American Love Affair (5 Seconds of Summer fan fiction)

Chapter 28

                                                        Chapter 28

                                                        (Calum’s POV)

        “Lee, tell the fans how good a nurse I’ve been.”  I say to her, looking into my phone’s camera. 

        The bus surges forward, and I grab onto the bunk bed to stabilize myself.  Apparently, the road to Madrid is a bumpy one. 

        “No, Calum.  Don’t come near me.  Turn the phone off.”  Lee sneezes and cuddles farther in her blanket. 

        She reaches around a mug and takes another long sip of tea.  The band is playing video games, and Lee has isolated herself at the dining table, so as not to infect anyone. 

        I turn the camera away from Lee, who has pulled the blanket over herself like a hood to cover her face. 

        “No, Cal.  My nose is red and my nose is running.  I feel, and look, like crap.” 

        “You look beautiful still.  Just in a…ill kind of way.  I’ve been a really great boyfriend guys.”  I say to the Keek.  “I’ve been making her tea, reluctantly giving her cuddles, and I learned how to cook soup.”

        “Calum.  You didn’t make soup.  You just put a can in the microwave.”  She laughs, but that turns into a throaty cough. 

        “That counts…Okay guys.  Lee’s not talkative, so…I’m too lazy to walk and get the boys.  So…bye.  Keek you later.” 

        I end the Keek and shove my phone into the pocket of my black jeans.  Ashton yells and something falls onto the ground.  Michael curses.  I take a seat across from Lee, and she uncovers herself.  I lean my head on my hands on the table and look up at her.

        “Stop looking at me like that.  Go have fun with the boys.   I’ll be oka…” She sneezes and blows aggressively into a tissue.

        “You’re obviously not okay.  You’ve been sick for like, five days.”  I stand up and get Lee another mug of tea, green tea, her favorite.

        “Could you add a little…”

        “Yes, I will add the honey,” I tell her, watching the swirl of honey sink to the bottom.

        “Thank you.”  She smiles, taking the mug from me, and breathes in the steam through her nose.

        I lean back at the table, getting comfortable and pull out my phone.  I scroll through Twitter, then start playing 2048.  I hear Michael teasing Luke over his lack of skill in Mario Cart.

        “Lee, are you feeling any better?”  Ashton, takes a seat beside her at the table, far enough away so he will not get sick.

        “No, she admits, blowing her nose lightly into a tissue.  “I mean, kind of…”

        “I know Calum is definitely not taking your illness well.”  Ashton teases.  “He was making kissing noises for the past few nights and he hasn’t been able to fall asleep.  He’s always rolling around and mumbling your name…”

        “Thank you, Ashton…” I pinch his shoulder and smile at Lee.

         Ashton wriggles away from my grasp and stands up. 

        “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone…Michael!  Don’t you dare press play without me!”  He grabs a bag of chips from the pantry and rushes back.

        I slide back into the bus chair beside Lee, who turns away to blow her nose, and tucks it into the small plastic bag where she has kept the rest of her used Kleenex.  I wrap my hand around her shoulder, and she buries her head into my sweatshirt.  I rub her back in what I hope is a soothing and not condescending manner. 

        “Thank you.”  She whispers, and I hear her breathing become more even through her mouth. 

        My eyes wander out the window as the scenery rolls past, cars driving fast along the highway; grassy hills blanketed in a thin layer of snow.  I turn on my phone and play some light tunes, aka Panic! At the Disco, which I find to be a lot less loud than Blink 182 and All Time Low.  Lee shifts, gripping my sweatshirt and she sniffles.  I wonder what she is dreaming about.

        “Hey, Calum…How much longe…Oh, she’s sleeping…” Michael pulls his phone out of his pocket and takes a picture.  “For Twitter.” 

        I smile, pulling Lee closer to me. 

        “So how long until we’re there?”  Michael whines.

        “Mikey, I have no idea.” 

        “You are more useless than Luke.” 

        “I heard that!”

        “You two are so cute.  Ugh…when am I going to get a girlfriend?”  Michael moans.  “I mean.  I need cuddles and kisses and sex…lots of sex.  Soft sex rough sex.  Bed sex desk sex...”

        My eyes stray to the window, but I try to stay alert while Michael unloads some of his issues and R rated song lyrics, onto me.  The bus pulls into the venue and I nudge Lee awake. 

        “What’s going on?”  She mumbles, still partly asleep. 

        “Lee, we’re here.  You don’t have to come in though.  We can get you a taxi to get you to the hotel a little early.” 

        She nods, her hair tickling my neck.  I plant a kiss on her forehead and slide her off of me.  She grips my sweatshirt, but I have to untangle her fingers.  I grab my bass and an amp from the back of the bus.  The screams of fans are loud and shrill even though they are around the block.  I breathe in the crisp air and follow the others inside the venue.  I see Mrs. Hemmings and ask her if she will get a cab for Lee. 

        “Of course, she really needs some rest, tea, some TLC.  You are so caring Calum.  Luke…why aren’t you as caring as Calum?  You are such a gentleman, you’re mother should be very proud of you.” 

        I smile and Luke throws his arm lazily around my shoulder.  I lug my bass and the amp into the venue and immediately the venue managers begin swarming us. 

        “You boys are on in twenty, we have to do a quick sound check before the seats fill with fans…please help yourself to some snacks, water, anything you life…”

        I take a breath, feeling a bit overwhelmed and stand still while I get my mic taped on.  We walk into the arena for a sound check which goes by quickly.  The fans fill the stadium and we perform.