The Mighty Fall // l.h.

Chapter 2 • America's Suitehearts

• Mimi •

5 Seconds of Summer? I might actually puke after holding it in this whole time. I've heard about them before and I don't want anything to do with them.

One of them is leaning against the back wall right next to the couch. He has dark hair with blonde highlights in the front, wide brown eyes, and big lips. I'm ashamed to say that I know them all by name. This one is Calum Hood, the one who everyone thinks is Asian, which is strange because he doesn't even look Asian to begin with. He's quickly lost interest in Hank, my mother, and I and he is now staring off towards the wall opposite him, looking zoned out and bored. He wants to be here just about as much as I do.

Sitting on the arm of the couch right beside Calum is Ashton Irwin, with his shaggy honey blonde hair being held in and controlled by a gray bandana. He leans on his fist, a faint glimmer of interest in his big hazel eyes as he turns to glance at the three of us. He holds my eye contact for a moment before turning away.

On the couch are Michael Clifford and Luke Hemmings, not trying very hard to hide how uninterested they are. Michael, red hair blazing like a flame, is glancing at the phone in his hand, taking a single moment to flash his green eyes up at us before looking back to his Twitter feed. Luke is simply staring up at the ceiling with his hands folded in his lap, one leg crossed up over the other. His bright blue eyes meet mine and hold contact for what feels like a longer moment than I'm sure it actually was. He tugs at his black lip ring with his teeth, running his eyes over my body before losing interest and glancing away.

"What is this all about, Hank?" I sigh. My hangover is coming and going like waves against the beach and, right now, I'm drowning in the high tide — I'm gonna be sick, I just know it.

"Well, Mimi, the boys have a little proposition for you," Hank replies.

I roll my eyes at this. "I don't want to work with them, if that's what this is all about," I reply, lowering my voice a bit. "I may not have all that much dignity left, but I have enough to deny that. I can't stand boy bands."

"What makes you think we want to work with you?" Calum suddenly snaps.

He glares at me and I hold his eye contact, challenging him to say more; I'm not putting up with this shit today. "Well, if you didn't want to work with me, why would you be here?" I reply through gritted teeth.

It's Hank who speaks up this time "Well, Mimi, you know about the Teenage Idol awards at the end of the year, correct?" He asks, and I nod.

"Of course, I'm performing the opening gig," I reply.

"That's the problem here," Ashton perks up. All the eyes in the room turn to him and he continues, "You were supposed to be performing the opening gig, but now the administration for the awards is thinking about offering it to us instead."

What the fuck?

"I've had that gig secured for months now — they can't just change their minds after making an agreement like that!" I say, raising my voice unintentionally. "That's bullshit!"

Hank grabs my shoulder, trying to calm me down. "Mimi, just sit down, please," he says.

It's not worth the energy to argue and I'm already starting to feel sick again, so I do. Hank moves to stand between the four boys and me.

"Now, the administration of the awards has made us an offer," he explains. "As artists, Mimi and 5 Seconds of Summer are neck-and-neck in the running for the Rising Star award; whoever is more likely to win will be performing the opening gig at the awards ceremony. The way that we're going to find out who is more likely is through a challenge. Whoever can fill the most stadiums for concerts by the end of the year will be performing the opening gig and will take home the award."