Broken || Little Mix ||

Chapter 15 - E

***TRIGGER WARNING***

"Jade! I missed you so much!"

I wince as Leigh-Anne screams into my ear and envelopes me into a hug while jumping up and down. My hangover is in full force right now and, mixed with my all-nighter last night, all I want to do is get through the pre-tour meeting as quickly as possible and get on the plane to California.

"Careful Leigh. This one's in a bad mood. Nearly bit my head off twice on the train ride back," Perrie grumbles as she walks into the room.

"I've got a headache," I say to Leigh.

"I'd say it's more of a hangover from the looks of you," Jesy says smirking while pulling me into an embrace as well.

"It was a rough few days, okay?"

I sit down at the conference table and rest my head against the cool glass tabletop. I have to ignore the stinging on my arms from the antiseptic I haphazardly slapped on them a few hours ago. There were two separate instances where Perrie snapped at me on the train ride here because I was being rude and I couldn't take it anymore. Not wanting to do more drugs right before a big team meeting, I locked myself in the bathroom and had a visit with my steel friend. I don't have a sling anymore, so I require no assistance with changing or anything like that. I'm free to cope with whatever way I deem helpful.

I hear someone sit down in the chair next to me and feel them rub my back soothingly. "You want to talk about anything baba?" Jesy asks.

Before I can respond, the door opens and in walks Paul, Sam, and a couple of other members of our team. Sam smiles brightly as she sits at the head of the table.

"Good morning ladies!" she practically screams.

I'm thankful for the fact that I'm in the seat furthest away from her. Even from this distance though, her voice pierces the fog in my head and drives a nail into my brain.

"We have about an hour before you need to leave for the airport so let's get down to business, okay?"

By the time the next hour is gone, my head isn't just fogged by the remnants of whatever I drank and smoked last night but also by tour details, specifications, and procedures. A new setlist was finalized, dates were gone over with in-depth details, as well as expectations of our behavior on camera and social media since we've never had such a warm welcoming in America. For the most part, I keep my eyes trained on Sam's face and don't contribute much to the conversation. Despite the copious amounts of water and paracetamol, my brain still thunders around in my skull.

"If you don't have any questions then I wish you girls the best of luck! I can't stress how much is riding on this portion of the tour."

Once again, the great, encouraging words of our manager Sam. We all rise to leave and head down to the waiting car, but Sam adds in one last comment before she leaves.

"Oh, and Jade? The label said that you've been doing great lately. Keep up the good work and smiles for the cameras!"

I cringe as all three of the girls' heads immediately snap to my face.

"Thanks, Sam. Will do," I mumble, grabbing my backpack and darting from the room.

Jes, Perrie, and Leigh all follow me out of the room and to the elevator on my heels with Paul lagging a bit behind to give us some space.

"What was that about?" Jes asks as I hit the button for the lift.

"What was what about?" I say innocently.