Skybreak [not to be continued]

XII

I was strumming in the street just outside of Alaska's apartment block which I had moved into only a few days ago, when I saw a band singing and playing in the small but sheltered opening to the tube station. As the song that O was singing drew to a close, I listened in on what they were performing: I didn't recognise the song at all.

I swiftly strapped my guitar into its case as walked over, carefully weaving my steps around the numerous puddles that were a result of the nearly constant dribble of rain we'd had over the last few months. As I arrived at the entrance to the tube, I recognised the four musicians. It was Cal, Ash, Mike and Luke.

Intrigued by what they were singing, I stood with my back against that wall just inside the foyer at the top of the staircase and listened intently to them. Luke's voice caught my attention, I had heard it before but I found it truly mesmerising. I stared at him, noting the little things he did as he sang, the cautious foot tapping and his strumming technique. Eventually, he looked up and met my gaze. I blushed, looking down as I drifted slowly (trying to avoid hitting anyone with my guitar) through the constant, but steady, stream of people towards them.

"You guys are really good! Like really, really good." I complemented whilst looking each boy dead in the eye. "I didn't recognise the song though."

Out of the corner if my eye, I noticed Ash nudge Calum, who then immediately blurted out a slightly staggered sentence. "Um - it's a, well, it's an original and um, I kinda wrote it. Yeah."

I raised my eyebrows mockingly at him. "Sorry? Cal, I couldn't quite make that out."

"He wrote it." Luke interfered. I turned and a smile slowly spread across my face. His hair wasn’t messy, but instead it was sort of messily styled and his fringe had fallen slightly in his face. His stunning sapphire eyes peered out from underneath and I almost awed at the sight.

"Luke!" I exclaimed, genuinely happy to be speaking to him. "I was wondering if you wanted to sing something, all of you, together. You can choose the song."

Not even a second after the words had left my mouth, a strangely evil grin spread itself along Michael's lips. I was almost expecting him to start cackling, but instead he crisply spoke one word: "Anything?"

I couldn't even speak my reply, or even show any recollection of hearing his question when Michael had already leant over and was whispering something rapidly into Luke’s ear. When he leant back, they were both smiling and Luke's cheeks were slightly flushed; it was almost like he was blushing at something Michael had said.

"Do you want to come back to our flat, it's only a few stops, and we can talk about playing something - maybe teach you a couple of our songs, and then if you have some we could learn them too?" Michael questioned me. I looked around at the other boys: Ash was early awaiting my reaction, Cal looking similar to Ash and Luke was staring at the ground, his cheeks redder than ever.

"If that’s okay." I spoke cautiously, almost as if I was walking on eggshell – answering exactly what they wanted to hear. Their reactions seemed please, and I added to my answer. "Really, I’d love to! Anyone want a coffee or anything first? It's on me."

Luke immediately responded, addressing all of us. "Yeah, I really need some caffeine. I can get it, and Grey can help me - you guys go home first and make the house look somewhat respectable."

Luke and I said a quick goodbye to the Cal, Mike and Ash as they descended the stairs into the bottomless pit of the tube station carrying their instruments (two guitars and a box drum). We simultaneously picked our guitars and headed side by side out into the chilly London air.

I followed Luke through the city to the quaint little cafe where I had met Alaska for coffee about a week ago. I smiled at Luke as we entered into the warmth, a small bell ringing to signify our arrival.

"Two lattes, a normal coffee, an Americano and ..." Luke ordered for his band mates before turning to me.

"And a hot chocolate." I finished for him.

The attendant asked a question which Luke conspicuously responded to, answering with the word both, before turning to wink at me. I handed a £10 note over the countertop, and received my change plus the four coffees and a hot chocolate completed with extra whipped cream and over flowing with white and pink fluffy marshmallows.

I rolled my eyes at Luke, who was laughing at my drink having ordered it with the extra toppings; I tried to drink it, which resulted in a white creamy moustache, a mouth full of marshmallows and a fit of laughter from the boy beside me. I held my drink in one hand, and Luke held the four coffees in a tray in one of his stupidly large hands and we walked out of the shop, balancing the drinks and guitars between us.

The streets were now more crowded, and I swiftly followed Luke as led me to the underground where he was able to finally navigate his way around now, without the help of an upside-down map: something he was using the first time we'd met.

It was only a few stops on one line, before we changed to another train and arrived at the station near where they lived. Luke ran up the stairs (and I was surprised didn't spill anything) and I followed, trying to balance my drink to prevent any leaks or dribbles down the side in one hand, and my precious guitar in the other. It was only a short walk to the apartment block, and soon we burst into the flat where the other boys were.