Collaboration || Dan Smith

Fifteen.

𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮
- 𝗔𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲

~ October 31st 2018 ~
Tour: New York

   Everyone is rushing around backstage. Majority of the crew are setting things up - the other half are overwhelmed that some of their movie hero's are only meters away from the stage. Me and Maisie on the other hand stand by the side in silence.

   Once upon a time we'd be talking and fangirling over a show like this. It's New York Spooktacular! This is a huge fucking deal. Or we'd be warming up our vocals but there's an uncomfortable silence.

   "I think I'm going to throw up again." Whatever Maisie has got...is pretty bad.

   I know it's really fucked up thinking about this...but honestly one of these days she's going to drop down dead. I don't understand why she doesn't go to the doctors again. A couple of weeks ago when she went...someone must've been said because she's been acting differently. Not only around me - but around literally every single person.

"Hold it in." I mumble under my breath as coop gives Maisie her metallic pink microphone and my normal black one. "Cheers." I bluntly say as he then disappears after Tom, the videographer, trips up on a wire. Twat.

In total boredom I nod my head along to the music we requested to be played before our set. I'm not a big fan of Justin Timberlake kind of guy but 'Say Something' Just has the best meaning. I feel like the entire 21st century can relate to it.

"Can I...speak to you about something." Maisie asks with her arms tightly folded. I mean...I wasn't expecting her to say that. Lately she's been quiet - even when she hangs around me. "Of course." I smile...just glad we're suddenly commutating. "What a up?" I ask sticking one of my hands in my tracksuit bottoms while the other tightly holds the mic.

I can see tears fill up her eyes. She tries to stop herself by weakly smiling. "Aw Maze-" she cuts me off.

"I'm pregnant."

Oh...fuck...no. No fucking way. I shake my head in denial as she nods hers. I can't say anything...my body feels stuck. I can't be a father. I can barely look after myself let alone a fucking child. She must have done the test wrong? Maybe if she holds it in a certain position or something.

"I've been thinking what I want to do with my life...and I'm doing it. I'm going to move to Italy - I'm going to have a family of my own. I'm going to give this life up - I'm covered for money wise." Fucking hell.

Before she can say anything else Dick ushers both of us to the stage. Since this event is being live-streamed we have a tight schedule. Because Flowerbed is the biggest song at the moment, we're the ending it. I close my eyes for two seconds and try to forget about it - but I don't. Of course I cannot forget about this.

Me - her - and the rest of the band walk on stage. Fake smiles all around, except for me and Maisie who don't bother being fake for the first time ever. We wave at the crowd while the band begins to play the song.

Minutes singing with Maisie is a bit of a drag - especially in our situation. But as the song reaches it's climax Maze gets...really close to me. I can hear it in her voice that she wants to cry. Tears swell up in her pretty blues, I shake my head slightly. She can't break down - not on stage.

Some of us want to keep our fucking jobs unlike her.

Just when Maisie and I sing our last line she then stands up on her tiptoes and...fucking kisses me. Of course I hate the kiss. For starters I have showing romance in public. Secondly - she's pregnant - and she is obviously going to fucking leave me. The crowd cheer while the female host of the Spooktacular ends the show.

   I on the other hand pull back after the cameras get taken off us and Maze quickly walks off of the stage wiping her tears away. I look at the rest of the band members as they  all look at me in confusion. I shake my head and walk off stage quickly following Maisie to her private dressing room.

   This is not going to go well.