2017↠l.h

epilogue

"so why did you cut your hair and took your lip ring off? was it obligatory in this ninja school?" alicia asked as she held a glass of an expensive champaigne.

we were at my mother's house at the small comeback party she was planning for so long. as promised, alicia was here. i had frankly missed this strange bubbly girl who helped me find my friends and family a week ago, but i was annoyed at her questions as well.

"for the last time, it was not a ninja school alicia, it was a taoist temple. and no, it was my choice to change all that." i scolded her for making fun of the temple.

"even your clothes?"

"well, i couldn't actually practise in skinny jeans, so..." i wanted to laugh at how she looked at me with those big eyes of hers, full of curiosity.

"oh yeah, right" she thought thoroughly while she took a seat on the couch. i sat on the armrest, right next to her. i couldn't leave her alone when i was the only person she knew. honestly, as much as she bothered me with her questions, i couldn't help but be attracted to her. she was out of the ordinary, she wasn't flawless. no, not at all. she was herself though and that's what made me like her.

"anyway, what are you thinking about 5 seconds of summer? are you going to be officially a band again?" she asked again. i swear this girl is always full of questions.

"we're not sure yet." i answered shrugging. it was too early for me to think about my band; i had just returned from a three-year long journey.

"i think you owe it to your fans. one gig, even if it's the last one" she tried to rationalise and she was completely right.

+

"mikey where are my jeans?" i screamed while i was running in my underwear through the narrow hallways of the arena's backstage. the management and the security that walked around checking everything for the gig were trying not to look at me running half naked here and there.

"how am i supposed to know luke. go get another pair. you brought five." he answered me and looked at me through the mirror, because he was getting his hair done for the show.

"but these are my favorite." i complained and stomped back to the dressing room.

"cal, have you seen my jeans?" i asked cal who was strangely -that was totally sarcastic- on his phone.

"they must be under the pile of michael's clothes." he said indifferently.

a guy from the management came in the dressing room to warn us that we were on in three minutes.

this felt like the first time i was going to perform and made me extremely nervous.

i found my favorite black jeans -we were dressed up in our signature outfits just for tonight- and proceeded to our old routine where all four of us gathered and acted stupid so we weren't anxious about the show.

"hello everybody!" ashton greeted as we took our usual places, him on the drums, me in the middle while mikey was at my right and cal at my left.

the fans cheered loudly, some of them were already sobbing as far as i could see.

"luke is back and we're here again." calum spoke and smiled at me.

"5 seconds of summer together again yay!" michael cheered and he sounded more like a fan than a band member.

"well, we're 5 seconds of summer and i personally want to thank you guys for never losing your faith on me. this gig is dedicated to you." i yelled through my mic overly enthusiastic as i saw everyone cheering and shouting sweet words at me.

i don't even mind that i was kidnapped back then or that i decided to spend my time in this taoist temple hidden in the woods, that's how things were supposed to happen.

at this moment, in 2017, in this arena full of our fans with my mates next to me, i couldn't be happier.

+++

ahh i want to cry. it's already over.

it was so much fun writing this short story! thank you all for reading 2017 you're fucking incredible

if you want you can check out my calum short story called 'on the run'

credits for the idea go to @ankleboots again -the girl has perfect ideas omg-

bye loves xxx