Fixing Us || l.h

Chapter Thirty-One*

Luke began apologizing to everyone almost a week after I told him to. We were in Atlanta, Georgia right now and I was sitting on the balcony outside my room. The door opens and Ashton, Luke, Michael and Calum step out. "Hey." I say softly. "Luke has sincerely apologized to everyone." "No he hasn't." I go back to my book. I hear the boys whispering, fighting about who he hasn't apologized to. "You guys are idiots." I sing, and they all look at me.

They push Luke forward before going back in the room. "Hi Dylan." "Luke." I watch out of the corner of my eye as he messes with the ring on his pinky. "Are you going to say something or can I go back to my book?" I ask coldly. "Yes, I mean no, I mean yes I'm going to say something, no you can't go back to your book. Please." He adds on quickly. I glance up at him and he takes a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Dylan, I'm sorry for not telling you, for blowing up at you, for trying to lighten the mood at the wrong time, for fighting with everyone, for fighting with you, for being stubborn, for being an idiot, for being annoying." I couldn't help the smile that grew on my lips. "For being dumb, for acting without thinking." I leaned over and kissed his cheek and he looked at me. "You're definitely all those things but shut up. I forgive you."

"Oh thank god." He breathes, pulling my face close to connect our lips. I pull away. "I forgive you but I'm still a little mad." "That's better than you hating me." He gives a dry laugh. I nod, leaning back in my chair. "I really am sorry though Dylan." "I know."

I stand up, Luke looking up at me. "I have practice, I'll see you after." I explain. "Good luck." I head into the room, changing into sweats and a T-shirt. I throw my hair up in a ponytail, heading out the door, phone and wallet in hand.

I arrive at the venue 5 minutes later, on stage and ready to practice. We go through each song, going over Riot! 3 times. "Brad, what's up?" I turn around the second time he messes up his drumming. He runs his fingers through his hair, sighing. "Nothing, I'm fine." "You don't seem fine? What's wrong?" I put the mic back in its stand, walking over. "Nothing, don't worry about it." "Brad, you're family to all of us, if something's up you can tell us."

"Dylan, I love you to death but stop. I'm fine. Really." I frown, going back to center stage. He begins Riot! again and we get through about half of it before he messes up again. He lets out a string of curses before throwing his drum sticks and rushing off the stage. "I'll talk to him." Damian offers, following him.

Aaron, Zach and I just stare after them. "Do you guys know what's going on?" I finally ask. "Not a clue." Aaron shrugs. Zach shakes his head. "Um, that's it for practice. We'll just cut Riot! out of our set list." I mumble. "Sounds good."

I head off the stage, grabbing a water. Luke comes in, laughing with Michael. "How'd practice go?" He asks, taking a drink of my water. "Good till the end." I sigh. "What happened?" "Something's up with Brad." I shrug. They both frown. "Go practice, I'll see you after." "Bye." He gives me a kiss on the forehead before heading out. We were so awkward right now...

Their practice goes well, Ashton broke his drums though, so they're trying to fix it before tonight. I sit off to the side, watching Ashton tightening something. Luke was holding something and Calum was tightening something. Michael was 'supervising' but he was really on his phone.

"Stop breaking your drums." Calum groans, examining a blister on his hand. "I just get really into it." He shrugs. I roll my eyes, laughing. "What time is the show tonight?" I ask. "6:45 today. They have to tear everything down right away after us since someone's performing here tomorrow night." "Who?" "Some country artist I think." "Oh. Luke, can I talk to you?" I stand up, offering Luke my hand. "Just a sec." Ashton grunts, tightening the screw. "Done." He wipes his hands on his jeans and Luke let's go of the drum he was holding. Everything stayed in place.

Luke follows me as I weave through the halls, finally finding an empty quiet one. "Um," I pause, trying to think of how to word this. "This is about those rumors from a few weeks ago, isn't it?" He asks, leaning against the wall. "Well, are they true?" "No." I watch him clench and unclench his jaw for a second. "I was just wondering. And I was trying to ask nicely, I'm trying to keep this a calm conversation Luke."

"Sorry." He mumbles. "Do you know who she even is?" "I'm pretty sure she's like a model or something, but I've never met her." He says, looking at me. "Anyway, models scare me." I laugh, looking at him in disbelief. "You're scared of models?" "They're all freakishly perfect and it's weird." "There's something called photoshop Luke, and you dated one..." I laugh. "Still, and Gigi was a publicity stunt... I wasn't really dating her." "Seriously?" I ask. He nods. "And you're still scared of models?" He shrugs. "You're so weird." I couldn't stop laughing about this.

"Would you stop laughing? It's not that funny." He grumbles. I slowly straighten up, looking at him only to burst into another round of giggles. "Stop." He whines. "I can't!" I slid down the wall so I was sitting on the floor. I make a squeaking noise, something I do when I laugh too hard, and he began laughing too.

My squeak only made me laugh harder, and began doing it more to where I could barely breathe. "Can't." I try to take a breath but barely get any air. "Breathe." I gasp out, still laughing. "I ran over a puppy yesterday." He tells me. I slowly stop laughing and can breathe again and then look at him. "Please tell me you're lying?" "I am." He kisses me.