Odd Love || c.h. {a.u.}

Chapter Seven: Have I suffered?

Have you ever seen Central Park? If the answer is no, you're missing out. The sun was starting to go down by the time we got there. We'd stopped every few miles and taken pictures and looked around. I was pretty sure I now knew more about Brooklyn and Soho than I knew about London altogether. I was actually pretty shocked none of us got mugged looking the way we looked. Kind of expensive but more so like five kids badly in need of parental control. I tugged on the ends of the frills of my dress as we walked into central park. Michael took my hand and began skipping with me so I went along with it.

We ended up spinning in circles together heading towards this large black structure that I really couldn't see with the light in my eyes.

"Where are we going?" I asked him raising an eyebrow.

"Someplace you'll love." He said crouching down so I could get on his back.

I climbed on putting my arms around his neck as we walked toward the curtain toward the back of the structure. I could hear lots of people and music playing front in front of it but we were climbing stairs in the back of it already and I couldn't exactly tell what was going on. Michael reached the top and stood just behind the curtain. It was a stage. He walked through the first set of curtains and there was simply another in front of us.

"Hurry up!" He yelled down to the rest of the band.

They rolled their eyes at his sudden excitement and I bent down kissing him. I felt the warmth rise to his lips under my own and smiled. I could almost feel the tension in his shoulders but it was easy somehow. This was still new to us after all but still somewhat natural in a way.

"Is this gonna be like a new thing because I don't know whether to be disgusted or well, you know, disgusted." Holden said cringing.

I opened my eyes and stared at Michael for a moment before looking at Holden and laughing. He always hated being around me with other guys even if those other guys had only ever been Calum and Michael. It made him uncomfortable which weird-ed me out because these people were his best friends. Holden moved to the far side of the curtain and Christian took the opposite stance as Michael turned around and faced the curtain. Isaac stood behind us.

When the curtain first rose, Michael held his arms out basking in the light that was now facing us as I instinctively closed my eyes and hid behind him slightly (even though, I was still on his back) to hide from it. It wasn't until I heard an eruption of cheering that I realized what was going on. I kept my arms wrapped around Michael as I opened my eyes and he took a step forward. He put a finger in front of his lips leaning forward into the mic and shushing the crowd. They died down slowly. There were still murmurs, of course. I couldn't be surprised. The crowd was so big it filled half of central park.

That must've been why we weren't mobbed once today. This crowd was waiting for us. Michael smiled as he leaned into the mic.

"Welcome to the pop-up show. Glad to have you all here." He said in a low voice.

The crowd only responded with more cheering. I could see them from here. The ones in the front row. Their t-shirts and smiles. Then, I realized what this was.

A pop-up concert.

"So we don't have a set list." I heard Holden say.

I whipped my head around to look at him. He was now holding a bass that looked a lot like the one Calum used to have that I used to love. I bit my lip and realized they all had instruments except Michael and I. I'd been so caught in the crowd that instruments hadn't mattered.

"But we're gonna try our best to play what you wanna hear." Christian said smiling and striking a chord.

As the sound rung through the area, the crowd cheered more. I finally let go of Michael and he lowered me on the ground. He gave me a look to check if I was okay as I took his hand. I needed the support. Performing would make me feel better I knew but performing was also stressful. There were all these expectations. I bit my lip.