Night shift - Completed

Chapter 55

Poppy's PoV

Without hesitation, I headed straight to the dressing room and knocked, slowly opening the door as I stuck my head round. Everyone's faces were glum, the tension in the room was so thick I could have cut it with a knife. Where was all the banter that usually kept this band going?

"Hey guys." I voiced, bringing everyone's attention to me. Each of them let out a smile as they saw me so I headed in, taking a seat on the only spare space in the room, next to Ashton and Bex on a small sofa. "How are you feeling Michael?" I tried to keep the conversation flowing, hoping to get rid of the tense atmosphere and replace it with the happiness there was before.

"Sore." He said quickly, receiving an unimpressed glare from Crystal.

"The doctor gave him stitches but said there would be no lasting damage and the scar was most likely going to heal well and not be visible." Crystal finished the sentence for me with a smile, hoping it would cover for Michael's bad attitude towards my question.

"That's great news." I grinned back, nodding at the couple. I could see Bex on her phone beside me, typing away furiously as the room fell silent once more. She finished her message and put the phone back in her pocket, seconds later mine vibrated in mine. I pulled it out to see a message from her.

From: Bex
Don't get upset. They've just had a massive argument about safety and fans and stuff. Nothing to do with you but they're all a little on edge. I think they're just shook up that something like that happened.

I caught her eye as I put my phone back in my pocket, joining in the tense silence in the room and feeling nothing short of awkwardness as I did so. After everything that had happened, were they not going to ask about Jack? Was this argument really necessary? My eyes scanned the room as I noted everyone looking down at their phone or staring off and decided there was no point in me staying in here. I got to my feet quickly.

"I'm going to get a drink. Does anyone want anything?" When silence greeted me, I just shook my head and left the room, leaving the bad feelings behind me. I headed down to the cafe again and sat at the same table as I had done before with the girls. I perused the menu, deciding I deserved a muffin as well as a coffee for all my hard work today. Once I ordered, I went back to my chair and slumped down, rereading the menu just to pass the time.

"Hey." A voice said from behind me and I turned to see Ashton, of all people, standing there looking sheepish.

"Hey Ash." I said as I patted the chair to the left of me on the table. "You okay?" He too slumped down into the chair and ran his fingers through his hair as he let out a sigh.

"Sorry you had to witness that. Normally we're all so cheery but that whole thing just hit too close to home." He began to explain, regret in his tone.

"Ash it's fine. I get it. I'm used to stressful situations and injuries but you guys aren't. You've been a band for years, touring all sorts of places and it's very rare for something to go wrong. Especially when people you love are getting injured." I added my thoughts and he let out a small smile. He laughed slightly as he shook his head.

"It's amazing that you always understand what to say and what I meant by something." He said softly, which caught me off guard. I smiled sweetly back and shrugged. It was just who I was, always putting myself in peoples shoes and thinking of how I'd like to be treated. That way I always gave the best care that I could. "Thank you for saving me as well." He added in quickly, his gaze now to the table as he thought over what happened and what could have happened. I put a hand on his arm and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"I did what anyone else would have done. I was not going to watch that thing fall on anyone." I said determinedly, my eyebrows furrowing slightly as I thought back to the moment too. Why wasn't that secured well enough?

"Well I appreciate it nonetheless." He smiled as the waitress came over with my coffee and muffin. I thanked her as she placed it down with a smile and headed back to the counter. "Did you get blueberry?" He was looking down at my muffin with a grin on his face.

"Of course. Nothing beats it." I said confidently as he let out a small chuckle.

"Yet another thing we agree on." He said, his smiling face falling as he looked over to the waitress. I looked between him and the waitress a couple of times before I spoke up, making sure I'd got everything right in my head before I made any assumptions.

"You'll have to speak to her if you want one, you know." I said, nodding my head in her direction. He bit his lips together to withhold what he really wanted to say. "Are you and Bex-"

"Not yet." He answered before I'd finished the question, his head shaking. "We're just good friends. I don't think she sees me like that anyway." His gaze fell back to the waitress once more.

"So what's the problem?" I asked, confused. Once again I looked between the two of them and this time caught the waitress looking over at him too. I didn't want to be matchmaker, it had never worked out well for me in the past. Those relationships had always fallen flat and then I was dragged into the arguments that followed.

"I like Bex, but other girls keep catching my eye and I'm wondering why I'm even holding out for her when I don't think the feeling is mutual..." He let out a depressive sigh as he looked down at his hands that were clasped on the tabletop.

"You must be joking!" I blurted out, regretting it instantly. I slapped a hand over my mouth and looked sheepishly away from him. His head snapped up in my direction with a confused look on his face.

"Do you know something I don't?"

"No, but I know the signs. I've seen the way she looks at you, the way she smiles when your name is mentioned, the way she wants to impress you... It's a definite." I said, reminiscing on the short time I had spent with the girls. "But you can't tell her I told you." He shook his head as he smiled.

"I won't, but I may try and be a little more confident with her next time we are together..." he said with a shy smile as I finally began tucking into my muffin and coffee.