Wherever You Are | c.h. | Soulmate AU

3

I let out a gruff growl as the whiskey burns it's way down my throat.

"What do ya say boys? How 'bout another?" I ask looking over to my bandmates as they down their own shots. I place the shot glass down and replace it in my hand with the half glass of whiskey I'd been sipping before the shots had been suggested.

"Just one." Luke coughs. "I promised Si I wouldn't come home trashed or make her come and pick me up."

"Aw, mate. Come on! You that whipped by the girl? I haven't seen you lot in over a week. I wanna get drunk. I want to have fun. You all a bunch of lame asses now that you've all found your soul mates?" My words come out harsher than intended all thoughts of another round forgotten.

I roll my bottom lip into my mouth and await their reply. I hold nothing against the girls. They're dolls, all of them. I'm just jealous. I do this a lot. Neglect my emotions. Shove my real feelings down and stop myself from feeling anything all in the name of being the fun, cool guy I want to be perceived as.

"Fuck, Cal. I'm not whipped. I just fucking care about her and she's asked me to do this one thing. You just don't get it be—" Luke cuts himself off, his throat working obviously as my eyes darken. His hesitant blue eyes settle on my brown ones.

"No, say what you feel." I say, my hand clenching tightly around the glass in my hand as the anger mixes with the alcohol in my veins and my nostrils flare.

"I'm just saying you don't get it, mate. Someday you will." His words are softer now but they don't sting any less. I hate that I'm the last one without my soulmate. Luke's the youngest, he should have been last. I'm bitter and I feel dejected, abandoned, and generally just left the fuck out.

I release an annoyed grunt as I brush past him, ignoring the calls from my friends as I head for the bar. I push past the wall of bodies. The place is absolutely fucking packed. Michael's set was well advertised and our fans and general bar goers alike seem to be out in full force.

My eyes dance across the crowd and I wonder if somewhere among them is the girl I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with. I find a spot at the bar and lean my elbows against the counter top my lips pursed as I wait for the bartender to get to me.

He's down at the other end and doesn't seem to be in any rush. Vainly, I wish this bar had a fucking VIP section or servers so I didn't have to wait for my drink. My hands shake slightly from the hurt and anger still working it's way through me from what Luke had said.

The worst part is I know he didn't really mean anything by it. I take everything to heart but I don't show it, I just prefer to hold everything inside and I guess that leads a lot of people to think I don't feel things as intensely, but that's simply not true.

"And for you?" A gruff voice asks and I snap up, my fingers scratching at the freshly shaved hairs on the top of my head.

"Whiskey. Neat." I respond, my voice coming out low and scratchy.

The man nods, his eyes raking over me dismissively before he set to work making my drink. I feel my brow knit together. If I wasn't already irritated by Luke's earlier words it wouldn't bother me that this fucking bartender is judging me but I'm already aggravated and his arrogant attitude is only stoking my fire.

I grab my drink with more force than necessary once he places it on the counter and throw the money for it at him before spinning and stalking towards the rooftop access.

Fuck I need some air.

I throw open the metal door to the balcony area, my hand already digging in my back pocket for my cigarettes.

I've been trying to quit, really I have, but nights like tonight I just, I need the damn nicotine.

I place the cigarette between my lips and flick my lighter and raise it in a cupped hand to catch the end of it. I inhale deeply and savor the way that as the smoke fills my lungs my anger seems to dissipate.

I'm alone up here on the rooftop and I can't say I mind it. I like being alone with my thoughts like this, it's quiet, a nice contrast to my usual reality when I'm in a crowd of people.

The city below is rumbling, cars and people alike out and about carrying on with their lives.

I wonder where she is. I wonder what she's doing. Is she searching for me? Does she wonder about me as often as I wonder about her?

I internally groan at that last one, there's no way she does. I think about her so much it's pathetic. What's she like? What does she do? Will we have things in common? What the fuck does my tattoo mean?

I startle a bit at the sound of the door being wrenched open. My gaze drifts to the access but no one appears and after a moment the door closes again.

They must have changed their mind.

I sigh and put out my burned cigarette by dragging it across the brick railing, I toss it into a garbage can near the exit.

My anger is now more in check and I guess I should be getting back to the party.

•

I'm four drinks deep when Milly finds me at the corner of the bar.

"Hoping to drink your way to finding your soulmate?" She asks with a gentle wink.

"Maybe if I'm drunk and the worlds blurry I can just pretend one of these guys is them." I slur, gesturing to the crowd surrounding us in the club. My words don't make sense to even me anymore.

"Shit, Bex. You're such a lightweight." She laughs taking my hand and pulling me away from the bar and towards the table we had claimed earlier.

No sooner have we joined Justin at the table than he quickly stands as four men approach our table.

"David!" So great to see you. He says boldly, offering his hand to the dark haired man before us.

"Thanks for coming out Justin, I just wanted to introduce you to my friend Michael, he'll be doing the set later." He says gesturing to a blonde, though his hair is mostly hidden by a hat. "These are his band mates, Luke," he says pouting to another blonde "and Ashton." He points to the last boy who's hair is dyed a deep red.

"There's one more of us, but I'm not sure where he's run off to." The boy introduced as Ashton adds his gaze drifting around the bar as he seems to look for someone.

Justin introduces himself.

"This is my fiancée Milly and her sister Rebecca." He says and I scoff.

"I go by Bex." I say with an eye roll shooting an annoyed glance at Justing. "Justin just enjoys pushing my buttons." I laugh humorlessly.

They offer greetings and I glance between them, the spot on my shoulder burning but I don't feel anything as I look at them and I do my best to hide my disappointment.

"If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to grab some air." I say with a small smile, stepping away from the group and heading for a door just under a sign that reads 'rooftop access'.

I open the door just as Milly grabs my hand.

"Bex, what the hell was that? You were rude!" She hisses at next like she's trying to be quiet though I have no idea why, the club around us is a rotating cacophony of noise.

"I was not!" I defend, letting the door drop closed once more.

"You were. Come to the bathroom with me, I need to freshen up and I want to be back when his set starts."

I roll my eyes—apparently my tolerance for her mothering me is low with the current level of alcohol filling my system—but I follow her anyways, my shoulders slumped and my face set in frown. Another night, another disappointment.

An: they were so close :(

When will they meet? How will they meet?

Lmk your thoughts!

How do you like it so far?

Ily
Sav🖤