Fixing Us || l.h

Chapter Thirteen**

Today Show Performance Linked Above^

I walk over to the group after performing Never Forget You, grinning wildly. "Absolutely phenomenal, and you haven't even been in the industry a year yet, how does it feel to have one of your first songs land, not only on the top 100 but the top 3 of the top 100?" Hoda asks, smiling over at me.

"Unreal, after going on tour with my brother last year, I truly could see myself doing something in this business, but I always thought it would be behind the scenes, writing, that sort of thing. I've been writing with my brother for years now, I've got credit on a few of his albums now, but to have something that is my own for the most part, it's incredible." I say, looking between Hoda and the camera. Luke grabs my hand next to me, giving it a squeeze. "And now you'll be going on tour with all these boys?" Jenna laughs, turning to my band, the boys of 5 Seconds of Summer and One Direction. 

I laugh in response, never fully realizing I was the only girl. "Someone's gotta keep them in line," I say as everyone laughs. "No, but I'm eternally grateful for everyone, especially the boys of One Direction, they took a chance letting a newbie open for them, and it is the best opportunity I could ever ask for." Harry nods at me, smiling. 

"So what are the plans for the next few days? Your tour starts in just a week." Hoda says. "Tour rehearsals daily, Miss Dylan has a huge performance on New Year's Eve here, so we will be rehearsing here before flying back to LA to kick off the tour," Louis says, glancing between everyone who nods. 

"Is everyone excited?" Jenna asks. "Dylan hit her annoying phase about a week ago, she did this before we went to Europe on the last tour, just very excited to see the world and do new things," Luke announces, laughing. "My band and I are mapping out things to do for some of the stops to either sightsee, try the food the city is known for, or do something fun to get us out of just eat, sleep, rehearse, perform, repeat. It's our first tour and with just being the opener, we still have the opportunity to be able to do that, so we are going to take it now while we can before we get too big to need security with us 24/7." I say, glancing over at my band who nods enthusiastically. 

"We're excited to perform new songs and bring back some fan favorites that we haven't performed in a while," Liam says, the boys of One Direction laughing. "And we can't wait to hear the new songs, thank you so much, all of you, for joining us today and we wish you luck on the tour ahead!" We all say goodbye, walking backstage as they go to commercial. 

I slump, leaning against Luke. "How bad did I sound?" I ask, taking the tissues from him and blowing my nose. Of course, I would catch a cold right before two huge performances to kick off my career.

"A little nasally at some parts but nothing super noticeable to an untrained ear." He assures me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "I just want to sleep," I mumble, stopping in my dressing room to grab my things. I put my coat on, not ready for the cold New York winter after being in LA for the last year.

Luke puts on his coat as well and we head out to the waiting car taking us back to my place rather than the hotel like everyone else. Blake asked me to start going through my room so we can sell the apartment while I was here this week.

"How about we take a nap, then start going through everything?" Luke offers as he opens the car door for me. I nod, getting in the back seat. The driver takes us to my old apartment and Luke and I get out, the doorman holding the apartment door open for me. "Welcome back, Miss Ryan." "Dylan," I tell him for the umpteenth time, I never liked being called Miss Ryan since I was a kid. He chuckles, closing the door behind us. "Has my mom been back recently?" I ask, making sure the information Blake got was accurate. "Haven't seen her since you all left over a year ago." I nod, letting out a sigh of relief. I could not face her right now. 

"Have a good day, Miss Ryan." He says as we go up the elevator, making me shake my head. I'm convinced he's now doing it to get on my nerves.

I let us into the apartment, everything slightly dusty. Mom or Dad must have canceled the cleaning service they had hired. Or they just stopped coming since we haven't been back in so long. I go up to my room and collapse on my bed. I did not have any cleaning or organizing in me in the slightest.

Luke lays next to me, rubbing my back. "Do you need anything?" I shake my head, sitting up. I would not sleep if I don't change out of my dress. I go into my closet and change into shorts and a sweatshirt, then pull the covers back on my bed and curl up, Luke chuckling. "My brother's room is down the hall, he should have some clothes you can wear," I tell Luke, grabbing a tissue from my bedside table. My sinuses were wreaking havoc on my head right now and it was starting to make me dizzy. 

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" He asks, standing in the doorway. "I'm maxed on meds, I literally can't take anything." I shrug. He leaves and comes back in basketball shorts and an old tee of my brothers, climbing into the bed next to me. I curl up into him, using his body heat to warm me up.

---

I toss Luke a shirt, biting my lip when it landed on his head. "Sorry," I bite back a laugh, turning to the next shirt in my pile, an old high school shirt. I toss it to Luke as well, another trash bag full of old clothes.

"Is it bad that I don't even remember half of these?" I ask, looking at the next one, not a single memory coming from it. He laughs, shaking his head. "I think tee shirts are like the missing socks in the dryer, if you lose it, some random person ends up with it wondering where it came from." He says, taking it from me. I nod, looking at the next one. One of my brother's first attempts at merch. It sucked but I loved it. This would be going to the grave with me.

I put it in the keep pile, picking up the last shirt. This was my ex's. I give it to Luke for the donate pile and he looks at it. "This is huge." He says, holding it up and looking between the shirt and me. "It was my ex's. He never asked for it back and I have no interest in contacting him to give it back." I shrug. Luke nods, knowing not to ask right now.

We grab the next pile of clothes to go through, amazing me. We've been going through clothes for at least an hour, and the fact that I have almost this much at the LA house is concerning. Who needs this many clothes? I should have gone through the clothes at the LA house too, I'm sure there's a ton I don't wear there too.

"It's official. I have too many clothes." I groan, picking up the skirt. This looked like it was from middle school, not even in style anymore. I toss it to Luke, shaking my head.