untitled

Close As Strangers

Sheldon

The show was....I'll be honest it was a shit show. The actual concert was fine, Lennon had a nervous breakdown but was fine, the guys played really obvious songs that they always play. It was back to usual.

The actual venue situation was the shit show. They didn't release tickets to be bought online, you had to actually go to the venue and buy them before going inside like in the old days. Which worked fine when the internet didn't exist.

There were fist fights, some girls were nearly trampled. All the while I just sat on the stage while everyone raced around to get the venue ready. Lennon said she wanted to go out and talk to the fans but none of us wanted to tell her that no one out there would be there for her. So instead Daisy told her that the crowd was too big.

"It's dangerous." She said making Lennon groan.

"Daisy I swear to God you're on thin fucking ice with me." Lennon snapped at her. I frowned. Lennon was usually cool and collected but she was being a bit of a brat at the moment. She stormed off stage, meanwhile I was joined by Ashton.

"Hello, love." He smiled. Things felt back to normal between us. It was a bummer that the tour was nearly over. "I was thinking." He put an arm around me playfully, "what are you doing next year from February all the way to November?" I knew what he was getting at. I faked deep thought .

"I actually think I'm touring with this weird fucking band. I'm not sure though because they haven't called me yet." I shook my head like I was ashamed. Ashton punched my arm and smiled.

"Good. I was worried you would say no after how fuckin weird this tour was for all of us." He sighed and moved his arm from around me. I agreed gently.

"Who'd'a thought you'd get a girlfriend and I'd start seeing my ex again, and neither of them are the same people." I shrugged and smiled. "I don't know if I told you this but I hope you and Len are happy." I'm not sure why I said it but I knew I meant it.

"Thanks. I'm not sure if we are anything yet but." He shrugged and kissed the top of my head, "I appreciate the gesture." I frowned.

"Wait why don't you know what you are yet?" I asked, "Are you guys just fucking then?" Ashton smiled like it was funny, "No! For real. You guys need to talk before one or both of you get hurt." I put a hand on his leg and tried to turn on the super concerned eyes.

"That's rich coming from the person literally planning to go fuck one of her ex's before going home to her boyfriend." He frowned at me, "And I know that that probably hurt your feelings but someone had to say it. I know he wouldn't be happy about that." I frowned.

"You know Ashton, you don't know why I haven't broken up with William, or even if I haven't broken up with him. You say a lot for not knowing the situations." I shook my head, "Your situation is completely different. Neither of you are dating anyone else and you're clearly interested in some way." I said. Ashton made a face at me and sighed.

"Fine. I'll talk to her, but you have to talk to him." He wasn't specific who him was but I agreed. I did need to talk to both of them. He got up to, I assume, talk to Lennon and I got up to make sure I was set up for the night.

After many noisy, busy, irritating hours of an understaffed group of people setting up a stage that was nearly an arena we were ready to get going. The doors opened and it was a madhouse. Even though this was a significantly bigger venue there was still mainly pit. The only seats were balcony seats and they were fulling up too. I did the last minute touch-ups on the guys and Lennon and I let them go.

The lineup had shifted a little bit. Instead of either act being solo they combined their sets and played mostly 5SOS songs. As the night progressed I noticed Lennon getting less and less excited to play not her music. I could tell there would be a fight after the show if anyone even looked at her wrong.

Knowing I had to go back to that shitty hotel and knowing I had to talk to one or both of the men currently in my life was enough to put me in the same mood as Lennon. Poor Daniel just wanted to talk to one of us but neither of us would listen.

"I have tea." He said while he was getting into bed the night after the show. I turned to him and rubbed my face.

"I'm so sorry but I don't have the mental capacity to hear this, even though I'm sure it's great news. I currently have to figure out how to get the guy I'm sleeping with to define our relationship, and I need to figure out how to get my soon to be Ex to give me all my stuff back." I said it a little snappier than I meant to. He frowned at me and rolled over.

"Fair enough I guess." He said before putting in his headphones. If I could have, I would've felt worse for making Daniel upset with me. I just put on my jacket and stepped out of the room. I walked down to the ground floor and I stepped out to the patio. It wasn't much but I knew it had a picnic table and some cushions. There wasn't any light but knowing I had to deal with my phone I didn't really care.

I lit up a cigarette and sighed as my phone dialed William's number. He answered right before I was sent to voicemail.

"Hey. Feels like we haven't talked in like a year. What's up?" I asked in a small voice like some part of me was afraid to wake up the house even though it was the most sound proofed building.

"A lot. Actually." He said quietly.

"What's happened?" I asked even though I had a sneaking suspicion it's got something to do with who I've been seen with.

"Don't ask me what's happened. I should be asking you." He was being vague on purpose. I didn't even know if he had anything.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean." I had barely gotten those words out before he started talking again.

"You were out with some dude. Holding hands, kissing in an airport. Where are you Shel?" He sounded mildly concerned for me.

"I'm in Adelaide, like I said I would be." I frowned. He was on to me and I knew I had to be honest with him, "Listen, William-"

"Sheldon who is he and did you fuck him." He asked point blank.

"Harry Styles, he's a musician I've known since before I was me." I said quietly, "and yes." I added on, "that's why I called you actually." I sighed. This wasn't fun.

"To tell me you cheated on me?" He asked, "To tell me you've been unfaithful with some random musician? I said you couldn't fuck Ashton I didn't know I had to specify about other people too." He sounded like a toddler. He kept talking and being mean to me so I decided to interrupt him.

"William I'm calling you to break up with you." I decided not to feel hurt from his words. I should've broken up with him before I left. "The only thing I have to apologize for is dragging you along. I'm cutting the dead weight. You can take my stuff to the Salon. One of the girls will take care of it from there." I heard him scoff.

"So what? You're not coming home?" He sounded like he might cry.

"I'm not. I'm staying with Harry for a bit and then we'll see where that drops me. It won't be to your doorstep, that's for sure." I said. He paused for a minute before reaching the absolute pinnacle of douchery.

"I'm glad I cheated on you while you were gone." And then he hung up. I sighed and lit another cigarette.

One down one to go.