! She's perfect!"
"I fucking love her!" my hand flew into Ashton's living room wall. "I love her and every fucking flaw she has!"
All of my movements stopped, and my head rested against the wall. I whispered as tears slipped down my cheeks, "I'm numb without her."
"Michael?" I spun around to Ashton. He held a phone. It was Emma.
"Emma?" I plead. "Emma, please."
"Michael," she sobbed. "I need you."
"It's okay," I mutter, fumbling to get my shoes on. "I'll be there. It's okay."
I glance at the computer screen. The three girls sat, talking about the new EP. They had finished performing.
"Michael," Emma sobbed from the other end. "I was wrong."
"It's okay," I mumble once again. "It's all okay, Emma. Listen, I'm coming over now."
"But Michael," she sobbed, "it's not okay."
"Emma," my voice cracked. "Emma, I'll be right there."
I sprinted out of Ashton's house. The Australian weather was sweltering, but I ignored it. Emma's house was only two minutes from Ashton's. If I sprinted, I could get there much quicker. I cut through backyards, and sprinted through alleyways. My legs burned from sprinting, but I launched myself up the front stairs.
"Michael!" Emma sobbed from the doorway.
She took one leap and fell into my embrace. My arms wrapped around her waist, and my chin came down upon the crown of her head. The tears that had subsided came rushing back.
"I'm sorry!" Emma cried out loudly.
Her hands went under my shirt and gripped my back. I squeezed her entire body, as if I let go-she was going to float away.
"No," I sobbed, "don't be sorry. It's okay. Everything is okay now."
"I tried not to-I really did!" she sobbed harder.
"I know, and it's okay. You were so strong," I whispered my arms pulling her to me tighter.
"I was wrong," she cried, inhaling shakily. "You were my happiness. It's you, Michael. It's you, and Toby, and the girls, and the guys, and the music. I need you."
"I know, babe," she cried harder at my use of the term.
She lifted her head from my chest. Tears dripped down her face, but I looked the same.
"Michael-" sobs racked her body and I stood with her in my arms.
"Emma," I quietly cried, "can we go back to when we were happy?"
She smiled and nodded her head against my chest, "I found my happiness."
YOU ARE READING
Stories In The Morning, But Legends Tonight| m.g.c
Fanfiction{Book 2} He was like a summer breeze; one minute he was there-the next, he was gone. He was like the autumn leaves; falling unexpectedly. He was like the winter freeze; feeling cold and lifeless, but still holding a flicker of warmth. He was like t...
